Change Your Image
colinnz
Reviews
McLibel (2005)
A Victory for Freedom of Speech
McLibel follows the path of two English activists who after speaking out against McDonald's notorious commercial practices, (and unlike fellow activists) refuse to bow to the corporate giant's formidable legal machine.
What has to be remembered is that it was McDonalds who initiated the legal action knowing, that Dave and Helen would not be allowed legal aid to defend themselves. At the Strasborg Court of Human Rights this unfair one sided draconian British legislation was recognised as being unfair, for the way it impeded their freedom of speech.
The two activists' greatest asset was that they had no assets and nothing to lose, as they literally just kept going. Both of them being uncharismatic actually lent them some charm, as the press were forced to focus fully on the issues unable to cash in on their personalities.
When it was all over the two heroes carried on with their humble lives, uninterested in cashing in on their success and seeking the limelight.
My favourite line from McLibel is Helen saying, "I'm actually starting to feel sorry for McDonalds now, all this negative publicity is helping out other Corporations such as Pizza Hut, and Burger King who are equally as bad if not worse than McDonalds"
Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony (2002)
The True Story of The Black South African Struggle.
The definitive documentary for illustrating the struggle of the black South Africans,as told through the eyes of the White prison guards and executioners, black activists & Musicians. Some of the straight forward comments from the black activists, remain embellished in my mind.
"The train was Africa's first tragedy" (highlighting the need for the large corporates to mobilise the cheap black labour)& "We were treated like s*** and we still never smashed the place up"(showing how much they loved their country) The way in which the townships and their matchbox houses were quickly erected, and then demolished so that the black labour could be moved on to the next corporate project,effectively explains how black labour is no more than a dispensable and renewable chattel, a sort of nomadic feudalism destroying any sense of community. And finally the music which puts to shame the commercialised manufactured dross we hear on today's radio, masquerading as Jazz & Blues.
The superb piece of music towards the end in the dark dingy club,where the female black singer with the haunting pitch delivers the names of those who died in the struggle,would moisten the eyes of the most hardened cynic.
Could the world be in for an explosive treat of Black South African roots, jazz, rhythm and blues music? I hope so.
King Arthur (2004)
Debunking Arthur's Debunkers.
Is it me or did the makers of the movie decide to put history to the sword as well as demystifying the Arthur legend. I always thought the Arthurian fables were set in the south of England & to the west.It's totally confusing that his last major battle is in Scotland, & after rescuing the isolated Italian family they flee to the Easterly direction of the invading Saxon hordes. The movie culminates with a wedding ceremony on Britain's N/E coast in Quasi Stonehenge surrounds. What about all the stuff about Camelot etc. or didn't that exist. Clive Owen (he type cast as the Detective with the tortured soul) was hopelessly miscast as Arthur, coming across as a moralising Secondary School history teacher. But my 7yr. old son enjoyed it, & if it triggers an interest in Arthurian mythology, it would have been worth while seeing.