It was only last night that I discovered that there is a possibility of making a World War II movie that is mind-numbingly boring. When you watch Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates, Flags of our Fathers and the Navarone series (written by Alistair MacLean, a novelist who was considered pure genius), you'll understand why the movie in question, Pathfinders In the Company of Strangers was such a complete waste of time!
Apart from the movie being a "lost tale" that resurfaced this year, it seems as if the art of movie making in this movie has also been a "lost cause" just as much as the movie's storyline.
Maybe if these efforts were directed to making a documentary much like the efforts of Morgan Spurlock in the making of SuperSize Me (which also confronted the notion of a "lost cause" when it comes to obesity and health), perhaps they would have had much more success with it.
Speaking of the documentary however which made waves in 2004 and earned it a nomination for an Academy Award for Documentary Feature, it did strike me as propaganda of the anti-establishment and conspiracy theory types – which is perhaps what made it so appealing.
Enough for me to share my thoughts about it in a review, of sorts…
Supersize Me Movie – A Review of Sorts
As bizarre as this sounds, two out of three Americans over the age of 20 are obese these days and perhaps justifies why obesity is now considered to have reached 'epidemic' status by the Surgeon General.
And with more and more fingers pointing to the demon of "fast food" in being one of the primary causes of obesity, it was only a matter of time before someone woke up and made a documentary on the vices involved with eating food that is anything but nutritious!
Perhaps Mr. Spurlock's interest in McDonalds was spurred by the lawsuit against McDonalds as being the reason why two young girls had to deal with being overweight.
Despite the fact that the ruling was in favor of the fast food giant, something didn't seem right, and this is what Morgan (the filmmaker of this documentary) and his then-girlfriend, Alexandra set out to investigate. (Read this link for the findings of the court in the Pelman Vs. McDonalds lawsuit).
The Plot (Or Call it what you will!)
Supersize Me clearly documents the changes in obesity and health levels of Morgan as he puts his health on the line by eating McDonalds food three times a day for thirty days.
If that's not enough, he checks his "progress" every ten days or so by visiting several health professionals such as a gastroenterologist, a general practitioner, a nutritionist, a cardiologist and a personal trainer.
However, the documentary is more than just bashing McDonalds as he also share insights about current levels (and practices) of health and fitness in schools while also making his point about how businesses continue to showcase their products despite the fact that they are unhealthy all in the name of "profitability".
During this experiment, he experienced depression, headaches and lethargy while at Day # 21, doctors request him to stop due to suffering from palpitations.
And you know what, he gained 25.5 pounds…
Month/Year of Release: May 7, 2004
Duration: 98 mins
In Closing
This is no collage of random images that you would be accustomed to when it comes to documentaries but a chronological capture of footage from Day One to Thirty.
And despite the fact that the girlfriend (now wife) really got on my nerves with that anal-retentiveness that only comes with being a vegan chef, the very fact that McDonalds discontinued the SuperSize option after the documentary was released told me all I needed to know.
Feel free to share your thoughts about the movie as well…
