Aniara: a disappointing critique of human society in a spaceship on a doomed voyage
Pella Kagerman, Hugo Lilja, “Aniara” (2018) An ambitious project to bring a poem by the Swedish poet / author / former sailor Harry Martinson (who co-won…
Propaganda Films
Films made with an obvious bias to serve a larger agenda or to mitigate a controversial topic and make it safe for general public consumption.
Red Joan: a stodgy film skirting issues about loyalty, betrayal and the nature of the British state
Trevor Nunn, “Red Joan” (2019) Adapted from the novel of the same name which as the film acknowledges is based on the real-life case of Melita…
Michael Palin in North Korea (Episode 2): an attractive visual experience spoilt by repetitive propaganda police-state stereotypes
Neil Ferguson, “Michael Palin in North Korea (Episode 2)” (2018) In this second and final episode, Michael Palin ventures outside Pyongyang to spend a few days…
Michael Palin in North Korea (Episode 1): Western insistence on stereotyping a country ruins a striking travelogue
Neil Ferguson, “Michael Palin in North Korea (Episode 1)” (2018) At least two years in the making, this 2-part travel documentary follows comedian / world traveller…
Vice: satirical biopic is as empty as the man it lampoons
Adam McKay, “Vice” (2018) A rather patchy satirical study of the life of former US Vice-President Dick Cheney, “Vice” shows how an unscrupulous individual can attain…
A sense of Cold War paranoia and self-righteous American exceptionalism in “Espionage Target – You!”
“Espionage Target – You!” (1964) Commissioned by the United States Department of Defense for training US military and civilian personnel sent abroad, this film is an…
Undercover in Idlib: secret snapshot of jihadi-held Idlib province in northwestern Syria
Jenan Moussa, “Undercover in Idlib” (2017) Presented and narrated by Jenan Moussa, a reporter for Al Aan TV in Dubai, this 22-minute documentary on the situation…
BlacKkKlansman: use of race politics demeans the achievement of a black police officer in exposing the Ku Klux Klan’s evil
Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) Filmed as a blaxsploitation-styled comedy drama, this work revolves around a real scenario in which a black American police officer in Colorado…
Those Who Said No: a slickly made and polished film that is less than honest about the politics of the activists it champions
Nima Sarvestani, “Those Who Said No” (2015) A very polished film, complete with stereotypical mournful droning music in parts, this Iranian / Swedish documentary follows proceedings…
Origins: The Journey of Humankind (Season 1, Episode 3: The Power of Money) – a shallow and confusing enquiry into the historical importance of money
Celso R Garcia, “Origins: The Journey of Humankind (Season 1, Episode 3: The Power of Money)” (2017) One viewing of this episode of the National Geographic…