Chow Down documentary looks at government’s complicity in our nation’s health problems
Review of Chow Down Directed by Julia Grayer and Gage Johnston Rating *** 1/2 I just got back from grocery shopping today. I spent $140 for groceries for two people. While that’s a little higher than normal, the one thing different about this trip to the grocery store is that I returned with not a […]
A review of Forks Over Knives
Forks Over Knives written and directed by Lee Fulkerson rating *** 1/2 I first got tuned in to eating less meat as a way to better health after reading Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and the documentary that followed called Food, Inc. Michael’s book was an eye opener. The topic of his book, however, was more […]
Catfish: Truth really is stranger than fiction
This film has been on my radar screen for a while. I knew I wanted to see it when I first heard about it. Then I saw a 20/20 or Dateline episode about the film and put the actual film on the back-burner. Now that I’ve seen it, I’m thinking it should have gotten a best documentary Oscar nod. It was that good.
Tapped: This documentary could save your life
First there was the book Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan which warned about the dangers of the industrialization of our food. Then there was the documentary Food, Inc., which covered many of the same topics. The meat we eat is contaminated with hormones. The animals are given food that are not a part of their natural diet. Most of the vegetables and fruits we eat are contaminated with pesticides and herbicides. What’s left? Surely there can’t be anything wrong with the water we drink, right? Well, you need to watch this movie to find out the answer.
Tommy Chong and the injustice system
What happened next is even more ridiculous. They threatened to bring charges against Tommy’s son and wife if Tommy didn’t agree to a plea deal. Just say your guilty, Tommy. We won’t charge anyone else but you, and you won’t have to go to jail. Now anyone with any common sense could look at the facts of the case and see that this was a case of entrapment. But this was the federal government. Going up against the government, with their unlimited resources, would have been risky and so expensive that it could have wiped Tommy out for good. Not to mention that his son and wife would have fallen victim to the same injustice system.
Waiting For Superman – A reflection of our times
This documentary on our current education system is an eye opener on a number of grounds. The filmmakers back up their claims about our deteriorating education system with plenty of statistics to show that we are failing in just about every measurable category. You may wonder what happens to the millions of drop-outs and under-educated students that are put out into society. The answer is that they’re present in every work environment. Incompetence is everywhere. The good news is that it’s never too late to turn things around.