MIFF Day 12
Only two films today, that's effectively a breather.
THE SECOND CIVIL WAR
Made for HBO, Joe Dante's 1997 political satire is a bit muddled but amazingly prescient. Dante himself commented in his introduction that the film doesn't seem to date, elements may be less obvious at some times than others, but it's packed with so many things that remain current issues that it's depressing. It analyses the impact of the 24 hour news network on politics, the lack of time to absorb and think on information, image politics, sex scandals, military triumphalism and national identity. The fears of a nation overrun with immigrants is played to hilarious effect, with nobody in LA speaking English, just Mexican, and Rhode Island dominated by Chinese refugees who don't want any more immigrants. The basic story is that Idaho closes its borders to a group of Pakistani refugees, which triggers a constitutional crisis ending in a second civil war. There's a lot to love, with great performances from Beau Bridges as the Governor of Idaho, and Phil Hartman as the puppet President. Unfortunately, it starts to lose its way towards the end, and becomes maudlin and sentimental as it views the horrors unleashed by political chicanery, which grates with the fairly savage tone the rest of the film maintains. This results in the final misunderstanding that causes open hostilities not being nearly as funny as it could be. Still, very entertaining and unlikely to date anytime soon, more's the shame.
COLLAPSE
Michael Ruppert has been variously described as a prophet, a conspiracy theorist, and batshit insane. This film is really just a monologue, as Ruppert explains how his understanding of Peak Oil and economic theory has led him to the conclusion that society is destined for collapse. There's nothing new in what he says, but one thing that sadly isn't explored is how he did predict, from his analysis, the economic meltdown that hit the US. He was warning about mortgage-backed derivatives long before anyone else realised they were worse than junk bonds. I would have liked to have heard more about his analytical process, but beyond him ranting that mainstream media isn't worth listening to, you don't learn anything about his information sources or research methods. Those things could have lent him a lot of credibility, but instead we just listen to him rave like a mad preacher. By the end of the film, it's hard to escape the conclusion that this is a very lonely man who is slightly unhinged. His most emotional moment comes when he speaks about the power of community to save us, and I felt it was as much a plea as a statement. Since the documentary was made, he's given up the doomsday business and writes music, while struggling to pay his rent. It doesn't tell you anything you don't know already, but it's a good character study of someone driven slightly mad by the impotence of his situation.
THE SECOND CIVIL WAR
Made for HBO, Joe Dante's 1997 political satire is a bit muddled but amazingly prescient. Dante himself commented in his introduction that the film doesn't seem to date, elements may be less obvious at some times than others, but it's packed with so many things that remain current issues that it's depressing. It analyses the impact of the 24 hour news network on politics, the lack of time to absorb and think on information, image politics, sex scandals, military triumphalism and national identity. The fears of a nation overrun with immigrants is played to hilarious effect, with nobody in LA speaking English, just Mexican, and Rhode Island dominated by Chinese refugees who don't want any more immigrants. The basic story is that Idaho closes its borders to a group of Pakistani refugees, which triggers a constitutional crisis ending in a second civil war. There's a lot to love, with great performances from Beau Bridges as the Governor of Idaho, and Phil Hartman as the puppet President. Unfortunately, it starts to lose its way towards the end, and becomes maudlin and sentimental as it views the horrors unleashed by political chicanery, which grates with the fairly savage tone the rest of the film maintains. This results in the final misunderstanding that causes open hostilities not being nearly as funny as it could be. Still, very entertaining and unlikely to date anytime soon, more's the shame.
COLLAPSE
Michael Ruppert has been variously described as a prophet, a conspiracy theorist, and batshit insane. This film is really just a monologue, as Ruppert explains how his understanding of Peak Oil and economic theory has led him to the conclusion that society is destined for collapse. There's nothing new in what he says, but one thing that sadly isn't explored is how he did predict, from his analysis, the economic meltdown that hit the US. He was warning about mortgage-backed derivatives long before anyone else realised they were worse than junk bonds. I would have liked to have heard more about his analytical process, but beyond him ranting that mainstream media isn't worth listening to, you don't learn anything about his information sources or research methods. Those things could have lent him a lot of credibility, but instead we just listen to him rave like a mad preacher. By the end of the film, it's hard to escape the conclusion that this is a very lonely man who is slightly unhinged. His most emotional moment comes when he speaks about the power of community to save us, and I felt it was as much a plea as a statement. Since the documentary was made, he's given up the doomsday business and writes music, while struggling to pay his rent. It doesn't tell you anything you don't know already, but it's a good character study of someone driven slightly mad by the impotence of his situation.
posted by Andrew Lee at 10:11 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home