Control Room

I tried audioblogging about this when it was fresh on my memory, but audioblogger has been off and on of late, and my post is lost in the void.

I caught Control Room last night at the Alamo Drafthouse downtown. The showing last night was sponsored by Third Coast Activist, with whom my friend Mel is registered, but I wasn't.

I was impressed by the film, although it seemed like a second part to a film I'd already seen, because I watched Exclusive to al-Jazeera on PBS a while ago. I recognized a couple of people, particularly the translator.

The film has the tough job of covering what many consider to be a "partisan" news agency, and tries to do it subjectively. Of course, you end up sympathizing for the workers at Al Jazeera, because they are just trying to show the Arab world the truth about the war in Iraq. The military press officer who appears off and on throughout the film compares its coverage to the "patriotism" of Fox News. I just had to laugh out loud at that.

I will insert here that I was amazed at my ability to eat a Gardenburger during the film -- there was some pretty gruesome footage. I guess I was just that hungry.

I was disappointed at the lack of intelligent Americans in the film. There was a pretty intelligent CNN reporter, but the MSNBC reporter interviewed? Oh my God, what an idiot. As for the military press officer, there were moments where I agreed with what he said. But there were even more moments that I was just disturbed.

I will admit that I thought the documentary I saw on PBS was a little better at getting me emotionally involved. Control Room kinda bounces around and you don't really stick with a few main people.

It's still quite good, and worth seeing at your local indie theatre, or renting later on.


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