FRIDAY Focus
The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 29, 2004 - 12
4ILM & MUSIC
k .,
~
_t
1)
Tell Us the Truth Tour
Throughout 2003, Billy Bragg, Tom
Morello, Steve Earle and Lester
Chambers traveled throughout the
country under the banner of the "Tell
Us the Truth" tour. These socially
conscious troubadours urged the
media to be more forward with the
American people, and fought to keep
the current administration get so much
free reign of the airwaves. The Free
Trade of the Americas (FTAA) was a
huge focal point for these musicians,
who asked the fans in attendance
to travel to Miami to protest it.
APR.
-2004
A
MAY1
7
I
- ,
(
I
Control Room
Rock Against Bush:
Volume One
This album, released early this
year, united many bands from the
punk scene against one man and
his policies. The album was #1 on
the Billboard indie chart, and its
popularity led Fat Wreck Cords to
release a second volume in August.
While most of the songs were taken
from the bands' previously released
albums, both CDs did include new
songs from a few big-name punk
bands like Sum 41, Yellowcard and
New Found Glory. Both volumes were
sold for under $10 because the
bands involved, 52 in total, agreed
that getting Bush out of office was
more Important than money.
Fahrenheit 9/11
The documentary "Control Room"
examines how U.S. television networks
and the Arab satellite news chan-
nel Al Jazeera reported about the
early days of the Iraqi war. Directed
by Jehane Noujaim (www.startup.
com), the film chronicles Al Jazeera
reporters - and to a lesser degree,
those of CNN,'fOX News and NBC
- as they attempt to remain equitable
and objective in reporting the war's
a" course, despite personal sentiments
against the Bush administration's
Change tour.
al wave of political activism to curb voter apa-
ecision at the polls. The upcoming election has
ry of activity in all the areas of the Arts:
the
Arts
the human desire
>n Network,
ing patterns
ton. Conser-
buy liberal
purchased
atical to the
>le who use
vinced that they are right. Swing voters are assailed
from all sides by opinions that resound with anger
and choruses of "We're right! They're wrong!" This
arrogance of conviction has served two purposes: to
reinforce the beliefs of those who already shout their
own viewpoints and to drive away people who are
attempting to learn about politics.
Besides the existing electorate, the large number
of first-time voters has resulted in a pitched battle
over their votes. The incredible amount of interest in
the youth vote has resulted in a campaign in which
P. Diddy tells young people to Vote or Die, and the
daughters of both John Kerry and President Bush
make appearances at the MTV Video Music Awards
to encourage people to vote. This has resulted in
basic pop politics, with rap stars, actors and athletes
tell kids to go to the polls. They are geared toward
young people, with witty, sometimes crude humor
on late night television and glossy book pages. His-
torically, however, shows that the turnout for young
voters has been low and their affiliation fickle.
Politics seems to be invading every arena of
modern life, not just books. Whole TV networks
are either conservative or liberal; radio waves are
filled with the loud voic.es of Sean Hannity and
Rush Limbaugh. People are being bombarded.
from by the combined voices of both sides. The
question is whether this is effective in persuad-
ing people to vote. Perhaps voter apathy can be
JULY
The Manchurian Candidate
A remake of John Frankenheimer's clas-
sic thriller could only be acceptable in
light of present global affairs. Director
Jonathan Demme tweaks the plot to
make the film politically relevant and
uses the first Gulf War as the film's
point of origin. Denzel Washington
takes on Frank Sinatra's role with great
aplomb as a paranoid veteran. Meryl
Streep's caricature of Hillary Clinton
and the mocking tone with which
Demme attacks Washington politics
make the film somewhat worthwhile.
The most successful documentary
of all time and this summer's major
pop culture phenomenon, "Fahrenheit
9/11" is Michael Moore's most scath-
ing documentary yet. By connecting
the Bush family with the Saudis and
arguing that the current Bush admin-
istration used the tragedies of Sept.
11 to push its own agenda,'Moore's
overall portrait of the president is far
from flattering. The heart of the film
however belongs to grieving mother
Lila Lipscomb, who lost her son in
Iraq. Topped with astonishing footage
and a plethora of interviews, "Fahr-
enheit 9/11" just may be credited
as the first film to ever help get a
presidential candidate out of office.
AUG.
13
(
L
AUG.
Future Soundtrack
Outfoxed: Rupert Mur-
doch's War on Journalism
A documentary attacking "America's
most watched cable news network,"
"Outfoxed" rebukes FOX News Channel's
"Fair & Balanced" label and accuses
the implicitly conservative network of
evArthine short of miurdet The film
Organized by1
John Flanst
U-
had
nu"
9
pinion, w
?Upon en
a
a
;d
n
fictitious Colorado gubernatorial race,
which is centered around a murder
mystery and a George W. Bush-esque
candidate named Dickie Pilager. With-
out sugarcoating anything, Sayles's
narrative delves Into environmental
issues, illegal immigrants and how cor-
porate greed can influence the govern-
ment. Thanks to its bold nature, "Silver
City" is an honest and intriguing look
at modern-day American politics.
American Idiot
rock opera was revitalized
the release of Green Day's
an Idiot.'ts chart-topping
indeed
tunning
overtly
I lyrics.
OCT.
Vote for Change Tour
The Vote for Change concert tour
represented a coalition of musicians
who were dedicated to getting the
American citizens to not simply vote
on Nov. 2, but to vote for change. In an
unprecedented effort, more than 17
different artists and musical groups
were involved in playing about 40
shows, in 30 different cities, in nine
battleground states, over the course of
only 10 days, with proceeds donated
to the work of America Coming
Together (ACT). The Vote for Change
Tour brought together performances
by Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen and
the E Street Band, Dave Matthews
Bald, Dixie Chicks, James Taylor,
Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, John
Metienqpamp and many others.
"
0
OC-
- -
Political
Cabaret
Today and
Tomorrow
at 8 p.m.
Free
At the Trueblood Theatei
itt
off'4
5' - 'v z.
tY o $1
c~r - l