healing through remembering

i'll be in london on monday and tuesday speaking with others at three events on behalf of healing through remembering - a very thoughtful initiative that is seeking to propose ways to address the past regarding the conflict in and about northern ireland. if you're interested in thinking about these questions, which have a much more universal application than just in my home community, consider yourself invited to any of the events. the events are details here.

climate change and journalistic ethics

martin durkin's 'the great global warming swindle' made waves when screened last week. a feature length film presenting scientists who dispute the received wisdom about climate change, 'swindle' is a technically brilliant piece of dramatic documentary, made by someone who also has the courage to stand in the face of mainstream opinion. (whatever it else it is, courage is definitely part of it.)

and yet.

and yet, the response to the film has raised uncomfortable questions about journalistic ethics - the director has been previously found to have misled interviewees, and distorted or ignored facts. at least one of the contributors to 'swindle' has already stated that he feels let down by the programme-makers.

what is saddest about this is that the question of the potential validity of any of the arguments made by the contributors is likely to be subsumed under media sniping about the possibility that we have been misled about some of them. i'm left not sure what to do about this - who do i believe? can anyone help me?

am i left with only the option of splitting the difference between watching 'swindle' followed by 'an inconvenient truth' and a visit to george monbiot's blog?

old joy

it's been a fortnight of meditative cinema - the monks of 'into great silence', jack nicholson's ambivalent journalist at the heart of 'the passenger', and now the unexpected glories of 'old joy' - a film apparently based on a book of still photographs. two guys who used to be roommates go on a short road trip, lie down in a hot spring, talk a little, feel regret, and go home.

the sense of a once-meaningful friendship disappearing into the past is palpably evoked by the pitch-perfect central performances by daniel london and will oldham, the gentle photography that really takes its time, and the fact that pretty much all of us will be able to identify with the story from the inside.

it's also one of the most subtly devastating critiques of the bush administration, and, more importantly, the lack of a substantive alternative offered from the left (and my generation specifically).

perhaps the only criticism i would make is that there is not enough of this film, but that, i guess is another way of saying that what is there is really rather wonderful.

the passenger

watching michelangelo antonioni's 'the passenger' is a stilling experience, not least of all because jack nicholson's laconic way is better suited to this film than pretty much any other i've seen. the story of a man who disappears into the life of another for reasons best known to himself doesn't rely on movie style or tricks, but conveys something of the inner life of a certain kind of person - he or she who does things for an inexplicable purpose. 'i used to be somebody else but i traded him in' says jack's character, travelling from north africa to london to munich and barcelona by way of the map of the human soul. a character tells another that the questions we ask reveal more about us than the answers given. nothing much happens in this picture, except the transfixed gaze of the audience. and it made me feel like i was alive.

p.s. watch it with jack's commentary on the dvd for a treasurable couple of hours in the presence of one of pop culture's true originals.

if it's not one thing, it's another

spare a thought for this guy, kevin mcconnell, 19-time oscar loser, whose experience last sunday night didn't exactly match that of helen mirren, martin scorsese, or forest whitaker. as the imdb tells us today:

Oscar Loser Lost Mother After the Awards

Oscar's biggest loser Kevin O'Connell had a double reason to feel low the day of the Academy Awards - he was nursing his dying mother, who passed away just after the telecast. Apocalypto sound mixer O'Connell found out he'd missed out on an Oscar for the 19th time on Sunday night, but he had more pressing personal matters on his mind. The multi-nominee attended the Oscar ceremony, but left right after his category was announced and raced to the hospital to check on his ailing mother. In a statement released to website GoldDerby.com, O'Connell says, "My mother Skippy passed away on Sunday night right after the Oscars. I was holding her in my arms when she died."

belfast film festival

went to the launch of this year's programme for the belfast film festival yesterday; and, as always it was a pleasant mix of high and low brow conversation about film, splendid people, and excellent - if unhealthy - food to nibble on. i particularly like the potato tortilla, and the opportunity to see what looks like a hundred films in just over a week. check it out.

into great silence

found myself beginning lent a couple of days early last night at belfast's www.queensfilmtheatre.com being drawn 'into great silence' - a near-three hour documentary about life in a carthusian monastery.

it is slow and quiet, and makes the radical gesture of not offering commentary on the lives of those it portrays.

the notion of spending a life in near-silence is threatening to me, perhaps to most of us; but by the end of the film i was almost ready to commit. the film-maker, philip groening, flicks up biblical quotations from time to time, returning to jesus' words about giving up everything to be his disciple. the repetition of this phrase has a hypnotic effect, and as the film builds and builds to a climax in which a blind monk discusses his faith, intercut with scenes of the most extraordinary physical beauty, groening manages to convince that the richness of these mens' lives is an astonishing reward for choosing not to live like the rest of us.

celtic soliton sessions: the review

celtic soliton sessions - a long weekend of conversation, worship, reflection, friendship, guinness, music, prayer, freezing beach walks, chocolate, laughter, justice, pain, honesty, exploration, and an encounter with the divine that none of us will easily forget. the continuing friendship between u.s. and irish/british soliton people is a source of wonder to many of us, and the idea of continuing the relationships through the symbol society network is one of the most exciting notions to emerge. this past weekend we talked about contemplation, working with children, subverting unjust authority structures, sexuality and theology, art and spirituality, the inevitable blogging, and many other things under the sun too numerous to mention. the beauty of the north coast of ireland was the perfect setting, and i'm energised for another few months in the landscape of my everyday life. thanks to everyone who was there, keep in touch.

celtic soliton sessions

CELTIC SOLITON SESSIONS

The Soliton Network is an invitation to the rhythms of hospitality and generosity as well as to share resources, laughter, dreams and friendships. Soliton events are informal opportunities for people to reflect on the edges of Christian spirituality and practice - all are welcome, and many have been surprised by how rich the experience is. Speakers/facilitators at previous Soliton events have included Brian McLaren, Erwin McManus, Greg Russinger, Christine Sine, Doug Pagitt, Si Johnston, Jo Coles, Gareth Higgins, and many more.

This year our theme is ‘dangerous living’.

Our traditions are stories of dangerous lives: prophets critiqued dangerously, apostles spoke dangerously, and the early church fathers lived dangerously. Jesus inspired life practices that launched a new society both critical of and dangerous to the present order. 2007's Soliton Sessions are an invitation to rediscover this alternative society. Facilitators already confirmed include Jonny Baker, Kester Brewin, Pete Rollins, Si Johnston, Gareth Higgins, Laura Bagley, Erin Parish and Andrew Jones. As a special event, the wonderful Juliet Turner will also play a gig for Soliton during the weekend.

February 1-4, 2007

Thursday 1st Feb in Belfast

The Belfast event will take place from 10am-4pm at East Belfast Mission on the Lower Newtownards Road (please note change of venue); with an evening gathering for conversation and food from 7.30pm

Friday – Sunday 2nd-4th Feb = Residential in Portrush

Participants are welcome to attend either or both the Belfast and Portrush sessions.

Our facilitators will include Pete Rollins, Jonny Baker, Erin Parish, Andrew Jones, Gareth Higgins, Trevor Debenning and others, and topics in both Belfast and Portrush will include:

• Translating the message of Martin Luther King for today
• Finding spiritual fingerprints in culturally significant films
• Telling the difference between healthy fear and phobias
• Spirituality in contemporary northern Ireland: challenges and opportunities
• How (not) to speak of God

And whatever else you'd like to talk about!

We’d love as many people as possible to benefit from the conversation, provocation and friendship provided through Soliton – so please do sign up if you’d like to attend. More information at www.solitonnetwork.org; or email gareth_higgins@ntlworld.com if you have any questions.

the meaning of rest in peace

those of you who follow northern ireland politics will know that david ervine died yesterday after falling suddenly ill. you can read a great deal about his life, his politics, and his contribution to conflict resolution here, which cannot be underestimated. for now, i would like simply to add a few comments of my own. david ervine was the only local politician i ever met of whom i could say i had consistently honest and genuinely friendly conversations. he had definitively changed paths from paramilitarism to non-violence, and was utterly unfazed by the temptation to 'spin' everything in public life. what you saw was what you got. he could take a joke at his own expense, he would go the extra mile to get things done for you, and he did not consider it beneath him to ask me for a lift home after he had once spoken at an event i chaired. of all our public representatives, he was one of the most human, and his contribution may well be irreplaceable. may his family be comforted, and may he rest in peace.

film talk 6

film talk 6 is up - all you'd ever want to know about night at the museum and why we think it's better (in places) than the reviews.

you can sign up at i-tunes.

the most unbelievable news

Quotation from an interview about the new Rambo film "I can only imagine Rambo sneaking into Burma to free Christian missionaries who are being held by militants. And as the invincible one-man army looks into the eyes of the ordinary folks from Oklahoma and South Carolina who are risking their lives for the Gospel, he is swept up by their commitment. Oh, wait. I'm. Not. Kidding."

Stallone says: "It rekindles something in him. He doesn't believe at first, he's seen too much. He's bitter. But when he meets these people and looks into their eyes, he's swept up in it, and literally he's just taken on this journey," Stallone said. "He's a Christian warrior! Can you believe it?"

unfortunately i can. perhaps never has so much artistic talent been put at the service of the myth of redemptive violence.

ancient/future 2007

well friends, happy new year to you all. it's 2am and i'm just back from a party with some splendid people. i want to thank you for the time we've shared together this year, and for the interest you show in this blog by reading it - we've been underway for a few months now, and i'm planning (hoping) to make more regular contributions in 2007 (the paving of good intentions etc. will be borne in mind).

as for my hopes for the year, of course i have some personal thoughts about transitions in my own life, questions of purpose and the context in which i live, but beyond that i would hope that 2007 will see more visionary people being freed to say what they really think about the violence and power dynamics in our world; that our creative impulses will be nurtured, for the act of creation reveals to us something unique about being human; and that we will respond to the desperate need to slow down and resist the consumerist idol, which, after all, encourages us to become consumers of each other.

the execution of a dictator, the death of a human being

well, i know i might be expected to write a title like that for a post like this, but in the frenzy of bloodlust that has accompanied the execution it actually seems inadequate to recall that vengeance serves no purpose of peace. this brutal man deserved to be made responsible for his actions; his victims had reason to expect justice; and if the waste of the war is to have any redemption, something needed to be done to show that those who would oppress other human beings as saddam did will not get away with it. but the manner in which saddam was tried and his life ended, and the way that the u.s. and u.k. administrations have responded evokes memories of pre-democratic mob rule. and for the u.k. foreign secretary to welcome the death penalty by saying that 'saddam has been held to account' is about as far from liberal values as this government has fallen. justice is not served by more killing. and the last time i looked, i thought the u.k. was opposed to capital punishment.

the vatican has reacted thus:

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi

"A capital punishment is always tragic news, a reason for sadness, even if it deals with a person who was guilty of grave crimes. The position of the Church has been restated often. The killing of the guilty party is not the way to reconstruct justice and reconcile society. On the contrary there is a risk that it will feed a spirit of vendetta and sow new violence. In these dark times for the Iraqi people one can only hope that all responsible parties truly make every effort so that glimmers of reconciliation and peace can be found in such a dramatic situation."

tell them who you are

i just saw a beautiful film about fathers and sons - 'tell them who you are' - a documentary about the cinematographer haskell wexler shot by his son. it's such a thoughtful and touching piece of cinema; and the bonus is you get to hear martin sheen talking about the meaning of life: to win our freedom on every possible level. it's so good i'm going to keep the dvd instead of selling it on ebay. and in these frugal days, that's saying something.

2006: FILMS OF THE YEAR

well, the year ends in 48 hours or so, and i don't plan to see any more new movies between now and then, so i thought i'd revise my list of the films of the year - would love to hear what you think - especially if you want to add any others:

Honourable mentions:

bobby – because it tries to make a case for non-violence.

an inconvenient truth – because it is a serious attempt at changing the world, and manages to make a lecture by al gore one of the most cinematically exciting things ever filmed.

casino royale – because it did everything a bond film should, but was also entirely original at the same time; and because I was able to enjoy it without ignoring the moral questions I have about being entertained by killing.

borat – because it made me laugh more than I had expected.

superman returns – the best kind of tribute film; one made with such care and attention that it makes you feel nostalgic for your childhood.

walk the line – it feels like you imagine Johnny cash must have felt, and has the courage to end early in his career. And it was the perfect pseduo-date movie for me.

paradise now – there has never been a film about the Palestinian people that takes the injustice of their circumstances and the manipulation of some of their political masters so seriously.

Miami vice – Michael Mann still knows how to shoot blue better than anyone else; you could watch this with the sound off.

pavee lackeen the traveller girl – a terrific irish film about travelling people, made with non-professionals, and revealing the tragic underbelly of this abused people.

the science of sleep - crazy like dreams, beautiful like love, sweet like candy floss, and alive like my own heartbeat

20: United 93 – a unique kind of dread settled over the audience when I saw this docudramatic representation of what may have happened on board the one plane that did not hit its target on 9/11; and the response of the passengers elicits fear and respect rather than vengeance. It also serves as a necessary corrective to the somewhat muted acknowledgement of the horror of what actually happened that day.

19: Flags of our fathers – one of the most thoughtful and provocative films ever made about war. Like listening to an old man’s wise conversation.

18: babel – while it’s preachy in places, inarritu and arriaga’s film about the gaps in human communication shows magnificent ambition; and it’s the only place you’re likely to see Moroccan farmers outside an arthouse (or, I suppose, morocco).

17: good night, and good luck – brilliant drama, unfolding slowly in crisp black and white, and over in less than 90 minutes, but announcing a devastating critique of the current US administration and the politics of consumption.

16: the beat that my heart skipped – a starkly beautiful remake of james toback’s ‘fingers’ – a hit man who plays classical piano; there are echoes of greatness in this film.

15: the queen – a story that humanises one of the most unreachable people on the planet.

14: the departed – it’s scorsese’s greatest hits, but who doesn’t want to listen to them again?

13: the prestige – a dark story about ambition and magic, and the lengths to which people will go to conquer the competition – especially if the only reason they have to succeed is that they know there’s somebody better than them. It feels like an epic, because these themes are just about as substantial as you can get.

12: grizzly man – Werner Herzog makes a film about someone we might otherwise consider his alter ego – Timothy Treadwell, whose concern for animal welfare was confused with his thirst for fame. It’s an incredible piece of accidentail cinema.

11: stranger than fiction – what a charming film about how we narrate our own lives; every day we are granted the choice to be heroic.

The rest of the list I’ll let speak for itself – would love your feedback:

10: a scanner darkly

9: cache

8: munich

7: syriana

6: the three burials of melquiades estrada

5: junebug

4: the new world

3: the fountain

2: little miss sunshine

1: children of men




three I (still) haven’t seen that may change the make up of this list once I get around to it:
prairie home companion
little children
pan’s labyrinth

having said this, more than anything I saw at the cinema, I’ve been thrilled by watching the first two seasons of homicide on dvd – maybe the most serious and compassionate drama about murder ever made.

celtic soliton sessions

Just to let y'all know:
The second Celtic Soliton session will take place in February 2007 in Belfast and Portrush. This year our theme is ‘dangerous living’.

The Soliton Network is an invitation to the rhythms of hospitality and generosity as well as to share resources, laughter, dreams and friendships. Soliton events are informal opportunities for people to reflect on the edges of Christian spirituality and practice – developed within what has come to be known as the ‘emerging church’, all are welcome, and many have been surprised by how rich the experience is. Soliton events aim to approach things from a different angle, and have reflected on questions such as social justice and politics, worship and theology, art and spirituality, and human hospitality. Speakers/facilitators at previous Soliton events have included Brian McLaren, Erwin McManus, Greg Russinger, Christine Sine, Doug Pagitt, Jo Coles, William Crawley and many more.

Our traditions embody stories of dangerous lives: prophets critiqued dangerously, apostles spoke dangerously, and the early church fathers lived dangerously. Jesus inspired life practices that launched a new society both critical of and dangerous to the present order. 2007's Soliton Sessions are an invitation to rediscover this alternative society. Facilitators already confirmed include Jonny Baker, Kester Brewin, Pete Rollins, William Crawley, Si Johnston, Laura Bagley, Andrew Jones and little old me. As a special event, the wonderful Juliet Turner will also play a concert for Soliton during the weekend.

The Celtic Soliton sessions take place as follows:
February 1-4, 2007
Thursday 1st Feb = Belfast 10am – 4pm with optional dinner
Friday evening – Sunday afternoon 2nd-4th Feb = Residential in Portrush

Soliton seeks to create space for free thinking engagement with Christian spirituality and practice and is an opportunity to meet with likeminded people who wish to explore radical spirituality in the emerging postmodern context. It is not a typical ‘teaching’ gathering but a forum in which people can learn together from each other, ask questions, and enjoy an experience of community.

Participants are welcome to attend either or both the Belfast and Portrush sessions; we have aimed to keep costs as low as possible to facilitate welcoming any who wish to participate, but we hope to keep the number of attendees small enough to be a meaningful gathering rather than just ‘another conference on the landscape.

More information at www.solitonnetwork.org

film talk 5

episode five of film talk is now available - check it out if you'd like to hear jett loe and myself wax eloquent about such cinematic glories as 'happy feet', 'flushed away', 'pan's labyrinth' and robert altman's unique sci-fi ice-age paul newman film 'quintet'. you can download it here:

http://filmtalk.podbus.com/podcasts/film_talk_5.mp3

the list

Films of the year 2006

Well, the year is beginning to wind down, and though there’s still a few new releases to go yet, some of you have been asking me to let you know what I’ve enjoyed in 2006. So, here’s what I’d recommend:


what I probably consider to be the ten best films of the year, though of course we don't want to be too dogmatic about this:

10: a scanner darkly

9: cache

8: munich

7: syriana

6: the three burials of melquiades estrada

5: junebug

4: the new world

3: the fountain

2: little miss sunshine

1: children of men


honourable mentions for:
grizzly man
an inconvenient truth
good night, and good luck
paradise now
superman returns
walk the line
the beat that my heart skipped
pavee lackeen the traveller girl
babel
stranger than fiction
the prestige
the queen
the departed
borat
bobby
casino royale


biggest disappointment:
wim wenders’ don’t come knocking

worst film I endured this year:
the wicker man


three I haven’t seen that may change the make up of this list once I get around to it:
prairie home companion
little children
pan’s labyrinth

words of wisdom from walter wink

this is a lovely autobiographical piece from walter wink about negotiating the space between fundamentalism and cynicism when it comes to the bible. i think felt something approaching inner peace when i read it.

http://www.westarinstitute.org/Periodicals/4R_Articles/Wink_bio/wink_bio.html