Food Inc.

This movie is about the industry of producing food. It delves into a number of issues. Chicken farms and the use chemicals in the food production line and its impact. It shows how multinationals dictate the market place contrasted with the "simple life" of an organic farmer who sells his produce at a farmers market. In an ideal world who wouldn't adopt better practices...but with burgeoning populations are we moving into a Darwinian situation. There is some steps you can take...esp. given the subsidies being paid by government to various "unhealthy" industries. There are a number of arms to this movie. The mother whose child died as a result of eating a hamburger who is pushing for law reform...and the wall she is against. The increase in diabetes and obesity as a result of high calorie sugar laden food. Genetic engineering and the impact multinationals have on this...particularly when they own a new strain such as Monsanto with the soy bean. I did come home and look up their website and love the fact the movie has 10 simple steps to become involved on their website - http://www.foodincmovie.com/get-involved.php.

This is a movie that will have impact - whether it is enough to make major change is yet to be seen but its ramifications is likely to be ongoing. At the end of the day we aim for betterment...don't we!!!

We Live in Public

This film is incredible. Talk about the madness of the internet explosion. This guy, Josh Harris was a pioneer in the dot.com bubble excitment. He made a lot of money but was also a bit crazy into the mix. He comes across as quite a normal guy but there was a lot of unresolved issues. The film suggested that he had a poor relationship with his mother. He had an alter ego where he dressed up as a clown. At one point he even made a presentation to investor in garb which didn't go down so well. He also had an obsession with Gilligans Island which came from his time spent with the tv as his minder as his mother worked and was an alcoholic. He regularly held parties in NY to attract the most avante guarde. He explored digital tv before the bandwith was good enough but with some success. After going public he had money to burn and decide to conduct an experiment where a group of people were locked up in bunker and every moment was filmed calling it "Quiet". It even included a shooting range and all expenses were paid for including food and drugs. It eventually broke down ..or should I say melted down. The police and fire authorities stepped in and closed the place down. He then meets a girl (his first real relationship) and they live in a house completely wired...including even a camera in the base of the toilet. Thinking weird...well yes. They eventually split up and he goes on to have a complete break down. He moved to an apple farm in mid America living a solitary existence. After a few years there he has now moved to South Africa and you get the feeling he will take on something else in the future. The film starts with his video presentation to his dying mother which seems so cold and impersonal. By the time it finishes you understand why he didn't go and visit his dying mother but it still reeks of his lack of social skills.

Che (1) and (11)

The first part covers up to the early 60's and his time working with Fidel Castro. It goes through the beginnings of "their revolution". The struggle to form a cohesive group. It makes Che seem like he was subordinate to Castro. He was being pushed and shoved around performing different duties. There were a few good lines in it but what struck me is the impact it had on me. I suppose it made me realise what a pacifist I really am. I don't believe that killing someone is really justifiable even in war. It also had some fairly ad hoc scenes from his time in NY and speaking to the UN.

Part 11 covered his time in Boliviar and forming a new unit to struggling against the system there. They went into hiding with select group training them for a year until the government stepped in and found them. They were in a very remote part of the country and although there was reference to the fact they were receiving international support (Satre and Brandt were mentioned) they had to almost beg for food or pay exhorbitant prices for food from the locals. It was an operation which never really had the feel of success about it.

Overall it is interesting but I am not sure about how well it achieved the integration of some scenes. The bouncing back and forth from Cuba to NY and Mexico wasn't explained very well. The contrast was great and should have been done better. I suppose I would be interested to find out the impact on people. It is hardly a film where you come out admiring the man. However his image lives as I know from my time in Argentina.