Arts, Culture & Entertainment News - April 30

Russel Crowe is to play God's good and humble friend Noah in Darren Aronofsky's movie adaptation of the Genesis story. This Biblical epic of one man's divine mission to save the animals and his family from the wrath of God will commence shooting in July in Iceland and New York and is due for release in March 2014. It's not the first cinematic epic for Crowe, of course, who rose to considerable fame following Gladiator and also fared the rough seas in Master and Commander. "I rejoice that Russell Crowe will be by my side on this adventure," said Aronofsky, director of Black Swan, in a statement. "It's his immense talent that helps me to sleep at night. I look forward to being wowed by him every day." 

Film fans will soon be able to buy e-book versions of classics such as Casablanca, Ben-Hur, An American in Paris and North by Northwest for their iPads, Kindles and Nooks, as part of a new digital distribution strategy by Warner Bros., reports Speakeasy. 

History was one of the topics of conversation at the Adelaide Writer's Week with four authors who delve into historical archives to write fictional novels sitting on a panel with David Marr, who asks them, "Why, as writers, do you raise the dead?". Kate Grenville talks about her book, Sarah Thornhill, and says, "A voice spoke to me and began to dictate this book." The interesting results will be aired on the ABC this week (Wednesday, May 2, at 11am) or can be viewed here. 

As noted in The Satchel Review, freedom of speech and the spirit of libertarianism is a hot topic as the recommendations of the Convergence Review see daylight, and the twisted thinking of Norwegian killer Anders Behring Brevik, as put in his manifesto, is put before the court. Perhaps untimely then that Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, which outlines his Nazi ideology, is proposed for re-publication in Bavaria with a critical commentary (even read in a critical light, it could be damaging).

May's Griffith REVIEW, published by Text Publishing, focuses on the question, "What is Australia for?". Edited by Dr Julianne Schultz AM, the blurb reads thus: "Instead of seizing the moment, and forging an exciting new future, public discussion is mired in the past. Politics is no longer the art of the possible. Whingeing has replaced can-do. What is Australia For? will sketch out visionary ideas for the future, uncover neglected stories from the past, and provide an exciting forum for new voices to make their case."

Text Publishing also releases its Classics series this month, comprising "some of the funniest examples of outstanding Australian literature".

What makes a classic? ‘Something that makes you nervous or excited (same thing?) to pick up, well after the initial print run.’— Nicholas Brodie

Also, the 2012 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing is now open.

I may be the last person on earth to fall in love with Ed Sheeran's single "Lego House", which is getting a lot of airplay (above is the acoustic clip; there is another version starring Harry Potter's Rupert Grint, aka Ron Weasley). But mothers beware. While Sheeran, 21, looks like he would do the washing up after dinner (maybe), some of his album lyrics are on the naughty side. "Lego House" is safe territory (lest someone careless knocks it down).

Relevant magazine has compiled a 2012 New Music Guide, which includes Gungor (performing "Beautiful Things" above at Relevant's HQs). It notes that pop culture can be unpredictable. "Did you really think a boy band from the UK would become a phenomenon? Not even your little sister knew who One Direction was until, like, February." Ha!

Word is that MUTEMATH (who tour "Old Soul" in Australia through May) has caused some chatter about promoting itself as a decidedly un-Christian Christian band. "But they seem to have pulled it off," reports Patton Dodd for Beliefnet. "Last week, they rocked David Letterman (John Mayer called it the Letterman “appearance of the year”) and their fan base is clearly growing. As for me, I’m won over by Mute Math’s openness in talking about the struggles of being Christians who want to make music for more than just their fellow Christians. They haven’t shed the faith; just the faith industry. That distinction makes all the difference."

Newspaper man John Sandeman gives a nod in the direction of The Monthly for Peter Sutton's review of The Tale of Frieda Keysser by John Strehlow: "Sutton contrasts that with the current state of the former missions, where few have any non-local staff who speak their language, and where relationships have become “monetised”. He draws another contrast with urban mythology that have “typecast the missions” where “flat-earth assessments of the mission statements abound”, one being that missionaries extinguished indigenous language, an inversion of the truth. Sutton calls for correctives to these “part-truths and pastiche”: a welcome call from an unexpected corner."

In the late Chuck Colson's presentation for Q New York, he argues that everybody has a worldview; that everyone has a grand story that forms what one believes about oneself, life, the world, and reality. He then challenges us to embrace a worldview that addresses not only individuals, but also God’s redemption of entire systems and cultures. Colson – President Nixon's "hatchet man", who found God and redemption after the Watergate scandal – died 21 April, 2012, aged 80.

Lastly, tune into The Beatles' "Across the Universe" while reading 'What would MLK do? Christians and climate change' at ABC Religion and Ethics, if you're so inclined (inclimed?). 

Girl With a Satchel