AlterNet.org: Movie Mix

John Cusack: Bypassing the Corporate Media

Joshua Holland, AlterNet — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Cusack's anti-war polemic, War, Inc., continues to defy expectations, despite the traditional media's dismissive reception.

Sci-Fi Heroes Take on the System

Roya Rastegar, ColorLines — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Two new indie features blend science-fiction and political critique.

Will Smith's 'Hancock' Fiasco

Eileen Jones, AlterNet — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 PDT

"Hancock" is supposed to be a wry commentary on the pressure of being Will Smith, but the message gets lost in a big-budget Hollywood train wreck.

WALL-E: A World Without Us

Michael Dudley, City States — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Stores are overfilling with WALL-E merchandise that will soon clog our landfills. Yet this new Disney movie bills itself as pro-environment.

Zeitgeist Films: The Only Woman-Run Film Distribution Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Melissa Silverstein, Women & Hollywood — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Founders Nancy Gerstman and Emily Russo talk about how to thrive in the indie film world.

Brick Lane: A Nuanced Look at an Arranged Marriage

Melissa Silverstein, Women & Hollywood — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Brick Lane tells a story rarely heard or seen in popular culture: an immigrant woman's experience in an arranged marriage.

The Success of Women Documentary Filmmakers

Melissa Silverstein, The Women's Media Center — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:00:01 PDT

Female documentary filmmakers have achieved a level of success that has eluded women in the fiction film business.

The Unsexiest Movies About Sex

Lauren Wissot, Spout Blog — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:00:01 PDT

Five movies that would make for a wonderful addition to those abstinence-only programs George W. loves so much.

"Uncounted" Shines Spotlight on Our Corrupt Voting System

Marta Steele, OpEdNews.com — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:00:01 PDT

A must-see documentary for the large percentage of our population unaware that a large percentage of votes aren't counted.

Young and Restless in China

Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:00:01 PDT

"Young & Restless" showcases the tension between capitalism's promises and realities in contemporary China.

If You Like Apocalypse Flicks, You Might Like Shyamalan's 'The Happening'

Eileen Jones, AlterNet — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:01 PDT

M. Night Shyamalan's latest film is about an airborne mystery toxin that causes people to kill themselves -- and it's not bad.

Clint Vs. Spike: Eastwood Misses the Point of Lee's Criticism

Trey Ellis, Huffington Post — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:00:01 PDT

As is typical in this kind of exchange, the white accused of racism fails to understand the subtlety of the black complaint.

Freedom and Feminism in Jennifer Foxâ€™s "Flying"

Britt Wahlin, AlterNet — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Filmmaker Jennifer Fox turned her camera on women around the world and came back with a radicalized view of feminism and freedom.

Hollywood Tells Women to Settle for Schlubby Losers

Natalie Krinsky, The Frisky — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:00:01 PDT

When are we going to see a slacker, overweight female lead who's married to her bong score with a hot, successful dreamboat?

Will the Success of Sex and the City Force Hollywood to Stop Ignoring Women?

Melissa Silverstein, The Women's Media Center — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Sex and the City killed at the box office. Maybe now Hollywood will stop only making movies geared at teen boys.

Indiana Jones and the Fridge of Nuclear Doom

Michael Dudley, City States — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:00:01 PDT

The new Indiana Jones movie marks a new low in American cinema for its disturbingly casual use of nuclear weapons as a narrative device.

New Film Gives Glimpse of Our Water Future in 2035

Prabhakar Deshpande, India Water Portal — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:00:01 PDT

A fictional look at how humanity copes when things are coming down to the last drops of water.

Indiana Jones: Is Spielberg Too Rich and Famous to Be Good Anymore?

Eileen Jones, AlterNet — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Spielberg's inventiveness fails a half-hour into the latest Indiana Jones, but the rest of the movie coasts on its zillion-dollar budget.

Cusack and Scahill Go After War Profiteers on Amy Goodman Show

Amy Goodman, Democracy Now! — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:00:01 PDT

A conversation about privatized war with John Cusack, producer of the new film, War, Inc., and Blackwater author Jeremy Scahill.

HBO's "Recount" Takes on the 2000 Election

Isaac Fitzgerald, AlterNet — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Watch HBOâ€™s Recount. Remember Florida 2000. Get mad, then letâ€™s all prepare to get even.