Culture

Reminiscent of critically acclaimed classic Remember the Titans (2000), From the Rough joins a long list of self-acclaimed inspirational sports films which see underdog sports teams triumph against racial, economic and gender disadvantage to hope’s end. Based on a true story, Catana Starks (Taraji P Henson) is a former women’s swim coach and the first woman ever to coach an ...

Meta text Clouds of Sils Maria explores the theme of transformation through the layered looking glass of actresses whose reality is closely related to that of their characters’. For those who have never cared much for Kristen Stewart: watching her in the role of Valentine, a character deeply suited to her monotone decibels and low tolerance for nonsense; brings a ...

Like most organisations, churches love to use words which give the impression of being intelligent and inclusive whilst smoothing over potential discord. But these deliberately ambiguous words can be as evasive as weasels, containing no actual meaning. Keep a close eye on these lest they give you the wrong idea. Unchurched This word was coined as tactful way of describing ...

NT Wright has been affirmed as a prolific biblical scholar and “the most important apologist for the Christian faith since CS Lewis”. Since retiring as Anglican Bishop of Durham, Wright has become Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Andrews University in Scotland. His credentials in New Testament scholarship and as an experienced church leader are apparent ...

When Disney announced that there would be yet another remake of Cinderella, the odds seemed to be against the film establishing a reputation on its own merits. However, Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella is a traditionally refreshing work of art amongst the harsh settings of teenage science fiction. The producers and crew were brave to be so kind to the Cinderella story ...

The list of Martin Luther King Jr’s achievements is long, and he looms large in our collective consciousness as a champion of civil rights and nonviolent, direct action. King was president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and played a major role in achieving a great shift in civil rights in America. For his great many achievements he is honoured ...

There’s nothing like the New Year to turn our minds towards setting new goals. Here are some suggestions on how to make the most of your New Year’s fresh start. Update your church sign The sign outside your church provides that critical first impression. Will people pause for thought or flee for the hills? Consider the most appropriate use of ...

For a movie about a 14-year-old genius and his inflatable robot nurse, it’s a little surprising that Big Hero 6 is mostly about death and revenge. Big Hero 6 is an impressive achievement for Disney. It’s common to find animated children’s movies blending kid-friendly slapstick humour with more sophisticated jokes for parents, but Big Hero 6 goes further, exploring hard, ...

The world is dying. Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is set in a world where crop blight and rapidly changing temperatures has caused the United States to become a dust bowl, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Space flight has officially been abandoned as wasteful and pointless, so former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) runs a corn farm (the only ...

If you’ve never felt unwelcome in a worshipping community it might be hard to understand how many people experience church. Journey explores how to make sure your church is truly inclusive. Indigenous Australians The Uniting Church sees reconciliation with Indigenous people as essential to the life and health of the church and Australian society. Including an acknowledgement of country before ...