Acknowledging John Kelliher MSC, 75

John Kelliher is from Sydney and celebrates his 75^th birthday on January 15^th.  He made his first profession on December 4^th 1971, studied at the Sacred Heart Monasteries, Canberra and Croydon, his Bachelor Theology at the Yarra Theological Union, and ordained on August 21st 1976.

With Andre Claessens MSC on his visit to Darwin 2023

John has spent many years in the Northern Territory, beginning in 1977 at Santa Teresa, later at the Cathedral in Darwin. And, at present, he is parish priest of St Paul’s Nightcliff, in Darwin. Other appointments include parish priest at Erskineville, secretary to the Provincial, John Mulrooney at Treand House and Community Leader at Kensington Monastery.

John did the Siloam, Spiritual Direction program at Heart of Life in 1995 and sabbatical time at the Tantur Centre in Jerusalem.

Blessed and Gifted Retreat, St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park.

Participants in this, the third retreat for the Province. The first was in Melbourne, the second at Kensington Monastery.  

The retreat team leader for all the retreats is Chris Chaplin MSC from the General Leadership.

The team for this retreat, Sister Pauline Compton OLSH and Chung inh Tran MSC, Canberra.

The Retreat House and the grounds offered an excellent location.

And thanks to John Walker MSC for the photos.

Revisiting Croydon Monastery and its MSC memories – and some photos

Last week our student, Hoa, asked me about visiting Croydon to get some sense of the Province’s past and formation there.  It was a beautiful day and the building still looks good.

It is now Sacred Heart Parish and has a primary school at the back and side with several hundred children.  The school was locked for the holidays and you have to pass through the school grounds to get to the cemetery.

The parish secretary enjoys showing visitors around.  I took photos and will post them over coming weeks.

This post shows the chapel and the Church. And the memorial to Norbert Earl MSC at the entry to the chapel.

The Church extension from the chapel into the courtyard.

Next week photos from downstairs, later photos from upstairs.

SWEET DREAMS

US, 2024, 95 minutes, Colour.

Johnny Knoxville, Bobby Lee, Jay Mohr, Beth Grant, Brian Van Holt.

Directed by Lije Sarki.

There seem to be too intentions in the making of this film. One is a film about rehab. The other is a softball competition film. But, probably the is that this is very much a rehab film using the softball competition as a focus for the energies and striving for rehabilitation.

Sweet Dreams is the name of an institution, for men only, the men managing for themselves, cooking and cleaning, attending meetings, acknowledging their drug and alcohol addictions, their sense of inferiority, their hopes for some kind of change in their lives.

In many ways, this is presented conventionally, the introduction to a range of men, multiracial, but very American in their presence, talk, style, ambitions. The centre is run as a charity, is experiencing financial difficulties. The focus is on softball, training, play, competitiveness, taunts from the rival team… But, of course, some ultimate success.

The surprise of the film, in fact, is the presence of Johnny Knoxville, famous for his jackass movies. This performance is quite different – quite moving at times, especially in the scenes of his explaining himself, his drinking, driving, danger to his young daughter’s life. He is divorced, not allowed to see his daughter.

A lot of the sequences are played for laughs even though there is some tough realism the men and their sense of self-worth, their interactions, issues of hygiene, nicknames and poking fun…

This is very much a film for male audience. There are very few women in the cast at all, the central characters mother and daughter, especially at the end, present with the sense of achievement at the victory that softball. It is a film that men with problems could see which might motivate them to seek some kind of rehabilitation – or for women close to the men to see to encourage them to seek some kind of help.

1. Title, the centre, the hopefulness, the management and intentions, the men, their dreams, addictions, self-worth, rehabilitation?
2. The main action at the centre, the interiors, the rooms, gatherings, the kitchen, the meetings? This field
3. the focus on Morris, his background, talents, sport, the car, his mother, the danger to his daughter, his ex-wife forbidding him to see her? Coming to the centre? Sharing of the room, the smelly inhabitant, the bottom bunk, the urinating? The kitchen, cooking, washing up? His relationship with the other men, some leadership, it is self-deprecation? The phone calls from his daughter? At the meetings, his frank expression of his failures? If the talent with the softball, the team, coaching, defeat, victories? Reunited with his mother and daughter?
4. The manager, a charity, his work, relationship with the men, financial difficulties, the group helping with the finances, the issue of the option of the centre?
5. The other men, the range, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, their stories, personalities, sharing, the taunting of Crews? At the softball, the hopes, the taunts of the of the team, the role of Morris, observing, encouraging, and the final victory?
6. Morris, at the meetings, listening to the stories, the executive for 20 years and his failure, rehabilitation? Some of the others at the Centre for years? The issue of sponsors, Maurice and his discussions, support?
7. Comparative absence of women in the cast, the woman with her addiction, the young women and the softball match?
8. A serious minded comedy, encouraging men into rehabilitation, for women to support men going to rehabilitation?

PAGE ONE, INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

US, 2011, 92 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Andrew Rossi.

This documentary was filmed during 2009 and 2010, release 2011. His focus is on the crisis for newspapers, online news information, the reduction of advertising for newspapers, financial issues, sackings, reorganisation… And these themes have continued through the 2000 and tenths into the 2020s.

This is very interesting film to watch in retrospect. There are many interviews by staff of the New Your Times, as well as commentators on media and communications issues, some with hopes for the continuing of the papers, setting up websites and charging for visitors? Others more enthusiastic about alternate online means of communication, instant communication rather than a daily paper.

Of particular interest in retrospect is the issue of the WikiLeaks, Juliana sounds and the decision by the New York Times to publish his material. There is reference to Daniel Ellsberg and the Washington Post and the Pentagon Papers crisis in the 1970s, highlighting it was a different time spent in the location and with 2010

The controversial video released by WikiLeaks about the deaths in Iraq, the vast number of pages released, interviews with Juliana sounds, issue of whether he was a reporter or journalist, political issues, ethical issues, media issues, decision to publish and highlight after redaction to prevent danger to American citizens.

Throughout the film there are interviews with David Carter, former addict and now journalist, strong-minded, pursuit of interviews, very much pro newspapers, moving towards acceptance of the online transitions.

It is interesting, also in retrospect, to note how many male interviewees there are in the film. There are some women and the prospect of the new manager of the Times being a woman, but the world presented in this documentary is very much a male world.

The film is useful for its focus of the issues for newspapers at that time, a useful retrospect – but the issues are still significant, with the comments in this film about the use of twitter and its immediacy and in the 2020s with Elon Musk and the transition to X.

LOVING HIGHSMITH

Switzerland/Germany, 2022, 83 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Gwendolyn Christie.

Directed by Eva Vitija.

As Patricia Highsmith notes in this documentary, she was listed in the international Who’s Who. For readers and filmgoers, the name Highsmith immediately refers to Patricia Highsmith.

It should be noted that this documentary runs for 83 minutes. Clearly (and as a number of bloggers remind us) there was a lot more to her life and to her career that is not mentioned. However, one might see this documentary as an opening up of the life and of Patricia Highsmith. She was born in 1921, Strangers on a Train was released when she was 30, she died in 1995.

The filmmakers have based the documentary on excerpts from Patricia Highsmith’s diaries. Her writing appears on screen (and very difficult to read even for people with good eyesight). Which means then that this is Patricia Highsmith’s view of herself. And, actress Gwendolyne Christie (Game of Thrones) provides the voice for Highsmith. The voice fitting very well with the voice of the actual writer heard in quite a range of interviews with her.

On the biography aspect, there is her birth in Texas, the distance from her mother (and later reminiscences of an attempted abortion), staying with her grandmother and family in Texas, her mother bringing her to New York at the age of six, her schooling in New York, her wanting her mother’s love, her mother’s blunt comments about her life and relationships, a separation from her mother even though she dedicated two of her books to her.

There are scenes of rodeos in Texas but, probably too many of these throughout the film, the audience understanding the world of Texas. There are interviews with to her grand nieces, highlighting the bond between their grandfather and their grand aunt. They remind audiences of the atmosphere of segregation and racism in the South as well as public propriety.

The film’s main focus points is that of Patricia Highsmith’s sexual orientation, her mother’s comment on it when she was young, her relationships, her attitude towards men, the gay clubs in New York City, in Paris, and interviews with a range of women who knew her and/or were in a relationship with her. They certainly fill in the background of her life, many partners, relationships, her living abroad, homes in London, France, Switzerland.

While there is an emphasis on the books that she wrote, many are not named. Those that are named of those which were filmed – and, looking at the IMDb, one realises that there were many more films based on Patricia Highsmith novels over and above those treated in this film – Deep Waters  (French and American versions), Two Faces of January, A Kind of Murder…

The film has a substantial number of clips from the key films highlighting the key novels. Alfred Hitchcock made Strangers on a Train and there are scenes from this and Patricia Highsmith discovering the idea and the development of the novel. Her second novel was the lesbian story, the Price of Salt, published under a pseudonym with comments about the publishing of lesbian novels in those times. However, she did publish it before her death with the title, Carol, the title of the film with Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, with a significant number of clips included here.

But, Patricia Highsmith is most notably linked with Tom Ripley, several novels about the charmingly psychopathic killer. There are no clips from the French version in 1962 with Alain Delon. The main clips are with Matt Damon from The Talented Mr Ripley and then some excerpts from Wim Wenders’ The American Friend with Dennis Hopper.

Which means then that, although there are limitations and room for many developments in the portrait of Patricia Highsmith, this documentary serves as an interesting introduction.

HE AIN'T HEAVY

Australia, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Leila George, Sam Corlett, Greta Scacchi, Clarence Ryan, Alexandra Nell.

Directed by David Vincent Smith.

It is over 50 years since the group, The Hollies, sang “He ain’t heavy… He’s my brother!” (1969).

Which means that this is a film about a brother, a brother in difficulties, bearing a heavy load. In fact, the burden is addiction and consequent mental illness. Which also means that this is a very serious film, quite demanding on its audience, affecting the emotions but also the very serious challenge as to the best means to assist someone with a mental illness. how much reliance on doctors and psychologists? How much reliance on committing to institutions? How much reliance on medication? And any personal intervention to effect some kind of healing?

This film was made in Western Australia. The central character is a sister, Jade (Leila George). She is in her 30s, has a loving but sometimes strained relationship with her mother, Bev (Greta Scacchi). And the brother is her younger brother, Max (Sam Corlett) but dependence long since, a history of violent outbursts but with no memory of his actions, partly living on the streets. There are flashback memories of brother and sister when they were young, times when there was hope.

Jade elicits audience sympathy because, with her concern about her brother, she has not done anything much with her life, serving behind a bar, sometimes socialising with a friend, but preoccupied with Max. Audiences will be struck by the physical similarities between mother and daughter, so they will not be surprised to find that Leila George is, in fact, Greta Scacchi’s daughter.

The challenge of the film is watching Jade’s decision to put Max in a situation of cold turkey. She persuades him to come and help with clearing up their grandmother’s house, spikes his drink, putting him into a room where   she hasset up a surveillance camera, locking the door (three locks) and the window covered by bars. Needless to say, what follows is quite harrowing for Max, for Jade, and also when her mother arrives and discovers what is happening, eager to let her son out, exhorting her daughter to get dressed up and go to a farewell party for her friend – which ends with Jade and violent outburst towards an insensitive partygoer who keeps going on and on about her brother.

Sam Corlett gives a very vivid and persuasive performance of somebody undergoing the throes of cold turkey, the physical consequences, the emotional consequences, the psychological consequences.

The director, David Vincent Smith, originally made a short film on this theme. He explained that the background was his experiences with his own brother.

1. The title, the Hollies 1969 song,… He’s my brother?
2. Audience response to stories of mental illness, addiction, treatment, impact on families, responsibilities, love?
3. The setting in Western Australia, the suburbs, homes, the streets, medical centres? The musical score?
4. Based on a true story, the director and the experience of his brother? The intensity, concern, empathy? Frustrations?
5. The situation, the opening, Max at the door, ranting and raving, Jade approaching, entering the house, her mother inside, the neighbours complaining, the confrontation, Max taking the car and crashing it, disappearing?
6. The title, Jade and her brother? Growing up, their experiences, the presence of their mother, caring for Max, taking jade for granted? The impact on the adult Max?
7. Jade, age, serving in the bar, never having travelled, her friendship with Tegan, her prospects, sense of frustration? The relationship with her mother, loving, tensions? Her concern for Max, growing up, memories of the past, the strong bond with the brother?
8. Max, his reputation, on the street, the drugs, the flat with his friends, watching television? Jade bringing him to the grandmother’s house to help with the moving? Her setting up the house, the surveillance? His drinking? Getting the room, locking him in, the bars, the three locks, her ability to look in through the bars, bring him food? The stress on her, tentative, the right thing or not?
9. Max, the reaction, the drugs, the food, his cold, ranting and raving, swearing, the hole through the wall, covering it up, pretending to be unconscious, the attack on Jade? Her violence towards him? The days passing, the effect, his moods? Some happy memories?
10. Jade and her mother, grandmother’s house, the going over to clear it up, Jade’s plan? Her mother coming over, her reaction to Max, locked up, her wanting him freed, her concern, the food, conversations, gradually accepting it? Urging Jade to go to Tegan’s party? Unlocking the door?
11. Jade, unwilling to go to the party, her mother giving her the dress, at the party, the friendship with Tegan, talking with her, confidentiality, the young man talking about Max and his reputation, not taking any hints, punch Jade ing him? Her going home, the confrontation with her mother?
12. The flashbacks, Max and his behaviour, taking him to the medical centre, having to wait hours because of the delay for mental care? The cumulative effect? And the scenes of bonding between brother and sister, the guitar, the music?
13. The police, the contact, Max and the bashing, his remembering nothing, the photos of the victim? Jade, in the car, looking at the victim’s family?
14. Resolution and no resolution? The temporary calming of Max, the police arriving, jade allowing him to be handcuffed, taking him away? His future? Jade and her mother? Jade and the possibilities of opening up her life?

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3

Jim Carrey, voices of: Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnassy, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves. James Marsden, Tikka Sumpter, Kristyn Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Tom Butler.

Directed by Jeff Fowler.

Audiences, younger audiences, will get their money’s worth, and their expectations worth, as they enjoy this third adventure on the computer games hero, Sonic, the Hedgehog.

Sonic, Voiced by Ben Schwartz, featured in the previous two films, and all films directed by Jeff Fowler. Sonic found two further accomplices in the second film, Knuckles and Tails, voiced by Idris Elba and Colleen O’ Shaughnassy. They are quite engaging characters, Knuckles very solemn and principled, Tails, friendly with the lighter touch. So, what will they get up to this time?

The initial answer to the question: what could be better than Sonic and Jim Carrey returning as Dr Robotnik? – Two Sonics and two Dr Robotniks. And, Jim Carrey, who tends to steal every show, obviously enjoyed himself in the previous two films and even more clearly, enjoys being Dr Robotnik and his newly discovered grandfather - equally moustachioed, grandfather’s white. (And, for adult fans and their memories of Jim Carrey’s films, plenty of his antics, over the top, plenty of improvised dialogue, and a reminder that it is 30 years ago that he began to make his mark!)

This time, the three friends, benign aliens, who with their great friends from the other films, Tom and Maddie (James Marsden and Tikka Sumpter). And then authority intervenes, But, frozen for 50 years, another alien hedgehog has now been released, Shadow (voiced by, of all people, Keanu Reeves). And not only is there the grim Shadow, speedily wreaking disaster wherever he rushes, but grandfather Robotnik also appears, daring his grandson, doing a double act in sinister behaviour – except that the original doctor about Nick has made peace with Sonic and his friends.

With the Sega computer games’ background, all kinds of action, no matter how impossible they might seem, ranging from Tokyo to America’s Middle West, they happen. Lots of fast action, always on the move, challenge to the goodies, the dire actions of the baddies, including resurrecting a huge spaceship and grandfather Robotnik’s vengeful ambition to destroy earth and all humans.

But, right from the beginning, there is a fair deal of moralising, about good behaviour, integrity from the heart, Sonic and his competitiveness, his ambitions in leading the team, that it is his team, he has to learn that revenge is no worthy motivation.

So, a family film combination, endearing characters for the youngsters, Jim Carrey for the parents and grandparents accompanying the youngsters, lots of colourful action and dangers, but always script lines enhancing the moral point of view.

YALDA: A NIGHT FOR FORGIVENESS

Iran, 2019, 89 minutes, Colour.

Sadaf Asgari, Behnaz Jafari, Babak Karimi, Fereshteh Sadre Orafaly.

Directed by Massoud Bakshi.

Iranian films which are exported around the world are frequently very striking, explorations of human values which have surprised many audiences, these films coming from the Islamic Republic with its very strict laws and regulations.

This film is quite surprising. It focuses on forgiveness in Islamic tradition. And, during the 2000s, there was a popular television program where accused people appeared on the television set and are confronted by individuals they have offended because of the crime and who have the power to lead the accused go free. There is a television audience at the studio. There was a wider television audience watching at home – and the collection of money to cover the expenses for the accused.

A young woman, now aged 22, was married young to a man much older than herself, difficulties in the marriage, some violence and her accidentally killing him. While she had a good relationship with the man’s daughter from a previous marriage, this daughter now is demanding justice for the crime. The young woman has been in prison.

The scenes on the set are quite striking, the hard attitude of the daughter, seemingly implacable. And focus on the vulnerability of the young woman and her making her plea and apology. And there is also the razzmatazz of the compere and the atmosphere of the reality show, the behind the scenes with producers, chaperones.

There is an interesting development outside the television set, the daughter upset, going outside, becoming involved in an incident, accidentally, issue of blame and her returning. Then the revelation that the young woman had had a child which was taken away for adoption. And behind the scenes, the very dominating mother of the young woman and the arrival of the adopting couple.

Interesting themes in themselves, especially the reality show and the possibilities for public forgiveness, but very interesting as coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

1. An audience entry into the culture of Iran, laws and customs, religious society, popular culture, television?
2. The title, the custom, the television show, running for 11 years, accused coming onto the show, the discussion with the person possibly forgiving them? The background, laws, murder and executions, reprieves, the forgiveness, the collection for the forgiveness?
3. A brief film, a focus on the characters, the characters in themselves and their past, relationships? In public on the television set?
4. The focus on Maryam, age 22, the marriage, the older husband, the relationship with Mona? The husband, the relationship, confrontations, the accidental killing? Her arrest, imprisonment, condemnation? The possibility for forgiveness, depending on Mona?
5. Maryam and her relationship with her mother, her mother dominant, behind-the-scenes, the birth of the child, the adoption? Her intervening at the station, the demands on her daughter, and the adoptive parents? With the producer, her interventions?
6. Mona, the death of her father, the previous relation to marry, her resentment towards Maryam, the behaviour at the television station, listening, thinking, the audience response, the demands, the situation and her not wanting to be there, leaving the studio, outside, the encounters, her return, the voting, the audience response, her stern comments? Her leaving?
7. The revelation about the baby, the adoptive parents, Maryam and her wanting the baby, the role of her mother, the producer and the decisions?
8. The television company, the host, style, the public audience, the wide viewers, the producer, interventions, other members of the staff, observing, encouraging?
9. The experience for Maryam, being prudent, silent, her emotions, her age and inexperience, the influence of her mother, the impact of the child? Her careful answers, imploring Mona? The final decision and its impact on her?
10. The revelation about the baby, the adoptive parents, their characters, coming to the studio, demanding to enter, their being allowed in, with Maryam’s mother? The issue of the future of the child?
11. Family issues in the Iranian context, Iranian law, and the religious theme of crime, responsibility, atonement, forgiveness?

GRAND TOUR

Portugal, 2024, 128 minutes, Black-and-white and colour.

Goncalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate.

Directed by Miguel Gomes.

An exciting title. However, a reviewer has to search for words to indicate the style and impact of the film. Two words that come to mind are “exotic” and “esoteric”.

And these are adjectives suitable for a description of the career of the writer-director, Miguel Gomes, for the range of films over 20 years. He is a Portuguese director whose “arthouse” feature films have been very popular on the film Festival circuits. Gomez does incorporate narrative but not in any linear, start to finish, manner. He is comfortable in moving, often very quickly, from place to place, country to country, looking forward, flashbacks, his characters as well as his audiences, sometimes lost in time. And he is fond of filming in black and white, impressively striking black-and-white photography.

Which does lead us to the consideration of Grand Tour. One of the exotic aspects is that his central characters are both English, one a civil servant working in Singapore, the other his fiancee who comes to Asia in search of him. And, they speak in Portuguese, the British style of the characters and their Portuguese dialogue creating some of something of an anomalous experience for the audience. And, once again there is the striking black-and-white photography but frequently moving into colour, often unexpectedly, scenic, fairground scenes with puppets…

And the film is also exotic in so far as this tour, which, ultimately, is not so grand, moves from Singapore to Thailand to Vietnam to Japan to China and its far reaches. (While the film was made during the Covid era, and much of the film produced in studios, Gomes directed by communication to the different countries for scenic footage.

And for the esoteric. The action opens in Singapore in 1918 and Edward, the British civil servant, is immersed in the period, in means of communication, in transport, his moving from country to country, the film footage is not confined to 1918. Often, there are contemporary images of Asian cities – and for visitors to Vietnam, a reminder of the heavy cycle traffic in the streets. So, playing with time, the action of the past, yet the timelessness of the story and the characters.

As Edward goes on his grand Tour of the Asian countries, and journeys into the interiors of China, his story stops. The audience is introduced to Molly, the fiance, arriving, determined to find Edward, eager for marriage, more attention given to her character than to Edwards, venturing on her travels, pursuing Edward (and again time doesn’t matter, she is suddenly here, suddenly there, close to Edward, searching for him in a train wreck, always missing him) but enjoying quite a different Grand Tour for herself, the range of people she meets, her emotional struggle, and her future.

Definitely a cinema experience for an audience which appreciates something different, excited by the director’s different vision, approach to filmmaking, unexpected storytelling and moving between time eras, moments of realism, surreal moments, moments of fantasy, mostly in black and white, sometimes an unexpected cover.

Miguel Gomes won the award for Best Director at Cannes 2024.