"No End in Sight" trailer

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Please, please look at the trailer for Charles Ferguson's No End in Sight (Magnolia, 7.27.07 in NYC -- 8.3 or 8.10 in Los Angeles), and then go to the site and read the synopsis and reviews. Having seen it last Friday, I can say I've never been made to feel so real-world enraged by a movie in all my life. Ferguson's merciless analysis of the Bush administration's handling of the ever-worsening situation in Iraq beginning in May 2003 is truly sickening.

As of this writing, No End in Sight is an absolute contender for Best Feature Documentary. I had a somewhat thorough but not very detailed grasp of the situation in Iraq before seeing it. After seeing it I felt as if someone had leaned over and turned the lens and sharpened the focus. I'm hoping to speak with Ferguson later this week by phone, and then do a sitdown with him in Los Angeles later this month. I know full well that 97% of the moviegoers out there will do the typical vegetable thing -- i.e, will never see it, never rent the DVD, never think about it. It would be nice if some would think about responding differently.

The website copy doesn't lie: No End in Sight "is a jaw-dropping, insider's tale of wholesale incompetence, recklessness and venality. Based on over 200 hours of footage, the film examines the manner in which the principal errors of U.S. policy -- the use of insufficient troop levels, allowing the looting of Baghdad, the purging of professionals from the Iraqi government, and the disbanding of the Iraqi military -- largely created the insurgency and chaos that engulf Iraq today."

The most venal character the film is L. Paul Bremer, who was appointed by Donald Rumsfeld to be the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. He exercised authority over Iraq's civil administration from 5.11.03 to 6.28.04. Bremer's decision to disband the Iraqi Army and remove Ba'ath party members from top government posts "helped create and worsen an atmosphere of discontent," according to his Wikipedia page.

Iraq dead poster<< previous | next >>Three things led to a change

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 9, 2007 at 2:20 PM

comment #1

christian says ...

bush hater.

Posted by christian at July 9, 2007 3:21 PM

comment #2

renorambler says ...

Personally I don't hate GWB per se. I just dislike anybody who isn't intellectually curious about the world. It's just unfortunate that one of the most adamantly anti-intellectual people I can think of happens to be "leading" our country.

Posted by renorambler at July 9, 2007 3:29 PM

comment #3

christian says ...

i just love hearing people on the right claim that bush's "regular guy" lack of intellect is why they like him. and why the world doesn't.

Posted by christian at July 9, 2007 3:39 PM

comment #4

Geoff says ...

I will see this no matter what. I mean, we all know they fucked this thing up real good...but I want this doc to be accurate dammit.

I'm looking forward to any kind of interview with the filmmaker Jeff.

Posted by Geoff at July 9, 2007 3:45 PM

comment #5

count.olaf says ...

According to his wikipedia page? Good source!

Posted by count.olaf at July 9, 2007 5:56 PM

comment #6

Fred Mounts says ...

Wikipedia is great! Just look what Stephen Colbert was able to do with the elephant population. I might make a Wikipedia page that says that I'm a millionaire.

Posted by Fred Mounts at July 10, 2007 6:46 AM

comment #7

Jesse Perry says ...

"I know full well that 97% of the moviegoers out there will do the typical vegetable thing -- i.e, will never see it, never rent the DVD, never think about it."

I find it odd that you mock the "common" masses, even though you concede that you're just now learning about the details of this tragic bungle. The arrogant incompetence of this administration, and how it hampered their war efforts, has been covered on Frontline for the past few years. Where the fuck have YOU been, Jeff?

Posted by Jesse Perry at July 10, 2007 7:37 AM

comment #8

buddhaplex says ...

I gotta get with Jesse on this one. This may be THE film that covers the breadth of the Bush Administration's fuck-ups, but as far as I'm concerned, it's just a compilation of reporting that's been going on since I watched Ground Zero become Ground Zero.

And also...the die hard Republicans will always stand by their man. He could be Satan. Literally.

And the unbridled corporate control of the government and AmericaÃ¯Â£Âª is what's really fucked this all up. Why isn't Ferguson covering that aspect? Oh, right. He comes directly from that camp.

I suppose some folks just know how to make a buck.

Posted by buddhaplex at July 10, 2007 9:03 AM

comment #9

Ross says ...

This looks like it could be THE documentary about the Iraq War. I can't wait to see it. I know it'll infuriate me and that I won't be able to do shit about it. So really, what's it going to change? I was already voting for the democrats... not that they're any better... I don't trust any politician.

And that's why most people probably won't watch it... they know it's the truth, they know it's horrible, but they just can't bring themselves to care. After a hard week at an underpaying job with no benefits, they don't want to sit down and watch other people's problems, they want to forget their own with a stupid movie about a bunch of Wizards or Robot-cars, whatever will make them forget their miserable lives for a few hours.

America is falling apart around us and our leaders aren't doing anything to stop it... so why should we care about how they're fucking over some "ragheads" halfway around the world. It's very easy to tune out and that's sad, but it's a fact.

Posted by Ross at July 10, 2007 9:22 AM

comment #10

SpinDozer says ...

'I gotta get with Jesse on this one. This may be THE film that covers the breadth of the Bush Administration's fuck-ups'

So, it's like what 40 hours long?

'The arrogant incompetence of this administration, and how it hampered their war efforts, has been covered on Frontline for the past few years. '

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/yeariniraq/view/

>The Bremer screw up.

Biggest problem I have with these things is will the 'new' material or presentation be worth the time/effort. This looks pretty good, but I'm not too sure that there's anything new.

Posted by SpinDozer at July 10, 2007 9:42 AM

comment #11