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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2011)
arts & entertainment Diet Documentary Advocates Vegetables by kam Williams, special to The Skanner News Why is that most Americans are overweight nowadays? And why are we sicker and spending more on healthcare than ever before? It’s all in the diet, according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, medical pio- neers who have staked their careers studying the skyrock- eting increase in the so-called “Diseases of Affluence.” These iconoclastic physicians find themselves at odds with the bulk of their colleagues because they believe that most of the degenerative diseases afflicting humanity are a consequence of our eating animals and processed foods. This is the proposition which they set about proving in Forks over Knives, a documentary indicting agribusiness for the aforementioned sorry state of affairs. Directed by Lee Fulkerson, this incendiary expose’ shows how corporations have successfully exploited our biological urges for generations, often with the help of government-sponsored propaganda. For example, the film features clips from an old newsreel where it is suggested that cow’s milk is better for a baby than mother’s milk. Similar approaches have been employed to dupe the populace into believing in everything from having eggs and bacon for breakfast daily to the notion that meat is the Research doctors explain the rise in disease compared to meat consumption only way to get enough protein. Fundamental to such mind control is the ensnaring of consumers in “The Pleasure Trap” whereby advertisers cleverly leverage the natural instinct for food and sex. Fortunately, reversing the trend simply involves reeduca- tion and opting to step off the self-destructive treadmill which has most of us on a diet dominated by meats, salt, fat, sugar and refined foods of little nutritional value. Judging by the glowing testimonials of Dr. Campell’s and Dr. Esselstyn’s patients here, apparently all it takes is merely adopting a whole foods, plant-based regimen not only to see the pounds come off but to end one’s depend- ency on pills for blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes and many other medical maladies. Back to nature and rejuvenation just by refusing to be brainwashed by Madison Avenue any longer! Excellent(4 stars) Rated PG for smoking and mature themes. Running time: 96 Minutes Distributor: Monica Beach Media To see a trailer for Forks over Knives, visit the Skanner’s YouTube Channel Monopoly Movie Celebrates Popular Board Game by kam Williams, special to The Skanner News I n 1935, Charles Darrow, au unemployed salesman from Philadelphia, got a patent on Monopoly, a board game ostensibly inspired by another named The Landlord. The original had been invented over three decades earlier by a Quaker named Lizzie Phillips as a means of illustrat- ing capitalism’s tendency to enrich property owners at the expense of impoverishing renters. But Darrow’s version of the game was more a celebration than an indictment of an evil economic system. It even fea- tured Rich Uncle Pennybags as is mascot, an exuberant, tuxedoed character sporting a top hat, cane and handlebar mustache reportedly modeled on filthy-rich financier J.P. Morgan. The rights to Monopoly were acquired by Parker Brothers which started mass producing the game. Soon thereafter, the game caught fire among millions of the discouraged desperate to rekindle the American Dream as they struggled to survive the Great Depression. Its popularity has persist- ed uninterrupted over the intervening years to the point where it has been translated into dozens of languages and is presently being distributed in over a hundred countries around the world. Furthermore, Monopoly today is as much a brand as it is a game, with the name being licensed for use by McDonald’s, gambling casinos, lotteries and so forth. Meanwhile, it has also become a part of the nation’s very cultural fabric, as witnessed by the countless references to the game made in movies and on television shows. All of the above is chronicled in Under the Boardwalk, a delightful documentary directed by Kevin Tostado which is certain to delight any Monopoly fan. For besides dissemi- nating some fascinating historical info, the movie is kept lively by chronicling the goings-on at both the United States and World Monopoly Championships of 2009. Coming from all walks of life, the only thing the colorful entrants have in common is an obsession with playing the endlessly-entertaining board game that has captured their imaginations since childhood. As for the key to winning, the participants seem to agree that despite the incredible amount of strategy necessary for a serious shot at the title, a lucky roll of the dice might ultimately decide the out- come. Advance token to Boardwalk! Very Good (3 stars) Rated G Running time: 88 minutes Distributor: Rhino Films Page 6 The Portland and Seattle Skanner may 18, 2011
