In an effort to gain support for his children’s freedom from slavery, the newly freed American slave Abdul Rahman once wrote out what was supposed to be the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic.

Years later, it was discovered that he had actually written out Surah Al-Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Qur’an.

After forty years of crushing servitude in a strongly Christian land, this former African prince still remained faithful to Allah, with the memory of His words still in his heart and mind.

I have seen this film in its entire length. It’s really good. So good that it won at the Tribeca Film Festival this year for Best Documentary Short. I also had the pleasure of working with Musa Sayeed and Yoni Brook (the producers and director) of this film on a short documentary of the AerosolArabic USA Arts and Islam Tour. You can view an early version of the documentary they working on for that tour here.

A Son’s Sacrifice is about:

It’s hard to REALLY feel the pain and sufferring that innocent people have endured in torture camps, wether it be [[Auschwitz]], Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay. Opression is opression, and no person deserves to be brutalized mentally or physically… especially when they havent been given any due process. When you watch the film “The Road to Guantanamo” you can’t help but wonder how these kids had so many close calls where they could have been killed before they even made it to Camp X-ray. My sister did her thesis on the legitimacy of the captured individuals being given the status of “enemy combatants” and if that really is enough to evade international standards of the treatment which is to be given to prisoners. After re-reading her paper for her a few times I got to thinking how in the world can we just sit here and discuss these riddiculous claims which implies that we are above all laws, because we are strong enough to break all of them and no one can take us into account. Our rationale as a country is based on arrogance, stubborness, and a dash of racism and religious intolerance.

A film which begins with Dwight Eisenhower’s famous quote warning the American people about the dangers of what he called the “Military Industrial Complex” you know it would be pretty damn relevant. Although the film starts off with his quote, the focus of the film was not 1961. The film shows how his fears came to fruiition and has reached its heights today. For many people who watch political films and documentaries or listen to lefty radio, it will not come as a surprise to them. Although the details which are presented will make you think. For example they make the point that three quarters of a trillion dollars is enough motivation to constantly stay engaged in one military conflict or another. The bottom line is the bottom line.

What happens when a bunch of lefties wih access put together a 3 hour documentary analyzing and then psycoanalyzing the history, purpose, and malfunctions of the modern day corporation?

Here is the synopsis from the official website :

THE CORPORATION explores the nature and spectacular rise of the dominant institution of our time. Footage from pop culture, advertising, TV news, and corporate propaganda, illuminates the corporation’s grip on our lives. Taking its legal status as a “person” to its logical conclusion, the film puts the corporation on the psychiatrist’s couch to ask “What kind of person is it?” Provoking, witty, sweepingly informative, The Corporation includes forty interviews with corporate insiders and critics - including Milton Friedman, Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, and Michael Moore - plus true confessions, case studies and strategies for change.

This is easily the best movie that I have seen since City of God (actually since Million Dollar Baby which I saw recently). Similarly to City of God this film is based on a true story. I guess I am a sucker for true stories. In this case it’s not just a story of one man, but of a nation in turmoil. For those who don’t know in 1994 in Rwanda there was a major clash between two ethnic tribes the Hutus and the Tutsis. I won’t get into too many details in case you would rather learn from the film. I would suggest that you watch the film as someone who is educated on the subject. Before watching Hotel Rwanda I suggest that you watch the following PBS Frontline film:

Before I get to the actual review I want everyone to get a very vivid sneak peak. First check out the opening scene for the cartoon: HERE– tell me this is not cool.

Now for the Review:

First some background info. This new animated series was released in 2003 on MTV. For some odd reason MTV decided to drop it. Season One has 13 episodes.

I think RVD is one of the most creative wrestlers ever. And now a comprehensive 6 hour DVD has been made to document this fact. How many wrestlers have you seen leap across from one corner of the ring to the other? RVD trained as a kick boxer and as a wrestler. Add in a dash of acrobatics, and gutsy risk taking the result is Rob Van Dam. WATCH THIS clip and tell me he is not amazing.

The skinney: This documentary was made to give American viewers an inside look at the controversial news outlet Al Jazeera. Which had become known to the American world when it started broadcasting images that mainstream media was avoiding. There is an underlying theme showing the conflicting analysis between not only the mainstream western Media and that of Al Jazeera but also the conflicting views between the US government and military and that of al Jazeera’s journalists on the issue of Ithe invasion of Iraq.

The Michael Moore film which almost had its distribution blocked by the efforts of Disney took home this year’s Best Picture Award at the Cannes Film Festival. The film entitled “Fahrenheit 9/11” delivers a knockout punch to President George W Bush and his cabinet. Once they recover from this blow they may discover themselves outside of the gates to the White House. In this film Moore sets out to show the American people (and the world) that the presidency of George W Bush has set us on a path to disaster. It not only exploits the Bush team’s crass negligence, but it also highlights his big business and foreign relationships which have compromised the integrity of his position as our President. Moore introduces us to George’s circle of friends who include: the Carlyle group, the Bin Laden family, the Saudi Royal Family, The Taliban, Halliburton, Enron, Unocal and the likes. The scariest part is that he shows how the interests of these powerful groups are related to one another.