First, Moore defines capitalism as a free enterprise. He explains that this well worn out phrase means that businesses go up and down as the people’s pleasure changes. One day they will patronize one shop; when someone comes out with something better, they will patronize another and the original shop will go out. This, Moore implies, is fair Capitalism: everyone gets an equal chance to sink or float without help from the government or citizens.

Moore in a clear cut, elementary way, describes how President Nixon was manhandled by Don Regan, the right hand man of Merrill Lynch. Consequently, Moore explains, Nixon systematically destroyed unions. As a result of this action, predatory capitalists cut wages, terminated workers, and froze wages.  Nixon, in response then encouraged the use of credit. Moore notes that citizens began to experience personal bankruptcy. In addition to this, the media and the politicians began to spread propaganda far and wide. The message to the victims of Capitalism: the system is a good; one day if everyone works hard enough, we’ll all be rich.

Moore, in an attempt to analyze the morals of capitalism went to the church for their views on Capitalism. He asked the question, “Would Jesus agree with Capitalism; would he be a capitalist?”  The answers he received were always in the negative. Employing a hint of comic relief, Moore casts the sorrowful and despicable with the ridiculous and unreasonable. Moore also reveals many hidden secrets of big banking industries. City Group, he informs his audience, unknowingly released a plan to rule the world in a memo. He outlined how the memo discussed how well the plan was going and how America was no longer a democracy, but a aristocracy because the wealth of the land lay with a small percentage of people at the top. The memo also detailed the one danger to the plan’s success: the voting masses.

Moore also revealed an absolutely deplorable situation that occurred in a facility called PA Child Care, a juvenile detention center. Robert Powell, Co-owner of the facility bribed judges to fill the cells of the detention center. Youths who had done minor crimes were sent away at times for years or months longer than they were originally sentenced without parole or review.

Bringing the outrage to a climax, Moore interviews a family who has recently lost their home. The home represented heritage to them; unfortunately, he explains, they brought into the mafia-like pitch to sell the equity in their home. He informed the viewers that selling the equity in a home is like betting or borrowing against your home. If one cannot repay the bet, you loose your house. Once the house is lost, the “vultures” come in and sell it to the highest bidder and so the cycle goes on. Moore shows how when a family cannot pay their “bet” they are forced to take out credit or depend on predatory loans. These actions take the family even lower into debt until they are completely swamped. The wage cuts and freezes make it obstinately impossible to ever extricate themselves from the situation. The family Moore interviewed falls in this case.  They have nowhere to go or live, the land they are being forced off was once farm land owned by the wife’s family. To add vinegar to wounds the bank that foreclosed on them forced them to clean up their home. For this, upon handing over the keys, they would receive a check for one-thousand dollars.  

Moore details how an atrocity like this was possible. First, he informs the viewers that the regulations on loans were demolished; he likens this process to the breaking of a dam. It is a tiny hole at first, loose regulations turns into no regulations, predatory loans and shark loans abound, people are swindled out of their homes and suddenly the dam is bursting gushing over into a stock market crash.

Overall, Moore’s documentary was exceptionally insightful and extremely informative. The whole of America needs to view this film. In truth, those who oppose his message are those who are afraid, afraid that they themselves will be caught with their hands sneaking dollar folds from the National Treasury and that consequently their way of life will essentially be ruined.

Capitalism A Love Story: A Review

Michael Moore’s film, “Capitalism: A Love Story,” is anything but whimsically romantic as the title may suggest. To the contrary, it is a stirring satire on the evils and ironic wrongs of “free enterprise.” With the energy of a righteous crusader fighting for justice Moore bravely films in inner cities, foreclosed homes, Wall Street, and the steps of Congress asking for answers. His questions: “is Capitalism wrong? Why should the American people bail out big banks when we claim to have a system of free enterprise? Who really runs America? Is America still a democracy?” These questions essentially raise a brick wall of resistance against him, never the less, Michael Moore presses on.

Moore opens his film with re-runs of robbers stealing money from banks, a fitting open since it is clear that he feels the big bank’s CEO’s have robbed the American people and have been caught at it, yet got away. Employing comic relief, Moore portrays the end products of predatory capitalism and the outrageous ways that the predators escaped punishment.

Moore exposes how Angelo, CEO of Countrywide waived fees on loans for his friends but let the American public flounder in debt up to their earlobes. Moore exposed how even the Senator Banking Committee, the watch dog of loaning practices had participated in hypocrisy by agreeing to FOA standards (friends of Angelo), and benefiting from waived fees and “lost” paperwork.

Moore also exposes Dead Peasant insurance, encouraging viewers to visit deadpeasants.com to find out how much they are worth to their employers. The system is set up to benefit from the death of an employee. Companies project the expected lifespan of their workers and then complain in secret memos if the estimated projection is not reached. These companies benefit from their employee’s suicides and want even more to commit the act.

With a heavy hand and a scope that tells no lies, Michael Moore levels the truth at his viewers and dares them to do something about the situation. At the end of his documentary, he issues a plea to the viewers: join me, and make it quick. In the end, how quickly and how jointly the American public responds will determine if any changes in the fairness, or unfairness, in the game of American economics will be seen.

I went to school with Diego Colombi, and we worked on a few films together.  I’d heard a lot about his documentary “A’Plas” that he went to Guatemala to film, but had never had the chance to see it.  Recently, I caught up with him and he gave me a DVD of it, and a link to the website.  At first I went into it with the mind frame of Documentaries are long and drawn out, but when I watched the preview I immediately put in the DVD and watched the whole thing.

Here’s the link to the A’Plas webpage and Director Diego Colombi’s page:

http://www.dcolombi.com/

The film itself is a little under a half-hour, and has some of the best content I’ve seen in a documentary.  The story follows the actions Father Stanley Rother, a Priest from a small town in Oklahoma.  In the 70’s and 80’s there was terrible political fighting in Guatemala, and the country was policed by a dictator.  There were left and right guerrilla factions creating uprisings in various parts of the country, and in Santiago Atitlan the people were facing the harsh realities of an impoverished undereducated lifestyle.  Living on less than $2 dollars a day the people fought to survive.  And that is the town where Father Stanley Rother was sent to do his missionary work.  He built homes, taught people how to read and write, brought medical supplies and called in favors of people from America to help with the unsuitable living conditions.  While he was there, the infant mortality rate dropped drastically, and all of this would come to an end with the government sent armed forces to police the town for Guerrilla or Communist activity.  They found Father Rother to be a menace, and eventually he was murdered for helping the people of Santiago Atitlan.

(Director Diego Colombi, and Cinematographer Bernardo Marentes)

It had a great sense of pacing and used still imagery, found imagery, and new imagery to set the backdrop for what life was like for these people.  It’s juxtaposed with interviews with the people that Father Rother touched, and the people the were friends of the priest.  This is definitely one of the best documentaries I’ve seen, it doesn’t get boring, and the content keeps you interested and wanting more when the end comes around.  I hope they continue working on this, and get it seen widespread.  Currently the trailer is available at the link above, as well as contact information to attain a copy of the DVD.  I recommend watching this highly!

Film Rating:

9.5

Here’s the link to the A’Plas webpage and Director Diego Colombi’s page:

http://www.dcolombi.com/

Movie goes beyond food- offers life lessons

It is hard to believe that a self diagnosed “anti-foodie” would enjoy a movie with a plot that wove itself in and out of cooking and food, but it really was incredible.  Although I can’t see myself out watching Julia Child reruns or making a trip to the Smithsonian just to see Julia’s kitchen, I was touched!

10 life tips from the movie

Here are the top 10 take-aways from this very entertaining movie:

• Julia Child appeared to be an incurable optimist.
• Despite her large tall frame, she was able to laugh at herself.
• She obviously had a very supportive husband!
• She lived into her 90’s…which probably had more to do with her positive attitude than her butter-laden cooking.
• She didn’t linger over mistakes or give up…another reason she probably lived into her 90’s.
• She was an inspiration…hence the blog and movie!!!
• Like Julia, even if you are moody and don’t like anyone or anything that has to do with cooking, you will like this movie.
• If you really hate cooking, you still will hate cooking after seeing the movie, but you will probably be a bit more likable after the movie.
• If you liked the real Julia Child, you will love Meryl Streep as Julia.  If you hated Julia Child, you will still like Meryl Streep as she portrays Julia Child!
• Julia was quite an akward odd woman yet people adored her because she was herself…yet another reason she probably lived to a ripe old age!

Julie & Julia presents life lessons, food and fun for all

For all you non-foodies, grab the foodie you love and take him or her to Julie & Julia.  The movie is much cheaper than a counseling session and the life lessons are easy to grab, even for the big and dumb ones.  Enjoy and as Julia would say…well, maybe we will skip that part for those of us who don’t enjoy food.  Most people of any gender will enjoy this movie.  A slight word of caution for those thinking about taking the kiddies…a couple of surprise cuss words, but otherwise a quite harmless and very enjoyable experience!