The Lancaster Progressive

Been hitting the documentaries pretty hard recently. Here are some notables:

1. Escape to Canada (2005). Far from a comprehensive portrait, Albert Nerenberg’s film focuses on Canada’s recent progressive developments on two fronts: in the summer of 2003 – dubbed the “Summer of Legalization” - Canada legalized same sex marriage and marijuana practically at the same moment, through two completely separate court cases. Though the Canadian legislature eventually re-thought its stance on cannabis – largely, Nerenberg suggests, because of pressure from the US – the film highlights this moment in history as an ideal of government-sponsored freedom, at a time when the mighty United States government was in the business of putting liberties on hold. It does not advocate a hedonist state, but simple a country in which government lets people live their lives on their own terms – let’s them pursue happiness. There is a lot of frustration in this film, but it comes with an equal measure of joy. Looking at what Canada is becoming, you are reminded of what the United States could still be.

2. The Yes Men (2003). This one comes from Dan Olman, Sarah Price, and Chris Smith, about a team of activist jokers who start their political work by making satirical websites that resemble their real-world counterparts, such as a mimicry of George W. Bush’s personal site, and a similar one for the World Trade Organization. Surprisingly, their sarcasm is lost on a number of important readers, and the WTO site begins to draw invitation to speak at various high-profile free-trade events. The Yes Men accept, and put on a number of ridiculous presentations, impersonating WTO officials and giving the speeches these men “would give, if they were honest.” Time and again, no matter how ludicrous the subject matter, audiences full of suits receive the imposters with smiles and applause. Whimsical, quirky, and finally frightening, The Yes Men reveal just how absurd our corporate cultural elites can be.

3. Lastly, a couple that sort of work together, and are extremely pressing. A Crude Awakening (2006) from Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack, and The End of Suburbia (2004), directed by Gregory Greene. Both films discuss the imminent threat of “peak oil,” when world oil supplies will begin to taper off. This point has already been reached in many parts of the world, such as North and South America, and may be on the horizon in the Middle East, if it has not been reached already. The growing scarcity of oil situates our ongoing resource war firmly in its appropriate context.

– Eric Miller, millerec@etown.edu