You know the drill:
Food, Inc.: Excellent, troubling documentary film which shines a light on modern-day food production in the US (and the role of large corporations therein). It's all-too similar to the problems we see in the finance industry: large corporations with deep pockets, armies of lawyers and lobbyists and, above all, a relentless, insatiable drive to increase profits at the expense of any other consideration. In both cases, the increase in "efficiency" comes at the cost of an increase in systemic fragility and, subsequently, a heightened risk of large shocks. In the finance world these take the form of ever-larger boom-bust cycles; in the food industry we see outbreaks of food poisoning and new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria evolving in the petri dishes of modern CAFOs.
It is all, quite literally, sickening and guaranteed to provide some (excuse the pun) food for thought next time you're in the supermarket. As for me, to paraphrase an Uruk-hai from The Two Towers: "look's like (non-organic) meat's back off the menu!".
True Grit: exquisitely shot, but fairly slow, western that will probably only appeal to purists of the genre (for the rest of us, suffice it to say it's no Tombstone!). Featuring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.
Casino Jack and the United States of Money: documentary film about disgraced lobbyist and all-round shyster Jack Abramoff who screwed over everyone from sweatshop workers in the Mariana Islands to Native American Indian casino owners while peddling his connections to top-level US politicans. If you have any lingering doubts on whether the US political system is rotten all the way to the top, then watch this and be disabused. Warning: this film may leave you feeling so dirty that you need to take a shower immediately after viewing.
Invictus: tells the story of South Africa's rugby world cup win soon after the end of apartheid -- if it wasn't based on a true story you'd think it was way too much of a fairy tale ending. It's a reasonable film but doesn't quite work for me. Morgan Freeman is not bad as Nelson Mandela, but it's hard to nail such a larger than life figure. And not to belittle Matt Damon's performance as the Springboks captain, but it would be nice to see a genuine South African in the role (imagine how Aussies would react to an American playing the role of Don Bradman?).
Animal Kingdom: gritty family crime drama set in Melbourne and featuring a smattering of well-known Aussie acting talent (notably Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, and Jacki Weaver). Reminiscent of Underbelly or a darker version of Two Hands.
Warrior: excellent film featuring Australia's own Joel Edgerton. Equal parts "The Wrestler" and "The Fighter", with a liberal sprinkling of Rocky, set in the brutal context of mixed martial arts cage-fighting. A measure of how much I was enjoying watching this on the bus last night is that I sailed, completely oblivious, right past my stop and on for about another kilometer or so before noticing.
