TAKE MY HAND

Australia, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Radha Mitchell, Adam Demos, Bart Edwards, Meg Fraser, Xavier Molyneux, Natalie Bassingthwaughr, Darren Gilshenan, Robyn Gibbes, Steve Bastoni, Angie Milliken.

Directed by John Raftopolous.

There is always an emotional appeal with stories, especially about illnesses, that are based on actual characters in real life. And this is the case here. As with many such films, there are photos of them during the final credits. The film has been co-written by director, John Raftopolous and executive produced by his wife, whose story, at Claire Jensz. There is a tenderness about the title.

The film opens vigorously, horses racing through the countryside, the beauty of the New South Wales countryside, the Northern Rivers, the coastal beaches, the cliffs. And riding the horses, Laura (Meg Fraser), finishing her studies at school, applications to British universities, some tensions with her strict school teacher father, support from her mother (and early glimpses of her mother’s hand shaking and indication of multiple sclerosis). As with her riding, Laura is independent-minded and determined.

But, she encounters Michael (Xavier Molyneux), delivering fruit, working with his Greek father. And, as we expect, mutual attraction, his learning to ride a horse, her strong-mindedness in the relationship, the dilemma about her education and leaving home. Michael is supportive of her choice to leave for the UK.

Then a sudden, unexpected transition of 20 years. This time, Laura, now played by Radha Mitchell, is a very successful businesswoman, married to Jason, also successful in business, and the mother of three young boys, family life at home, football practice, and, at work, the possibilities for her promotion.

One day, at the football, she faints. Hospital, diagnosis, MS, the concern that it is hereditary, strength of the disease, the debilitating factors, the need for care… And this is complicated by her company’s decisions about her future, about her relationship with her husband.

Ultimately, Laura and the boys go back to Australia to live with her parents, an encounter with Michael (Adam Demos), her increasing dependence because of the MS, decisions, love, future.

Most audiences will find this film touching, expectedly emotional (though some reviewers and audiences, seemingly becoming wary of expressions of emotion and sentiment, have considered the film too sweet). But the film is, in fact, the couple telling their story.

1. The title, the tone, love, help? Based on a true story, the final photos of the credits of the actual characters? The emotion of the film – and critique that it was too sweet?
2. The Northern Rivers locations, the beauty of the countryside, the forests, the coast, the water and the tides, the cliffs? The home, the riding sequences of the horses, the town, ordinary life? The musical score?
3. The contrast with the London sequences, business, the vistas of London, offices, the country home? Hospitals, surgeries?
4. The story of Laura, her family, her father as local teacher, strict? Her mother, home, intimations of MS? Her sister? Her love of riding the many riding sequences? Age, determination, self-willed, the episode of cheating in class, her father’s reprimand? The application to the Universities? The encounter with Michael, delivering the fruit, the initial attraction, playing off each other, the various meetings, the outings, sharing, teaching him to ride, and shovelling the manure? The future, the bond with Michael, the university entry, discussions with him, his willingness that she should go?
5. The passing of 20 years, Laura, successful in business, the meetings, her plans, qualifications, promotions? Married, the three boys, the comfortable lifestyle? The relationship with Jason? His success in business, making money? International travels? Relationship with the boys, is his forgetting to pick them up for football? Indications of tension? Laura ready for the promotion, prepared, hopes? The bond with the boys?
6. The background her mother with MS, her fainting, the hospital, the tests, the truth about her condition, severity, control? And not getting the promotion and her angry walking out? The husband’s response? The boys? The need for medication, discussions about MS being hereditary? Her not telling her father?
7. Her managing, Rachel coming to England, sharing with her, the support?
8. The tensions with Jason, increasing, fighting, the final evening, the clash, his walking out, the tension with driving, the crash?
9. The decision to return to Australia, the boys and their love for their father, staying with the grandparents, Peter and his looking up to his wife, her MS?
10. The encounter with Michael, friendly, story of his divorce, meeting Bella? Rekindling the friendship, his knowing about her from social media, her MS? The invitation to stay with him? Discussions with her father, with her mother? Discussions with the boys? Rachel and her support?
11. The transition, Michael and his love for Laura, her love for him, the discussions with Bella and Bella’s encouragement? The football, the boys playing with Michael? Laura’s continued MS, need for 24-hour care, but a future with Michael?

BOOKWORM

New Zealand, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Elijah Wood, Nell Fisher, Michael Smiley, Vanessa Stacy.

Directed by Ant Timpson.

A family story from New Zealand, but not quite the story we might have expected. It follows soon after the release of that fine New Zealand film about three children climbing Mount Taranaki, The Mountain.

This time we are on the South Island, in the Canterbury Plains. The bookworm of the title is an 11-year-old girl, Mildred. She is a reader, a thinker, precocious for her age – and not immediately sympathetic for the audience (this reviewer may be open to correction by young girls of Mildred’s age). She is supportive of her mother who has had addiction problems in the past. No sign at all of a father.

The opening credits indicate a government statement that there are no animals in New Zealand who pose a threat to human life. Which means then that the premise of this story moves us into fantasy and imagination, a black panther haunting the mountains above the Canterbury Plains. Mildred has great ambitions to find the panther, filmed the panther on her phone, submit it the authorities who have been offering a substantial reward, and devoting the proceeds to her mother’s health.

An incident with a toaster and electric shock confines her mother to hospital after she had promised to take Mildred camping. Then, an odd -looking man arrives, a professional magician, trying out some tricks on only interested then sceptical Mildred, and the revelation that he is Mildred’s father, a chance encounter with her mother in Las Vegas years earlier.

We know that there will be a bonding between father and daughter eventually, despite the sometimes supercilious ignoring of her father and criticism of him by Mildred, and his bewilderment as he tries to understand her. And he agrees to go camping with her, never having done so in his life, climbing steep mountains, pitching tents, making fires…

There are some further adventures in some spectacularly photographed scenery, especially when the panther materialises. And there are some rather comic-book villains, an odd couple but get their comeuppance. And, then, the action items considerably: the panther, cliffs, a rope bridge… And an amusing hospital sequence

Elijah Wood, returning to New Zealand after his Frodo days, is the magician. Nell Fisher is Mildred.

1. The title, the nickname for Mildred? Her reading, her knowledge, her room, posters and photos, her imagination? For an 11-year-old?
2. A New Zealand film, New Zealand story, Canterbury, the story of a panther in the forest (and the prologue to the film with the government disclaiming any animal who would attack humans)? Mildred, her quest, the money, her cause?
3. The New Zealand landscapes, the South Island, the Canterbury Plains, the mountains and forests? The musical score?
4. Mildred, her age, her mother, background of addiction, the interaction of mother and daughter? Her education, reading, knowledge, applications? The absent father?
5. Her mother, the promise of camping, her mother’s collapse, the toaster and the shock?
6. The arrival of her father, American, the background of the one night stand, no commitment to his daughter, his being a magician, the television shows, and his being cancelled? Age, appearance, his magic tricks? The initial encounter with Mildred, her disinterested reaction, his tricks, her scepticism and explanations? The card, picking, her denials, the card on the window? The initial hostilities? Audiences expecting him to break down and to discover how this would happen?
7. Going camping, the gear, the trek, the scaling of the mountain, the effect on Strawn, on Mildred, the tense, the discussions, the fire, his magic? Seeing the panther, Mildred and her filming, the tension, its departure? Her having the film?
8. The further encounters, the couple, their story, jovial, the menace, the woman with Mildred, the man with Strawn, kidnap, robbery, their going on their way, Mildred and direction accusations against Strawn, the loss of the camera?
9. The continued journey, coming across the couple, the strategies to get everything back, stealing issues, the prickles in the feet, getting away? The film lost – and the credibility of the couple using the film, the battery?
10. The Panther, the approach, the bridge, getting across the bridge, the crash, falling?
11. Reconciliation between father and daughter, some mutual understanding, the irony of their all being in the hospital ward together?
12. Having the recording of the Panther, the reward, the media headlines? The future for the family?

STOWAWAY

US, 2021, 93 minutes, Colour.

Ruby Rose, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Frank Grillo, Luis De Silva junior.

Directed by Declan Whitebloom.

This is an action thriller which many would describe as “generic”. It is not unfamiliar material but, nevertheless, provides passing entertainment for a wide audience.

The star of the film is Australian Ruby Rose, not all that popular with some audiences, a lot of hostility from bloggers. However, here she is as an action star.

Focus is on the father-daughter relationship, devoted father, the little girl almost drowning, but her father disappearing, her growing up with a criminal group, finding herself in prison – then the passing of years, seen trying to steal a motorbike but then informed that she has inherited a luxury boat from her father. She goes to the boat, encounters a young man at the bar, is not supposed to be on the boat, some thugs come and kill the security guard at the harbour, are searching for money in a safe, forcing the captain of the ship to take them out to sea. The young man escapes but is shot. The rest of the film is the young woman using her wits, helped by the captain, signalling for the Coast Guard who come but find no evidence, her escaping with the captain in a lifeboat.

The audiences see veteran action star, Frank Grillo, giving the news to the young woman about her boat then disappearing. It quickly emerges that he is the chief villain, controlling the thugs, aiming to confront the young woman to find out about $80 million which her father had taken back from Grillo and his thugs – but, ironically, had given it all away to those in need.

Happy ending, of course, the young man wounded, calling the Coast Guard, the rescue, the boat blown up, the young woman giving a lot of the money to the sick daughter of the captain who saved her life.

Generic, yes, 90 minutes of action for the wider audience.

NICE GIRLS

2024, 90 minutes, Colour.

Alice Taglioni, Stefi Celma, Baptiste Lecaplain, Noemie Lvovsky, Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Katrina Durden.

Directed by Noemie Saglio.

There was an amusing action-comedy with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, Nice Guys. And there is the American phrase used in films, Knockaround Guys. Here is a French version of the Nice Guys turned into Nice Girls, Knockaround Girls.

The setting is the Riviera and filmed to great advantage with the sea, the mountains, the mountain roads overlooking the sea, lots of atmosphere.

And, there is a basic message about the environment, an event being staged, a speaker who reminds audiences of Greta Tunberg, but some sabotage planned by oil-based industries. The local police are meant to be providing security for the event.

The characters are very Knockaround, focus on Leo, athletic, intense, bad judgements a lot of the time, upset at the death of a fellow officer whom she considered a brother, determined to investigate his murder in Hamburg. At headquarters, there is Hernandez, the chief, smiling, tough-sounding, and dithery. Into the mix comes an investigator from Germany, much more sensible, effective in her police work, getting clues. And, the main villains are male, with the exception of a deadly, icy female killer. And, in the mix, is a computer nerd who would like to be involved with the police, is infatuated with Leo, and becomes more and more involved in the action.

Which sounds all right for the formula. However, while there is a lot of action in confrontation, shootings, explosions, chases, the tone is frequently comic – but varying more towards the silly knockabout style than clever comedy.

To appreciate how the dynamic ticks, one could imagine an American version with male-female roles reversed, with Mark Wahlberg the equivalent of Leo, thinking of so many of his action characters, tough, not always serious. The police woman from Germany, more serious, ethnic background from beyond Europe, is a Denzel Washington type of character. The head of the police department could be Danny DeVito. And, the nerd could be played in the vein of Amy Poehler and her comic style.

So, if that appeals, this is an easy 90 minutes light and slight entertainment. If too silly or frivolous, give it a miss.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT

US/Ireland, 2021, 87 minutes, Colour.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Allen Leech, Niall Buggy.

Directed by Clare Niederpruem.

A pleasant television movie, the luck of the Irish – and the luck of the American leading lady! This is a Hallmark film, type of film popular for wide television audiences – and, usually derided by critics and audiences who feel above this kind of thing.

It is predictable – but that is the point. We know that there is going to be a romance, wariness at first, a couple working together, in the atmosphere of the Irish countryside, difficulties, finally coming together. In fact, most of the IMDb bloggers are very much in favour of the film (and expressing surprise and its being Hallmark).

JoAnna Garcia Swisher looks remarkably like Amy Addams – and a reminder of a similar kind of film in which she starred, Leap Year. The rest of the cast is agreeably Irish.

Very few surprises – just the pleasure of watching a predictable and pleasant romance.

1. The title? The luck of the Irish? The luck of the Americans?
2. The New York settings, the building industry, entrepreneurs, managers, deals?
3. The contrast with the Irish countryside, the town, the Castle, grounds and interiors, local accommodation, offices, chorusaspects, working aspects, the picnic by the waterfall…? The musical score?
4. A Hallmark film, for the television audience? Frequent scepticism about Hallmark films and sentiment? The general positive acclaim for this Hallmark film?
5. Lindsey, her story, her doing deals, scouting possibilities, work in the office, the boss and his reliance on her, her friend in the office, no personal life? Going to Ireland, the story of her grandmother and the later checking the computer, the visit to the stone house and its disappearance, Brennan urging her to appreciate the atmosphere of her grandmother? Her going to Ireland, her task?
6. The people in the town, the Castle, the upkeep, costs, the idea to sell the Castle? The traditions of the town, the festivals, matchmaking…? The owner of the Castle and his struggling to save it, the idea of selling it? Officiating at the wedding ceremony? The members of the Council, various jobs in the town, the meetings and discussions?
7. Brennan, background story, studies, relationships, disappointment, returning to the town, involved in all the aspects, practical and waiting at his parents diner, the whiskey collection, the Council…? Wary of Lindsey?
8. Lindsey, at the Council meeting, the disappointment, her decision to stay? The encounters with Brennan, each wary, his turning up all the time, the Festival, her involvement, the various activities, the conversations with partners, Brennan helping her escape, their discussions, the picnic by the waterfall, the ideas about the Castle and the sale?
9. The idea of combining the old with the new, Lindsey spinning the deal to her boss, the Dublin rifle, his coming to the party, the great celebration, but his declining the offer?
10. Lindsey, the return to New York, three months, her wanting to settle, become part of building up the hotels rather than just doing the deals and leaving? Returning to Ireland, collaboration with the company, the renovation of the castle?
11. Brennan, his story, dressing up for the final party, Lindsey and her idea of the distillery at the barn, his reaction? Her return, his surprise, the whiskey project, the falling in love and the final kiss?
12. The plot is predictable – but that being the whole point for audiences to follow the falling in love?

The 150^th Celebration week. Marie Louise Hartzer’s birthday.

Today we celebrate the 187th Birthday of our First Congregational Leader- Mother Marie Louise Hartzer FDNSC, born in France on this day in 1837. Our newly commissioned bust of her was unveiled on Sunday at Hartzer Park Conference and Retreat Centre.

Photos of the event.

Philippa Murphy, OLSH Provincial Superior, and Pat Mara MSC

                                                Father Founder, Spiritual Mother and many, many Daughters

Growing towards the MSC future, The Philippines

August 1, 2024, Malolos City, Philippines, four young men were invested with the religious habit of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC).

The new novices are the following:

Nov. Onin Atanante

Nov. Jerald Bryan Alquizar

Nov. Rico Olores

Nov. Ryan Ramos

The solemn investiture of the religious habit is a rite that commences the initiation to the life, spirituality and charism of the founder shared and lived by the whole membership of the congregation.

Rev. Fr. Edwin Borlasa, MSC, the provincial superior led the celebration. In his homily, he reminded the new novices to be always connected to one who calls them. “Be connected to the source of your vocation. Be always connected to God.”

August 21, 2024 - Surigao City. Today, nine brave young men were accepted as college formands of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart - Philippines. These men will undergo the first stage of formation of becoming a religious Missionary of the Sacred Heart (MSC).

Leading the celebration was Rev. Fr. Edwin Borlasa, MSC, the provincial superior of the MSC - Philippines.

In his homily, Fr. Edwin reminded the collegians to exert effort to develop good relationship with one another. So as to achieve belongingness to a bigger family - MSC family.

Also, he emphasized that after this day, they should be conscious of their identity as formands of the MSC. To remember always that they are men under formation to become MSC religious.

!50^th Celebration week, OLSH Assembly at Hartzer Park.

Assembly

Celebrations,

community,

prayer,

work and discussions

and some familiar faces

Professions in Vietnam, Feast of the Assumption, 21^st Anniversary of the Foundation.

The text available was in Vietnamese and we used the Translation icon. Not the best so a lot of editing (and the hope that the translation rendered Vietnamese names correctly)

Together in the joy of the celebration of the Assumption (the translation read: Our Lady of the Dead Body), the Sai Thanh Tam community (MSC) in Vietnam conducted the ceremony of the profession for the students of Phero Nguyen Quoc Khanh and the ritual of renewal for Francisico Xavier Vu Quoc Vuong, MSC and Giuse Nguyen Lê.

Opening the mass, Father Giuse Nguyen Huy Hoang, MSC on the MSC Vietnam congregation invited the congregation to give thanks to God with the congregation on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the MSC congregation in Vietnam.

Preaching during the mass, Fr Kimi Vunivesilevu, MSC representing the Australian Province invited the congregation to dare to follow the example of Mary, listen and implement God's plan in the life of each and everyone and he also invited the congregation to see the spirit of God at work in his brothers and sisters.

After the sermon, the ritual began with introduction, interrogation and free answers of the students about their desire to give themselves to God. Later, in the presence of God's congregation, Father Kimi, MSC received the vows. Next he gave the badge and constitutions to the students to help the new students discover and do God's will in the lifestyle of the Holy Spirit.

Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 150 years, Catholic Diocese of Darwin.

This coming week is preparation for the celebration of OLSH 150 years. A taster in anticipation – the diocese of Darwin celebrated earlier in August.

Bishop Charles Gauci of Darwin:

Today, we are thankful for the 116 years of OLSH sisters in the great mission here in the Northern Territory.

They have served in our schools, our clinics, in our parishes and so many, many other ways.

Great heroic ladies who at great expense to themselves, gave of themselves to so many over so long, 150 years since the foundation of the congregation and 116 years here in our diocese.

With retired Bishop Eugene Hurley

Thank you so much and God bless you all.

+Charles