War and Truth -- very frustrating. The title implies far more than they deliver in this doc about journalists in war zones. The first 45 minutes is a meandering collection of stock footage interpersed with random soundbites from interviews with journalists who have been in warzones. The last 20 minutes tries to redeem the doc with a jumbled mess of opinions from everyone about everything; they overstate the politics (WMD lies blah blah blah) but understate the propaganda/spin angle that they should be nailing. What goes unsaid is how reporting in vietnam was different from iraq; military's control of story via embeds; the effect that security concerns have on journalists' ability to seek out stories and context; military's use of inexperienced local reporters who are happy to do stand ups without serious context or hindsight, thus playing lip service to "access". There is a clear abandonment of neutral POV (e.g. showing images of White House or Bush when voiceover says "lies" or "propaganda") with resulting alienation of audience; this might work if audience is led to that conclusion, but it's just plopped in front of them. The only clear, pointed commentary came from Danny Schechter of www.mediachannel.org , so if nothing else, I got that pointer out of this. The filmmakers' hearts are in the right place, but this is just yet another squandered opportunity to make a clear point. In the Q+A afterwards they said they weren't done with it yet, so maybe they can resequence it and put together something ...
Independent, Doin' Major Things -- You need to see this movie, although I don't know how since it probably only plays in festivals or other oddball screenings (you can buy the DVD). "Hustle" Simmons (get it? har har) leads us through a fast paced introduction to the music and promotions business; technically it's a complete f*cking mess, with bad edits, glitchy sound and awful transitions, but packed full of insight into the Atlanta hiphop scene, especailly the independent promotions activities from which all the hype and postcards and merch flows onto the streets. Drives home the point that major label agreements are designed to screw the artist and enrich the label, and that the way to riches to work outside the system, or somehow partnered with it, but definitely not inside it. Another great slice-of-life documentary.
Psychopathia Sexualis -- a very unique film; most of it verges on pornography so be forewarned.
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