The Cove

[Smarmy Douche]

http://songphon.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/cove_xlg.jpg?w=450&h=667

Director: Louie Psihoyos
Writer: Mark Monroe

http://thecovemovie.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1313104/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYKNCN1ESZM

The buzz is pretty huge for this, and it's just come to my hometown. The trailer was goofy "have to sell what should be serious and focused as an action movie *war drum music*" nonsense, but I'm assuming that that's just what they have to do to market to people. I'm also assuming that they got the footage they were looking for, which could make for a brutal viewing experience, albeit a potentially illuminating one. I've heard people going on about how this is one of those sledgehammer to the gut films.

Has anybody had the chance to check this one out yet?

[MisterChristian]

Heard that the film is amazing.

[phelonious]

The film works on a lot of levels. On one level it's just one compelling story--trying to get the secret of the Cove. (When you're asking the Industrial Light and Magic company to camoflage High definition cameras as rocks, we're in mission impossible territory.) On another level, literally every problem facing us is identical in form, VPP's (very powerful people) have vested interests in keeping things the way just they are, and would push comes to shove they'll defend their livelihood to death (preferably you and yours)

It's also great because the film passively engages our moral outrage, since the source of evil in the world is on the other side of the world, and it's a teeny tiny fishing village. Jeez, what gives them the right? How can they be so blind? How can they be so dumb? Whereas the exact same struggles bound our own daily lives and communities. This is reason # 11,037 why our little blue planet will not mourn the passing of mankind, when we too go the way of the dinsosaurs.

This is a solid recommend from me. This is the best film I've seen all year. And this will probably remain either the very best or the second best film I'll have seen for the year 2009.

10/10 -- The Cove