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Why We Fight: A Documentary

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    BookTalk.org Forum Index -> Politics, Current Events & History
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Dissident Heart Dissident Heart has been starred
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:06 pm    Post subject: Why We Fight: A Documentary Reply with quote
A new film opening in theaters nationwide Friday takes a look at the American war machine over the past half century.

WHY WE FIGHT, the new film by Eugene Jarecki which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, is an unflinching look at the anatomy of the American war machine, weaving unforgettable personal stories with commentary by a “who’s who” of military and beltway insiders. Featuring John McCain, William Kristol, Chalmers Johnson, Gore Vidal, Richard Perle and others, WHY WE FIGHT launches a bipartisan inquiry into the workings of the military industrial complex and the rise of the American Empire.

Inspired by Dwight Eisenhower’s legendary farewell speech (in which he coined the phrase “military industrial complex”), filmmaker Jarecki (THE TRIALS OF HENRY KISSINGER) surveys the scorched landscape of a half-century’s military adventures, asking how – and telling why – a nation of, by, and for the people has become the savings-and-loan of a system whose survival depends on a state of constant war.

The film moves beyond the headlines of various American military operations to the deeper questions of why – why does America fight? What are the forces – political, economic, ideological – that drive us to fight against an ever-changing enemy?

“Frank Capra made a series of films during World War II called WHY WE FIGHT that explored America’s reasons for entering the war,” Jarecki notes. “Today, with our troops engaged in Iraq and elsewhere for reasons far less clear, I think it’s crucial to ask the questions: ‘Why are we doing what we are doing? What is it doing to others? And what is it doing to us?’”

Reviews:
Quote:
"Eugene Jarecki's doc about the carrot-and-stick relationship between American interventionism over the decades and the military-industrial complex is utterly fascinating, well-sculpted, and stirring... Good potential to figure among the Best Feature Doc nominees."
-Jeffrey Wells, HOLLYWOOD-ELSEWHERE

"Eugene Jarecki's nimble and brilliant docu-dissection of the military-industrial complex, unearths the deepest roots of our scariest political realities. I defy anyone not to be staggered by it."
-Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"A brilliant dissection and indictment of the rise of American Imperialism throughout the world... Though such props have been tossed to many of these other films, WHY WE FIGHT truly is FAHRENHEIT 9/11 without the gimmicks, emotional chokehold, or hullabaloo (at least not yet). Writer/director Eugene Jarecki (THE TRIALS OF HENRY KISSINGER) has delivered a tour-de-force that has made me loathe the recently inaugurated administration even more than I did before, no small feat. But what's even more amazing is that he did it the old-fashioned way, by piecing together some astounding "behind-the-scenes" footage and interview subjects...this is not just a film about Bush and Iraq and American Imperialism. It is a veritable battle royale of sticky subjects and disturbing notions: Circa WWII American military propaganda. Vietnam. Cheney. Halliburton. Smart missiles. The media. 9/11. Rabid, misled patriotism... this is a film that will resonate in our consciousness long after any "Bonanza"-inspired buffoonery Moore may feed us."
-Daniel Wible, FILM THREAT

"Eugene Jarecki's documentary argues the military-industrial complex is so embedded in our economy that we can't afford not to fight. I felt new respect for D.D. Eisenhower (who warned about this) and sadness about our violent future."
-Lawrence Toppman, THE CHARLOTTE-OBSERVER

"A dense and absorbing critique of American militarism."
-A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Stunning"
-David Fear, TIME OUT NEW YORK

"A topical, iconoclastic documentary with the warmth and pace of a first-rate personal essay."
Michael Sragow, THE BALTIMORE SUN

"Combining the skills of journalist and poet, Eugene Jarecki joins the top ranks of non-fiction filmmakers with WHY WE FIGHT, a thoroughgoing and affecting film on the nature and causes of the American military-industrial complex."
-Robert Koehler, VARIETY

"An even-handed interrogation of war's financial implications."
-Chris Vognar, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

"A sobering, cool-headed and meticulous cinematic essay on the effects of the military-industrial complex."
-Stephen Garrett, INDIEWIRE

"A stunning film that lines up the evidence to explain not only how we got into Iraq, but how corporate forces have propelled us into wars for the last 50 years."
-Sean P. Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

"Balanced, reasoned, and utterly damning, it deserves to reach as wide an audience as possible."
-Ty Burr, THE BOSTON GLOBE

"One of the great documentary films of 2005."
-Harry Knowles, AINT IT COOL NEWS

"The smart, well-investigated, and thoroughly human documentary is one of the most important films of the year, and will engage audiences in the kind of debate we should already have been having over the last half-century."
-Copernicus, AINT IT COOL NEWS

"For anyone worried about what we're up to in Iraq, Eugene Jarecki's WHY WE FIGHT is a must-see movie... more precise and measured than Michael Moore's furious, rollicking, FAHRENHEIT 9/11."
-Karen Durbin, ELLE MAGAZINE

"Takes a piercing, panoramic look at the growth of the 'military-industrial complex' (in Eisenhower's famous phrase) and its impact on modern warfare."
-Stephen Farber, HOLLYWOOD LIFE

"Eugene Jarecki's in-depth doc on our government's obsession over military supremacy is a must see."
-Jason Guerrasio, INDIEWIRE

"Eugene Jarecki is a filmmaker with something to say who also has the smarts and skills to find the truths in history that get his ideas across without finger wagging."
-David Poland, THE HOT BUTTON

"Doesn't so much explain the military-industrial complex as expose it naked and shivering on the table for all to see."
-Mickey Rapkin, GQ

"Eugene Jarecki's Iraq-war documentary is one of the more cogent and sound-minded films about the rush to war. Its conclusions are not earth-shattering—the military-industrial complex is still growing; Americans go to war to protect and extend their economic interests; money corrupts politics—but the evidence is artfully structured and convincingly deployed. Although hardly unique, this is an expert primer."
-Logan Hill, NEW YORK MAGAZINE

"Ambitious... This scary, eye-opening documentary looks back from a post-9/11 vantage point to see how Ike's prophecy has come horribly true, with the collusion of Congress, corporations and the rise of unelected think tanks in determining foreign policy. Why are we in Iraq? Jarecki wants us to look beyond individual villains to a bigger idea: that we've become an empire in the thrall of a system whose economic survival depends on preparing for, and waging, constant war."
–David Ansen, NEWSWEEK

"The year is still young but it's hard to imagine we will see another film that is more important, more urgent and more disturbing than WHY WE FIGHT. You owe it to yourself to see this mind-blowing movie on the reasons we go to war. YOU WON'T SOON FORGET IT."
-Pete Hammond, MAXIM

"Excellent... Insightful, frightening and ironic."
-Johnn Esther, UR CHICAGO MAGAZINE

"Undeniably effective"
-Don Levit, REELTALKREVIEWS.COM

"A cogent exposé about the links between American foreign policy and corporate interests."
-Nick Schager, SLANT MAGAZINE

"Writer/director Eugene Jarecki approaches the hot, timely topic of war with fervor, logic, as well as fearlessness."
-Avi Offer, NYCMOVIEGURU.Com

"Uncompromising... Jarecki's film forcefully argues that the much abused
                        word freedom cannot paper over the conflicts between capitalism and democracy."
-J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE

"We need more filmmakers with Jarecki's ambition and intelligence."
-Rob Nelson, VILLAGE VOICE

"**** (highest rating) It's unlikely that 2006 will see a documentary more important, compelling, or devastating than WHY WE FIGHT... with its damning contextualizing and cogent argument, WHY WE FIGHT makes FAHRENHEIT 9/11 look like amateur night."
-Jay Carr, AM NEW YORK

"Astonishing. Terrifying, poignant and sad."
-Jeffrey Lyons, NBC's REEL TALK

"Hard-edged critique... you'll leave the theatre feeling vastly better informed... Jarecki deserves praise for introducing intellect into a debate characterized by passion."
-Joshua Rothkopf, TIME OUT NEW YORK

"Thumbs Up"
-Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER

"Eugene Jarecki's passionate and sobering documentary... by the end of the movie, with its images of Saddam Hussein videogames, crowds being roused by the explosions at an air show, and a desolate recruit who joins the Army because he has nothing else to do, we're left with a vision of America grown accustomed, if not addictively numb, to the deadening spirit of war."
-Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"Riveting... WHY WE FIGHT takes an uncompromising look at the Iraq War"
-Kevin Polowy, AOL MOVIEFONE

"Also playing: WHY WE FIGHT, Eugene Jarecki's provocative documentary which argues that President Eisenhower's dire prediction has come to pass: that America's wars are being fought not for ideals, but instead to feed our nation's powerful military-industrial complex. WHY WE FIGHT is enlightening and infuriating."
-Jess Cagle WCBS-TV/PEOPLE MAGAZINE

"A film that stands out for its passion, ambition and clarion-call sincerity, even amid the contemporary onslaught of political documentaries... a rigorous and powerful work... full of surprises."
-Andrew O'Hehr, SALON.COM

"Probably be the most important documentary you see this year... you owe it to yourself to see it."
-Copernicus, AIN'T IT COOL NEWS

"I can't think of a better way to kick off the new movie year than with Eugene Jarecki's potent provocation to see what's right in front of us. Jarecki is not the kind of documentarian to tell us the war in Iraq is a mess. His purpose is to show us how we got there. And he does it the hard way, with nothing up his sleeve but the facts and the human cost of ignoring them. WHY WE FIGHT wants to shake us up, and boy, does it ever... The impact is shattering. You have to hand it to... Jarecki's film – fluidly edited by Nancy Kennedy – mounts a strong case against those who would exploit patriotism and human lives as a business proposition... WHY WE FIGHT deserves high praise for making it that much tougher to wear blinders."
-Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

Incisive... Jarecki is painstaking in his dissection of the subject, a thoughtful discussion of current U.S. foreign policy and lessons not learned."
-Kevin Crust, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Provocative... intelligently presented."
-Bob Strauss, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

"Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki combines archival military footage, news clips, interviews with political insiders and visits to arms trade shows to create an unsettling and eye-opening exposé of our hawkish ways. Pick this Fight; it really packs a punch."
-Matt Stevens, E! ONLINE

"Viewing America's involvement in Iraq through the long lens of post-World War II military policy, WHY WE FIGHT is an agit-doc of unusual depth. It has a point -- that the primary business of America over the past half-century has been waging war -- and it supports that point with nuance, research, and a willingness to hear the other side of the argument. As such, this is very much the movie FAHRENHEIT 9/11 should have been, and an experience audiences of every political conviction need to contend with... Jarecki's passion enlivens the stream of historical images and statistics... WHY WE FIGHT stands as a class-act stylistic rebuttal to FAHRENHEIT 9/11 -- it asks questions rather than bludgeons us with ridicule, and it has the grace to hint that we can think for ourselves."
–Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE

"WHY WE FIGHT makes its arguments with intelligence and conviction. It's often gripping."
–James Verniere, BOSTON HERALD






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PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:14 pm    Post subject: Re: Why We Fight: A Documentary Reply with quote
This was an awesome documentary. See also Jarecki's The Trials of Henry Kissenger.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Why We Fight: A Documentary Reply with quote
I missed the screening a few months back in Burlington, VT. The creator (or director was it?) of the film is from the area and they had a special screeing. The film looks really good, I look forward to seeing it.

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