A classmate recommended King Corn last spring while we were surviving the Econ class and dealing with the assignment on farm subsidies. The documentary can be summed up pretty easily: most corn grown in the U.S. is destined to be made into cattle feed for the beef industry (and cows are grass-chewin' creatures) or corn syrup for soft drinks and other highly processed foods.
It could have been as horrifying as Supersize Me, but it wasn't. The filmmakers rented an acre of a corn farm in Iowa for a year, talked to locals, learned about the corn-growing business, and then followed all the routes their corn might make after harvest. It started a bit slowly, but picked up towards the middle. It wasn't as in-depth as it could have been, but it was a good effort, with some enlightening bits.
Scary in totally different way: Best in Show, which I watched with Ms. Tungsten before I left the Emerald City. I have all of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries in my Netflix queue, and have been watching them when the mood is right. This one was, as expected, funny -- though to date, A Mighty Wind is still my favorite. Maybe because folk music is dearer to my heart than dog shows!And speaking of Netflix... its online viewing offerings (along with Hulu) are my saving grace while broke and bored, before 1) the fellowships and loans post in a few weeks and 2) the homework assignments start to eat away at the free time.
Currently getting through the first season of 30 Rock. HILARIOUS!
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Oh, do talk of 30 Rock and of Tina Fey's awesomeness. At this point, Jack Donagy is the only reason we don't take Alec Baldwin back behind the barn and shoot him. Dr. Spaceman! Dr. Spaceman!
Best in Show is my favorite Christopher Guest movie (though I haven't seen For Your Consideration yet), just because I think it uses all of its characters better than Guffman (rather than mining the main players over and over) and because I thought the folk music got in the way of the jokes in A Mighty Wind, rather than serve as a vehicle for them. But maybe I don't know enough about folk music. I love them all though.
I haven't seen For Your Consideration yet,but it's in my queue! I liked Guffman, also because of the (somewhat loose) personal connection to drama productions. And I just laughed out loud through most parts of A Mighty Wind. Much like I've been laughing nonstop (while alone!) at 30 Rock -- it took a few episodes to get me to the point of uncontrollable laughter, but absolutely I love NBC's simultaneous self-satire and self-promotion in this first season! And Alec Baldwin is perfect in his role...
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