tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825798.post115024663619067300..comments2023-06-30T05:06:42.335-04:00Comments on My Life, at 24 Frames Per Second: On the Edge of CynicismKenji Fujishimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635553450551818306noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825798.post-1150332433548889632006-06-14T20:47:00.000-04:002006-06-14T20:47:00.000-04:00Yes, it is important to know the motivations of th...Yes, it is important to know the motivations of the film maker especially if the film is about a comtemporary event or world hot- spot. Michael Moore surely is biased in his views and this is important for anyone seeing his films to be aware of.<BR/><BR/>Films such as "Munich", open up recent events to people who might not even know about them and now they have the opportunity to learn and read or research further. Spielberg did this with Schindler's List also.<BR/><BR/>A few recent films, all on DVD, of a controversal, political nature are:<BR/>Turtles Can Fly<BR/>Death in Gaza<BR/>Jarhead<BR/>Paradise Now<BR/><BR/>Again, its important to know the background of the film makers in each case and understand the context and message they are sending. All of them are biased in their viewpoints, but they will get you thinking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825798.post-1150320247423958172006-06-14T17:24:00.000-04:002006-06-14T17:24:00.000-04:00I definitely agree that good political films can b...I definitely agree that good political films can be sources of insight and can also provoke thought---and, if it entertains you, a plus. <BR/><BR/>But for both fiction and nonfiction films, I find that I have to be careful. There are some films that seem on the surface like serious political dramas, but there may be something about them that seems unconvincing, or maybe I just may not necessarily buy the filmmaker's sincerity, you know what I mean? <BR/><BR/>For example, last year's <I>Syriana</I> may have been intriguing and at times enthralling, but I'm not sure how seriously I can take its overall view of the corrupt politics of oil when writer-director Stephen Gaghan throws in a heavy-handed speech in which one character basically stands up for corruption. <BR/><BR/>And of course there are Michael Moore's "documentaries": entertaining and impassioned films, but---and I'm sure many intelligent people probably recognize this---not necessarily the places to go for accurate information.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, there's a film like Steven Spielberg's <I>Munich</I>: it tackles a difficult political subject but tries to do so from both sides in a way that I wish every political film did. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, I'm not sure if you've seen all the films I've mentioned, but your comments made me think about some of the political films I've seen, and some of the thoughts that have run through my head as I've reflected on them. But essentially, I agree with you.Kenji Fujishimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10635553450551818306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825798.post-1150316324025265962006-06-14T16:18:00.000-04:002006-06-14T16:18:00.000-04:00Yes, it is on DVD. The film was nominated for an A...Yes, it is on DVD. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2002 for Best Documentary, I believe. <BR/><BR/>If politics is not "your thing" than that is ok; film can be, nothing wrong with that. My thinking is that you can combine the two a bit, because quite often there is a perceptive and insighful film about some of the hot political topics and this way you can gain some understanding while watching a good film.<BR/><BR/>"Complaining" is not altogether a bad thing especially if it makes you think or spurs new ideas and opens doors. At least you are speaking honestly from the heart. No one can fault you for that, even your mother.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825798.post-1150294249917255182006-06-14T10:10:00.000-04:002006-06-14T10:10:00.000-04:00I appreciate the help; maybe I'll check out this f...I appreciate the help; maybe I'll check out this film (is it available on DVD?).<BR/><BR/>I dunno, I guess I just wrote this post because I felt the need to write something about the news article I read yesterday morning about the growing violence between Palestinian factions. Of course, as I was writing it, I realized that this was gonna be basically another whiny post in which I'd complain about something---my lack of engagement with politics---that should probably not be such a big problem if I was more of an active person instead of a passive one. Sometimes I just have a tendency to complain too much instead of act; this is something my mother has picked up (and, knowingly or not, she sometimes exploits it to her advantage).Kenji Fujishimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10635553450551818306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27825798.post-1150248315167655142006-06-13T21:25:00.000-04:002006-06-13T21:25:00.000-04:00You might want to use your interest in films to br...You might want to use your interest in films to broaden your knoweledge of political conflicts. Since you mention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, why not check out the film, "Promises", a doumentary from 2001 directed by Carlos Bolado. It might give you some insights into this seemingly never-ending conflict, and the hopelessness of it all. The fact is that the divergent intersts of the Palestinians and the Israeli's combined with the general animosity generated through generations of war, conflict and death may well serve to keep this a perpetual arena of dischord and violence. Israel fears for their security while the Palestinians, desperatly poor and discouraged, fight among themselves (Hamas vs Fatah). Anyway, there are many films that can give you some ideas and help you understand the conflict there---this is a pretty well done one, in my opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com