Watched Fast Food Nation.
We could have seen Troy McClure at the beginning saying. "Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such propaganda films as, "Water: The Loud Killer" and "Smarties: Not for the Smart." By that I mean that Fast Food Nation is a caricature of a propaganda film. Nothing more.
At first I thought I could at least get into the story. The characters are presented in an interesting way, but ultimately they are used only to spout off questionable statistics and opinion. None of them reach a level of story telling that would make this anything more than a smear campaign against.... who?
Another problem with this is it seems to argue against itself.
The Mexican wife who gets screwed from behind (literally) to get a job on the killing floor and is overcome by sadness and disgust when she sees the cows die. First, Mexicans don't really have an issue with animals dying to provide meat. Most of them, especially the kinds who flee to America for a better life, have killed their own animals many times for meat. That she would be overcome with the blood and guts of a cow is unrealistic. Second, is she really more upset about dead cows than cheating on her husband and getting sexually abused? Really?
I've been on the killing floors of meat processing plants. I know what goes into meat for fast food, hot dogs, Jell-O, and a bevy of other items. No, it's not something I'd put in my kids easter basket, but it's the way it is. I guess the horror of a cow dying is something for the ignorant masses to panic at.
Probably the wost thing about the movie is it missed its mark on exposing the fast food industry. The film "Super-size Me" for all it's inaccuracies and self-serving bull crap at least offered a unique view with humor and real concerns. Fast Food Nation only gives you a vague feeling that you should feel bad about eating at Arby's. (I usually feel bad after eating at Arby's but that's another thread.)
Bottom line. The movie is only worth watching as an example of bad propaganda.
We could have seen Troy McClure at the beginning saying. "Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such propaganda films as, "Water: The Loud Killer" and "Smarties: Not for the Smart." By that I mean that Fast Food Nation is a caricature of a propaganda film. Nothing more.
At first I thought I could at least get into the story. The characters are presented in an interesting way, but ultimately they are used only to spout off questionable statistics and opinion. None of them reach a level of story telling that would make this anything more than a smear campaign against.... who?
Another problem with this is it seems to argue against itself.
- Fecal Matter is in almost all raw meat people buy. That's why you don't eat raw meat. Fecal matter is also in most organic vegetables and fruit you buy. Please tell me you cook that. This isn't anything new or a product of fast food. It's just the way it is.
- The problems with the beef plant, in the film, are based on hearsay and rumor. You never see any proof in the film of any wrongdoing. Weird. Show us the meat line with poo on it or something.
The Mexican wife who gets screwed from behind (literally) to get a job on the killing floor and is overcome by sadness and disgust when she sees the cows die. First, Mexicans don't really have an issue with animals dying to provide meat. Most of them, especially the kinds who flee to America for a better life, have killed their own animals many times for meat. That she would be overcome with the blood and guts of a cow is unrealistic. Second, is she really more upset about dead cows than cheating on her husband and getting sexually abused? Really?
I've been on the killing floors of meat processing plants. I know what goes into meat for fast food, hot dogs, Jell-O, and a bevy of other items. No, it's not something I'd put in my kids easter basket, but it's the way it is. I guess the horror of a cow dying is something for the ignorant masses to panic at.
Probably the wost thing about the movie is it missed its mark on exposing the fast food industry. The film "Super-size Me" for all it's inaccuracies and self-serving bull crap at least offered a unique view with humor and real concerns. Fast Food Nation only gives you a vague feeling that you should feel bad about eating at Arby's. (I usually feel bad after eating at Arby's but that's another thread.)
Bottom line. The movie is only worth watching as an example of bad propaganda.
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