General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRojer Ebert's site:Snowden.. Citizen 4 documentary of the Century
Though superlatives can mischaracterize any movies qualities, it is not an overstatement, I think, to call Citizenfour, Laura Poitras film about Edward Snowden, the movie of the century (to date).
That statement is meant, first off, to suggest certain things about its relation to our collective past, present and future. No film so boldly X-rays certain crucial changes wrought upon the world, and especially America and its government, by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. No film so demands to be seen by every sentient person who values his or her own freedom and privacy.No film so clearly implies actions that need to be taken to prevent the 21st century from turning into an Orwellian nightmare in which technologically-enabled tyranny is absolute and true political liberty, for all intents and purposes, nonexistent.
Snip
Although she doesnt say it, Poitras was at work on a film about government surveillance before she first heard from Snowden, and some of that footage comprises much of the first half-hour of Citizenfour. We see journalist Glenn Greenwald, who will become part of the Snowden story, working at his home in Rio de Janeiro in 2012. We see Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) Keith Alexander both lying to Congresspresumably under oathabout the extent of the governments spying on American citizens.
But perhaps the most important part of this de facto prologue concerns William Binney, a government intelligence analyst who turned whistleblower to protest abuses he saw taking place in the governments actions after 9/11. For his troubles, Binney was raided by FBI agents who stormed into his house with guns drawn. The examples of Binney and others like him of course indicate the ridiculousness of the claimmade by President Obama and others in the government and mediathat everything would have been fine if Snowden had gone through proper channels to make his revelations to the American public.
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/citizenfour-2014
Rotten Tomatoes review
98%
All Critics | Top Critics
TOMATOMETER
98%
Average Rating: 8.6/10
Reviews Counted: 60
Fresh: 59
Rotten: 1
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/citizenfour/
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)I use rt to research all films before I watch them. Love it. And I'm looking forward to seeing C4 as well this week.
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)Edward Snowden: You asked why I picked you. I didn't. You did.
Edward Snowden: Assume your adversary is capable of one trillion guesses per second.
PADemD
(4,482 posts)I would rent it. It will take a year before my local theaters show this documentary.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)that is what happened to near all of Michael Moore's documentaries.
MontyPow
(285 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)I am going to go see the movie tomorrow and I am very excited about it.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Can't wait to see it.
adirondacker
(2,921 posts)scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)RufusTFirefly
(8,812 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)By the usual crew.
zappaman
(20,606 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Sorry I wasn't crystal clear...
zappaman
(20,606 posts)he put my friend's movie on his "all time worst list"!
arcane1
(38,613 posts)If it's still playing next week, that is
Autumn
(45,120 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)(just wanted to post the proper attribution)
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)Which would be a hell of a trick.
Also: Can you make sure somebody in KC has seven beers ready MadBum on for Tuesday? Thanks.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)JEB
(4,748 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)What is it with Eddie and exaggeration? It's 2014 and I guess we can't top that in this century!
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)well.
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)He did not. Someone named Godfrey Cheshire wrote the review about a film by Laura Poitras, whose subject was Edward Snowden.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Courage is contagious.