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Winged Migration
Winged Migration (2001) is a visually stunning “documentary-adventure” that follows several communities of birds on their seasonal migratory journeys. Although the migrations are set to music and the flapping of the birds’ wings can be heard in many scenes, the film is primarily a visual experience. There is very little narration in Winged Migration, which for the most part is shot from the perspective of the migrating birds.
Continue reading...Capitalism: A Love Story
13. October 2009
Michael Moore’s latest documentary is a critique of capitalism- in mainstream theaters- pretty big deal. “Capitalism: A Love Story” starts off comparing the US to the Roman Empire- a fairly easy task. In addition to other commentary, the documentary seems to be focused on the anti-capitalist stance of various Catholic priests, the consequences of the housing crisis, corporate bailouts and, finally, some alternatives in the form of worker-run workplaces.
Continue reading...Beyond Elections: Redefining Democracy in the Americas
20. September 2009
Beyond Elections takes on a huge topic – the future of democracy in the Americas. The documentary by Sílvia Leindecker and Michael Fox ably traverses the complexities of this broad question, relying predominantly on the voices of the people to explore how we define democracy, its nature and limitations in the Americas and efforts to expand it.
Continue reading...Sacco and Vanzetti
12. August 2009
As I watched Sacco and Vanzetti, an 80-minute-long documentary by Peter Miller, it drew me to the point of grabbing my pen, and paper and rewinding the film over and over again so not to miss an important fact, interview, or scene about one of the most famous political trials in U.S. history.
Continue reading...Gardens of Destiny
25. July 2009
If you've ever stood in the grocery store holding two apples in your hand, one organic and one not, and wondered which one to buy, then watching Jocelyn Demers' documentary, Gardens of Destiny, will no doubt help make up your mind.
Continue reading...The Jena 6
6. July 2009
"The DA's pen has replaced the lynching noose" -Mumia Abu Jamal Barely noticed In the midst of the hullabaloo and media hype over the death of Michael Jackson, a notorious case of racial injustice against six working-class African-American youths came to a quiet conclusion in the LaSalle Parish courthouse on June 25, 2009, in the parish (county) seat of Jena, state of Louisiana.
Continue reading...Letter to the President: The Streets Get Political
30. June 2009
Letter to the President: The Streets Get Political, produced by Russell Simmons, directed by Thomas Gibson, composed by Quincy Jones, and narrated by Snoop Dogg, is a wake-up call to the world that hip-hop and rap does not mean money, ignorance, and violence, but a voice from a imprisoned, oppressed, and repressed community. This is an excellent film on the history of hip-hop and rap in the U.S. in relation to race, class, and sexism.
Continue reading...Venezuela: Revolution from the Inside Out
20. June 2009
In the US mainstream, Hugo Chavez is generally seen as a "communist" (a la North Korea, Cuba, or China), tyrant, or both-often vilified by US news media and politicians. Further, the Chavez administration is often painted as illegitimate, particularly in comparison to those elected in dominant Western "democratic" models-such as the US or much of the EU. However, Venezuela: Revolution from the Inside Out provides a more nuanced perspective on Venezuela and a thorough investigation of modern socialism as now manifested in Central and South America.
Continue reading...The Angola 3: Black Panthers and the Last Slave Plantation
20. June 2009
It is no secret that the United States does not hesitate to incarcerate. While the US only represents 5% of the global population, it cages nearly 25% of the world's prisoners-approximately 2.3 million people. Of these 2.3 million people, approximately half are African American (13% of US population). Of course, the vastly disproportionate caging and state coercion of African Americans in the US has a long and brutal history. This bloody legacy is made manifest in prisons like Angola, named for the country from which many southern plantation slaves were abducted.
Continue reading...Peaceable Kingdom
18. June 2009
Tribe of Heart's documentary, Peaceable Kingdom, asks viewers how current factory farm practices can be justified given that the treatment of farm animals, while perfectly legal, is so undeniably cruel. This film advocates a reawakening of both human conscience and compassion. It suggests that this can be achieved through reconnecting to the innate affection most people have for animals (not just pets) which is often stifled or discouraged in a modern consumer society.
Continue reading...The Witness
16. June 2009
The Witness, an award winning documentary, tells the story of a personal miracle, a change in perception. Eddie Lama is an architectural metals contractor in New York, with a mission to raise awareness about animal suffering. Growing up in a violent neighbourhood in the Bronx, Eddie frequently witnessed friends harm zoo animals at night or chase cats down alleys with intent to harm. The only reason he didn't participate himself, he says, was fear. Eddie never had a pet growing up. Having been raised in a family with an aversion to pets, Eddie was afraid of animals.
Continue reading...- Girls Are Not Chicks - Coloring Book
- The Jena 6
- A Movement of Movements: Is another world really possible?
- The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and Chicago Police Murdered A Black Panther
- Behind the Mask
- On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Twenty-First Century Lynching
- Earthlings
- The Will to Resist
- The Lifelong Activist: Changing the World Without Losing Your Way
- The Angola 3: Black Panthers and the Last Slave Plantation
- Loral Deatherage: Excellent article. Looking forward to reading the ...
- Cath: I've had Get it Ripe for a few months now. And yes...
- Abbey: I'm just beginning to read this. I love Todd May's...
- Anthony Nocella: A really good book, which I enjoyed. It is helpful...
- GARY CHADWICK: TAKE IT FROM ME.ITS NOT JUST A BLACK OR ANY RACIAL...
Become A Friend
31. October 2009
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