"America's Heart and Soul" a "counter-balance to F9/11: Repub Bullshit

[markses]

The latest desperate attempt to reduce the devastating impact of F9/11: The idea that an "inspirational" set of vignettes about Americans pursuing a passion is a counter-balance to Moore's film. This is a deceptive bit of argument-smuggling. To believe that a set of inspirational stories "counters" Moore's film, you'd have to believer that there is nothing inspirational in F9/11. To believe that a movie which sets out to show why America is beautiful "counters" Moore's film, you'd have to believe that f9/11 only shows America as ugly.

There is nothing further from the truth. Moore's film is about American's seized by the passion of their freedoms; it is about the true beauty of America. There would be no negative evaluation of the murderous Bush regime if there wasn't an implicit argument about the characteristics that make America great. It's there - and it's even at the surface.So, if you hear anyone saying that "America's Heart and Soul" is a "counter-balance" to f9/11, tell them where to stick it. Moore's film is about protecting America's Heart and Soul, not calling it ugly.

[OpSomBlood]

1. The freedom to make F9/11 is what is beautiful about America.

It's unfortunate that the wingnuts can't grasp that.

[thebigidea]

2. well, you couldn't GIVE away tickets to a crapfest like that

I mean, just look at the title... Hallmark City!

[Jane Eyre]

3. New song by John Mellencamp?

They get a liberal singer like that to make a song for this movie?

My take - they had this movie in the hopper, and figured at the last minute that they would market it as an "antidote" to Moore's film. Frankly, it doesn't sound as though it is a polar opposite of F911. It just sounds like a treacly, feel-good movie. Sort of a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" kind of thing. Anyone with more than a room temperature IQ should be able to see this for the cynical marketing tool that it is.

[Zorra]

4. Sounds like a movie script taken from Reader's Digest.

"Life In These United States"

Light, cute, and sweet, but politically insignificant.

[checks-n-balances]

5. I have no problem with that - let them waste their money.

There's no way something like this will have the same impact as F9/11.

I see no reason to argue with people about it since I don't think it's anywhere near a counter-balance. Why not let them continue in their delusions?

[OpSomBlood]

7. I'm sure there are more than a few irate Disney shareholders right now.

First Eisner dissolves the relationship with Pixar (the only studio making them any money)...then they give up the rights to a juggernaut landmark film in F9/11 in order to appease Jeb Bush and get tax breaks.

If I owned Disney stock, I'd be beyond pissed.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

6. I wonder how many awards it will win at Cannes next year?

[K8-EEE]

8. If Eisner's Behind It, You Can Be Sure Of One Thing...

It'll be a yawn. But who cares? It could be a perfectly nice movie, why do people have this mean-spirited "competition" with F-9/11?

Shoot, you can bet any freeper that this movie won't beat MM's opening weekend, EZ money!

One review of it said it should be on TV -- like on Nat'l Geographic or something, shiny happy people in pretty landscapes, yawn...

[LTR]

9. Doesn't look like a freeper flick to me

I posted this in another thread:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381006 /

Date: 25 June 2004
Summary: inspirational and moving

In step with today's documentary fad, Disney presents an inspirational, slightly goofy documentary featuring real-life story slices from Americana – people like Appalachian mountain folk and famous musician wannabes. For example, you'll meet a blind mountain-climber, an Indian elder and a rug weaver. After being fired from cooking-related jobs, Ben Cohen realized he mainly liked to eat, and developed Ben & Jerry's fabulous ice cream. Heart and Soul spotlights everyone from unique mothers, bike messengers, artists and marathon runners (one of whom has Cerebral Palsy) to more eccentric cliff-dancers and outright lunatic fringe. One guy specialized in blowing up junk. This collection of creative dreamers who love life plucks on the heartstrings without being schmaltzy. Definitely worth a look.

------------------------------

It doesn't sount freeperish to me at all. A bit soft and fluffy, as only Disney can do it, but just plain ol' slice of life Americana to me. Not a bad thing at all. I may catch it on cable some day.

As for RW flicks, there's two flicks on the horizon that are of note. One is "Michael Moore Hates America" and the other is "Michael And Me", both of which prove that if you can't attack the message, go after the messenger. Coming soon to Blockbuster's bargain bin, if at all.

[markses]

12. My argument is that it is NOT freeperish

And to believe that it is necessarily freeperish because it praises America is to buy into right wing spin. perhaps I was not clear enough.

[seabeyond]

10. beyond that a couple more things with this movie & disney

this is the right answer to put out a sugar coating of what america is so we ignore what is really happening. the people that are going to see f 9/11 has just had an awakenign of three years of this b.s. from bushco, so when they see this film, i believe this will be a duh to them of what they have had zombied them.

also this eizner being so blatanly taking sides with this movie, has really brought to the forefront of a corporation not getting my money. and as much as i enjoy pirate of carribeans and want to take my boys to both florida disney and calif disney, they being 9 and 6, i cannot in good conscious. they dont get my money

this makes me sad. i grew up in bakersfield calif and went to the disney in calif often, i have been telling kids about it for years and all excitement going back. just wont do it

this is a true shame on disney. i stood up for them as a business not wanting to be a part of this mess and pulling out of moore's film, but this is taking sides.

[neuvocat]

11. Sooo....

a movie with nothing but a bunch of flag-waving Bush-sychophants in scattered clips is somehow supposed to be an antithesis to f911? That's not a rebuttal, that's an infomercial that you have to pay 10 bucks to see if you're nuts enough to see.

[Forkboy]

13. Have you seen it already?