Everyone in America should see An Inconvenient Truth.
This movie was great. When I went into it, I went because it seemed like one of those "important" films that I "should" see, and while it was indeed important (even moreso than I realized), I'll be damned if it wasn't gleefully entertaining, too. Not to say that it wasn't harrowing. It puts you through the ringer and gets you out the other side in a way comparable to any fiction film, but with this, it's even better, because the stuff you're hearing about isn't fiction at all; it's REAL. And it's scary. But there's enough genuine warmth in the telling, and even enough great cartoon global warming sketches, to actually make it fun to watch. The film is very funny. Al Gore is very funny. Why my dumbass country couldn't get its shit together and elect him president is beyond me.
The film works on two levels: as Al Gore's warning and explanation of global warming, and as a portrait of the man telling the tale. Thus, it transcends both educational viewing and character study, and becomes something greater than either. Ultimately, it's about loving your life and your world, and not taking either for granted. It's about the need to adapt to a changing world, to see clearly the course our world is taking and change that course now, before it's too late. It's about a hero, with a vision born from the union his own intellect and curiosity, and the unique circumstances in which he found himself. It's about the willingness to accept the truth, however painful or inconvenient.
If you're reading this, SEE THIS MOVIE. Everyone in the world should be see it... except maybe Glenn, since Australia is apparently responsible for only 1.1% of the world's global warming problem. Certainly, everyone in America should. Come on, America. Step up. Global warming is our fault, yo. It's our responsibility to change.
Here's a thought: if no habits are changed, both my parents' home (Miami) and my preferred adult residence (Manhattan) could be underwater before the end of my lifetime. That is not cool. That cannot happen. I intend to help make sure that doesn't happen; I've been converted. And I felt so good after seeing this film. "Expanded and filled," as they say. Go get expanded and filled, yourself. You'll be glad you did.
Verdict: "SEE THIS MOVIE. It's more than just a slideshow."
posted by adam k. @ 3:28 PM
4 Comments:
Documentaries are so hard to grade when they're about issues. Cause if you're really passionate about said issue you're gonna be biased and like it anyway. That's what I found with Fahrenheit 911. Since it's release it's grade has gone down because I realise it was sort of haphazzardly made.
But, still, Hoop Dreams is still the peak for documentaries. There is one moment in that movie that I would rank as one of my all time favourite moments in film. Just stunning.
(Australia is way more responsible for global warming, because our Prime Minister is a heartless asshole)
Yeah, I was wavering between A and B+ for this, so I just hedged and gave it an A-. That is what I do now when i can't decide, because it's silly to stress over it.
I could be wrong on the number, but I remember the amount of relative blame for Australia being ridiculously low. Maybe it's just cause you don't have as many people or high tech industries.
Great call to arms for global warming, but i felt the aspect on Gore's personal life hurt the film and its message. you're dealing with an extremely divisive character in american politics, so to hear him making quips and jokes about Bush in a film that's made for a universal audience, it just gives the few bush-lovers who swallowed their pride and bought a ticket reason to use their earmuffs. personal opinion.
I didn't feel like there was much about the personal life or the Bush factor that hurt the film. I thought it would've been sort of hypocritical to just deliberately leave all of that out. Nothing was that in-your-face, IMO. He made a few quips, sure, but they weren't based on anything but Bush's own record. For example, the Bush admin DOES indeed but ideology before science; whether you like them or not, that's what they do, it's not really an issue of opinion. I dunno, I'm just so beyond trying to not offend people in Bush's camp at this point... I thought the film was well within the bounds of tact.
However, it is hard to just it aesthetically, when it's so issue-oriented. But whatever.
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