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| Movie Review: Why We Fight Alternate Title: Making a Killing
Story: Run, don't walk to see
this penetrating award winning (Sundance Grand Jury Prize, 2005) documentary
by writer and director Eugene Jarecki. What happens when Congress, Corporations, the
Military and the latest participant in the industrial military complex,
the Think Tank all get involved in making foreign policy? You get war,
my friend. The very profitable business of war. Jarecki's film paints a clear and powerful history
of how we got to where we are today. And it is not a pretty picture.
He starts and ends the film with President Eisenhower's farewell speech
on January 17, 1961 where he first mentioned the dangers to civil liberties
when the military industrial complex gets out of control. The US spends more on defense than all 18 other
members of NATO plus Russia and China. Ouch! To his credit Jarecki uses many talking head
from all ends of the political spectrum. To humanize the film he explores
the story of a retired NYPD officer who lost his son in on 9/11. The
evolution of this man is heart breaking. He goes from a man who wanted
revenge for his son's death to a man who discovers his Government lied
to him. I urge you to find this film in your area. Go
with friends from both political parties (if you have friends in both
parties) and then have a great discussion. Acting: Not applicable in this documentary category
although the acting that this administration did to exploit the build-up
to the Iraq debacle was pretty powerful stuff. Not Oscar worthy, but
damn good.
Predilection: I like documentaries.
Food: An interesting segment explaining how the private
sector took over parts of the military like feeding the troops.
Blatant Product Placement: The Industrial Military
complex featuring major players such as Boeing, Haliburton, Kellog,
Brown and Root, McDonnell Douglas and on and on.
Soundtrack: Excellent
Theater Audience: About ten other early morning theater
goers who also needed their rage level lifted.
Squirm Scale: War is very squirmy indeed.
Drift Factor: No time to drift.
Tissue Usage: I still get weepy at times over September
11th.
Oscar Worthy:I believe this film is ineligible because
of some of Oscars' cockamamie rules. Oscar nominations come out tomorrow.
Soap Box: So much rage, so little time.
Nit Picking: I wish I could turn back time.
Big Screen or Rental: Go for the big screen. These
films need to be seen. Eugene Jarecki's other film, The Trials of
Henry Kissinger should also be rented.
Length: 90 minutes
LOBO HOWLS: 8
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