Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2016/09/20/snowdenmovie.html
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In so many ways, the experience of Julian Assange serves as a Berenstein Bears verson of how not to do it. And Edward Snowden clearly took those lessons to heart. Instead of trusting some magic software, Snowden takes it directly to the media himself. And where Assange discounts the warnings of a government smear campaign, Snowden is actively fighting back on the character front.
I have my doubts about Obama and his legacy, but I have no doubt at all that Clinton will not pardon him, ever, when she ascends the iron throne.
As long as Snowden remains free, I have some hope that this whole thing can be turned around. My fear is that the news machine will stop viewing him as relevent, and it’ll be Gary Webb all over again. In a very real way, I think Oliver Stone is helping to keep Edward Snowden alive.
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I don’t think that Oliver Stone can make a good movie. I just don’t.
I saw Savages and W.
Judging this movie based on those, is kinda like judging Edward Snowden’s character by those of Julian Assange and Chealsea Manning.
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I fail to see that as an effective analogy. Character and production are two different things.
And if one person makes lousy movies it doesn’t mean that another person makes lousy movies by association, does it?
In fairness it also doesn’t mean that that person will always make lousy movies. People do change, a lot and all the time. Stone, though, gets enough praise for what he does already and doesn’t seem like an ‘if it ain’t broke fix it anyway’ kind of man to me.
Does he to you?
Having watched a few interviews of Stone himself regarding this film, it seems his intention is to create a drama based on a true story. And while he does take pride in presenting the truth as objectively as he can, this is not a documentary but a drama first. Still, I think it’s definitely a film worth seeing, especially to anyone who cares about what freedom means. It will strike a chord with you in a way that a dry reading of the facts will not.
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that interview with Oliver Stone is brilliant. refreshing to hear his view of Snowden.
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Its not whether Stone can make a good movie, it’s whether he can make a truthful, non-delusional movie, which he seems to have great difficulty doing. He lost me after “JFK.”
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Yup…
I always assumed that Daniel Radcliffe would be cast in the lead role.
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He’s also made other movies that you might enjoy or find compatible with your version of the truth. Writing off a director because of two minor films isn’t wise.
I’ve seen them all.
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Well… all except Snowden. 
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“Now that I’ve seen the movie, I’m doubly surprised that Stone claimed in this Jason Leopold interview not to be an activist. If not, he’s doing a damn fine imitation of one.”
I can’t wait until we overturn Citizens United so activist films like this can be legally censored by the government.
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