Category: News/Opinion

7 Films about Israel & The Background to the Current Gaza Crisis

By Govindini Murty. Israel has had tremendous problems in recent years getting any fair treatment in the Western media or in Western popular culture. As we have already well documented here at Libertas Film Magazine, the Western cinema – in particular Hollywood – is going out of its way to portray Islamic radicalism in a positive light (just look at the pro-Islamist messages in recent films like the remake of Clash of the Titans, Robin Hood, Kingdom of Heaven, and even Avatar). These films all portray Islamic radicals to varying degrees as noble freedom fighters, oppressed minorities, and virtuous warriors against the hegemonic forces of the West. What is so sad is that there is a democracy in the Middle East, Israel, that is truly made up of an oppressed, persecuted minority – the Jewish people – who receive no such favorable treatment from the Western cultural establishment.

This is all the more tragically clear in the media’s biased coverage of the current crisis off the coast of Israel.  Since LFM is not a political site but a film and culture site, I wanted to let our readers know about some good documentaries that will shed some light on the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The barrage of lies about Israel by the Western media and cultural establishment is so great that even the most well-reasoned books and columns by pro-Israel commentators have little chance of getting through to the public.   That’s why supporters of Israel need to pursue artistic and cultural means to communicate why Israel is worth defending.

Here are seven documentaries you should see in order to understand what is actually going on in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We’re proud to have shown a number of these films at the Liberty Film Festival, and you can buy most of them in our LFM Store above.  Note, these films are listed in the order that people should ideally see them, starting with the earlier documentaries and proceeding then to the later ones: Continue reading 7 Films about Israel & The Background to the Current Gaza Crisis

Hollywood Round-up, 6/1

Not a U.N. peacekeeper.

By Jason Apuzzo. • JoBlo.com got an early look at the Captain America costume for the forthcoming film adaptation. Hint: Captain America won’t be working for the U.N.  (Are any of the people who made G.I. Joe noticing?)

• The Washington Examiner asks: did CAIR ruin 24? Answer: not really.  24‘s right-wing audience was already tapped-out by the show’s 3rd season, so producers appeared to make move to political left to broaden show’s appeal.  Result? 24 became season 4 of The West Wing.

• Original James Bond Aston Martin up for auction. Why do I have the feeling Nic Cage will be buying this?

• Obama praises new Islamic superhero comic book series, but demurs on whether to send these superheroes to clean up the oil spill.

• Meanwhile, Pam Anderson declares the Gulf oil spill to be ‘the end of the world,’ which means that Obama is effectively presiding over the end of the world.  Pam’s also volunteering to help with the clean-up effort, probably by donating some of her flotation devices.

• An MTV reality show is causing controversy in Saudi Arabia … close on the heels of a similar show causing controversy in Pakistan.  MTV re-asserting itself as major American weapon in war against global stuffiness.  I still wish they would re-boot Aeon Flux.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

• Surprising Shrek has better legs than Sex and the City and (non-) Persian Prince, takes weekend box office prize for 2nd straight week. Overall biz lackluster for industry, though.  Audiences getting spoiled by 3-D and IMAX?

• With chaos brewing at MGM, Guillermo del Toro exits The Hobbit and another franchise is about to be botched.  More desperate phone calls to Christopher Nolan forthcoming.

• AND IN TODAY’S MOST IMPORTANT NEWS … Victoria’s Secret has put together a congratulatory video over VS model Rosie Huntington getting the Transformers 3 gig. As LFM readers know, we led the way here at LFM in guessing that it would probably be a Victoria’s Secret model who would replace Megan Fox.  [In fact, we apparently beat Variety, who just picked up on this story today.]  Why were we ahead of the game on this story?  Because at LFM we keep our eyes on women.  All the time.

And that’s what’s happening today in the wonderful world of Hollywood …

Memorial Day + Clint Eastwood’s 80th Birthday

By Jason Apuzzo. We hope everyone is enjoying this Memorial Day Weekend, and that we’re all remembering the reason for this extended summer holiday: the bravery and sacrifice of the countless men and women who have fought and died for America’s freedom.

It’s a pleasant coincidence that this Memorial Day, May 31st 2010, also happens to be the 80th birthday of Clint Eastwood – a coincidence that puts a cheerful cast over what should otherwise be a sober day.

As the most popular and enduring movie star since John Wayne, Clint needs little introduction – particularly to longtime Libertas readers.  If for some reason, however, you happen to not be familiar with Clint’s incredible body of work, Turner Classic Movies has been showing his films all day long during its 24 hour tribute.  They’ve certainly chosen well, as Clint’s extraordinary ‘Man With No Name’ trilogy of films (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly) directed by Sergio Leone is on the list, as well as Where Eagles Dare (a personal favorite of mine), Kelly’s Heroes, and the first two ‘Dirty Harry’ films (Dirty Harry, Magnum Force).  If you miss any of the screenings, you can pick up copies of all these films in our store below.

I will confess to having mixed feelings about the type of films Clint has been making over the past 15 or so years – essentially since he left the Western genre after the masterful Unforgiven.  This isn’t the day for such quibbling, though.  Clint’s had an extraordinary and iconic career, and with a handful of exceptions like Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, no male star of his generation has approached his popularity.  Our congratulations to Clint on this milestone birthday.

When I was a young kid first exploring movie history on home video, the stars who made a big impression on me were Eastwood, Humphrey Bogart, and Errol Flynn.  Is it a coincidence that they were all Warner Brothers men?  Perhaps not.  Richard Schickel explores Eastwood’s career at Warner Brothers (Eastwood’s home from the 1970’s forward) in his new documentary, The Eastwood Factor, which is also showing on Turner Classic Movies during the 24 hour tribute – and the documentary is also available in the LFM Store above.

It was a pleasure having Richard Schickel at the Liberty Film Festival a few years ago – and we congratulate him on this latest collaboration with Clint.  Richard also wrote what is the essential biography of Clint, Clint Eastwood: A Biography – which is also available in the LFM Store above, along with Richard’s new book, Clint Eastwood: A Retrospective.

Happy 80th, Clint.

Dennis Hopper, 1936-2010

By Jason Apuzzo.  Actor Dennis Hopper died earlier today at age 74.  Hopper will be remembered for many things, but I wanted to say just a few brief words in his honor with respect to what seems to me to be his most singular achievement: his film Easy Rider.  Every filmmaker today who turns to independent filmmaking to express a personal and uncompromising vision, every filmmaker who seeks to reach young people, every filmmaker who plays the role of David to Hollywood’s Goliath, owes Dennis Hopper thanks for Easy Rider.  Easy Rider was genuinely the film that changed the entire landscape of Hollywood during the late 60s-early 70s, and allowed the New Hollywood generation to get its big chance.  And it was Hopper – as Easy Rider‘s director, writer and star – who was primarily responsible for the film getting made.  Seen today, I think Easy Rider has stood the test of time, and has become its own genuine piece of Americana – a kind of wild, bacchic ode to freedom.

Hopper will be missed.  He was an extraordinary performer on-camera; one thinks in particular of his electric appearances in Apocalypse Now and Blue Velvet, among many other films.  We want to wish his family and friends our condolences.

Memorial Day Weekend + Classic Movie Update, 5/29

From "The Guns of Navarone."

By Jason Apuzzo. • In honor of Memorial Day, Turner Classic Movies is showing three days’ worth of classic war films.  Check here for specific listings.  Some of my favorites today include In Harm’s Way, Battle of the Bulge, Battle of Britain and Midway.  On Sunday, check out The Guns of Navarone and The Green Berets.  Each of these films is available through the LFM Store below.

• If you’re in Los Angeles, The Egyptian Theatre will be screening 4 other war classics: The Dirty Dozen, Attack, The Big Red One and The Steel Helmet.  Check The LA Times for further details.  Each of these films is available in the LFM Store below.

• Also at the Egyptian Theatre, Pam Grier will be doing a book signing on Saturday, June 5th at 6:15 pm for her new autobiography, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts.  There will also be a discussion with her prior to a screening of her films Foxy Brown and Jackie Brown.  See here for more details.  You can buy a copy of Foxy in the LFM Store below.

Hedy Lamarr.

• And also in Los Angeles, the Academy is putting on a wonderful-looking exhibit of Ray Harryhausen’s work, featuring many of Ray’s original models from his films.  Check the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website for further details.  You can also pick up a copy of The Ray Harryhausen Collection in the LFM Store above.

• On the book front, there’s a new biography of Hedy Lamarr coming out, called Beautiful: The Life of Hedy Lamarr.  The book will be released in October.  The author, Stephen Michael Shearer, has previously written a biography of Patricia Neal.  See here for further details.  Pre-order your copy of Beautiful in the LFM Store above.

• Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless has been re-released by Rialto Pictures, with a restored new print.  Right now it’s playing at New York’s Film Forum, to be followed by a national release.  Check here for screenings in your area, or pick up a copy of the newly restored Breathless in the LFM Store above.

• Movie Morlocks, the official blog for Turner Classic Movies, had a great post up by Moira Finnie on Duke Wayne’s Hondo.  Check that out, and pick up a copy of Hondo in the LFM Store.

• … and don’t forget to catch Jennifer Baldwin’s LFM Classic Movie Obsession post (Memorial Day Edition) for this week: Howard Hawks’ Sergeant York.

Best wishes to everyone this Memorial Day Weekend, as we honor the men and women who’ve sacrificed everything to keep this nation free.

[Update: Actor Dennis Hopper has died at age 74, after a battle with cancer.  He was, of course, one of the pivotal stars and cinema personalities of the past 40-50 years.  Our condolences to his family and friends.]

Hollywood Round-up, 5/28

By Jason Apuzzo. • Big box-office bow for Sex and the City 2.  Female fans ignore griping from film’s p.c. critics.  A heartening development.  Check out Govindini’s review of the film below.

• New Superman film apparently set for 2012 release.  Even with Christopher Nolan shepherding, no guarantee this will work.  Current streak of bad Superman films at three and counting …

• All Hollywood tentpole pics now being written by Travis Beacham.  He just wrecked Clash of the Titans; new assignments include Pacific Rim,  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Black Hole and a secret J.J. Abrams project.  This guy may cause more damage than Madoff.

• Casting call out for Footloose remake.  A Footloose remake?

• Oliver Stone debuts new documentary South of the Border in Venezuela.  Stone calls Hugo Chavez ‘charismatic and dynamic.’  Absolutely!  Think of him as a Latin American Gavin Newsom.

• New complaints over ‘busty’ new Barbie dolls.  Heidi Montag sues Barbie for copyright infringement.  No word on whether busty Barbie is competing for the Megan Fox role in Transformers.

• AND IN MORE SERIOUS NEWS … TV star Gary Coleman has died, at age 42.  He really sparkled on “Diff’rent Strokes” back in the day, and he’ll be missed.

And that’s what’s happening today in the wonderful world of Hollywood …