https://cas.uno.edu/owa/attachment.ashx?attach=1&id=RgAAAACoH9ZdmfIaR5zU2b7w507hBwDF7dXGC04HQb3qK6Ie7VRXAAAEDmyuAAC1hv%2fpym5rS5RPGIsvbY5KAFFhax2%2bAAAJ&attid0=EADN1nnYlEffToVQlUW0YrVc&attcnt=1
Hey all. This is incredibly long internet address I've posted is a link to a recenlty completed short film script of mine. It's called M.I.A. Nation and deals with a young Iraq War veteran who's just returned home. If any of you are interested in reading it, I'd appreciate your thoughts as I'm just now beginning the rewriting phase
By the way, if you get a username and password promt to open the file, here it is:
username: aaaron
password: ObamaPartisan1894 (I know, cliche for me).
In other news, I just completed my articles for a second issue of the CClagniappe. Like I said in an earlier post, one of them is a fairly straightforward write-up on the Baton Rouge Capitals, the city's minor league soccer team (don't beat yourself up if you hadn't heard of them, I hadn't heard of them until I interviewed them), and the second was a somewhat broader-based article on the State Legislature debating whether or not raise the tax credits they give to film production from 25% to 30%. My understanding is that the legislature finally agreed on a bill and now it's up to Governor Jindal to sign the bill into law.
Regarding, the film story, I just want to say I definitely think it's essential to increase the film production tax credit to 30% so the state can remain competetive in attracting a large number of productions. Right now places like Georgia, Michigan, and New Mexico are all providing more aggressive incentives to filmmakers and their production load is increasing while Louisiana's is starting to dwindle. I'm not trying to be an alarmist here, because to my knowledge the bill that has just gone to Governor Jindal's desk will be expeditiously signed into law. However, it's important to point out that in 2007 the film industry accounted for 763 million dollars of spending in the state and we can't afford to lose that. That being said, I did speak to a State Senator, Joe McPherson, who I thought I made a compelling argument for why not to raise the tax credit rate. His point was that the state was starting to dramatically reduce spending in health care and higher education because of the budget shortfall and it seemed to unfair to single out the film industry for additional incentives. I respect his opinion on this, mainly because recent higher education funding cuts bother me as well, but personally I think the film industry is such a tremendous cash cow that the economic benefits outweigh those concerns.
Of course, I'm a film student, so I have a vested interest... so, take my words with a grain of salt.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
BR Capitals and other stuff
I haven't done much lately but contribute articles to this new independent paper in Baton Rouge, the CCLagniappe. If you ever find yourself on government street or the mid city area, I recommend you take a look at the paper (I know they're available at Colandro's and the Ice Cream Shoppe). For the first issue, I did two articles and a column; one article on the LSU Tiger's run in the College World Series, another article on the excessive length of the NBA season, and a column on the need for minority hiring in NCAA sports (particularly college football).
First, a word on the state of minority hiring in college football.
I'm a huge college football fan, and I find it offensive that in a sport where the vast majority of the athletes are minorities, only 7.5 percent of the coaches are. I can only imagine how disappointed all the qualified minority candidates were when Auburn hired Gene Chizik, formerly with Iowa State where he had a vaunted 5-19 record!
Today, I met and interviewed the Baton Rouge Capitals, a soccer team. The people I talked to were extremely courteous and open with me. Almost half of the team is actually foreign... something like eight of them are specifically from Brazil. I basically asked one of them how it felt to play soccer in Louisiana, where no one particularly cares for it, compared to Brazil, where it is fanatically popular (although I tried not to phrase the question in such "are you sure your life is worth living" kind of way). The player was very honest about it and admited that the United States' enthusiasm for soccer is less than in other places, but he was still encouraged by recent trends in soccer's popularity in the states.
Anyway... other than that interview, I also did some legwork on other articles at the paper's office on government street. The Editor in Chief of the paper is a really cool person, who recently graduated from LSU with a degree in journalism. I think she's a great editor and she has infectious personal energy. Although I have to admit, I almost laughed earlier today when my editor's boyfriend came in and introduced himself to me as... 'Colorado'. He was a perfectly nice guy, but as I was talking to him though, in my head I was going, "note to self: don't name any of my children after states".
First, a word on the state of minority hiring in college football.
I'm a huge college football fan, and I find it offensive that in a sport where the vast majority of the athletes are minorities, only 7.5 percent of the coaches are. I can only imagine how disappointed all the qualified minority candidates were when Auburn hired Gene Chizik, formerly with Iowa State where he had a vaunted 5-19 record!
Today, I met and interviewed the Baton Rouge Capitals, a soccer team. The people I talked to were extremely courteous and open with me. Almost half of the team is actually foreign... something like eight of them are specifically from Brazil. I basically asked one of them how it felt to play soccer in Louisiana, where no one particularly cares for it, compared to Brazil, where it is fanatically popular (although I tried not to phrase the question in such "are you sure your life is worth living" kind of way). The player was very honest about it and admited that the United States' enthusiasm for soccer is less than in other places, but he was still encouraged by recent trends in soccer's popularity in the states.
Anyway... other than that interview, I also did some legwork on other articles at the paper's office on government street. The Editor in Chief of the paper is a really cool person, who recently graduated from LSU with a degree in journalism. I think she's a great editor and she has infectious personal energy. Although I have to admit, I almost laughed earlier today when my editor's boyfriend came in and introduced himself to me as... 'Colorado'. He was a perfectly nice guy, but as I was talking to him though, in my head I was going, "note to self: don't name any of my children after states".
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Like I said in a previous post, I'm posting my own list of the best liberal movies in response to Daily Kos' very inadequate list. Here it is:
10. Dead Man Walking (1995)
Directed by Tim Robbins
Key liberal issues
- Anti death penalty.
- Anti poverty.
Liberal hero
- Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Surandon).
Most liberal line
- “I just don't see the sense of killing people to say that killing people's wrong.” – Sister Helen Prejean.
Why it’s on the list…
- Tim Robbins’ powerful film manages to be persuasive in its opposition to the death penalty without being pedantic. Also, Tim Robbins should be commended for approaching this film primarily from a moral perspective. In this, he confronts the difficult issue of the death penalty at its core, and although he finds points of agreement on both sides of the debate, the film undoubtedly comes to the conclusion that it is not moral for an advanced western democracy like the United States to execute its prisoners. 
9. Good Night and Good Luck (2005)
Directed by George Clooney
Key liberal issues
- Freedom of dissent.
- Freedom of association.
- Anti corporate control of news content.
Liberal hero
- Edward R. Murrow (David Straithern).
Most liberal line
- “We will not walk in fear, one of another, we will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason.” – Edward R. Murrow.
Why it’s on the list…
- George Clooney’s superbly crafted Good Night and Good Luck was released in 2005 at the height of the Iraq War, a period during which the Manichean Bush administration aggresively maintained that anyone who opposed its policies was “un-American” or was giving “comfort to our enemies”. It’s easy to see how Clooney’s dramatization of the Edward R. Murrow/ Senator Joe McCarthy feud was specifically intended to mirror and criticize such patently un-democratic actions. That being said, though, Good Night and Good Luck is not overly topical, but rather a thoughtful and exhilarating statement on the importance of free speech and expression, especially during times of crisis or rupture. Also, the film’s peripheral condemnations of corporate manipulation of the news media seems particularly relevant.
8. JFK (1991)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Key liberal issues
- Anti-war, anti covert operations.
- Anti military industrial complex.
- Anti corporate interest groups which exert influence on the government.
- Pro government transparency and accountability.
Liberal Hero
- Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner).
Most liberal line
- “What kind of national security permits the removal of fundamental power from the people… and validates the ascendency of an invisible government in the US? That kind of national security is… when it smells like it, feels like it, and looks like it… you call it what it is: Fascism!” – Jim Garrison.
Why it’s on the list…
- No film communicates militant liberalism better or more vociferously than Oliver Stone’s JFK, a thrilling cinematic experience that does not simply ask, but demands citizen action in government. Although the film fiercely and correctly attacks the Johnson administration’s specious Vietnam policy, its strongly anti-corporate and anti-war message can not be denied.
7. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Key liberal issues
- Anti death penalty.
- Anti minority targetting by the justice system.
- Pro civic activism.
Liberal hero
- Juror #8 (Henry Fonda).
Most liberal line
- “Ever since you walked into this room, you’ve been acting like a self-appointed public avenger! You want to see this boy die because you personally want it, not because of the facts. You’re a sadist!” – Juror #8 (Henry Fonda).
Why it’s on the list…
- As a rule, anything that favors the defense over the prosecution is generally liberal, and Sidney Lumet’s stirring, socially consious drama is no exception. Not only does the film promote reason over rashness in the justice system and call for active citizen participation in the democracy, but it also shines a light on the inequities that minorities in the justice system.
10. Dead Man Walking (1995)
Directed by Tim Robbins
Key liberal issues
- Anti death penalty.
- Anti poverty.
Liberal hero
- Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Surandon).
Most liberal line
- “I just don't see the sense of killing people to say that killing people's wrong.” – Sister Helen Prejean.
Why it’s on the list…
- Tim Robbins’ powerful film manages to be persuasive in its opposition to the death penalty without being pedantic. Also, Tim Robbins should be commended for approaching this film primarily from a moral perspective. In this, he confronts the difficult issue of the death penalty at its core, and although he finds points of agreement on both sides of the debate, the film undoubtedly comes to the conclusion that it is not moral for an advanced western democracy like the United States to execute its prisoners.
9. Good Night and Good Luck (2005)
Directed by George Clooney
Key liberal issues
- Freedom of dissent.
- Freedom of association.
- Anti corporate control of news content.
Liberal hero
- Edward R. Murrow (David Straithern).
Most liberal line
- “We will not walk in fear, one of another, we will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason.” – Edward R. Murrow.
Why it’s on the list…
- George Clooney’s superbly crafted Good Night and Good Luck was released in 2005 at the height of the Iraq War, a period during which the Manichean Bush administration aggresively maintained that anyone who opposed its policies was “un-American” or was giving “comfort to our enemies”. It’s easy to see how Clooney’s dramatization of the Edward R. Murrow/ Senator Joe McCarthy feud was specifically intended to mirror and criticize such patently un-democratic actions. That being said, though, Good Night and Good Luck is not overly topical, but rather a thoughtful and exhilarating statement on the importance of free speech and expression, especially during times of crisis or rupture. Also, the film’s peripheral condemnations of corporate manipulation of the news media seems particularly relevant.
8. JFK (1991)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Key liberal issues
- Anti-war, anti covert operations.
- Anti military industrial complex.
- Anti corporate interest groups which exert influence on the government.
- Pro government transparency and accountability.
Liberal Hero
- Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner).
Most liberal line
- “What kind of national security permits the removal of fundamental power from the people… and validates the ascendency of an invisible government in the US? That kind of national security is… when it smells like it, feels like it, and looks like it… you call it what it is: Fascism!” – Jim Garrison.
Why it’s on the list…
- No film communicates militant liberalism better or more vociferously than Oliver Stone’s JFK, a thrilling cinematic experience that does not simply ask, but demands citizen action in government. Although the film fiercely and correctly attacks the Johnson administration’s specious Vietnam policy, its strongly anti-corporate and anti-war message can not be denied.
7. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Key liberal issues
- Anti death penalty.
- Anti minority targetting by the justice system.
- Pro civic activism.
Liberal hero
- Juror #8 (Henry Fonda).
Most liberal line
- “Ever since you walked into this room, you’ve been acting like a self-appointed public avenger! You want to see this boy die because you personally want it, not because of the facts. You’re a sadist!” – Juror #8 (Henry Fonda).
Why it’s on the list…
- As a rule, anything that favors the defense over the prosecution is generally liberal, and Sidney Lumet’s stirring, socially consious drama is no exception. Not only does the film promote reason over rashness in the justice system and call for active citizen participation in the democracy, but it also shines a light on the inequities that minorities in the justice system.
6. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
Directed by Kimberly Peirce
Key liberal issues
- Equality for the GLBT community.
Liberal hero
- Brandon Teena.
Most liberal line
- “You know, I told Brandon… that nobody has a right to do that to you.”
Why it’s on the list…
- Brandon Teena’s death was legally only the fault of a few bigoted psychopaths (and a cruelly insensitive police department), but the hard truth of the matter is that the conservative evangelical culture that persistently demonizes the GLBT community also bears a critical amount of responsibility. Kimberly Peirce’s remarkably tender and nuanced film illustrates this not through dealing with explicitly political subject matter, but through simply showing the tragic journey of a person struggling to be themself.
Directed by Kimberly Peirce
Key liberal issues
- Equality for the GLBT community.
Liberal hero
- Brandon Teena.
Most liberal line
- “You know, I told Brandon… that nobody has a right to do that to you.”
Why it’s on the list…
- Brandon Teena’s death was legally only the fault of a few bigoted psychopaths (and a cruelly insensitive police department), but the hard truth of the matter is that the conservative evangelical culture that persistently demonizes the GLBT community also bears a critical amount of responsibility. Kimberly Peirce’s remarkably tender and nuanced film illustrates this not through dealing with explicitly political subject matter, but through simply showing the tragic journey of a person struggling to be themself.
5. The Constant Gardener (2005)
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Key liberal issues
- Concern for global quality of life.
- Opposition to corporate control of health care distribution.
Liberal hero
- Tessa Quayle.
Most Liberal line
- “But this is someone we can help now.” – Tessa Quayle.
Why it’s on the list...
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Key liberal issues
- Concern for global quality of life.
- Opposition to corporate control of health care distribution.
Liberal hero
- Tessa Quayle.
Most Liberal line
- “But this is someone we can help now.” – Tessa Quayle.
Why it’s on the list...
- Concern for the well-being of the global community has become an increasingly important principle of modern liberalism-raising the masses out of poverty and establishing international frameworks to purse peace and social justice are key aims in this regard. Fernando Meirelles’ dazzling thriller gives these issues a bracingly human face and demands that we help whom we can, even when the personal toll is great.
4. The Insider (1999)
Directed by Michael Mann
Key liberal issues
- Consumer protection.
- Corporate regulation.
- Anti corporate control of media content.
Liberal hero
- Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino).
Most liberal line
- “I mean, he's got a corporate secrecy agreement - give me a break! I mean, this is a public health issue! Like an unsafe airframe on a passenger jet or some company dumping cyanide into the East River, issues like that! He can talk, we can air it! They've got no right to hide behind a ‘corporate agreement’!” Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer).
Why it’s on the list…
- Conveyed brilliantly in The Insider is a modern day hero’s journey, except instead of slaying a dragon, the hero must stand up to the new post-modern leviathan, the corporation. Despite the tremendous odds that the film’s heroes-whistleblower Jeff Wigand (Russell Crowe) and 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino)-face, the film shows that an activist commitment to our democratic values and need for capitalist regulation can triumph over corporate America.
Directed by Michael Mann
Key liberal issues
- Consumer protection.
- Corporate regulation.
- Anti corporate control of media content.
Liberal hero
- Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino).
Most liberal line
- “I mean, he's got a corporate secrecy agreement - give me a break! I mean, this is a public health issue! Like an unsafe airframe on a passenger jet or some company dumping cyanide into the East River, issues like that! He can talk, we can air it! They've got no right to hide behind a ‘corporate agreement’!” Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer).
Why it’s on the list…
- Conveyed brilliantly in The Insider is a modern day hero’s journey, except instead of slaying a dragon, the hero must stand up to the new post-modern leviathan, the corporation. Despite the tremendous odds that the film’s heroes-whistleblower Jeff Wigand (Russell Crowe) and 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino)-face, the film shows that an activist commitment to our democratic values and need for capitalist regulation can triumph over corporate America.
3. Kinsey (2004)
Directed by Bill Condon
Key liberal issues
- Support for progressive attitudes toward sexuality and alternative lifestyles.
Liberal hero
- Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson).
Most liberal line
- “Everybody’s sin is nobody’s sin, and everybody’s crime is no crime at all.”- Alfred Kinsey.
Why it’s on the list…
- On the surface, Bill Condon’s rich and illuminating film merely depicts the personal life of Kinsey and his scientific research into human sexual behavior, but the heart of this full-fledged examination is a statement attacking conservative America’s paranoia over sexual freedom. Although Kinsey himself may have been sexually permissive to a fault, the film shows how his work sought to normalize attitudes toward homosexuality and those who live alternative lifestyles.
Directed by Bill Condon
Key liberal issues
- Support for progressive attitudes toward sexuality and alternative lifestyles.
Liberal hero
- Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson).
Most liberal line
- “Everybody’s sin is nobody’s sin, and everybody’s crime is no crime at all.”- Alfred Kinsey.
Why it’s on the list…
- On the surface, Bill Condon’s rich and illuminating film merely depicts the personal life of Kinsey and his scientific research into human sexual behavior, but the heart of this full-fledged examination is a statement attacking conservative America’s paranoia over sexual freedom. Although Kinsey himself may have been sexually permissive to a fault, the film shows how his work sought to normalize attitudes toward homosexuality and those who live alternative lifestyles.
2. Salvador (1986)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Key liberal issues
- Anti Nixon, Ford, Reagan foreign policy.
Key liberal hero
- Richard Boyle (James Woods).
Most liberal line
- “Is that why you’re here, Colonel? Some kind of post-Vietnam experience, like you need a rerun or something? You pour a hundred twenty million pucks into this place, you turn it into a military zone, so what, so you can have chopper parades in the sky?” – Richard Boyle.
Why it’s on the list…
- No film provides as thorough and convincing a rebuttal to the corruptly right-wing foreign policies of Nixon, Ford, and especially Reagan (in fairness, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson also supported similiarly interventionist policies). These presidents’ support for brutal right-wing regimes simply because they were friendly to capitalist-corporate interests was reprehensible and led to incredible suffering. Oliver Stone’s film portrays this vividly through the eyes of cynical war correspondent Richard Boyle.
Directed by Oliver Stone
Key liberal issues
- Anti Nixon, Ford, Reagan foreign policy.
Key liberal hero
- Richard Boyle (James Woods).
Most liberal line
- “Is that why you’re here, Colonel? Some kind of post-Vietnam experience, like you need a rerun or something? You pour a hundred twenty million pucks into this place, you turn it into a military zone, so what, so you can have chopper parades in the sky?” – Richard Boyle.
Why it’s on the list…
- No film provides as thorough and convincing a rebuttal to the corruptly right-wing foreign policies of Nixon, Ford, and especially Reagan (in fairness, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson also supported similiarly interventionist policies). These presidents’ support for brutal right-wing regimes simply because they were friendly to capitalist-corporate interests was reprehensible and led to incredible suffering. Oliver Stone’s film portrays this vividly through the eyes of cynical war correspondent Richard Boyle.
And number one is….
1. Milk (2008)
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Key liberal issues
- Equality for GLBT community.
Liberal hero
- Harvey Milk (Sean Penn).
Most liberal line
- “You’ve gotta’ give ‘em hope. You’ve gotta give ‘em hope.” – Harvey Milk.
Why it’s on the list…
- A brilliantly unflinching work of social advoacy, Milk was released in 2008 shortly after California voted to ban gay marriage and stood as a defiant statement against the outright bigotry and intolerance of the evangelical right, who lobbied for the ban. This is a rousing film that gives fully-formed dimensions to the fight for homosexual rights in the United States and champions the trailblazing Harvey Milk as one of the fights’ great heroes and martyrs.
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Key liberal issues
- Equality for GLBT community.
Liberal hero
- Harvey Milk (Sean Penn).
Most liberal line
- “You’ve gotta’ give ‘em hope. You’ve gotta give ‘em hope.” – Harvey Milk.
Why it’s on the list…
- A brilliantly unflinching work of social advoacy, Milk was released in 2008 shortly after California voted to ban gay marriage and stood as a defiant statement against the outright bigotry and intolerance of the evangelical right, who lobbied for the ban. This is a rousing film that gives fully-formed dimensions to the fight for homosexual rights in the United States and champions the trailblazing Harvey Milk as one of the fights’ great heroes and martyrs.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Dingo Ate my Application
Not much has been going on lately. I filled out an application to be a lowly busser at the new restaurant Dingo's on Coursey. Also, I had a meeting with a young woman who's starting a mid-city newspaper and she's recruited me to be her sportswriter (I know what you're thinking... why aren't I doing movie reviews or op-ed columns. The truth is, that's what I'd rather be doing, but for now the sports position is the only one available). What this means is I'll actually have follow baseball! LSU is in the college world series right now and that is expected to be one of the main stories.
In other news, I saw UP, which I thought was very good (although I have to agree with a friend of mine who said that the 3D was not necessary). Speaking of movies... I have to voice some grievances. The liberal blog Daily Kos recently presented their list of the top 25 Liberal Movies of the last 25 years. Obviously, I don't have any problem with the idea of a list like this (liberal - movie - list!... anyone who knows me knows those are my three favorite things). My problem is with what's in the list. Here it is:
25. A Few Good Men (1992)
24. The American President (1995)
23. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
22. Do the Right Thing (1989)
21. Platoon (1986)
20. The Color Purple (1985)
19. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
18. The Killing Fields (1984)
17. Syriana (2005)
16. Brazil (1985)
15. Dead Poets Society (1989)
14. Thank You For Smoking (2005)
13. Wag the Dog (1997)
12. Erin Brockovich (2000)
11. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
10. Mississippi Burning (1988)
9. Milk (2008)
8. V for Vendetta (2005)
7. Roger and Me (1989)
6. Sicko (2007)
5. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
4. Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. Goodnight and Goodluck (2005)
2. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
1. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
The films themselves are great, but some of them simply aren't liberal, and that's not a problem... they're not trying to be liberal. I think The Shawshank Redemption is fantastic, but it doesn't really espouse a political philosophy. And Thank You for Smoking, in it's own tongue-in-cheek way, sharply satirizes liberalism (the film's hero is a fast-talking cigarette lobbyist!). Also, putting so many documentaries on the list is a little too easy for my tastes. Here are some of my problems with certain entries:
25. A Few Good Men: I know Aaron Sorkin wrote it and therefore it has to be the most liberal thing ever, but I really don't find this film to be particularly liberal. A wonderful and engrossing courtroom drama yes... a liberal film... uhhh? In it's defense though, there are some issues that are examined on the periphery of the narrative that lean liberal. For instance, the film certainly questions the pre-eminence of the military in American culture.
23. Saving Private Ryan: This is a phenomenal movie, but I think it's politically neutral (some might even claim that the film in it's pseudo-glorification of the American military expresses a kind of conservative-style nationalism).
Like I said, I enjoy most of the films on this list-and many of them are perfectly suited to being called "liberal movies"-but because of some of my problems with the list I feel compelled to do my own list of the best liberal movies.
Coming soon...
In other news, I saw UP, which I thought was very good (although I have to agree with a friend of mine who said that the 3D was not necessary). Speaking of movies... I have to voice some grievances. The liberal blog Daily Kos recently presented their list of the top 25 Liberal Movies of the last 25 years. Obviously, I don't have any problem with the idea of a list like this (liberal - movie - list!... anyone who knows me knows those are my three favorite things). My problem is with what's in the list. Here it is:
25. A Few Good Men (1992)
24. The American President (1995)
23. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
22. Do the Right Thing (1989)
21. Platoon (1986)
20. The Color Purple (1985)
19. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
18. The Killing Fields (1984)
17. Syriana (2005)
16. Brazil (1985)
15. Dead Poets Society (1989)
14. Thank You For Smoking (2005)
13. Wag the Dog (1997)
12. Erin Brockovich (2000)
11. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
10. Mississippi Burning (1988)
9. Milk (2008)
8. V for Vendetta (2005)
7. Roger and Me (1989)
6. Sicko (2007)
5. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
4. Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. Goodnight and Goodluck (2005)
2. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
1. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
The films themselves are great, but some of them simply aren't liberal, and that's not a problem... they're not trying to be liberal. I think The Shawshank Redemption is fantastic, but it doesn't really espouse a political philosophy. And Thank You for Smoking, in it's own tongue-in-cheek way, sharply satirizes liberalism (the film's hero is a fast-talking cigarette lobbyist!). Also, putting so many documentaries on the list is a little too easy for my tastes. Here are some of my problems with certain entries:
25. A Few Good Men: I know Aaron Sorkin wrote it and therefore it has to be the most liberal thing ever, but I really don't find this film to be particularly liberal. A wonderful and engrossing courtroom drama yes... a liberal film... uhhh? In it's defense though, there are some issues that are examined on the periphery of the narrative that lean liberal. For instance, the film certainly questions the pre-eminence of the military in American culture.
23. Saving Private Ryan: This is a phenomenal movie, but I think it's politically neutral (some might even claim that the film in it's pseudo-glorification of the American military expresses a kind of conservative-style nationalism).
Like I said, I enjoy most of the films on this list-and many of them are perfectly suited to being called "liberal movies"-but because of some of my problems with the list I feel compelled to do my own list of the best liberal movies.
Coming soon...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Broken System: The Case of Healthcare in the United States
I was watching the 'Ed Show' on MSNBC today and I was disturbed to hear that President Obama was strongly considering taking the single-payer option off his health care reform plans. From my perspective, taking the public insurnance option off the table is C-R-A-Z-Y. Without a public insurnace option, meaningful reform of America's healthcare arrangement isn't even possible. We can't continue looking at this system, seeing that it's broken, seeing that it's been abused by hmo's and powerful insurance companies, and then try and "reform" it without really pressuring these companies from the outside by providing Americans with a real public healthcare choice.
Last semester in one of my political science classes, the head of the Republican Party in Louisiana came in to guest speak. He was a measured individual and generally instructive, but I found his personal healthcare views to be outrageous. He was entirely serious in saying that he thought "health care was a good that should be bought and sold on the free market". He admitted that there was no "perfect solution", but he still thought the free market was an appropriate mechanism to generate better health care. I don't know how he could think that when the free market has been responsible for health care all this time and the situation has not gotten better. 50 million Americans absolutely do not have health care and there are millions of Americans who pay for coverage but are constantly fucked by the insurance companies, whose bottom line is profit, not medical care.
Let's something straight:
Capitalism is fine (when highly regulated), but it shouldn't be thought of as anything more than an efficient engine for economic growth. Capitalism is not at all desireable when it is applied as an overarching social framework, as Republicans would like it to be. In short, the free market will not solve the health care crisis.
Last semester in one of my political science classes, the head of the Republican Party in Louisiana came in to guest speak. He was a measured individual and generally instructive, but I found his personal healthcare views to be outrageous. He was entirely serious in saying that he thought "health care was a good that should be bought and sold on the free market". He admitted that there was no "perfect solution", but he still thought the free market was an appropriate mechanism to generate better health care. I don't know how he could think that when the free market has been responsible for health care all this time and the situation has not gotten better. 50 million Americans absolutely do not have health care and there are millions of Americans who pay for coverage but are constantly fucked by the insurance companies, whose bottom line is profit, not medical care.
Let's something straight:
Capitalism is fine (when highly regulated), but it shouldn't be thought of as anything more than an efficient engine for economic growth. Capitalism is not at all desireable when it is applied as an overarching social framework, as Republicans would like it to be. In short, the free market will not solve the health care crisis.
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