Politics

The Highway of Tears refers to a section of Highway 16 in British Columbia where 18 official and at least 40 unconfirmed women have gone missing or been found murdered. The majority of them have been indigenous women, and the area itself reflects a dark history of abuses and systematic racism. It is 724 km stretch of road with countless gravel roads in different states of disrepair shooting off of it like small tributaries. Without a car this area is treacherous, and few of the towns along the huge stretch of country have doctors, schools or opportunities for employment. There is barely any transit for those without cars (and with high levels of poverty, many don’t have them), leading many to resort to hitchhiking.

Watching the new documentary Merchants of Doubt is fascinating and frustrating in equal measure. On the one hand, this is an entertaining examination of American spin doctors and their impact on public opinion. On the other hand, it paints a bleak picture for the prospects of ever neutralizing their impact. Still, Robert Kenner’s creation has enough gallant heroes, despicable villains, and ideological intrigue to rival any political thriller. It’s a fast-paced tutorial on the politics of punditry.

With Election Day here at last, we can finally set aside some time from the day to actually vote. When it’s all said and done, go back home and reflect with some of these better politically-themed films and cartoons. The Candidate Bill McKay (Robert Redford) has no hope of winning the U.S. Senate seat for …

Promised Land Written by John Krasinski and Matt Damon, based on a story by Dave Eggers Directed by Gus Van Sant 2012, USA, imdb,  Josh Spiegel’s much more positive review I walked out of the theatre disliking Promised Land and the more I reflect on the film, the less I like it. On paper, there is a …

You may have seen recently that Joss Whedon “endorsed” Mitt Romney for President saying, “You know, like a lot of liberal Americans, I was excited when Barack Obama took office four years ago. But it’s a very different world now. And Mitt Romney is a very different candidate. One with the vision and determination to cut …

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea Directed by Thierry Binisti Written by Thierry Binisti and Valérie Zenatti France/Canada/Israel, 2011   Friends who want to stay friends don’t discuss religion or politics. Contentious and divisive, discussions about these hot topic issues tend to lead to fiery debates, with interlockers entrenched in their predisposed ideologies. Verbal disputes …