1. Fantasy

   10

   A masterpiece of both style & techique. Winterbottom's film is biased to the left, of course, but don't let that offend you. He9;s onto something deeper in this deeply unsettling, absolutely mesmerizing work. Winterbottom brings punk chick to the partisan documentary. His shaky camera, untrained actors, and real locations puts us right in the argument. We've all seen talking heads onscreen before, here we have no such luck...so much the better.… Expand

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2. MartinA.

   7

   The fictional reenactment of the trip to Kandahar may be the weak point of this "documentary", while the flashbacks to "happy occidental times" is the low point. There was no need to make these guys more likeable, more occidental (the Gap shirt, to some level the language), or more "clean". That's not the point. The subject is strong enough by itself. Even if these men were going to fight for Afghanistan - and not seek a giant naan - does that legitimate Guantanamo? To me the whole story lies there: even Saddam is having a fair trial (or so it seems). Something like Guantanamo is a shame to any nation that prides itself as "democratic".… Expand

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3. JimG.

   6

   Another docudrama that, by its form, creates confusion between fact and opinion. Only toward the end is a narrator employed to fill in gaps and move the story forward. If I had to rate it on effectiveness in provoking thought, I give it an 8. But if I had to rate it on journalistic thoroughnessI give it a 4. Unfortunately, a question that isn't asked or answered is why young men who have been living in the west would dare venture from Pakistan into the war zone in Afghanistan for vacation within one month of September 11. While the answer to that question is irrelevant to how justice should be administered, the failure to address it simply plays into the hands of those on the right.… Expand

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4. Syzygy

   1

   partisan trash. the director laps up everything these poor, defenseless goobers tell him. these innocent and virginal lads were traipsing about the wastelands of afghanistan, admiring butterflies and wildflowers, when the evil americans burst from the sky, snapped them up, and tossed them into dark cells for no conceivable reason whatsoever. funny in a most unintended and pathetc way.… Expand

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