Saturday Morning Documentary: If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

20 03 2012

When I hear the term “eco-terrorism”, I can’t help but laugh.  It’s a word that seems like such an oxymoron that I don’t take it seriously because the meanest thing I have seen environmental protesters do is to block roads by sitting on them, or chaining themselves to trees so prevent them from being cut down.  This eco-terrorism is nothing compared to, for example, the terrorists connected to 9/11.  Right?

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a documentary by Marshall Curry (who also did the fantastic documentary Street Fight) which examines a so-called eco-terrorist group called the ELF.  Founded in Eugene, Oregon, the film follows one of the ex-members, Daniel McGowen, as he first waits out his home arrest time and then his legal proceedings.  From there, Curry intersperses interviews with McGowen and a few other ex-members of the ELF about the beginnings of the group, and some of their plans, including the arson of a slaughterhouse for horses.  A lot of people on the boards on imdb have commented how remarkably balanced the film is: it also features interviews of the company owners of the burned buildings, an ex-police chief who had to deal with “violent” protesters, which is cleverly juxtaposed with archival footage of police beating and attacking quite peaceful protesters, including deliberately pepperspraying some people simply doing a sit-in.  “You can’t help but take it personal when someone throws a rock at you,” says the police chief, as the officers smear pepperspray into screaming protesters– both in pain, and at the authorities for doing such an unwarranted act.  Through explanations as to why the ELF began doing the things they did, mainly out of frustration that nothing was being done through the peaceful ways they had always been doing, the film really does a good job at creating sympathy then for McGowen and the possibility that he will spend the rest of his life not just in jail, but in a special jail created for terrorists (created after 9/11).

There are some very affecting moments in the film, and I do wish that this film was more widely known/distributed.  It did manage to get nominated for Best Documentary at the Oscars, which always helps. I think Curry knows what a good documentary is all about, and I wouldn’t doubt that he’ll get his Oscar one of these days.  Though not a flawless film, If a Tree Falls handles a tricky and controversial subject that, ultimately, has its roots in something deeper: as Daniel McGowen puts it in the film, if no one hears you screaming, what’re you supposed to do?

The ELF graffiti some words after an arson.





“The King’s Speech” — Alexandre Desplat (from The King’s Speech soundtrack)

27 02 2011

Well, I don’t know what to write about tonight and though I could easily spew something random and post it under Random stuff, I’ll push myself to instead write about The King’s Speech instead, since the Oscars were tonight and all.

Alright, so Alexandre Desplat may have lost out to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for The Social Network (I can’t criticize that decision since I haven’t seen the film nor have heard the score) but that doesn’t mean he did a bad job with TKS.  I’ve posted the main theme from the film, of the same title.  I like the simplicity of the production and the instrumentation that Desplat is so very skilled at doing.  In just under 4 minutes, I feel like he encapuslates the entire emotion, the experience of the film: from the opening, hopeful melody changing into more dramatic, then into the minor key, if you haven’t seen the film before, it’s a good preview of what to expect.

After watching clips of The King’s Speech at the Oscars and hearing the score, I want to see the movie again!  But alas, the confines of school and my so-called life prevent me from venturing out to the theatres.  Guess I’ll just have to listen to the soundtrack on repeat, and continue to want to see the film again until I implode.





Forbidden Frienship — John Powell (How to Train Your Dragon Soundtrack)

25 02 2011

Up against veteran composers like Alexandre Desplat, Hans Zimmer, and also Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman, John Powell’s resume is just as comprehensive and long as Desplat and Zimmer’s.  According to IMDB, his first break in scoring happened in 1989, so he’s been around for a while.  It’s just taken him a long time to get noticed by the Academy, apparently.

How to Train Your Dragon is an alright film.  It’s enjoyable, yes, and I haven’t seen Toy Story 3 so I can’t compare it to that one but it probably won’t win the best animated feature film at the Oscars on Sunday.  However, I think John Powell does have a relatively good chance at winning the Oscar for Original Score.  When I saw HTTYD, the melody and the score really stuck out to me, particularly the main theme that’s played again and again in the film.  I’ve chosen to feature a different track from the film titled “Forbidden Friendship” which I think is really moving and full of some wonderful stuff, not to mention it’s not as popular as the main theme.

I haven’t heard the soundtrack from Rahman or Trent Reznor for The Social Network but from the other three films I’ve seen, it’s between Zimmer and Powell for the Oscar for original score.  In the meantime, enjoy this track!





“Time” — Hans Zimmer (Inception Original Soundtrack)

28 01 2011

Since the nominations for the Oscars a few days ago, I decided to take a listen to some of the nominees for Best Original Score.  I have seen How to Train Your Dragon, The King’s Speech, and Inception but seem to be the only person not to have seen The Social Network yet.  127 Hours is also a film I wanna watch though the prospect of watching James Franco cut off his arm is a little off-putting at the moment.  Anyway, I remembered that there was quite a good melody/theme in Inception, and since it had been a while since I saw it, I went on the awesome site that is youtube to hear the soundtrack.

Although I absolutely love the pulse-pounding Inception theme in “Dream is Collapsing”, I particularly like the nostalgia and the emotional impact of “Time”, the closing track on the soundtrack and if I remember correctly, also played during the end credits of the film.  Although I do feel like Inception lacked strong emotional connection with the characters, this track almost (*almost!*) makes up for it.  It’s slow and contemplative in the beginning, add in the orchestra later and it bursts into true Zimmer spirit.

(Eww.  I just had a kettle corn kernel and it tasted like a cherry tomato… yuck.)

I’ve always been a fan of Zimmer, and I think this is a better, more rounded soundtrack than Sherlock Holmes.  I have a feeling this won’t win the Oscar for original score but oh well.  This is a great score nonetheless.





Saturday Morning Documentary: Winged Migration

15 10 2010

Yes, this film is about birds and them flying around the world.  What the film makes up in lack of plot or story is done with fantastic, gorgeous cinematography.  Climbing great heights to fly alongside or even below the birds, this documentary that took 3 years to film was nominated for an Oscar in 2003.  Produced in France, Winged Migration follows several species of birds as they, well, migrate over vast distances all around the world.  Their difficult and arduous journeys make you — or at least me — see birds in a different light; they are really tough creatures, arguably tougher than humans.

A must-see for all nature lovers or if you want to have a new respect for our feathered friends.

Birds in Winged Migration