This well made film about an organisation fighting for the rights of animals with advanced cognitive abilities presents some fascinating legal and ethical issues
New York-based attorney and law professor Steven M Wise is the founder of the Nonhuman Rights Project, an organisation dedicated to changing the status of certain animals, particularly apes and other creatures with advanced cognitive abilities, so that they are seen as people, not things. This crisply compiled factual work tracks him and his associates over the course of several years as they file lawsuits and argue in the courts to emancipate three chimpanzees in particular from what they consider to be unsuitable, even cruel environments. The subtle but fascinating legal points raised revolve around the interpretation of habeas corpus, precedents involving slavery and legal notions of personhood and competency. The potential is there for turning this material into something dry and excessively detail-driven or, alternatively, hectoring and sentimental about animal rights. Instead, veteran directors Chris Hegedus and Da Pennebaker steer just the right course (together they made Only the Strong Survive and The War Room, but Pennebaker’s filmography is even more illustrious, encompassing the immortal Bob Dylan doc, Don’t Look Back), producing an exemplary piece of documentary storytelling. It’s only a shame that it remains a bit aesthetically televisual, and that the story doesn’t yet have a conclusive ending since the cases are still ongoing.
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New York-based attorney and law professor Steven M Wise is the founder of the Nonhuman Rights Project, an organisation dedicated to changing the status of certain animals, particularly apes and other creatures with advanced cognitive abilities, so that they are seen as people, not things. This crisply compiled factual work tracks him and his associates over the course of several years as they file lawsuits and argue in the courts to emancipate three chimpanzees in particular from what they consider to be unsuitable, even cruel environments. The subtle but fascinating legal points raised revolve around the interpretation of habeas corpus, precedents involving slavery and legal notions of personhood and competency. The potential is there for turning this material into something dry and excessively detail-driven or, alternatively, hectoring and sentimental about animal rights. Instead, veteran directors Chris Hegedus and Da Pennebaker steer just the right course (together they made Only the Strong Survive and The War Room, but Pennebaker’s filmography is even more illustrious, encompassing the immortal Bob Dylan doc, Don’t Look Back), producing an exemplary piece of documentary storytelling. It’s only a shame that it remains a bit aesthetically televisual, and that the story doesn’t yet have a conclusive ending since the cases are still ongoing.
Continue reading...
- 6/16/2016
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
In a land overrun by ruthless creatures that hunt by sound, even the faintest whimper can lead to your death in Tim Lebbon's The Silence, a new horror novel hitting shelves later this month. Titan Books has provided us with an exclusive excerpt from Lebbon's latest to share with Daily Dead readers, and we also have a look at two recent 31 images revealed by Rob Zombie, as well as details on the zombie series, Fight of the Living Dead, which is now available to watch in its entirety on BlackBoxTV.
Tim Lebbon's The Silence: "In the darkness of a underground cave system, blind creatures hunt by sound. Then there is light, there are voices, and they feed... Swarming from their prison, the creatures thrive and destroy. To scream, even to whisper, is to summon death. As the hordes lay waste to Europe, a girl watches to see if they will cross the sea.
Tim Lebbon's The Silence: "In the darkness of a underground cave system, blind creatures hunt by sound. Then there is light, there are voices, and they feed... Swarming from their prison, the creatures thrive and destroy. To scream, even to whisper, is to summon death. As the hordes lay waste to Europe, a girl watches to see if they will cross the sea.
- 4/6/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Pre-credit sequence. Storms seem to be building as No Collar returns to camp. "Nina got what was coming to her," Hali cackles, malevolently, as if Nina had done her any harm at all. Hali explains to Will that his name only came up twice as a safety net. Will says that No Collar has the unit they want, but he also knows that he's doomed unless he can get Joe to turn on the girls this early. He eats things that would make a billy-goat puke. Yikes. There's a big snake over at Blue Collar. Mike successfully machetes the snake and he skins it for dinner. Actually, it's not that big at all, but Mike is willing to eat anything, as he proved with the scorpion situation. Rodney is hesitant, but he wants protein. It seems that the hatchet has been buried between Rodney and Mike. That's nice! Major cluck-up.
- 3/19/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
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It may be stating the obvious but death is one of the constants of The Walking Dead television series. Many characters have died or been left for dead over the course of the show’s four seasons as Rick Grimes and crew navigate the dangerous and and zombie-filled post-apocalyptic landscape. The series, and the original comic on which it’s based, has never been hesitant to kill off major characters but what about those minor characters that only lasted for an episode or two?
Whatever happened to Guillermo and the nursing home vatos or Morgan after Rick left them behind? What might have happened had Rick not killed Tomas from the prison or Dave from Philadelphia? And why didn’t they pick up that hitchhiker? He seemed like a nice guy. Oh well. Only the strong survive in the new walker world order so as we reach...
It may be stating the obvious but death is one of the constants of The Walking Dead television series. Many characters have died or been left for dead over the course of the show’s four seasons as Rick Grimes and crew navigate the dangerous and and zombie-filled post-apocalyptic landscape. The series, and the original comic on which it’s based, has never been hesitant to kill off major characters but what about those minor characters that only lasted for an episode or two?
Whatever happened to Guillermo and the nursing home vatos or Morgan after Rick left them behind? What might have happened had Rick not killed Tomas from the prison or Dave from Philadelphia? And why didn’t they pick up that hitchhiker? He seemed like a nice guy. Oh well. Only the strong survive in the new walker world order so as we reach...
- 12/1/2013
- by B Smith
- TheFabLife - Movies
If they grace the festival with their presence, it would be like having the Beatles show up (Frederick Wiseman is our Elvis). Legendary docu-team Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker haven’t presented a doc film at the fest since 1987′s Jimi Plays Monterey (Update: they actually showed up in back-to-back years with Startup.com (2001) and Only the Strong Survive) and the pair have participated as jurors/panelists as well. Their new project, which received some coin via the 2013 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund, is a hot topic issue/last frontier, that may be aligned with Sundance’s unwritten mandate for docu films that push social boundaries.
Gist: Renowned animal rights attorney Steven Wise wants to break through the legal wall that separates animals and humans. His lawsuit, the first of its kind, will demand the most basic of personhood rights – those of bodily integrity and liberty – for an animal of a...
Gist: Renowned animal rights attorney Steven Wise wants to break through the legal wall that separates animals and humans. His lawsuit, the first of its kind, will demand the most basic of personhood rights – those of bodily integrity and liberty – for an animal of a...
- 11/21/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Chicago — When this proud city welcomed back hometown hero Don Cornelius last year, it wasn't just Chicago-style – it was "Soul Train" style, complete with Afro wigs, bell bottoms and hip-shaking in the streets.
The 40th anniversary celebrations for "Soul Train" traced a remarkable journey for a former Chicago police officer who got his start in broadcasting when he pulled over a radio executive in a traffic stop and then had to build up his pioneering show one step at a time.
Cornelius, who became an icon defining black culture in America for decades, died at his California home Wednesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 75.
While the South Side native and his show left Chicago decades ago for Los Angeles, his legacy has lived on here – in the "Don Cornelius Way" street sign west of downtown, in the teens and performers who boogied onstage during the early days of...
The 40th anniversary celebrations for "Soul Train" traced a remarkable journey for a former Chicago police officer who got his start in broadcasting when he pulled over a radio executive in a traffic stop and then had to build up his pioneering show one step at a time.
Cornelius, who became an icon defining black culture in America for decades, died at his California home Wednesday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 75.
While the South Side native and his show left Chicago decades ago for Los Angeles, his legacy has lived on here – in the "Don Cornelius Way" street sign west of downtown, in the teens and performers who boogied onstage during the early days of...
- 2/2/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
DVD or Blu-ray? Redbox or Netflix? Streaming? And hardest of all: Justin Timberlake or Ryan Gosling? Whatever your poison, here's the breakdown on all the week's new releases. Moviefone's Picks of the Week "Drive" What's It About? Ryan Gosling stars as a stuntman-by-day, getaway-driver-by-night who gets caught up in a violent con-job involving his beautiful neighbor and her young son. See It Because: It's an original idea with good acting performances and unique direction -- which is becoming more and more of a rarity in Hollywood these days. By now you should know this is not the "Fast and Furious" car racing movie some people thought it would be; it's a gritty, stylish crime thriller in the vein of the genre's best output from the 70s and 80s. Also Available on: Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video "In Time" What's It About? Justin Timberlake flexes his action hero muscles in...
- 1/31/2012
- by Eric Larnick
- Moviefone
Monday on Gossip Girl, Blair makes all of her former minions (and Charlie) compete to secure the coveted bridesmaid spots in her upcoming royal wedding. The result? A hilarious, stressful audition.
In the hilarious clip below, we see the pregnant B (with Dorota's help) putting prospective bridesmaids through the ringer, throwing every possible obstacle in their paths. Only the strong survive ...
Meanwhile, in a second sneak peek, Nate - who's tired of keeping his relationship with Diana a secret - becomes jealous that she's bringing someone else as a date. Will he decide to turn the tables?
Check out both scenes from "I Am Number Nine" below and see what you think:
Gossip Girl 'I Am Number Nine' Clip - Fall In Line!
Gossip Girl 'I Am Number Nine' Clip - Her Date?...
In the hilarious clip below, we see the pregnant B (with Dorota's help) putting prospective bridesmaids through the ringer, throwing every possible obstacle in their paths. Only the strong survive ...
Meanwhile, in a second sneak peek, Nate - who's tired of keeping his relationship with Diana a secret - becomes jealous that she's bringing someone else as a date. Will he decide to turn the tables?
Check out both scenes from "I Am Number Nine" below and see what you think:
Gossip Girl 'I Am Number Nine' Clip - Fall In Line!
Gossip Girl 'I Am Number Nine' Clip - Her Date?...
- 11/4/2011
- by steve@iscribelimited.com (Steve Marsi)
- TVfanatic
Director: Jason Eisener.
Writers: John Davies, Jason Eisener, and Rob Cotterill.
Jason Eisener ("Treevenge") was the winner of a South-by-Southwest contest, which covered faux trailers; this was back in 2007. Meanwhile, with some help from local producers, Eisener developed this cheesy grindhouse trailer into a full length feature film, titled Hobo with a Shotgun. Now, playing across Canada, critic Scott Weinberg says of the film's style: "It's crazy, it's messy" (Fearnet). Most importantly, the film manages to be shocking, with all kinds of violence and bloody situations.
One of the first sequences in the film involves an anonymous character (Robb Wells) having his head ripped off, while secured to a manhole cover. Let the gore begin! Children are kidnapped by pedophiles, a Santa masturbates in front of a school park and all of a send you are like: what the hell is going on here? These scenarios and others will demand...
Writers: John Davies, Jason Eisener, and Rob Cotterill.
Jason Eisener ("Treevenge") was the winner of a South-by-Southwest contest, which covered faux trailers; this was back in 2007. Meanwhile, with some help from local producers, Eisener developed this cheesy grindhouse trailer into a full length feature film, titled Hobo with a Shotgun. Now, playing across Canada, critic Scott Weinberg says of the film's style: "It's crazy, it's messy" (Fearnet). Most importantly, the film manages to be shocking, with all kinds of violence and bloody situations.
One of the first sequences in the film involves an anonymous character (Robb Wells) having his head ripped off, while secured to a manhole cover. Let the gore begin! Children are kidnapped by pedophiles, a Santa masturbates in front of a school park and all of a send you are like: what the hell is going on here? These scenarios and others will demand...
- 4/12/2011
- by Remove28DaysLaterAnalysisThis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
"Use your voice, Kelly," she said. "Tell us what's happening." Here I am in my first Method class, and I have this amazing instructor as my guide, I think to myself. I'm ready to learn and let her direction drive my creativity. I sit in my chair on the stage, eyes closed. I drop my head, stretch out my arms and attempt to relax my body. I tried to focus on my thoughts and what they mean at that moment—letting them morph and spiral into emotion. Although it was hard to concentrate with the cries and moans coming from the other students warming up, I continued to stretch and tried to focus. It wasn't working."I feel distracted," I said, honestly expressing what I felt. She didn't respond. I sat and waited, eyes still closed. "Move, Kelly!" she barked. Move how? I don't get it. I sat frozen, then...
- 12/31/2010
- backstage.com
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