The Film Festival just emailed to let me know that China Blue is going to start screening on December 7th at the Paramount.
My very brief review of it, from when I saw it in the film festival is here. It's about Chinese apparel factory workers and is very in depth and well made.
It isn't as depressing as it could be, although it makes me think twice about buying clothes not made in New Zealand. It also pushed me into buying No Sweats, which are fantastic shoes, so it's all good.
On the other side of the current movie spectrum I've been having some conversations and therefore clarifying my thinking about Borat. I don't want to see it for several reasons, mostly because cringe comedy is my least favourite kind, but over and above that I've filed it into the 'more harm than good'* category in my head.
I haven't seen it, so I don't know for sure, but here's why I think I've put it into that category. Basically, I don't think he's offering any answers. He exploited and tricked people into saying offensive things, treating people badly, etc but what solution does he then offer? Is there any? Or is it a sort of parade of 'look how awful people are really?'
As I said, I haven't seen it, but that's what I've gleaned from articles about it, reviews and word of mouth from people who have watched it. If I'm wrong, let me know. I probably still won't see it, because I just don't enjoy grossout or cringe comedy, but I'd like to know if there is some sort of redemption or learning curve or something.
Besides all that I've come to the decision that I no longer enjoy dumb comedies (if I ever did). I can watch movies which are hilarious *and* intelligent. Thank You For Smoking taught me that.
*My 'more harm than good' category came into being when I was shown a 'Busty girls with big guns' roleplaying game book. It was making fun of the whole Blaxploitation/B movie mostly naked chicks with guns stereotype, but the book was full of pictures of said women and crude jokes about them, making it an inherently sexist text. There wasn't any kind of benefit I could see to this existing. I've heard that Pimp: the slappening is much the same sort of thing.
I tend to think of it in this way: does this encourage understanding? Does this have some sort of social or political benefit? Does this make the problems worse or better?
The start of the Borat links: feminist artist "How I was duped"
Cohen defends his movie (via Reuters)
The village he used to stage the Khazakstan scenes is considering sueing.
...and two frat boys have sued him for basically, entrapment. I mean, obviously no one *made* them make racist and sexist statements, but the whole getting them drunk before they signed the waiver is kind of suspect.