Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

garlandhook I fell under the spell of conservative talk radio when I was out of college and working as a delivery driver. I was bitter and angry that the 4-year liberal arts degree I worked hard to obtain was seemingly worthless. As academia had failed to deliver success, I was eager to find and alternate worldview: looking for something to believe in, or, a purpose. Neil boortz, Michael savage, and bill o'reilly were my guides on this fruitless journey. Their rhetoric was effective because they (1) created an enemy: either enemies to prosperity (lazy welfare dependents, illegal immigrants), or enemies to security (radical Muslims): basically, people I could feel superior to. (2) "real listeners" calling in to share their victimization from political correct "social engineering" (3) the hosts' unwavering confidence and focused message, which is amplified by talking over those people who call in with alternate viewpoints. According to this documentary, these tactics are commonly employed by right-wing talk shows and foxnews (great collage of fox news "journalists" shouting over their guests to prevent them from expressing their ideas). How did I manage to give this up? A combination of things: my parents always had fox news on in the house and I grew annoyed at the lack of critical thinking and one-sidedness. I found that my media choices were putting me in a category of people who deferred to their tribal mentality than think critically. I began to see these media hosts more as propagandists than informed critics (Michael Savage's assertion that Obama attended an "Islamic Madrassas" in Indonesia--a country I had some personal knowledge of--was laughable). This documentary was enjoyable as it helped me understand how my political identity went on a certain path for a brief time

timlin-4 This documentary is very low quality and borderline unwatchable. It might be acceptable if were made by a middle school student, though a schoolgirl would have been more conscientious, and also wouldn't have scammed people out of money to make it. The historical footage and visual effects are low quality and silly, and the original interviews of Democrat partisans lack any insight. Of course media manipulation could be a valid topic, but if you prove that "conspiracy theories" are planted by corporations to get people to vote "against their interests" for Republicans with a clip of corporate-backed Hillary Clinton pointing her finger at a "vast right-wing conspiracy" you need to straighten out your thinking.The title is really a bait-and-switch, since there is more analysis of Limbaugh and Fox News, which are very stale topics at this point, than of the director's father. The only examples of his "brainwashing" presented are that he thought the government should encourage people get jobs and that waitresses shouldn't be arrested for immodest clothing, which are neither extremist or even particularly conservative positions. It wouldn't be surprising for a retiree to become grumpy and fixated on a topic, but Senko's accusations against her father are left at the level of innuendo. After its various pointless digressions and pretensions of academic thoroughness the movie does return to the subject to show footage of her father, now confused and childish as his mind has deteriorated to such an extent that he doesn't notice that his wife has deviously blocked TV channels and his email subscriptions. The smugness of mother and daughter at achieving this "cure" is almost a reason to watch the movie. Nothing reported second-hand in even the most vehement right-wing media can come close to demonstrating how vile and irredeemable leftist nuts are compared to their own personal accounts.

bruce-129 Firstly, this movie was excellent in terms of getting Americans to start thinking about the media, ideas, rhetoric and emotional tone we are steeped in on a daily basis. I have been more and more disappointed in the media since the mid-80's, but especially since the 90's forward.This documentary tells us why, and surprise, it is almost the same as everything else in this country and the world that have gone sour ... the political prioritizing of having every facet of our society taking over by money, corporations and billionaires. This movie does a good job of covering that in a broad sense. I always thought it really hit home when they struck down the "Fairness Doctrine" which I think we desperately need in the media if we are to foster a culture where people can think for themselves ... because otherwise what goes freedom or speech mean if all we can do is parrot someone else's words?The weaker part of this documentary, and the reason I could not award it a 10/10 is the story of the family and the Dad who turned into a right- winger. We don't really get any clear sequence of events leading to the documentarian's father and what he was like, what drove him, what changed him and what ultimately changed him back.By the time he is interviewed it is clear he has some kind of dementia, and pieces of his conversation are being cherry picked to back the narrative of his "brainwashing". I have had relatives too that have this same problem. The turning of one's thoughts into right wing anger is very depressing when you like someone and all they can do is to push their ideas that they get from radio or FOX News without any critical thinking at all.I didn't feel it was very nice or respectful to turn one's father into a puppet for the making of a documentary, particularly if there is no real proof or theory as to how he got to where he was. They speculated it was the long drives to work listening to the captive audience of drivers alone in their cars. But many jobs themselves have pressures for people to either buy into right wing rhetoric, or to remain silent about criticizing those who criticize. For me there were many reasons not to appreciate the story of the father.I also was a bit disappointed to hear certain left wing websites recommended as the cure for these right wing sites. The whole problem is that only people who agree with each other are on specific sites, so many of the Left wing sites are just as bad as right wing sites ... they just do not have as many and as much money. But the intolerable part of both sides is that it is impossible for anyone who does not want to argue and name-call to participate in these forums ... which we should be able to do, and our form of government really demands.I don't know there are any answers here, but there are some suggestions and a lot of thought provoking information, which is great. We need more of this kind of documentary. I recommend this documentary and that all Americans begin to understand how their country has been evolved around them to cut most of them out from knowing what is going on and what they should do about it.10/10

sunshineandseashells It reminded me of Michael Moore's films but in some ways even better! Because it is the personal experience of the director's father and family. Who are quite likable. Very true to life. It is after all a documentary. I loved the ending which I won't give away. But was thoroughly impressed by the history leading up to changes in journalism and the experts on the film. David Brock was instrumental in this piece by being evidence of the information stated. Jeff Cohen and Noam Chomsky? How can you go wrong there among many more experts. Also love the cartoon spots which made it fun. Go see this movie. You won't be sorry!