Tannishblog

A hot day in the city yesterday. My family and I chose to spend it in an atypical way: a movie-house double header. Of course we saw the Pirate movie. We got in on the first daily showing, about 11:00 am, to find ample choice of seating. Although a fun film, it won’t leave a lasting impression - too much like any other action movie. We theatre goers can write our own, as we’ve seen all the genre can do. Besides as touch of vertigo from the roller coaster camera work, we left the theatre yawning.

After a half-hour break, we walked across the huge lobby, through the glass doors into the artsy-movie area. I was surprised to find a full bar/lounge set up there (as it was mid afternoon on a Saturday, no one worked the bar). Down the short hallway are the half-dozen intimate theatres, one of which was showing Al Gore’s documentary, our second movie choice.

It struck me how after all the years, all the evidence of escalating summer heat waves and storms of increased intensity, a topic of such global significance is relegated only to a fringe element of society, as niche market. Even in my up-scale, middle class, mostly Democratic community, An Inconvenient Truth is down played in comparison to the summer "Blockbuster" brain-candy. Yet the accumulated ratings for each (here and here) speak for themselves.

What also occurred to me is how the people who care to see, or to review this film don’t really need to. Mr. Gore is preaching to the choir to some extent. People have a tendency to only see the documentaries that support their established views. Just as people who prefer Fox News are not likely to be seen at a viewing of Fahrenheit 9/11, likewise the people who still believe Al Gore’s message to be a non-issue, are not likely to open their minds enough to sit thorough 100 minutes of contradiction to their beliefs. Those are the people who should watch. However, human nature doesn’t work that way.

I applaud Mr. Gore for "fighting the good fight" all these years. Perhaps, he can cause a critical mass of public opinion worldwide that will tip the scales toward wiser energy policies and protective environmental initiatives. As the US remains "resoloot" regarding their policy of putting the dollar before all other considerations, perhaps the other nations can exert some peer pressure on us to do the right thing regarding environmental policy. If we can’t stomach Kyoto, then let’s take our own initiative.

Perhaps the approval rating of An Inconvenient Truth will incite similar films. Opening debate to the masses, involving citizens to mull complex issues from all sides, would go a long way to shoring up public support of our politicians, hold them more accountable, and instill a greater sense of trust in our government. Perhaps the film industry would fund more such projects. I’d like to see a film giving a counter argument to Al Gore’s message hit the theatres. Let the people decide for themselves after all views are heard. Let them vote accordingly.