WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?

Nightly at 7 & 9pm, Sun Mat at 3pm. PG 90min. D: Chris Paine.

It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert? WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business.

“Fast and furious, Who Killed the Electric Car? is the sad tale of yet one more attempt by a heroic group of civic-minded souls to save the browning, warming planet." Manohla Dargis, NEW YORK TIMES

From the Austin Chronicle:

Opening with a mock funeral for General Motors’ EV1 electric car, this multifaceted documentary seeks the culprit responsible for its demise and finds plenty of blame to go around. Arriving as it does on the heels of Al Gore’s surprise Hollywood hit, An Inconvenient Truth, which has caused the issue of global warming to enter the popular zeitgeist, Who Killed the Electric Car? seems like the obvious if circumstantial follow-up. Naturally appealing to environmentalists and techno motorheads, this film’s story also unfolds like a good murder mystery, broadening its scope into areas such as grassroots organizing, corporate conspiracies, and governmental interference. The history of the electric car presented here is also a largely California-based saga due to the state’s passage of the Zero Emissions Mandate in 1990 to deal with its smog problem. It required 2% of all new vehicles sold in California by 1998 to be emission-free. GM and the other American auto manufacturers began working on prototypes to fulfill the mandate, and by 1996 GM released the EV1, a completely electric-powered car that required no gasoline or motor oil. Despite consumer happiness with the vehicle, the entire fleet of EV1s was recalled by GM in 2001, and the film explores the reasons why. The film interviews owners, auto makers, legislators, and engineers to find out why the car posed such a threat to the status quo and the welfare of the many auto-related industries. Most notably, the film uncovers the duplicitous GM campaign in which it agitated against the Zero Emissions Mandate while also complying with the law by building the required cars. Talking out of both sides of its mouth, GM waged war against its very own product, and numerous examples of this corporate dodge are enumerated in the film. Also highlighted is the current Bush administration’s oil-friendly stance and the demise of the EV1 that coincided with the Republican return to office and their alternative promotion of hydrogen fuel. Public attitudes against the perceived shortcomings of the electric car are not left off the hook either. The film devotes too much time to the emotional insights of laid-off EV1 sales-specialist-turned-activist Chelsea Sexton. And the sing-songy narration by Martin Sheen won’t do much to woo the unconvinced. Yet you’ll leave the film wondering why you’ve never seen a TV ad for an electric car, or why GM is all about selling Hummers these days.

Marjorie Baumgarten

Hello there! This post is a bit belated but after seeing the dismal weekend attendance numbers and then seeing the film I decided better late then never.
"Heart of the Game" is an incredible film. A pumped up, energy driven reminder to us all about what it means to want something so badly your willing to work, really work, for it. It's simple yet moving - I was in tears most of the film, overwhelmed with the raw emotion captured by the director, Ward Serrill. You should see this movie!
Please come and enjoy the film here, the Bayview Street Cinema, mention you saw this posting on our blog and we'll throw in a free popcorn.

Sept 8 - 14 THE HEART OF THE GAME Nightly at 7 & 9pm, Sun Mat at 3pm. PG13 102min. D:Ward Serrill. Seven years in the making, THE HEART OF THE GAME captures the passion and energy of a high school girls' basketball team and tells the incredible true story of one player's fight to play the game she loves. This in-depth documentary not only illustrates the hard-charging energy and excitement of the game, but also captures the fiercely competitive and extraordinary spirit of a winning team "Yet another inspirational documentary that serves up the sort of dynamic characters and genuine intrigue that most of its fictional counterparts would kill for." Michael Rechtshaffen, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Movie review: Sports documentary is a winner

When first-time documentarian Ward Serrill started filming Seattle high school girls' basketball coach Bill Resler, he had no idea where the story was going. But with a character like Resler, Serrill figured that something was going to happen. He was right.

Resler is a flamboyant motivator with a seemingly endless supply of platitudes that would make great bumper stickers: "Work hard, play hard and avoid confusing the two." He coaches by the seat of his pants. There are no Xs and Os, no frantic diagramming during timeouts. He tells his players, "We don't have an offensive strategy. Just go out there and run like hell."

To the chagrin of some traditional coaches, it works. The team has become a regular qualifier for the state tournament. An opponent whines, "You can't defend against them because even they don't know what they're going to do."

As if Resler weren't documentary-worthy on his own, Serrill stumbled on a second, equally fascinating story: In her senior season, Darnellia Russell is disqualified by the state athletic association after she has a baby. Arguing that the rule is sexist, a civil rights lawyer files a suit on her behalf.

Resler and Russell's teammates encourage her to keep playing. Angry athletic association officials threaten that if she loses her appeal, they will wipe out the team's entire season on the grounds that they used an ineligible player.

Serrill gets a little too caught up in the basketball, showing extended footage of the action. This movie is not about whether the team wins or loses but how it plays the game: with fierce energy, reckless abandon and smiles on their faces. Resler ends huddles with an emphatic: "Have fun!"

His run-and-gun philosophy doesn't mean that he's not interested in self-discipline; he makes it clear that he will kick the leading scorer off the team if she skips more practices. Rather, it's a reflection of his conviction that the girls need to learn bigger lessons than how to run a give-and-go. They need to be taught to believe in themselves, especially when it comes to their class work.

He also preaches the importance of being part of a team. Arguing that the entire squad will pay the price if their season is erased because of Russell's suspension, he makes sure that all the players get into a game, even if it's for the state championship.

The focus on the games raises the risk that this will be seen as a basketball movie. If it were, it would be released during basketball season, not now. This is a movie about empowerment, integrity and having fun, and those are always in season.

Nightly at 7 & 9:30pm, Sun Mat at 3pm. PG13 150min. D:Gore Verbinski. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley.

The second part of the trilogy is a fantastic tale of pirates, love, and the supernatural. Blacksmith Will Turner and his upper-class love Elizabeth Swann are preparing to wed when they are confronted with a warrant for their arrests because they helped the notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow escape the authorities. Their only choice for a pardon is to find Jack and return to Lord Cutler Beckett with the flamboyant captain's compass.
“So gather ye a ration and a bottle of rum - or a soda and popcorn, if that be more convenient - and drop anchor with this summer treasure. Aye-aye!" Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR

So the reality of the "Pirate" movies is that they're fun. Not the greatest stories, or the wittiest dialogue, but everyone loves Captain Jack Sparrow. For the Johnny Depp admirers (every woman I know) enjoy the pictures - for the gents... it's ok to wonder how you might look in black eyeliner.