Ethos (2011)

Politicians are the Televangelists of the Corporate World: they preach what their financial backers want them to preach (no matter HOW f***ing stupid); this is one of the great Givens of the twenty-first century (which often calls to mind the a**-backward thinking of the Middle Ages). Compilation or not, ETHOS gets its message across most effectively (or the message(s) of the filmmakers whose documentaries comprise the various segments of this one...). I must admit, though, that the admonition to withhold one's financial support of the various criminal enterprises (i.e.; the corporations) profiled herein seems just a tad too late (since-the-second-World-War too late): the REAL damage has already been done- and it was done in large part because We didn't stand up and say ENOUGH! when there was still time to salvage something. I try to be optimistic. STAR TREK (the original series) and comic books taught me that We as a Species could change the world (and, perhaps, the Universe) for the Better. But I'm convinced at this point that we blew it. We're well on our way to the next "Extinction Event," and we did it to ourselves. GOP (Geriatric Older People) TV (Fox "News") played a BIG part in it: the ME (Moneyed Elite) of Reagan's "Mourning in America" have swayed so many simple-minded saps that the Flat Earthers have had The Final Say and it's "No!" to Science and "No!" to Common Sense and it'll STAY that way 'til we're all sucked under. Consider: The Corporate News (as far as I can tell) has made no mention of a recent Friendly Fire incident in which U.$. $oldier$ who had been ambushed called in a Drone strike and were themselves killed by said Drone. And how many newscasters made mention of the fact that there have been (as of this writing) 75 school shootings (or mass shootings, I forget which) since Newtown? Did anyone hear about Lafeyette, CO, where The People PREVENTED fracking by drawing up their own Community Bill of Rights to combat corporations? (The corporations stand poised to rape this area as I write: seismic testing has begun.) Oh, and one last item: Tony "The NitBrit" Blair claims that the current troubles in Iraq "have nothing to do with the Iraq War." He thinks it's an easy sell because the U.$.-backed dictator, the late Saddam Hussein, was such a b****** that some people STILL believe the war was about Weapons of Mass Destruction (which totally ignores the fact that plans had been drawn up to divide Iraq's oil resources a full DECADE before the U.$. invasion). End of screed.

Ethos is an interesting little DIY documentary project- a sort of political zeitgeist from the perspective of the left. It is hosted by Woody Harrelson, and is mainly a compilation of interviews and ideas from commentators on both the right and the left. These ideas are compiled into segments that reflect upon the political analyses of Chomsky, Zinn and others....analyses that often find themselves under the umbrella of "conspiracy theories".Personally, I liked this film because it aligns very closely to my own political observations and analysis...and manages to explain some of these understandings that are central to holding such a worldview, in a succinct way that even idiot right-wingers can understand. Any leftie-anarchist type who has ever hung out and conversed with the people over at ConCen for any period of time....will know what I'm talking about.What makes this film particularly interesting though, is that it dips into legit observations from both the left and right, and compiles them into an argument that is directed at the very right wing conspiracy theorists it is inherently critical of, in a brazen attempt to enlighten them about left-political analysis...and bring them over to our side in the process.McGrain does this by looking at financial/banking conspiracies and how they tie in with the political elite, who exploit the media to control the masses (using interviews with people like ron paul, g.e. griffin, russo etc to illustrate this). Something the right fully understands. But then he juxtaposes these ideas with left wing criticism from people like Chomsky, Zinn, and Naomi Klein, who provide a critique of where the right goes wrong- and where the left and right become fragmented from one another (at least in the conspiracy realm, at which this doc is clearly directed)- Rothbardian ultra-Libertarianism.By doing this, he is brazenly attempting to enlighten these right wing viewers about the nature of left wing political analysis. I'd argue he does this pretty effectively, but that's likely because he's arguing the exact same thing that I, myself, believe....so I'm probably biased on that front.In the end, though, one idea is put forth, which can be embraced by both the left and right, and used to empower us all....this is the idea of consumer action. Political activism via how and where you spend your money. These libertarian oriented actors only speak one language and that is the almighty buck. Any way that you can affect their bottom line is a realm which you, as an individual in a capitalist world, do have power. So use it. Don't like what a company or person is doing? Don't direct any money into their coiffures. Take a stand and spend ethically.Remember Kids.....Don't Vote....Revolt. This is a Good way to start.

Ethos is what happens when an individual has a great idea or concept and decides to completely disregard the delivery of that thought well. Based on research the film had a $500,000 budget and yet I have seen hand-held video cameras present and edit a concept better than the garbage (no matter how true) before me.As an open minded individual I do my best to lower my expectations for the sake of the overall message, but when the editor decides to have constant moving distractions behind EVERY single speaker as a means to hide an awful green screen set up, it literally takes away from ones ability to fully digest what they are saying. And this is ignoring the fact that their use of a "fade to black" transition during interviews was taken advantage of more so than a rapist at a nudist colony.At the end of the end I give a thumbs up to Woody Harrelson assuming that he actually put up with the lacking quality that went into this production, fully knowing it was sub par. Call it my own personal ego, but I am proud of the fact that I know what my weaknesses are, and although the director may be good at coming up with great concepts for documentaries, he is horribly bad at choosing editors and cameramen. Although, it is entirely possible that he pocketed the budget obtained thus making him a true Romney, political businessman whose whole purpose behind this mess was to continue the legacy of immoral visual corruption.Congratulations, you just made a well known movie star look like a nobody from an after school special.

I watched this documentary believing that it would unfold some of the recent struggles that Democracy has stumbled on, on it's long rocky path. With the recent upsurges and cries for Democracy across Arabian and north African states, you would think that documentarians would be foaming at the mouth to cover the current shifting political movements.This documentary uncovers nothing really new and it doesn't challenge any political paradigms that haven't been challenged before. All this movie does is reboot past documentaries with a familiar face at the helm, in the guise of Woody.A lot of the stock in this film is taken directly from other documentaries, much like Zeitgeist, Endgame, Esoteric Agenda so on a so forth. Also, the makers have cleverly used the "Voice of God" effect, by having a Northern Irish voice-over, do most of the delivery.I am a big advocate for big event documentaries, which are spewing out of the internet, due to technological advances. However, what I don't like is imitation and reproduction. Half a million dollars that went into this film could easily prop my media company up for at least 10 years and produce some new arguments and conclusions for debate and for the new emergence of "media driven democracy". So my message to watchers would be to watch past documentaries and my message to the financiers would be to, "Get in touch!".