From ICN...

Billed as a 'coming of age' film with a fairly uninspiring title, Mud certainly was not top of the list of flicks I wanted to see this month, writes Afra Morris in Thinking Faith. It is, however, a pleasant surprise that will have you dreaming of sun-dappled days and the adventures of your youth.

Set in Arkansas, it tells the Huckleberry Finn-esque tale of two 14-year-old boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), as they discover and assist the enigmatic 'Mud' (Matthew McConaughey), a fugitive trying to rebuild a boat to float away with his first love, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). Mud, however, has a chequered past, which the boys gradually uncover, and the group of bounty hunters on his tail add a gentle tension that simmers just below the surface throughout.

One gets the sense that, particularly for a US audience, this film evokes nostalgia for a lifestyle that is fast disappearing. We see the decline of river communities, grubby boys foraging for scrap and building dirt bikes unassisted, and groups of teenagers hanging out at 'strip-malls'.

Director Jeff Nichols has successfully conjured up the essence of laid back southern living in a deliciously soporific fashion that makes you want to experience it for yourself. The beautiful cinematography by Adam Stone has helped to craft a dusty southern landscape that pulls you in, and when McConaughey turns his face to the sun you can almost feel the same dry-heat on your own skin.

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This week's slice of awesomeness from Mark Hart/ LifeTeen...

Interesting stuff from Busted Halo on the latest take on the great classic. Here's a slice...

The Great Gatsby has been touted as many things: one of the contenders for the title of "The Great American Novel," a flash game, and now, a summer blockbuster. But for all the things that The Great Gatsby has been, a good example certainly is not one of them. The way that the story's characters embrace the wild lifestyle of the 1920s seems almost like a "how not to" guide for living your life. In fact, there's a character or situation in Gatsby for practically all of the seven deadly sins that humanity is to avoid. Let's take a look at some of those sins, the characters and actions behind them, and what we can do to avoid falling into the same snares in our own lives.

Gluttony

One of the basic facts about Jay Gatsby is that he throws amazing parties at his house every weekend. Alcohol flows, dancing abounds, and people aren't even invited — they just show up. These partygoers, it would seem, exhibit the sin of gluttony, in that they eat and drink and dance and party to excess, and take extreme advantage of the offerings of a man they don't even know.

How to avoid it: Well, first of all, if you know of someone throwing free, extravagant house parties every weekend, let me know. Following that (and the more realistic notion that you probably don't know someone who's got an open house and an open bar in a mansion on the water), the best thing to do would be to avoid excess. You don't have to avoid the party scene altogether if that's how you have fun, but be mindful that too much of anything can be bad for you.

Greed

In Gatsby, we see many characters who are a bit more than well-off. Both Gatsby and the Buchanans (Tom and Daisy) live in lavish waterfront homes, yet they still yearn for more. It seems that no one in The Great Gatsby is truly content with their current status — everyone is constantly on the lookout for what they can grab hold of next.

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CatholicYouthMinistry.com has an interesting piece on how to make the best of summer. Have a look...

The things being discussed in this video could have fascinating youth ministry implications...

You might have heard of Chris Hadfield if you read the news in the last few days. He was the charismatic Canadian commander of the International Space Station, who has just returned to earth. He got famous while he was in space for his regular broadcasts and also for being the first person to record a music video in space - David Bowie's Space Oddity.

Anyway... here is Hadfield from a few weeks back talking about how to achieve your objectives and find happiness in life. It's a good resource.