Film Festival Film #5: Food, Inc

Food, Inc is an exceptionally well-made documentary about the business of food production. It includes a lot of commentary from Eric Schlosser (who wrote Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (of The Omnivore's Dilemma). There's a lot of material about why the industry has changed, how unions in the meat industry have been destroyed, what kind of health consequences exist and some of the stuff that's going on with organic foods.

The film is very slick and very well-made and I wouldn't be surprised if it made it into a Best Documentary Oscar. Eric Schlosser was very well-spoken at the Q&A. Two comments stand out: one had to do with a segment of the film where WalMart is getting in to the organic food business. The head of a big food producer speaks eloquently about how perfect is the enemy of the good and we can't get rid of capitalism overnight and if WalMart gets behind organic foods, that can means tons of chemicals and pesticides are taken out of the ecosystem. Schlosser commented in the Q&A that while all that may be true, we're always going to have a problem if big corporations like WalMart have that kind of power.

The other comment he made was that he wouldn't want to eat an organic tomato that had been picked by slave labour.

It's interesting that while I was already aware of most of the facts in the film, the film assembles the facts in a way that's very accessible and fairly powerful.

Film Festival Film #6: Slumdog Millionaire

I wasn't expecting much from this film, but I was pleasantly surprised. For the most part, it's a schmoopy love story with sexy production values. The film starts with Jamal, an uneducated "slumdog" on his way to winning the grand prize in India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

He's been arrested on suspicion of fraud, and so he's explaining how he knows the answers to a local police inspector. Each question reveals a flashback to a (usually tragic) episode of Jamal's life. It's a bit manipulative, but I do like the juxtaposition of the shallowness of game shows with some of the ugliness in life.

But mostly it's one of those "I will find you, even if I have to go to the ends of the earth" love stories. And it's pretty successful in being that. The film is apparently getting a lot of hype, so it'll probably get broader release.

Film Festival Film #7: 7915 km

The backdrop for this documentary involves the Dakar rally -- a car rally that covers various countries in Africa. But the rally is never seen in the film. Instead, we're always in the aftermath of the rally. The film includes a number of stiff interviews with people in small villages. Often they talk about their perceptions of the (mostly European) car drivers. ("They have nothing to do but drive around in their cars", "Ever since the rally came through all of our roads are destroyed", "They gave me a pencil; it's very pretty.")

7915 km is a bit rougher than the big-budget documentaries like Food, Inc, and sometimes it seems slooooooow, but it was interesting.

Thought for the Day

The strategic concern for Conservatives is that sufficient talk about the possibility of a Tory majority could damage their electoral chances by spooking voters.

— "Avoiding the M-word at all costs", The Globe and Mail

Let's change the rules again!

Canada's broadcasters will not allow the Green Leader Elizabeth May to participate in the leaders' debates during the federal election campaign, the networks announced Monday afternoon.

The consortium of networks, which includes the CBC, said three of Canada's parties were opposed to May's inclusion, but did not give more details.

In recent days, the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois and the NDP have all expressed their opposition to May joining the debates.

"It became clear that if the Green party were included, there would be no leaders' debate," the consortium said in a press release.

— "Greens can't participate in leaders' debates, networks rule", CBC.ca

Reading between the lines: Harper won't take part in a debate that includes Elizabeth May. What's he so afraid of?

I have no special love for Elizabeth May, but I do resent the attempts by the big four to marginalize other parties.

Also: boo to the NDP. I. Am. Not. Impressed.

Insert Brechtian Silent Scream!

I don't think words can express just how much I despise sites like the Free Rice site.

So Who is this Broadcasting Elite, Anyway?

Is this the list?

• Canwest Global Communications Corp.
• Quebecor
• CTVglobemedia
• CBC

Are these the guys who are making the decision?

Refreshingly different candidates...

I found my Canadian Action Party candidate.