Judging by other reviews, there's a lot of misperception of film so let's try to get the record straight about what the documentary includes and what it's trying to convey to the viewer.
First of all, it shows some stunning imagery and repetitive video editing that is overlaid with music and speeches. It is very much focused on style. Some of these are meant to criticize modern day capitalism, some are meant to mock the leaders/proponents of the establishment, and some are simply showing the ramifications of consumerism.
Secondly, the films shows alternatives to the status-quo like Cuba and primitivism. These are montages with imagery or just the people speaking directly to the camera.
What biggest misunderstanding people seem to have is about "style over substance". However, actually, since it's made in the repetitive style of a commercial, that is in fact is the entire point. The goal is to make you think of how you receive your information and leaves you with content you need to digest. If you're passive, which is what most TV watching is anyway, you'll get nothing at all from the content. The goal of the filmmakers is to have you reflect on both the means and the results of business as usual and to stop being passive to the information you receive.
The second misunderstanding seems to revolve around what it's advocating. Unlike what some seem to think, it's neither to follow the Cuban model or the primitivist model. The imagery and speeches while less scathing, are left to show these as being also hollow in the end. Overall, none of them are presented very appealingly. But just when you think it might finish being a nihilistic deconstruction of modern day society comes the "point", if there is one. It's the next to last line of the movie: "I want something else."
First of all, it shows some stunning imagery and repetitive video editing that is overlaid with music and speeches. It is very much focused on style. Some of these are meant to criticize modern day capitalism, some are meant to mock the leaders/proponents of the establishment, and some are simply showing the ramifications of consumerism.
Secondly, the films shows alternatives to the status-quo like Cuba and primitivism. These are montages with imagery or just the people speaking directly to the camera.
What biggest misunderstanding people seem to have is about "style over substance". However, actually, since it's made in the repetitive style of a commercial, that is in fact is the entire point. The goal is to make you think of how you receive your information and leaves you with content you need to digest. If you're passive, which is what most TV watching is anyway, you'll get nothing at all from the content. The goal of the filmmakers is to have you reflect on both the means and the results of business as usual and to stop being passive to the information you receive.
The second misunderstanding seems to revolve around what it's advocating. Unlike what some seem to think, it's neither to follow the Cuban model or the primitivist model. The imagery and speeches while less scathing, are left to show these as being also hollow in the end. Overall, none of them are presented very appealingly. But just when you think it might finish being a nihilistic deconstruction of modern day society comes the "point", if there is one. It's the next to last line of the movie: "I want something else."