Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 33

Poitras Film on Snowden Debuts

We followed the Twitter reveals about the much-awaited doc on Edward Snowden by Laura Poitras that debuted at the NY Film Festival last night.  How he reacted to news of a second leaker, and so on.  Now stories at news sites are appearing, including this one at The Guardian--that he film shows that his girlfriend, presumed to have been abandoned, has actually been living with him in Moscow.  And more:

In his first comment about the documentary, which Poitras had shown to him in advance, Snowden told the Guardian: “I hope people won’t see this as a story about heroism. It’s actually a story about what ordinary people can do in extraordinary circumstances.”

UPDATE: Trailer just out:

CITIZENFOUR Trailer

Defending Obama

Paul Krugman, of all people, has cover story in Rolling Stone just up, "In Defense of Obama."

Am I damning with faint praise? Not at all. This is what a successful presidency looks like. No president gets to do everything his supporters expected him to. FDR left behind a reformed nation, but one in which the wealthy retained a lot of power and privilege. On the other side, for all his anti-government rhetoric, Reagan left the core institutions of the New Deal and the Great Society in place. I don't care about the fact that Obama hasn't lived up to the golden dreams of 2008, and I care even less about his approval rating. I do care that he has, when all is said and done, achieved a lot. That is, as Joe Biden didn't quite say, a big deal.

Ken Burns on Vietnam

Maybe this is widely known but news to me.  From a Facebook post by my friend Joe Galloway, ex-Knight Ridder guy, writer for me at E&P on Iraq, and co-author of "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young."

Just rolled into the driveway tonight after a week in New Hampshire screening the roughs of all ten two-hour episodes of Ken Burns' forthcoming documentary history of the Vietnam War which will be broadcast in 2017 by PBS. Even in rough cut form it is simply superb. It raises the art of story telling by several notches. Authentic voices of scores of Americans, South Vietnamese and North Vietnamese each tell a bit of their story, interwoven with still photos, film, network broadcasts.....and the music of those days adding so much to the experience. Definitely a box and a half of Kleenex to get through it all. I broke down a dozen or more times. I wish the series were being broadcast next month because I believe our Country really needs so chilling a reminder of the horror and cost of so huge a mistake at this point in our history.

Wag Are the World

Maybe the White House will get on this to rally support for new war in Syria.  From the great "Wag the Dog."

Nobel Peace Winners

An Indian, Kailash Satyarthi, and Malala Yousafzai, from Pakistan, win the Nobel Peace Prize 2014.   More here.  Malala was seen as a frontrunner.  Edward Snowden also had been mentioned.

Compassion

Lead song, here live, from great new Lucinda Williams double-lp with lyrics from he famed poet father.  And below that, two early super songs from when I first discovered her, almost 30 years ago.  Finally, a key cut from her "Carwheels" breakthrough.

Evolver

This just dropped today--latest official trailer created by my son out in L.A. for what might be hottest, or at least most acclaimed, game of the year,  Evolve: Big Alpha. 

What He Might Have Said

Or at least should have said, given what's transpired lately, in the famously mysterious final scene of Lost in Translation, when Bill Murray whispers indistinctly in Scarlett's ear: "No nude selfies..."  Actual theories.

Deeper Throat

Newsweek (yes it still exists) cover story just out by Max Holland, longtime Watergate and "Woodstein" sleuth, reveals his latest find, a document in the papers of Alan Pakula, director of All the President's Men.  It discloses some previously unknown sources for the Woodward & Bernstein duo and raises new questions. 

The No Longer Kids in the Hall?

And so this morning here's the annual announcement of the 15 finalists for induction in Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.  Also causes some controversy and "who cares" but here you go with bios and clips...  Includes Lou Reed and Sting as solo artists, and Joan Jett with Blackhearts and Nine-Inch Nails.