There are some documentaries that become commercial and mainstream to the point where you question if they're legitimate. Supersize Me would probably be the best example, where years afterwards a lot of Spurlocks statements and research has been debunked, or so they say, but the thing about Supersize Me is it was pretty entertaining, and Spurlock is a pretty cool guy. The Cove would be another good one. Completely from the american point of view, and not going into the history of the japanese food culture itself, The Cove is another mainstream documentary that shows that these pander to people who don't want both sides of the story. They simply buy whatever they are told and shown on screen. Who are WE to say what people can and cannot eat, or how they do it? Japanese people have been catching and eating dolphin for thousands of years. I guarantee you that if tomorrow someone made a documentary about cows, we'd all still go eat cow. We wouldn't stop.
But the best example would be the 2011 documentary Bully. Unlike the other 2-which did actually have some good messages in them-this thing pissed me off. When this thing caught fire, it began the anti bully campaign that I LOATH. As someone who was bullied, you'd think I'd be all for it, except nobody made laws for me and the other kids. Nobody made a documentary. Nobody GAVE A SHIT. Kids need to learn to handle things on their own; survival of the fittest. It's harsh, yeah, but it's the world. Otherwise, everytime your kid comes into a problem even as an adult they're going to think they can run to mommy and daddy, which is half the problem because by bringing in parents-as they did at some points in this film-and getting the bullies in trouble, all you're doing is making the bullies ANGRIER and they're going to hurt your kid more.
Opening rant aside, I HATED this documentary. I found it INCREDIBLY one sided, biased to the "victims" and you're trying to stop something that has gone on forever and will never be fully stopped. It's completely biased towards the "victims" of bullying, because they make the bullies in this film out to be these absolutely terrible kids who just hurt other kids, but where's THOSE kids side of the story? Actions have reactions. There's a reason someone does something. Perhaps those bullies are being bullied themselves or facing abuse at home. But do we see that? Does it ever even COME UP? NO. It doesn't. We're supposed to just buy it at face value that these kids are evil, awful, heartless people and they don't deserve any sympathy. It's so wrong. Not only that, but these kids are caught on camera saying things like, "I'm gonna stab you" and "you're my bitch". I'm sorry, but kids are smart. I guarantee you-even if they were told to just act like they normally do-no kid, NO KID WOULD EVER, allow themselves to be caught on tape saying and doing the things they were caught saying and doing. They know there's repercussions to that. Imagine if their parents saw it! This documentary is selling a point of view.
And that's the problem with mainstream documentaries I feel. Documentaries are supposed to show you something and allow you to see both sides of it and decide where you fall on how you feel about it. These mainstream documentaries-bully, the cover, supersize me-they don't do that. They don't sell truth, they sell biased one sided opinions and then attack anyone who says that's wrong. That's the other thing I really hate about the anti bully campaign. If you say you're against it-even for good reasons-the anti bully people are bullies themselves, because they will verbally abuse you to the point where you just give in and have to be for anti bullying. It's sickening. It's downright sickening. You're not allowed to have an opinion in these matters. Just shut up and follow the crowd. If you're not with us, you're against us; you're our enemy.
How is that RIGHT?
AND...and this is the worst part to me...the director of this film said he made it because he himself was a victim of bullying. Ok, I can get behind that. For sure. It's therapy. As a writer, as an artist, I can TOTALLY get behind that. But then he goes and makes this movie with the hopes that he can shed light and open eyes to this "epidemic" that has been going on forever and maybe better things. Alright, he didn't do it in the best way, but his intentions were good, right? That does count for something. But then he SELLS IT. I'm sorry, I understand movies need to be profitable, but this is the thing that bugs me, because as Kyle said so well in South Park's parody of the anti bully campaign episode: "If this video needs to be seen by everyone, why don't you put it on the internet for free?" To which Stan had no reply. It boils down to pure market capitalism. This is darwinian capitalism at it's finest. I get you need to recoup your cash from making this thing, but yeah, if it's THAT important you wanna make THAT big a difference...shouldn't it be easily accessible to everyone who needs to see it? Sure, a movie ticket is 8 bucks or so, but that 8 dollars still holds people from going to see this thing.
Bully isn't without merit. It shows something that is a problem, for sure, but it shows in the wrong way, and it ultimately is only making the problem WORSE. "Raising awareness"? I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure people are AWARE of bullying, cancer and aids. What we need are SOLUTIONS. Not awareness. Do I have solutions? No. Nobody really does. We deal with it. It's a part of life and it makes us stronger.
Bully tried, but it didn't work.
FINAL GRADE:
C-
But the best example would be the 2011 documentary Bully. Unlike the other 2-which did actually have some good messages in them-this thing pissed me off. When this thing caught fire, it began the anti bully campaign that I LOATH. As someone who was bullied, you'd think I'd be all for it, except nobody made laws for me and the other kids. Nobody made a documentary. Nobody GAVE A SHIT. Kids need to learn to handle things on their own; survival of the fittest. It's harsh, yeah, but it's the world. Otherwise, everytime your kid comes into a problem even as an adult they're going to think they can run to mommy and daddy, which is half the problem because by bringing in parents-as they did at some points in this film-and getting the bullies in trouble, all you're doing is making the bullies ANGRIER and they're going to hurt your kid more.
Opening rant aside, I HATED this documentary. I found it INCREDIBLY one sided, biased to the "victims" and you're trying to stop something that has gone on forever and will never be fully stopped. It's completely biased towards the "victims" of bullying, because they make the bullies in this film out to be these absolutely terrible kids who just hurt other kids, but where's THOSE kids side of the story? Actions have reactions. There's a reason someone does something. Perhaps those bullies are being bullied themselves or facing abuse at home. But do we see that? Does it ever even COME UP? NO. It doesn't. We're supposed to just buy it at face value that these kids are evil, awful, heartless people and they don't deserve any sympathy. It's so wrong. Not only that, but these kids are caught on camera saying things like, "I'm gonna stab you" and "you're my bitch". I'm sorry, but kids are smart. I guarantee you-even if they were told to just act like they normally do-no kid, NO KID WOULD EVER, allow themselves to be caught on tape saying and doing the things they were caught saying and doing. They know there's repercussions to that. Imagine if their parents saw it! This documentary is selling a point of view.
And that's the problem with mainstream documentaries I feel. Documentaries are supposed to show you something and allow you to see both sides of it and decide where you fall on how you feel about it. These mainstream documentaries-bully, the cover, supersize me-they don't do that. They don't sell truth, they sell biased one sided opinions and then attack anyone who says that's wrong. That's the other thing I really hate about the anti bully campaign. If you say you're against it-even for good reasons-the anti bully people are bullies themselves, because they will verbally abuse you to the point where you just give in and have to be for anti bullying. It's sickening. It's downright sickening. You're not allowed to have an opinion in these matters. Just shut up and follow the crowd. If you're not with us, you're against us; you're our enemy.
How is that RIGHT?
AND...and this is the worst part to me...the director of this film said he made it because he himself was a victim of bullying. Ok, I can get behind that. For sure. It's therapy. As a writer, as an artist, I can TOTALLY get behind that. But then he goes and makes this movie with the hopes that he can shed light and open eyes to this "epidemic" that has been going on forever and maybe better things. Alright, he didn't do it in the best way, but his intentions were good, right? That does count for something. But then he SELLS IT. I'm sorry, I understand movies need to be profitable, but this is the thing that bugs me, because as Kyle said so well in South Park's parody of the anti bully campaign episode: "If this video needs to be seen by everyone, why don't you put it on the internet for free?" To which Stan had no reply. It boils down to pure market capitalism. This is darwinian capitalism at it's finest. I get you need to recoup your cash from making this thing, but yeah, if it's THAT important you wanna make THAT big a difference...shouldn't it be easily accessible to everyone who needs to see it? Sure, a movie ticket is 8 bucks or so, but that 8 dollars still holds people from going to see this thing.
Bully isn't without merit. It shows something that is a problem, for sure, but it shows in the wrong way, and it ultimately is only making the problem WORSE. "Raising awareness"? I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure people are AWARE of bullying, cancer and aids. What we need are SOLUTIONS. Not awareness. Do I have solutions? No. Nobody really does. We deal with it. It's a part of life and it makes us stronger.
Bully tried, but it didn't work.
FINAL GRADE:
C-
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