Last Requests: quiet naturalistic character study gives insight into US prison culture and the people it exploits
Courtenay Johnson, “Last Requests” (2017) A sombre character study of a prison worker on her
The Incident at Benghazi: a good summary of an ambitious diplomat’s career bites off more than it can chew
Carlton Meyer, “The Incident at Benghazi” (31 July 2020) As short reports go, this one
The American Annexation of Okinawa: an overview of the post-1945 history of the Ryukyu Islands under the US military
Carlton Meyer, “The American Annexation of Okinawa” (Tales of the American Empire, 24 July 2020)
Chappaquiddick: character study deprived of its wider historical background and significance
John Curran, “Chappaquiddick” (2017) A thoughtful and well-acted film, as the metonym title suggests, this
Breaking an individual to intimidate others in “Not In Our Name: The Psychological Torture of Julian Assange”
John Furse, “Not In Our Name: The Psychological Torture of Julian Assange” (July 2020) Making
Australian and New Zealand Films
The Power of Falun Gong: a timid presentation of a dangerous and deranged fascist cult
“The Power of Falun Gong” (Foreign Correspondent, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 21 July 2020) Purporting to
The False Tale of Killing Osama bin Laden: duping the public with fake news for political gain
Carlton Meyer, “The False Tale of Killing Osama bin Laden” (Tales of the American Empire,
Azarkant: a good-looking sci-fi piece short on plot and character
Andrey Klimov, “Azarkant” (2013) Made as a proof-of-concept piece for a film, “Azarkant” understandably is
Protecting the American Opium Empire: opium as a tool and fuel for US imperialism
Carlton Meyer, “Protecting the American Opium Empire” (Tales of the American Empire, 9 July 2020)
Australian and New Zealand Films | Chinese and Chinese-language Films
The Secret Armada: North Korean ghost ship phenomenon covered in a superficial way
“The Secret Armada” (Foreign Correspondent, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 14 July 2020) Despite the spine-tingling thrill