The War Tapes
Directed by Deborah Scranton
By Travis Mackenzie Hoover

As Iraq war documentaries go, this is better than the mindless Gunner Palace but not as thoughtful as Occupation: Dreamland. It’s a compromise between the jingo bellicosity of the former and the lefty helplessness of the latter. The ultimate in embedded journalism, it hands cameras to three soldiers (Sgt. Steve Pink, Sgt. Zack Bazzi, and Specialist Mike Moriarty) and tells them to shoot what they see. The men are quite unambiguously pro-war but the film chooses to focus on the very specific reasons for fighting — while Moriarty is a super-patriot who enlisted with a strong sense of duty, the Lebanese-American Bazzi has no investment in the war, per se, and is quick to point out one or two sticking points in Bush’s agenda. Most of the participants wind up despising Halliburton, whose convoys of food and soda are guarded by the soldiers, leading one to witheringly describe it as “the war for cheese.” But while the film stops well short of actually criticising the war — as do even the fed-up threesome despite their risks on behalf of Dick Cheney — they still make the act of war look supremely unappetising. And the film is smart enough to ask questions of the women they leave behind, from the panicked significant others of Pink and Moriarty to Bazzi’s mother, who emigrated specifically to protect her son from what he has now volunteered for. It’s sadly not a peacenik movie but it’s still important to see to capture the layers of reasoning that get people to enlist and keeps them motivated despite the appalling damage they must inevitably incur. A disquieting movie by any standard. (Mongrel Media)

The Illusionist - Dir. by Neil Burger
Playing a master of slight of hand, disappearances and other tricks of the 19th century illusionist’s trade, Edward Norton manages to distract us only briefly before we realise that there’s not much behind this tale of supernatural romance. ...Read More
Accepted - Dir. by Steve Pink
Accepted follows the long-running tradition of comedies that root for the underdog as he’s pitted against some unpleasant force that must be conquered and fed a piece of that tasty humble pie. ...Read More
A Sunday in Kigali - Dir. by Robert Favreau
All The King’s Men - Dir. by Steven Zaillian
Crank - Dir. by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Dreamland - Dir. by Jason Matzner
Employee of the Month - Dir. by Greg Coolidge
Flyboys - Dir. by Tony Bill
Half Nelson - Dir. by Ryan Fleck
Hollywoodland - Dir. by Allen Coulter
Idlewild - Dir. by Bryan Barber
Invincible - Dir. by Ericson Core
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles - Dir. by Zhang Yimou
Shadowboxer - Dir. by Lee Daniels
Shortbus - Dir. by John Cameron Mitchell
The Black Dahlia - Dir. by Brian De Palma
The House of Sand - Dir. by Andrucha Waddington
The Last King of Scotland - Dir. by Kevin MacDonald
The Quiet - Dir. by Jamie Babbit
The Science of Sleep - Dir. by Michel Gondry
The War Tapes - Dir. by Deborah Scranton
The Wicker Man - Dir. by Neil LaBute
Trust the Man - Dir. by Bart Freundlich
New and Forthcoming Release Dates In Canada - All information is tentative and subject to sudden change
Check out the hottest new releases in Canada this week, including: 50 Cent Before I Self-Destruct, Boris Japanese Heavy Rock Hits #2 7", Kid Sister Ultraviolet, Norah Jones The Fall, Stereophonics Keep Calm and Carry On... Read More
Do Make Say Think - Other Truths
Though they've never been predictable, twisting and turning down a veering path of whatever post-rock is supposed to be, Do Make Say Think strike a reflective tone on the wondrous Other Truths. By their own reckoning, Do Make's previous acclaimed record, You, You're a History in Rust, ... Full Review
King Khan
Montreal ex-pat King Khan has led a classically "rock'n'roll" lifestyle since leaving his home at 17, legally changing his name from Erich Khan to Blacksnake, and eventually relocating to Berlin. Since then, he's become renowned worldwide for his various garage, punk and soul projects, including the big-band soul project King Khan and the Shrines and his collaborative duo with Mark Sultan, the King Khan and BBQ Show.... Read More
Social Networking
• Be our friend on MySpace
• Be our fan on Facebook
• Tweet us on twitter
Viewing the September 2006 Issue: • Contents Page • News • Click Hear • Articles --> On the Cover  •  Front Five  •  Points  •  Comics  •  Questionnaire  •  Research  •  Videogames • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  No Future  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews  •  Hillside Festival Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews  •  Videogame Reviews • Music School --> Label Life  •  Meet & Greet  •  Need to Know  •  What I Play • Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio • Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue • Browse Issues