Freedom is a gift from the Almighty
Profound post of the month: "Freedom is a gift from the Almighty," by Andy Sullivan
Mostly Unrelated Movie Review, Fast Food Nation:
I did not expect to like "Fast Food Nation" because I did not see how it was possible to adapt serious non-fiction into a fictional story line. Also, Fast Food Nation, the book, devolves into a laundry list of medical diagnoses too technical for my taste. But, the film is excellent. Richard Linklater weaves together three main stories. The stories are: 1) Mexican illegal aliens cross the border to work at a slaughterhouse, 2) Marketing executive manages the Mickeys "Big One" hamburger, 3) 18 year old works at Mickeys. If you pay attention, you get the main points of the book. You also get humor, as a bonus. As a second bonus, you get to see the world you actually live in, and it is contrasted with the marketed dreamworld you might see on TV.
The story of the aliens is melodramatic. To the everyone's credit, the story comes across as real despite the extreme things that happen. I give this thread a "B-". The story is too real, too gory, for my taste. (Two excellent movies with a south of the border theme: Nacho Libre and Wassup Rockers.)
Greg Kinnear plays a marketing character similar to Rob Lowe of "Thanks for Smoking" (also an excellent movie) and gets to meet Kris Kristopherson and Bruce Willis along the way. I give this thread an "A-".
The storyline featuring Ashley Johnson, 18 year old Mickeys employee, is the most comic. I give this thread an "A". Paul Dano, from Little Miss Sunshine (also an excellent movie), works at Mickeys-- his role is small but fun. What do you think might happen if a small group of activists cut open a fence to release the cattle? Is freedom a gift from the Almighty?
The film delivers the serious indictments of the book in often subtle ways. It is not a preachy movie. The strongest invective may come out of the mouths of the more naive characters. Do you laugh or cry?
What the film can not deliver in two hours is nicely incorporated as subtext. In my opinion, Fast Food Nation, the movie, is better than Fast Food Nation, the book.
Mostly Unrelated Movie Review, Fast Food Nation:
I did not expect to like "Fast Food Nation" because I did not see how it was possible to adapt serious non-fiction into a fictional story line. Also, Fast Food Nation, the book, devolves into a laundry list of medical diagnoses too technical for my taste. But, the film is excellent. Richard Linklater weaves together three main stories. The stories are: 1) Mexican illegal aliens cross the border to work at a slaughterhouse, 2) Marketing executive manages the Mickeys "Big One" hamburger, 3) 18 year old works at Mickeys. If you pay attention, you get the main points of the book. You also get humor, as a bonus. As a second bonus, you get to see the world you actually live in, and it is contrasted with the marketed dreamworld you might see on TV.
The story of the aliens is melodramatic. To the everyone's credit, the story comes across as real despite the extreme things that happen. I give this thread a "B-". The story is too real, too gory, for my taste. (Two excellent movies with a south of the border theme: Nacho Libre and Wassup Rockers.)
Greg Kinnear plays a marketing character similar to Rob Lowe of "Thanks for Smoking" (also an excellent movie) and gets to meet Kris Kristopherson and Bruce Willis along the way. I give this thread an "A-".
The storyline featuring Ashley Johnson, 18 year old Mickeys employee, is the most comic. I give this thread an "A". Paul Dano, from Little Miss Sunshine (also an excellent movie), works at Mickeys-- his role is small but fun. What do you think might happen if a small group of activists cut open a fence to release the cattle? Is freedom a gift from the Almighty?
The film delivers the serious indictments of the book in often subtle ways. It is not a preachy movie. The strongest invective may come out of the mouths of the more naive characters. Do you laugh or cry?
What the film can not deliver in two hours is nicely incorporated as subtext. In my opinion, Fast Food Nation, the movie, is better than Fast Food Nation, the book.
Labels: book review, movie review
posted by David Rasmussen at 11:41 AM
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