Living through the tough times

Saw a great film ( true story) this week ." The Pianist"  A man who lived in Warsaw through WW 2. Disturbing but wonderful .  For those who missed it " The Concert " too is an outstanding celebration of life in the face of great stress and trauma. 
I am in it apparently - guess who ; go on !

Really funny serious family stuff - Best nightcap for your kids

Too tired for visitors but wouldn't mind if they were ......funny and came and left in 30mins . Got just the thing for you --The Cosby Show!  ( Carsey warner). No its not dated - To be as funny as Cosby is , you have to be seriously on the ball ! Makes a great nightcap

TV Book Clubs?

I like the idea , but seldom find it satisfying to watch. Colm Tiobin was good on ABCTV tonight, but the resistance to his passion ( apart from Jason and, I trust Geraldine D who overuses that word ) annoying for the girls predictability and distraction .
Jennifer Byrne's program on ABCTV constantly tries to drum up some excitement for all the latest, when, as Colm Toibin tried to say this week, many of the best "pictures" and formats are old and their stories can be "retold" to a waiting audience. Revivals of Shakespeare in our time prove it. More on  agoodbook 

The Good Life-- indeed it is

Life is not so much about where you live, but how you live. This outstanding timeless comedy from Bob Larbey should enable generations of new western young people to enjoy exploring their opportunities in their own backyard ( however small) . Not that any of us really should slavishly follow either lifestyle choice outlined in the story - no rather the gift of sharing what little we have with our neighbours - whoever they are and whatever their jobs are in the new millenium .
The story is not so much about the wonders of self sufficiency, but the wonders of life ; discovering that more is less, and less is more - that what we have indeed been given is really enough. That greed is not only bad , but bad for you ! And how funny it all is trying - reminds me of Tevye in Fiddler on the roof - Tim and Barbara trying to play a little tune on the roof .
Love and adventure can and should be constrained by our backyards our callings and our footprints . Love and care for the world therein makes any backyard grow into a world big enough to house all our ambitions . Tom and Barbara prove that its not what you have, but how you use what you have, that matters. The world is not short of resources, but a willingness to share those resources. Full series on DVD is a must for your library.

As time goes by

You meet some horrible people don't you. Take that Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer)bloke from this series . Why would you ever invite such people to your living room again ? Let alone live with him ?
Perhaps the grumpy old men like the series because Judy Dench is so patient and kind.
But why would women enjoy the torture of living with that cynical old self centred sort .Maybe it reminds them that theirs is not so bad after all?
Maybe its like the gos mags and funniest home vidoes - we enjoy seeing someone else suffering?
No, I think whatever it is "As time goes by" is enjoyable because its realistic and its charm is because there is love there - the really tough kind .

While we have only just watched the first series ( we got the whole lot for nicks at Lifeline book sale in Canberra last week )its even got a bit of romance - how did I miss that first time around ; I wonder how long the romance will last? The lasting kind

What does that great comedy writer (Bob Larbey - The Good Life) think of whats happening now ?

Bob Larbey, the co-writer of The Good Life – voted not so long ago one of the nation’s top 10 sitcoms of all time – is more qualified than most to judge the state of television today.
His verdict is damning: a lot of the comedies he sees strike him as “deeply offensive” and he believes broadcasters are using them to try to attract younger viewers.

“They use words like edgy, but that is ----------, because they don’t know what edgy means. Till Death Us Do Part was edgy. Steptoe [and Son] was edgy.”From Tim walker of the Guardian last month

GRAN TORINO

***** Clint Eastwood acts real tough. BUT, if you haven't seen this big shooting film, "you ain't seen nothing YET" . How about YOU Make your day and see this great film;
It forces the audience to watch a few people just like us grabbing solid toughness in desperation; In doing so it shows up the shallow and ineffecetive Noise and Bluster of the cheap immitations We get to see just what a few really tough choices look like .
Some people think the best thing to do is "the natural thing to do" - This film shows how inadequate that is . How though do we go beyond our emotions and try the immpossible . The natural instinct for revenge provides nothing but self justification and stupor on both sides; no way out seems possible ; The escalating war and hostilities in our homes and neighbourhoods would be depressing if it wasn't for the not so obvious kind of toughness discovered in this great film .
The film is a must see, with some great young heroes to inspire YOU . For more on doing the impossible CLICK HERE

Treasures YOU can afford !

The Holiday DVD place on the Coast at Phillip Island had changed hands and was throwing out its old VHS to make way for the DVD's. As usual, I couldn't remember any reviews of the many mystery bag tattered covers bags that were now losing their appeal to everyone but me : I expected little, although i felt that like old records , wear could mean treasure !. I was therefore surprised to go to the desk with 21 tapes.
Amongst the great surprises was BIG MOMMAS HOUSE (proof that great comedy often has to work with the trash before you catch a glimpse of what's worthwhile; Darryl Quarles well written stuff is carried well by all; QUICK CHANGE is another 4 star comedy with great suspense;
BOX SETS The advent of series tapes for sale has meant we can follow some great series properly and without interruption. BALLYKISSANGEL tops our list of family engagements with guts ; with TO THE MANOR BORN and MOTHER AND SON good ways to wind down the day )
So you are saying - "I can't afford them" - us too . Try visiting your friends or neighbour; hint to your children that you would like them ; and setting up a library at your church - why watch rubbish when there are works of art around .
One movie to make you appreciate the good news was
called THE GOOD SOLDIER .Its a must see. a really powerful exploration of 2 couples in particular and the way their best intentions are not enough to get them to really enjoy their marriages . Not that they couldn't , just that they didn't. Tell me what you think if you see it ? Quite scary for its honesty and challenge to think deeply about the path to forgiveness and health.



Others we could recommend for reasonably mature children are " RUN FAT BOY RUN "and "NOTHING TO LOSE "- both great comedies with twists and turns over quite serious matters. Not sure why script writers feel obliged to overdo the swearing- KISS is always better although i have to confess that the chorus of "shut the F up" in NTL was powerfully used and purposefully well done !

Lilies and more

I wish I could do this more often, but the ABC have done very well to bring us LILIES and GEORGE GENTLY . Keep up the good work. More on bestbbc.blogspot.com

The highest forms of Art

RE JUMP 2007

- often just seek to tell the truth .

There is no escape from the truth in the outstanding film JUMP (2007) *****. By telling the true story of Phillipe Halsman, we ride the rough road of anger , frustration, unfairness, deliberate personal destructiveness and prejudice together.
The scary thing is that many of the real participants in this real life drama were not at war, but were destined to let it happen by their weakness. Are we any different ? Jumping to conclusions about others ?
On the very positive side , I hope you will find the last few films listed here really helpful/enjoyable for your family viewing. Like all the best literature, there is no shurking of the evil lurking on both shoulders .

By putting the mirror up to show/remind us of " how people get in such a mess " we have some chance to further studying the process so we can avoid the very problem for oursleves ...Enjoy.

Jimmy Grimble

A soundly constructed story with lots of guts and enough touches of fantasy and faith to make it very funny."Just kidding!"he says when the fixation on football returns. "just kidding "
We wait at the throwout trays of video shops to find these gems that are so good for all the family ( the hero is a teenage son of a single mum) and so good to restore our desire to fight to win! never never ever give up .

I'm picking up Good Vibrations

***** Very highly recommended to all ages and teenagers in particular.
Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys - you've got to know it . It was one of the most expensive song productions of its time - but, like so much of BRIAN WILSON 's work, brilliant in content, creativity and execution. THe documentary BRIAN WILSON " I wasn't made for these times" is a thoroughly engaging music (notable intros to "love and grace" , "smile album" , "pets") and conversation feast.
The film is a moving walk with a man whose story needs to be told again and again . Not only is the trip down music lane exceptional( how about all the ways he shared much musical skill with so many) , the trauma and passion of a sensitive man is so well put together and shared by his often times quite alienated family and friends; touching for its honest dealing with the dangerous obstinacy that we all share in some way with him. A wonderful piece of work. No wonder The good guys are still doing back flips with his work.
The title came from reflecting on a dog barking at his mum ,( "bad vibrations" he thought and in his typical way, turned it around!)Round round get around ....to watchin it!

Nobody listens to me

What did you say again? ..Sorry

Seriously . Having trouble getting your message across ? Especially with people who don't listen and/or don't know and/or don't care. Welcome to the club . You are not alone.

What you need after yet another day of trying to reason and press for change is to watch "Mr Britas " BBC comedy. I remember it being a great antidote to the arrogant excesses of local leadership in the 1980's. Bought Series 2 recently -it is great for reminding us that often the people who make our world work are NOT those who take charge. more coming HERE

Greetings . Perhaps you know some great dramas too! Obviously there is Yes Minister or our very own upto date yesminister.blogspot.com

If you are into reading , can i suggest James Finn Garners "Politically Correct Book of Bedtime Stories " Tell your story too on childrenincharge

Australiathemovie- a truly great fantasy

More on here

Churchill's War

Great drama and reality therapy .Churchill's War"There are only two ways to see life" Said Albert Einstein , The first, I suggest, is an example in this film - to see the victory we witnessed as a miracle .

This week saw panic about the world ending with questions over LHC's ability to throw protons predictably. Reminds me of the way so many , even in the info age , get confused between what we know and what we don't.
We still don't know much about protons and they are some of the simplest and smallest bits , be we scientists know enough not to worry .
What we should fear in this great big universe of ours? . Physicists aren't worried. Why should we be? After all, too, the big freeze or fry ( if it happens) is some time away yet and we really can't do anything about it ! Eat drink and be merry????

Maybe we humans fear impotence??????
Physicists know that they are building on the work of Einstein. While they don't know very much really , they know enough to act sensibly in experiment and also to think this :
" what an amazing, predictable ( in parts) and yet unpredicatable( quantum questions) quite mysterious creation we live in" We have very little power - why would we want to think otherwise?

Where does the fear come from then ? Jung said it well. The evil is not outside -its somewhere inside man himself . ( paraphrased)
Back to Einstein -- for a bit of choice stuff for everyone .
" There are only two ways to live. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is though everything is a miracle" Since he spoke those words, more and more physicists have come to this conclusion from the few facts we know .

So ....what' s worth watching to get beyond the evil. Think about how England survived WW2 . Watch
CHURCHILLS WAR or THE BATTLE OF BRITIAN available on PAYLESS and reflect on what was said and what miracles happened and could have happened - you may need to read some of what was written by people such as Bonhoeffer and Chesterton as well ?

Stations of the Cross -World Youth Day

Its happened before _ every time we stop talking about others( incl the inadequate church of His followers) and focus on the Bloke , we cannot help be touched . He's incredible!

Who is this man who exercised such great power over the powerful - that they complied to kill Him ; Is everything as it seems - does He really have power and a way forward that every man needs ?

What some men consider rubbish.....

Scrapheap challenge ABCTV2 at 6:30
May just prove, like the apple that the Australian Granny Smith threw away, to have the BEST bit of creative potential seen in years . Good on the Brits for reporting and editing with just enough care to keep us guessing . rates with TOP GEAR's Old Porshe challenge ( available on DVD) as something really worth watching !

What better show can you get on TV at that time of day ! Mind you in making this recomendation I can't be considered objective - I am a very biased lover of rusty metal - its nice to know we have some friends.
- cutting and pasting for big kids. Pity its about to finish and we waited years to see it . What are the ideologues doing at the ABC ?

Prince Caspian --A must see

If there was one movie you gotta see this winter ---it is this one . Sure its aimed at children , but the whole family ( sounds trite ) will go away with heaps- if you listen.
Listen , and you will get heaps of ideas, images and gold coins to sell at the next swap meet that matters. Not that you need anything but small change at most swap meets - No these gold coins are ones you get when you listen to mice or when the trees start talking again ;
The story will not only give you treasure enough to share on boring trips on a train but courage for those bears when they come out of the forest to eat you again .
Beautiful, powerful imagery of how to fight real battles and win .

Reality Therapy in Bucketloads

THE BUCKET LIST is cosmic contrast with guts --reality therapy for all those who dare to think about death and the meaning of life . That agenda means, of course that most of the critics and reviewers in the massmedia will be in denial about the subject and content of this good film and its portrait of real men at either ends of the spectrum. Don't listen to them --------GO SEE IT

Healthy to write the list , Healthy to read and reread the list as they did, and healthy to watch the film to awaken you too to the possibility that many of your wishes too, can come true. Even cups running over !

For those too who dare to ask the very legitimate question ( so rarely addressed) of why so many bad things happen around us and near to us even by those we might like to claim as friends and family there is the stark protrait of one man who would destroy the lifeblood of another by destroying the often denied lifeblood of families .Decision time, like vigilance time , is all the time GO SEE IT and be rewarded and challenged.

Drop the dream, if it stops you really living

Spent $15 on ATONEMENT . It was OK. (A theme version for children would be worth a promotion.)
However after watching " FROM HERE TO ETERNITY " last night I'd rather have spent my money on being able to share some more of these old thoroughly human dramas.

We all like to think we know what we want.But really- we don't don't really often know what's good for us; whats best for us .
Each of the main characters in the story is pursuing a dream. Sure, it's a man thing, but its also a woman thing .
But each of the dreams is a shallow one . If only they could see it like we can as observers to their blind spots . If only they could see how the constraints they put on themselves are shallow and pathetic- denying them the relationships they need more than anything else .
I never liked Frank Sinatra, but I loved him in that role of true friend . Treasure your friends - you may not like what they tell you -but thats why they are your friends! Let me say it again - listen to what they are telling you and do something about it - (then they might stop nagging you about it !)


I come from a family who go hard at everything -

So it is very clear ---we must slow down, even TODAY ; jettison the MERE things that those who care about us clearly see as standing in the road of our relationships . No ambition, goal or tangible reality is more important than doing what those who love us tell us is standing in the road of right relationships . If your eye causes you to sin., pluck it out

Its that serious ! Who can take the medicine? Will it hurt ? Only with divine help!
Will life be better? - you bet !

Best new year Flicks

Well , where are they - tell us ? Maybe you have noted some new films worth reporting here for the new year , but this reviewer went through the list and reviews for little .
However My princess called me on new year eve , the unbelieving grouch, to come to never happy ever after land. and despite protest and concern at the start , I have to say, at the end --I was hooked. While the cartoon antics at the start are enough to want you to send the silly romantic dame to a special lockup in the real world ( our dj'ssuggestion), the film brings at least 2 of the four loves to the fore - at what a great time you will have, you old romantics - if you just let yourself go - just this once ! BEWITCHED is great , and it nice to know my princess knows me well enough to know " I would like it " , even if i never believed the reviews!

Comedy/ family fun is not so difficult if thats all you are looking for The Darjeelin Ltd , or for the younger kids Daddy day Camp remind us that while nothing particularly new on offer in basic contrasts - these 2 would probably be some of the best. Keeping away from Bees and the many, many films that seem to oversell their right to the highlights-- claiming gold for themselves in the names they choose.

One of the most consistent, cut through the hype and comprehensive review sites I find is the CTM one . Never more so than on the golden Compass controversy within christendom . CTM will usually give you more than enough detail to make an informed decision on what room of the rambling house of broken mirrors , the producer is dragging you into .
As for any room I am dragging you into, tis only one cinema this new year .
I am grateful to the ABC for puuting on Henry V after the election, but as for cinemas - maybe not we will get the DVD (or and old VHS) like Amazing grace,some old BBC dramas , Sister Act or revisit the Lord of the Rings for the holidays - but we would welcome a few more ideas, just in case

CTM gives some encouragement to the Diving bell....and the Atonement .As for the Golden Compass - the ads alone are enough to make this reviwer throw up in contorted weasing at its technophobic recipes for testing courage, ability and plain stupidity. Those who don't believe in evil are never very good at portraying it.