sometimes when i think i'd like to see a film i look at what is on and am unsure if there's anything i'd like to see but at the start of 2016 the opposite seems to be the case! so far i've seen the hateful eight, joy, room and spotlight (plus straight outta compton as a download).
two of them are stories of abuse, a subject which is often hidden from view and difficult to talk about. so it's good to see films bringing this issue into the light to be talked about and reflected on. i am still reeling from spotlight which was today's viewing which tells the story of a team on the boston globe newspaper investigating the abuse of children by catholic priests, the scale of which ends up being so much bigger than anyone imagined possible - it is based on a true story, or you might say this story is one that condenses into itself one of many true stories. i won't attempt a review - you can read mark kermode's review exposing the sins of the fathers here if you want one. it is extremely well made. it may not be everyone's idea of a relaxing evening which i know is sometimes what you want when you get an evening at the cinema. but i'd really encourage you to go and see it especially if like me you work for the church, or indeed i suggest if you work for any big institution such as government, education, council. there is a haunting line - if it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one. this gets at the way systems hide, cover up and collude to protect peoples interests.
it is so horrible to think that this has and does go on in the name of god and not just in boston. almost the most heartbreaking scene is at the end when a list of places with similar cases is shown on the screen which are everywhere it seems. i cannot tell you how angry and sad that has made me feel. it is so opposite to everything that following in the way of christ is and should be about. i was in a restaurant the other week and was overhearing a conversation where someone was raging about the church being manipulative and controlling and various other things and i was feeling quite defensive internally. but today i'm feeling a lot more sympathy to that view. it''s so easy to be naive.
ian adams has produced another amazing resource - 
