Christopher Hitchens Movies
- 2008
- PG
- Add EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed to QueueAdd EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed to top of Queue
Intrigued by the recent trend of scientists, journalists, philosophers, and teachers who have been ostracized and discredited for daring to suggest that humankind may be the product of intelligent design rather than a random fluke in the cosmic scheme of things, Ben Stein sets out on a journey to investigate the supposed persecution of the many by the select few. Stein asserts that in recent years, anyone who dares to question the idea that adaptation is responsible for the development of Earth's organisms is held to ridicule, and over the course of the film, he travels the globe to speak with the supporters of both theories, pondering the reasons why believing in a higher power has seemingly become a massive taboo in the eyes of educators and the media. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
At a time in history when the FBI has deemed animal-rights activists the number-one domestic terrorist threat to the U.S., filmmaker Curt Johnson sets out to explore exactly how an organization such as PETA can possibly take precedence over the threat posed by Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida in a documentary film that aims to tell the truth about the people who defend the creatures that cannot speak for themselves. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katherine Heigl, Jessica Biel, (more)
- 2005
- Add Confronting Iraq: Conflict and Hope to QueueAdd Confronting Iraq: Conflict and Hope to top of Queue
Filmmaker Roger Aronoff sifts through the facts in a cinematic attempt to discern whether the War in Iraq was a unilateral move by the U.S. driven by greed and politics, or a necessary but unfortunate component of the larger and more expansive battle against radical Islam. In the aftermath of the first Gulf War, some speculate that Saddam Hussein, long rumored to be actively seeking out weapons of mass destruction, actually cast aside his explosive ambitions. Others, however, persisted in claiming that Hussein's regime actually shared close ties with Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. Regardless of what the truth of the matter may be, the West has since engaged in an unprecedented war, a true clash of civilizations. From the Clinton administration to the Bush administration to the media, the critics, and the Leftist opposition, Aronoff leaves no stone unturned in his quest to offer valuable insight into a devastating war that could ultimately affect people of all religions, and on all continents. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
An insightful examination of the controversial School of the Americas, director John Smihula's Hidden in Plain Sight offers a rare look inside the U.S.-based military training school where such notorious figures as Manuel Noriega learned their trade. Over the course of its history, the Fort Benning, GA, school for Latin soldiers has provided training for more than 60,000 military personnel. Hidden in Plain Sight is narrated by actor and political activist Martin Sheen. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Father Roy Bourgeois, Noam Chomsky, (more)
This incisive documentary offers a sobering portrait of statesman Henry Kissinger, quite possibly the most powerful and influential diplomat in U.S. government in the latter half of the 20th century. Based on the book of nearly the same name by journalist and critic Christopher Hitchens (the slender volume goes with the singularized Trial), the movie takes on the form of a legal argument, bringing forward case studies that aim to illuminate Hitchens' claims against Kissinger. Among the significant events in Kissinger's career that the movie tackles are his purported secret diplomacy during the 1968 peace talks to end the Vietnam War, the secret bombing of Cambodia in the early '70s without congressional authorization, and an alleged U.S.-backed plot to overthrow the leftist government of Chilean leader Salvador Allende. The movie features numerous interviews with legal experts, journalists, and high-ranking diplomats, such as Alexander Haig, Walter Isaacson, Roger Morris, and Hitchens himself; predictably, Kissinger did not participate in the making of the picture. ~ Elbert Ventura, All Movie Guide
