For the
sake of not having to write the same intro a million
different ways throughout the rest of time, just know that
this column avoids the overly long and sometimes dull
process of full film reviews and instead opts to break
things down based on what I thought going in, what happened
while I was there and what I learned at the end of it all.
Thanks for reading!
The
Breakdown - Cool It
The Impression:
Another "big issue" documentary aimed at showcasing how
badly the human race has fucked up, well, something.
The Reality:
Quite honestly, this isn’t a film about how badly we’ve
fucked up anything. Instead it’s a film about Bjorn Lomberg,
a proponent of the idea that not only have we not fucked up
our environment as badly as we think, but that by putting so
much effort in to "global warming" we’re addressing white
collared concerns opposed to the massive malnutrition and
sickness that effects the rest of the developing world.
Pretty good premise right?
Too bad it’s a terrible film.
One part informercial about the ideas of Bjorn Lomberg, one
part glossy electronic press kit of how amazing Bjorn
Lomberg is (complete with mom-hugging and feeding rice to
starving African children), one part finger-pointing sword
fight with Al Gore, and one part actual documentary about
Lomberg’s ideas and how the might effect the world - this is
one big ugly fragmented film. I thought at one point in the
beginning that Lomberg was never going to actually address
his ideas but rather just talk about how other people’s
ideas were wrong. He does, with about fifteen minutes left
in the film, actually get to the problems and their proposed
solutions, but by that point the whole film is a such a
clusterfuck of intentions and build-up, I could barely keep
myself awake.
The Lesson:
I’m tired of pop-umentaries. I don’t want to watch docs
about the big issues unless they’re pristine in their
delivery.
Noah Sanders is the blog/news editor at Light In The
Attic and a contributor at Sound On The Sound and
the KEXP blog. He also has his own
Criterion-based film site, Criterion Quest.
If you'd like to contact Noah in regards to his
writings here at Side One: Track One then please do
so
here.
- Noah Sanders
-
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