Public Reviews

The Age of Stupid brings to mind Carl Sagan’s elegant description of the nuclear arms race. It goes something like the following. The East and the West are locked in a room together. They are awash up to their wastes in gasoline. With all their bluster, bravado, shortsightedness and lunacy they are arguing over who has the most matches. Sagan goes on to say, “Except for fools and madmen, everyone knows that nuclear war would be an unprecedented human catastrophe.” The Age of Stupid plainly illustrates we are on the edge of an environmental precipice, awash in gasoline, someone has already lit a match and we face a different but equally unprecedented catastrophe.

The tale of the pending ecotrastrophy is told as a docu-film. It utilizes sci-fi and sci-fact in the forms of conventional documentary methods as well as a fictional story that ties, seemingly, unrelated threads together. Those threads are the factual experiences of six very different people on the planet right now. Their individual stories could not be more different. But those differences illustrate the complexity and interrelatedness of us all.

Most documentaries offer up a dizzying array of facts than in the end become jumbled and so their importance is diminished. There are a lot of facts in this film – statistics that are frightening but unquotable. What are dizzying in The Age of Stupid are the extremes of people’s opinions. Such as an idyllic community whose residents profess to be aware of and concerned about global warming and yet they resist (with deadly threat) the installation of wind turbines. Or the young African woman whose village suffers the results of violence and environmental contamination caused by an American oil company – all the while she yearns for the luxuries of America which would make life so sweet she would never want to leave the earth. There is the Shell Oil’s paleontologist who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina who criticizes excessive consumption and yet vows he would do it all over again. The other stories are similarly conflicted.

The Age of Stupid is not a conventional movie. It’s not a conventional documentary. It does predictably point fingers, but they point in every direction, often different directions at the same time. And so it seems difficult to grasp the point of the film. But that’s exactly the point.

The film is concise in the vagaries of the issues. Each of us plays a part and each of us is conflicted. We know we shouldn’t drive our SUVs but then industry hasn’t provided us with workable or affordable options. We know we’re facing a crisis but there is always contrary information from government or on-payroll scientists. We really don’t want to purchase that plastic bottle of water in the theater but they won’t let us bring in our own containers. We know we should do something but don’t know what to do. We all have to live here but how can we do that responsibly with the systems, corporations, products and everything else flooding our lives?

I personally walked out of the film completely lost and feeling helpless. I had no idea my part in all this or what I could do. Then as I was walking to the parking lot, I passed a vacant restaurant for lease. The lights were all on and no one was home. I began to see. I began to feel outrage and empowerment. I took my environmentally damaging cell phone and called the leasing agent’s number. I left an upbeat message and invited him to do his part for the planet and turn off the lights. And I won’t stop there. I came away from this film not necessarily knowing what to do but knowing doing nothing will do nothing to ease the situation. I say to myself today “do something, anything, act, speak up, act up if you have to – but do something, now!

Someone has lit the match in all this gasoline. It wasn’t the oil companies or the corporations or governments or the entitled rich – it was each and every one of us. We fuel the fire in everything we do that requires fuel (which is everything we do) and in every choice of product that we make. Up to this moment we have, with sure dumb luck and the efforts of a committed few, averted the nuclear winter Sagan warned us about. And right now in this moment we have the opportunity to dampen this fire that threatens to burn up the planet. After all, except for fools and madmen, everyone knows that global warming will be an unprecedented human catastrophe. But at least this is one we are likely avoid if we’re not stupid.

Yes! It was disjointed. Yes, it was a mess. And yes, it was embarrassing, confusing and overwhelming! We ARE falling behind!
If that's what this movie is aiming to reach, then it IS a huge success! Because all of these comments DO match reality of how we've been making a mess of our only habitat during the past century.
If you're desperate finding the right action to take: stop hiding - behind anybody or anything. BE the editor of the change you want to see. Just look in you proverbial back yard. I'm sure you'll find something you can do - or change, big or small.
I live in Belgium, and we've had 8(!) viewing venues for a miserable 10 million inhabitants!
Thanks for this world-shaking movie, Franny.
Anne

The Movie was disjointed and needed an editor, but was still a good film and really thought provoking. However the event was a mess. The production was something right out of Waynes world. Pointless and too long. You wanna know why the tea baggers get more press and attention? They put some time and thought in their productions and they're loud. This was embaressing! I can't wait for you to send me another 12 dollar invite for one of your events, NOT!

The movie is a group of disjointed stories and images. One minute you're following an African woman who wants to be a Doctor and has seen parts of her country destroyed by Shell Oil, the next you're seeing a cartoon on toys being produced in China. One gets the sense that we're falling behind in the climate change war, but we leave more confused about what to do in the end because of the overwhelming number of messages in the movie.

The climate change movement needs clear and concise actionable points. Unfortunately neither the movie nor the live commentary delivered a message that was actionable. It felt like a hugely lost opportunity.

- Jon

A noble effort but waaaaaaaay too long-- too much talking and not enough action. It's really too bad. They had an international forum with major government officials but it was boring.

Too much preaching, not enough concrete ideas to empower the individual to do something about it.

Also, calling your viewers stupid is not an effective way to motivate them.

I really appreciate the good intentions and the time, effort and money spent on this film but I did learn one thing:

Be brief.

I saw this film today, and I found it to be very important and well made. There were great suggestions addressed with the 10:10 initiative with how to address lowering our personal carbon emissions that my family and I plan to start incorporating immediately. However, am concerned about the worst way to pollute: planes. I completely agree with this initiative, but the issue of alternatives to international flights and/or alternative fuel for planes seriously needs to be addressed.

This is a must see. A dramatic and inspiring film. The link between capitalism, war, and environmental destruction that the world needs to see and hopefully the alarm bell that will wake us up from our stupor and inspire us to make the changes to save the world as we know it.

Saw the film at Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh last month. I could barely speak after the film. Bravo to Screening Liberally for getting us access, and I'll be dragging a bunch of people with me to see it again locally .. if this film doesn't leave you with a lump in your throat then you need to check your pulse ..

If we are in the Age of stupid, then this film is evidence.
The film appears to be making the claim that covering the landscape in wind turbines and reducing the number of flights we take can solve all our problems.
What? Constructing mechanical trees, planting them in a treeless landscape, and using the power they produce to destroy more trees and build more of these monstrosities is our solution? These things divide communities, require large amounts of resources and energy in their construction, and detract from the natural beauty of every place they invade. And they make absolutely no difference to the climate. Great for the economy, sure, but any claims they benefit the environment, communities or anything else is plain lies. Surely even us stupid people can see through these myths.
And reducing flights? Hardly going to happen when they're available for 1 rupee, and not likely to have any effect in the long term. If one uptight English family thinks they can make any difference to the global climate by denying themselves a flight to France, they are deluded.
If you really want to do something positive to effect the climate, try this: go outside, plant some trees, and redesign your home and neighbourhood so that water and nutrients go into the ground, rather than being washed out to sea. Tree cover regulates the temperature, raises humidity and creates rain. Easy way to effect the climate, doesn't alienate anyone, and it's fun!
And to anyone expecting an apocalypse: it's already happened. You missed it. It just happened so gradually that no-one noticed the incremental changes.
Nothing you can do is ever going to save or destroy the world. The best thing you can do is to get out into your local community, and make it a nicer place to live for everyone. Enjoy yourself. And don't waste your time watching this stupid movie.

This post is not about food! Well, in a round about way it is, but not really.

One of the reasons why I became a dedicated and passionate eater of no meat was because of my work in and concern about sustainability and climate change. I can link to figures and facts if you like (just ask),* but I'm sure most people reading this blog already know them, or know of them. The contribution of the meat production process to climate change is so significant, in its disproportionate water use, energy use and land use, that it's just so important to consider in personal change.

Anyway, there's this movie that just came out in Australia yesterday. It was filmed on the tiniest budget, the crew earned literally survival wages, and they've no budget for advertising or anything. I thought it was only screening for two days, but it appears to be screening for a week in some places (certainly in Carousel and Garden City in Perth it's screening until next week), so I'd like to take this opportunity to briefly pimp it here.

The Age of Stupid is a movie/documentary/post-apocalyptic thing featuring Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, looking back on documentary footage of 2008 and wondering why we didn't stop climate change when we had a chance. It touches on less meat for about half a second, and is more focused on bigger things, community groups and corporations, but I still think it is worth the watch. I've been feeling complacent, lately, in my little bubble. I mean, sustainability and climate change is what I do. So I'm doing enough, right? But this was a well-timed push up the bum, just as I'm about to start a new job.

The trailer can be watched on youtube.

Go see it! After Australia I understand it will be moving on to other countries, so you can see it even if you're not in Australia. Or, if you have seen it, let me know what you thought!

OUCH - DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!

The critics are not wrong. This is a stupendous film in almost every respect.

Funded independently, made independently and accompanied by a ringing chaos of people power (see www.notstupid.net) And it fits the big screen like a glove.

This film may yet go down in history as a 'film that changed the world.' The reasons are two-fold: powerful, knotty characters and nerve-jangling, apocolyptic reality.

This is not a pure documentary. But it places documentary footage into the big screen format with sheer brilliance. And emotion - I rarely cry but this really did make me choke up, twice. And I laughed out loud.

The only falldown for me was the slightly contrived nature of the plot but Pete Poslethwaite carries this off - as perhaps only he can do. After all Stephen Spielberg has said he's the world greatest actor or something...

See it!! And take your friends.

The march into destruction

The title is superb and says its all.

It asks one question: Will we be the only species to become extinct with the knowledge that we could be doing something about it?

The film split into multi strand personal stories and bound together by meticulous research and realism punches home the title of the film when it passes through topics such a gas flares, bottled water, patio heaters etc

The film is well paced, the music engaging and adequately addresses the situation we are in. For example acknowledging its up to the western world to bring down their Co2 polluting ways and realising that we cannot deny the developing world to ... well... develop.

If i was being picky I understand that the Wind farm example is to highlight broader misguided opposition to environmental projects but to spend so much time highlighting wind is tricky when the current technology relies so much on subsidies at present and maybe more time should have been spent on carbon taxes on coal etc to make these projects viable?

Overall a welcome addition to the cadre of Crude Awakening and Inconvenient Truth

S.O.S.

I was fortunate to see a Preview Sreening of this film, described by The Guardian as: 'The first successful dramatisation of Climate Change to hit the big screen'. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? From an archive buliding containing some of the world's most precious art treasures, he shows us documentary footage of six contemporary characters - ranging from an 80 year old french mountain guide witnessing the shrinking of his beloved Alpine glaciers, to the belligerant head of an airline aspiring to be India's answer to Easy Jet. There are stunning otherworldy animation scenes showing the devastated planet in 2055, and some Monty Python style cartoon sequences delivering sobering stats on consumerism. All set to a cracking soundtrack from the likes of Radiohead and Depeche Mode. The science behind the film has been meticulously researched, but it's not all doom and gloom. The movie's real strength lies in its humour, and its hope. For it aims to turn every one of us into a Climate Change activist. There's still time to avert a global crisis of biblical proportions, but only if we act NOW.

In New Zealand our politicians need to aspire to leadership to take us out of the Age of Stupid. Rather than holding meetings to explain how difficult the job is, they must develop some backbone and vision and start explaining how we will get there - http://hot-topic.co.nz/in-hamilton/

New Review on The Third Estate - http://thethirdestate.net/2009/07/review-the-age-of-stupid/

It’s extremely easy to criticise the politics of cultural products if you don’t agree with absolutely everything they say. If you consider your understanding to be more nuanced, it is very easy to say that a book, a film, or an article doesn’t go far enough. The point is that not every great film is like a glass slipper to each Cinderella viewer, but regardless of this fact these sorts of cultural products can be hugely valuable in changing consciousness and changing the world. It feels a bit silly to preface my review of The Age of Stupid with this, but I am all too wary that whilst I am writing a relatively critical review, I see this film as extremely important, and something that really should be disseminated as widely as possible. Or as Ken Livingstone has put it “Every single person in the country should be forcibly sat down on a chair and made to watch this film.”

The film is set in 2055, in a world in which almost all life has ended on earth. Pete Postlethwaite stars as an archivist, who looks back to the early 2000s, seeing how we got to a state in which the environment caused the collapse of civilisation. He follows a number of stories from different continents around the world ranging from a mountain guide in Chamonix watching glaciers melt, to an entrepreneur setting up a budget airline in India. The main political focus is on inaction and how we (the Western viewers) can do more to cut carbon emissions, and ultimately on how we must lobby in advance of the meeting on climate change in Copenhagen at the end of the year, which will decide on an international strategy on carbon emissions for the coming 15 years.

There are some powerful arguments here, and the film attempts as best as possible to be scientifically accurate, or at least as scientifically accurate as one can be with these sorts of projections. Real changes are shown, along with some of the realities of abject poverty and misery caused by both the use of oil and the industry that maintains its production. The message is loud and clear: if we do not act now, it will be too late.

The problems come, then, in the political messages of the film, or rather what is lacking in the political messages. We are told over and over again that the problem is consumption. Consumption on a scale we’ve never seen before. Consumption so large that it somehow alone makes people poor. Only once is capitalism ever mentioned, and the film-makers are far happier to rely on the rhetoric of consumerism. The problem is, though, that what makes people poor is categorically not in the field of consumption. Yes, over many decades this may be the case, when we exhaust the world’s resources, but there is a fork in the argument: why is it that when we are producing more than ever, when we are pumping trillions of pounds into the market that people are still poor. The point is that poverty is completely inadequately explained by consumerism, and that we need to look at production. A little is said of the so-called curse of resources, but this is never explained in any depth.

I can understand why the makers of the film stay away from this – add a bit of Marxist economics to your environmentalism and your world leaders are less likely to accept it. The trouble is that in ignoring this important debate the arguments for how we can transform the world, and avert crisis, disappear. If we found a clean way to run capitalism (that’s environmentally clean, of course, capitalism is never morally clean), then it is perfectly possible that global poverty would be worse rather than better. Well I mean people would be poor rather than dead, but we can’t be accepting this as a solution.

The film concludes with an argument for people to live in a way that is as close to carbon-neutral as possible. This suggestion seems aimed solely at the Western middle-classes. No advice is offered to, say, the Chinese about how despite rampant growth improving living conditions they should probably curb it a little. In fact there is no challenge to the consciousness of people in the developing world, which ultimately is about them demanding better quality of life, and often this isn’t a very green process (although it has been sometimes – I think back to Chico Mendes and the struggles of the rubber-tappers in Acre in the 1980s.) We can all do our own little bit, but in reality the redistribution of carbon emissions can only happen alongside the redistribution of wealth. Quality of life is not simply relative, and cutting standards of living in the West will ultimately not help people in the most oppressed regions of the world feel better about how they are forced to live.

Despite these difficulties, and the rather fluffy economics of the film, it remains important. We must act now, and the Age of Stupid is proposing a way forward. It’s a shame that the dissemination of the film is not as wide as it could be – I can only assume that there are rights issues that stop it being put up on Google Video or similar. Needless to say, there’s information about the campaign and screenings on www.ageofstupid.net and I encourage you all to watch the film, and show it to others too.