An Inconvenient Truth

[memememe76]

I saw it tonight. The irony of me driving an hour to see a documentary about global warming was not lost on me. But after watching the movie, I felt REALLY guilty about it!

First off, the song sung by Melissa Ethredge NEEDS to win Best Song Oscar. And the final credits are really clever and well done. And Al Gore is really charming and kinda hot. Huh.

I was captivated throughout. I am not much of an environmentalist, but this movie certainly gave me a lot to think about.

I wish the movie was more bipartisan. Where are all the bad policies during the Clinton administration? And no mention of the Tsunami?

I haven't loved a movie yet this year, and this movie doesn't actually reach that level. But it's still my favourite movie of the year, thus far.

[Deleted]

My friends and I saw this last night. It affected me but I just sort of wish it was more than a lecture, because that's what I thought it was. My friends and I wanted more destruction to get the point across and I may or may not have fallen asleep at one point. It was alright, though, definately very informative.

[zivvie]

I saw it tonight, and my thoughts are:
- I think that Al didn't mention the tsunami because technically, it wasn't caused by global warming/human impact on the environment. Now, the after-effects, and the idea that so many more refugees could populate that area of Asia because of the sea level rising after melting in Greenland & Antarctica? Hell, yes.
- Yes, yes, yes, why didn't Gore bring up the fact that he and Clinton let the environmental ball drop during their eight years when they could have done more? Gore's had access to so many people of influence, more so than only a very few Americans. Why didn't he bring up his shortcomings, and talk about what he regrets not accomplishing?
- I did feel like there was too much emphasis on Gore the person. Yes, we know he lost his sister to lung cancer; yes we know that his son was in a very serious car accident; yes, we know about the stolen election. I honestly don't know how that was relevant to the much broader issue of global warming.
- Yes, absolutely, everyone should see it. There's a lot of good, necessary information.

[heyalice]

The companion book has been selling very well. Perhaps the book fills in what was left out of the documentary.

[Deleted]

I just saw this movie and WOW. It is a very powerful film. Gore presents the material in an entertaining way (really! it's not boring!) -- but doesn't shy away from the hard truths. He made me laugh, made me feel sick (the polar bears, y'all!), guilty, mad....I thought it was excellent.

[ijustworkhere]

I saw it yesterday, and it was so nice to see someone who wasn't shrill, didn't exaggerate... just simply and truthfully and passionately conveyed the facts. It's less a movie about global warming and more about our ignorance and suppression of the truth--and what the consequences have been thus far, and how they will escalate.

The thing that freaks me right out is that according to the film, we've got a little window of about a decade to turn things around before we're pretty much screwed. I mean, I'll teach my future kids to swim and all, but in the meantime... yikes.

I also couldn't help but think that it was a breath of fresh air after the screaming Michael Moore fearfests we've been treated to as of late. Finally, something smart people can get behind!

[iClaudia]

I saw it today and I pretty much agree with everything that's already been posted. It was an extremely powerful film and I was moved to tears in parts. The parts about Gore's life did come across like a campaign video and I agree that the lack of information regarding what was and was not done during Clinton's 2 terms was glaring. Still, it was unbelievably informative and provocative. I also was surprised at the amount of humor laced throughout. It's hard to tackle this kind of subject matter in a "viewer-friendly" way and they did a great job.

[Deleted]

My favorite part was the scale that had gold bars on one side and planet earth on the other.

"OK, on one side we have gold bars. Mmm, mmm, don't they look good!"

[Deleted]

Oh i did do a search before starting the thread, but only a Britney Spears post came up (which i scanned for the words 'inconvenient truth' but couldn't find them).

But i'll paste my start-up post here, and i guess although the whole of the last para no longer applies, in that the thread had been started, i'm still surprised that although it was started it only had 7 which i think is a shame - do i take it this movie did not cause much of a stir in the US?

Anyway my original post:
Oh my fucking god. I had no idea. U had that. THAT. And it was 'too close to call' with Dubya? Are u guys freaking kidding me? It was like watching The West Wing all these intelligent, truly ethical characters, except he was really real! And u didn't elect him? I don't understand. It's can't be even that maybe u got blindsided by handsome George and ugly Al because even if he's now looking a bit bloated at the time of running he was as handsome as a movie star while Dubya has always looked like a fucking chimp. And it's not like the fact that he was so intellingent went over the heads of rednecks because he broke down this complicated science into such an interesting simple accessible subject. God i never knew. Being on the other side of the pond i guess i thought even if it was a travesty that the Republicans were allowed to cheat the fact that it was even so close meant that Gore could only have been a slightly lesser evil than Bush. But my god forget lesser evil, less dumb, less ugly, Bush comparisons aside, even compare him with the international greats from history, and u guys had potentially one of the most intelligent, ethical, rousing orators... how was it even too close to call?

And how is it that i'm making the thread for this movie and it's not already CTC and KatE proportions?? If it opened in UK this week surely it must have been out in the US for a while? Are people just drinking too much of the Koolaid and not seeing it?

Jeez, i always thought yeh it sucks that Dubya got voted, cos Gore seemed cooler, cuter, and smarter. But hey ho. Whaddaya gonna do? Would it really have made THAT much difference? etc. Would it ever have! Because i never realised the magnitude of HOW cool, cute, and smart. Bloody hell the world would have been a different place today if not for the Florida debacle. I think Katherine Harris and Jeb Bush literally have blood on their hands.

[Deleted]

ridha said:

And it was 'too close to call' with Dubya? Are u guys freaking kidding me? It was like watching The West Wing all these intelligent, truly ethical characters, except he was really real! And u didn't elect him? I don't understand. It's can't be even that maybe u got blindsided by handsome George and ugly Al because even if he's now looking a bit bloated at the time of running he was as handsome as a movie star while Dubya has always looked like a fucking chimp. And it's not like the fact that he was so intellingent went over the heads of rednecks because he broke down this complicated science into such an interesting simple accessible subject. God i never knew. Being on the other side of the pond i guess i thought even if it was a travesty that the Republicans were allowed to cheat the fact that it was even so close meant that Gore could only have been a slightly lesser evil than Bush. But my god forget lesser evil, less dumb, less ugly, Bush comparisons aside, even compare him with the international greats from history, and u guys had potentially one of the most intelligent, ethical, rousing orators... how was it even too close to call?

US politics is a bit more complicated and nuanced than who has the highest IQ count.
Just remember you're from the country that has kept Tony Blair around for a decade. No country appears to have the upperhand in voting in idiots -- we all suck.

zivvie said:

. . .
- Yes, yes, yes, why didn't Gore bring up the fact that he and Clinton let the environmental ball drop during their eight years when they could have done more? Gore's had access to so many people of influence, more so than only a very few Americans. Why didn't he bring up his shortcomings, and talk about what he regrets not accomplishing? . . .

I think a good chunk of that was due to the Republicans gaining control of both houses of Congress in '94. That and the overwhelming power of corporations in US politics.
No idea why he wouldn't mention it, but my guess is that if he mentioned all the mistakes the Clinton govt made while in office, it'd be looooooooooooooooong movie.


As for An Inconvenient Truth, I've yet to see it. I've a feeling it's going to be a re-hash of everything I've already heard.
I guess, ultimately, I have a feeling I'm going to see it and walk out the theatre feeling bitter because I know that this movie is not going to change anyone's actions. Positive thinking and all that.