The news site of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: nourishing and connecting our faith community

Reviews

Wednesday October 04

Poisoned

“When it comes to food safety and quality, a documentary like Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food — currently streaming on Netflix — makes you thankful you’re living in Australia rather than America,” says Ben Rogers

Godland

“Immersive in the best possible way, Godland is unrelenting yet introspectively paced, doubt-laden yet prayerful, brutal and austere yet gorgeous and humbling, sombre yet exhilarating,” says Jonathan Sargeant from St Francis College

"It takes an extraordinarily gifted filmmaker like Ivan Sen to create a film so exacting in its formal qualities, narrative control and socio-political implications and yet still allow the material to breathe enough for audiences to ponder the many details and intimate moments that will probably spark further discussion on repeat viewings," (anglican focus journalist Ben Rogers on Limbo)

Limbo

“It’s impossible to watch a film like Limbo and not consider the socio-political dimensions of its story and how racial injustice leads to inter-generational trauma and ongoing disadvantage,” says Ben Rogers

The Defenders

“There’s a lot to admire in The Defenders — in terms of its technical craft, efficient handling of narrative and broader message about people power and challenging the status quo — and it should be an essential part of any curriculum aimed at teaching people about social justice campaigning,” says Ben Rogers

The New Boy

“While cinemas have plenty of foreign films screening, mainly of the mainstream blockbuster variety, it is refreshing and worth celebrating that a historical Australian film, continuing the tradition of cinematic storytelling on Australian themes and First Nations matters, gets a decent cinema release around the country,” says The Rev’d Canon Gary Harch

The Forest Maker

“The Forest Maker is a superb documentary well worth watching — a film about the positive legacy of faith and justice that draws the viewer into the struggle to enable local Africans to reclaim the land that is a part of their spiritual identity,” says Jonathan Sargeant from St Francis College

The Pez Outlaw

“There’s enough substance in The Pez Outlaw to recommend readers add it to their Netflix watchlist if they’re after something a little more nutritious in their candy-coated documentary filmmaking,” says anglican focus journalist Ben Rogers

"The documentary is well filmed using a mix of personal storytelling by Brenda and her family members, along with poignant recreation scenes...The cinematography is beautiful, perfectly capturing Brenda’s journey through and to Country (Jenny and Mark Stevens, on The Last Daughter documentary

The Last Daughter

“Brenda’s whole story is a weaving of ‘black’ and ‘white’ cultures together where, in her words, ‘two halves can make a powerful whole’,” say Jennifer (from The Parish of Mudgeeraba) and Mark Stevens (from The Parish of Mudgeeraba and All Saints’ Anglican School)

EO

“Like Robert Bresson’s Au Hasard Balthazar from which it takes inspiration, EO is bleak in its prognosis on humanity, but it’s hard not to be seduced and mesmerised by Jerzy Skolimowski’s bold directorial style and the narrative’s lean efficiency,” says new anglican focus journalist Ben Rogers

A Good Person

“Florence Pugh’s and Morgan Freeman’s performances are dazzling. Pugh, in particular, is entrancing – absurdly charismatic in the film’s first 30 minutes before the accident, and then absolutely believable in her rolling avalanche of misery,” says Jonathan Sargeant from St Francis College

The Fabelmans

“Amidst much talk about vocation in the Church, director Steven Spielberg has created a thoroughly entertaining and multi-layered meditation on the subject that never fails to enthral,” says Jonathan Sargeant from St Francis College

Wild Goose series

“This is a delightful worship tale of the creation of the world from various characters, including the Professor, God and of course…the Sheep. Interspersed with carols, music, silence, artwork, and a dance for sheep, the message of the Gospel is clear and loud. I am still musing on how I might adjust this liturgy for a Christmas Eve service with an Aussie spin – The Gospel According to Koalas/Kangaroos/Wombats? Any other ideas?” says The Rev’d Dr Ceri Wynne