Review: "Land of Opportunity"

My Aunt Earline was one of the many New Orleanians to have their homes damaged by the floods during Katrina. I have lots of fond childhood memories of the bar in the downstairs room, the piano that was rarely used, the Charles Chips tins that littered the floor and the ecosystem that was the backyard pool.

The water ruined family pictures, home movies, furniture, etc. The home still stood - what was left, anyways.

"Land of Opportunity" starts from this point - the damage after the storm - and moves forward about 5 years. The politicians and pundits have had their say for long enough, but what about those on the ground, affected and dealing directly with the recovery? LOP is most concerned with them. This is no Michael Moore documentary, where the narrator is the central character - community activists, engineers, students, homeowners and undocumented workers are front and center here. And really, that's how it should be for this story.  

Land of Opportunity - Trailer from Land of Opportunity on Vimeo.

Of most interest to me was the fight for the right of displaced residents to return to their homes. Lead by concerned citizens like the great Sharon Jasper, I saw the beginnings of what would become the #Occupy movement. Told that the St. Bernard projects would be torn down to make way for a new neighborhood design, Sharon and other protesters broke down the barriers and literally took back their homes! The engineer tasked with changing the area up even agreed that the buildings could and ought to be reused. It really shows how ass backwards some officials are, when they pick difficult/costly over simpler/effective.

The buildings are eventually taken down. A sign reading "Housing is a human right" marks a fence while a wall is demolished in the background. After visiting a neighborhood in the Atlanta area that's being used as a template for the new construction, Sharon appears to like what she sees. But, she makes it clear that as long as displaced residents are held back from returning, she will keep fighting. I love her.

The movie tries to be a bit optimistic about the future; even Barack Obama (then Senator) shows up to discuss what he would do, and how enthusiastic he was about doing it. But, if anything is highlighted here, it's the snails pace of change. Why is it taking so long to recover when able bodied men and women are ready to help? The key word here is F R U S T R A T I N G.

My Aunt was able to return to her home, thanks to the generosity of the community. People came together, and donated their time and money to help her out. Sure, she lost the swamp like pool in the backyard, but at least there is a backyard to enjoy. The home is livable again, thanks to her neighbors.

There are people that love this city, and are willing to do what they can to restore and reform it. Why hold them back? Why not let them at it?

I linked to the films' website above. Currently, they are creating an interactive web player that will help viewers take the plunge and learn more. If you can, show your support by either donating or spreading the word!

4/5 *'s

Top 10 Movies of ALL TIME (that I've seen)

In the latest episode of the #TeamNOLAFilm podcast, we discussed the recent change to the Sight & Sound Best Movies list, where "Citizen Kane" got bumped from number 1 by "Vertigo" - skip to 26:20:
During the discussion, we revealed our thoughts for best/favorite films ever. And, just a day or so ago, Sound on Sight asked its staff (including myself) to come up with individual Top 10 lists to be tallied for a comprehensive site list (coming soon).

So, with these two incidents happening side by side, I decided to just go ahead and post my slightly thought out and relatively pointless list of...

The 10 Best Movies of ALL TIME (that I've seen)!

1.(tie) "Apocalypse Now" and  Orson Welles' "The Trial"
- Yes, maybe it's a cop out coming up with a tie decision for the number 1 slot, but it is what it is. One may be the greatest war film made and the other may be the most absurd/hilarious comedy to be a depressing headache. Seek out both, and you will be automatically better for it.

3. Buster Keaton's "The General"
- Considering how far special effects and stunt work have come, this is truly amazing to watch. Back then, you had to do it FOR REAL. See where Jackie Chan draws his inspiration from.

4. "Once Upon a Time in America"
- You think Sergio Leone was only about the western? Pfft. If "The Godfather" is about family, then this is about memory, regret and friendship. Could've easily been at the top.

5. The Original "King Kong"
- One of the few movies to make me choked up in the end. You really end up caring about poor Kong. Another special effects wonder.

6. The Original "Metropolis"
- Not only has a wonderful message, but is dazzling and quite epic. It's a miracle that most of the missing scenes were found.

7. David Lynch's "Inland Empire"
- Lynch comes full circle from where he started with "Eraserhead". A 3 hour unofficial reinvention of "Alice in Wonderland", I like to think.

8. Abel Gance's "Napoleon"
- The only film on this list that I've NEVER FULLY SEEN. I read the book on the making of it, and knew it was among the best. Check out my earlier post on my optimism about its BluRay/DVD release.

9. "F for Fake"
- What? Another Orson Welles pick? Indeed. His final work (until "The Other Side of the Wind gets completed) is years ahead of its time. You can see where Oliver Stone got some of his techniques for "Natural Born Killers" (which almost made this list).

10. "Roman Holiday"
- I used to have a big crush on Audrey Hepburn, so I had to put this one on here. I love it when romantic comedies don't pick the easy way out, and go for bittersweet instead.

This is NOT meant to be permanent by any means, and even if it was, does it really matter? After all, these lists are really just meant to encourage discussion... So, with that in mind, please leave a comment!

Review: "YERT"

At this moment (of writing), I am drinking some sugar free mix out of a used Powerade bottle. Normally, I would just dump the bottle into the recycling can and wait until the 2nd or 4th Saturday of the month to bring it to the local recycling center. But tonight, I have cut out the middle man and recycled something myself.

"YERT: Your Environmental Road Trip" features three individuals who put shame to my Earth saving attempt. See, they spent a year on the road, going through all 50 states of this country, documenting people and organizations dedicated to ecological progress and anything/everything green. Along the way, they cut down on their personal trash, gauged electricity use and lived out of a hybrid - man do I feel lazy.

The trio's road trip is very enlightening, and at times emotional. At one point, they visit a man who has lost his family and friends due to his unwillingness to allow coal companies to work on his land. If they were to do so, the results would be quite drastic; removal of soil that prevents forests from coming back, black drinking water, cancer and other illnesses for residents, etc. The C in coal stands for "clean"? Doesn't look like it. For this man to continue living on his land is a last stand and a statement that far too FEW of us are making.

But, luckily, there are MANY in this country that are showing us a future worth fighting for. Like the guy who makes products out of trash. Or the company that builds Earth Ships - life supporting, carbon zero housing. How about the Solar Roadways project, that looks to change the electrical grid by making roads that collect solar energy? And community currencies like Berk Shares and Ithaca Hours?  These are but a few of the exciting things going on RIGHT NOW in America. "YERT" is at its best when covering these little known gems.

So, should I feel bad that I've only contributed little while this trio has done and exposed so much? Probably not. "YERT" is not looking to shame you, but rather to inspire you. If that inspiration leads you to reusing plastic bottles, wasting less water or riding your bike more often, then all the better. No need to become a hippie overnight. Now, with your permission, I'd like to finish my drink.

4/5 *'s