Review of film: “THE MINUTEMEN” [ = Report # 12 on 46th CIFF ]

2010, 09-30:

Review of film:  “THE MINUTEMEN”  [ = Report # 12 on 46^th CIFF ]

            REPORT # 12 on the 2010  46^th CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL =     

This documentary features a bunch of “memorable” characters.  The Fest’s schedule describes the plot as “… the SELF-appointed watchdogs of the U.S. / Mexico border are taking the ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION issue into their OWN hands”…

…  COREY WASCINSKI filmed this film over a period of 4 years, & you thus see certain attitudes & relationships “TRANSFORM” to a degree over time--  not necessarily for the “better”!... 

...  Most of the Minutemen tend to be gun-toting retired older people, some with “eccentricities” bordering on the potentially DANGEROUS…  You also have some segments wherein PRO-immigration people are “watching the ‘WATCHERS’ as they patrol the borders in Arizona and California…

…  The main character is ROBERT “LIL’ DOG” CROOKS (who’s scheduled to ATTEND one or more of the Festival’s screenings).  He’s got very strong opinions, as do most others such as DIRK “THE SHERIFF” BUCK, MAX “MAD MAX” KENNEDY, BLACK RICHARD, BRIT “KING FISH” CRAIG, “GADGET MAN”, ‘CHRIS SIMCOX & others…

…  One guy shows a rail tunnel between Mexico & the U.S., & states that the only “I.D.” he needs is his “COLT” handgun…  Another warns about the Latin immigrants trying to illegally cross the border that, “Pretty soon, they’re gonna be in your YARD!”…

…  Most of the self-styled border defenders claim they’re working trying to stop DRUG-smuggling & people who are “wrongly” trying to take jobs native-born AMERICANS “should” have...

...  JEFF “EL JEFE” SCHWILK often works with video-toting CHRISTIE “MINUTEMOM” CZAKOWSKI & they regularly “RAG” on Latinos who are waiting at an area looking for temp JOBS, claiming they’re “loitering”, they should get “JOBS”, & they should go “home” & leave the jobs to real “AMERICANS”... 

…  Christie keeps claiming she has a “right” to stick video recorders in their faces in “public” places, stating at one point that, “Our cameras are our friends!”… 

...  When one young Latino (FELIPE ?) points out he IS a U.S. citzen & is there trying to get some WORK (at a home improvement store or wherever) so he can help feed his FAMILY -- as the others are ALSO trying to do --, Jeff & Christie sarcastically (& to me, arrogantly) “DOUBT” his claim…  He doesn’t back down, stating, “You’ve got to FEED your kids anyway!...”

…  Jeff insists the Latinos are “taking jobs you’re NOT ENTITLED to”.  He tends to come across (as the Latino points out) as being “RACIST” in the way he treats others & the way he (& others) harangue other people (such as Latinos demonstrating in favor of immigration REFORM, including backing the position of ENRIQUE MORONES)…

…  As the film goes on, when certain authorities start to make efforts to PROSECUTE Jeff & Christie & others for ATTACKING people living in some shanty towns in California, Jeff tends to “TURN” on Christie, concerned that her actions (which she herself once describes as “ADD”-based) might get him in more TROUBLE.  The violent anger expressed is sort of a frightening “commentary” on their efforts…

…  Crooks (& others) keep saying the “Border Patrol” supposedly “ASKED” them for their help in “watching” people trying to cross the border, & keep speaking of how they’re “PATRIOTS” & concerned about “DRUGS” coming into the country… 

...  They claim they’ve watched over “the deaths of thousands” of people caused by those trying to smuggle others into the U.S., & demand that the “government” start doing MORE to keep people OUT of the country...

…  One person points out how the land there was TAKEN from Mexico in various illegal WARS originally.  Crooks claims that people trying to cross into the U.S. want “rights” & freedoms, “but DON’T want to PAY anything for it…  We need to ENFORCE the laws we already have!...”, & he doesn’t want to give any of them “amnesty”…  Another person bemoans the situation that, supposedly, “It’s NO longer really a FREE country—” here…

…  When Crooks sees an Army helicopter flying overhead as he’s on “patrol”, he happily exclaims, “That’s what it’s all ABOUT!…  We’re gonna stop the TRAUMA on the border!...”, &, “I officially declared this part of the country AMERICAN again!...” 

…  Christie at one point speaks of how she seems to suffer under “A.D.D.” a bit.  After going around harassing some people, she states there’s loads of condoms & “prostitution” going on around San Diego, she says the government needs to “make affordable housing for our OWN homeless citizens FIRST—”, rather than spending money on helping people in OTHER countries…

...   Crooks can be heard crowing near the border fence towards the end of the film that, “We raise the FLAG!...  We like to TORTURE our UNWANTED ‘visitors’ to RETURN to their ‘Homeland’!...”, & fires a GUN towards some of them as two women friends behind him laugh & take still photos of the “confrontation”… 

…  Another guy states about illegals trying to cross the border that, “A lot of them are sort of INDENTURED servants—” to the “mules” who try to bring them across for money…  A pro-immigration woman says she feels the Minutemen “vigilantes” are NOT PROSECUTED “because they’re basically acting-out U.S. POLICY”…

…  One of the more “realistic” Minutemen comments about how he feels “Americans are FAT & LAZY…  It’s SAD.  No doubt about it…”  Crooks remarks about the government authorities that “They can’t see the BIG picture!...” 

…  After suffering a heart attack, Crooks says, “A Minutemen believes in a strong, SAFE America—”, & he dislikes money being spent overseas instead of “protecting & securing the BORDER”…

...  Another Minuteman comments on how certain members were lately attacking the efforts of OTHERS in the loosely allied “group” (which one guy describes as “old RETIRED Patriots”)…

…  What do I think of the film?  Well, it’s FASCINATING on a number of levels--  but I’m always more than a little “leery” when people work so HARD to try to convince themselves & others of how supposedly “PATRIOTIC” they are… 

...  In other words--  sometimes, the country needs to be protected FROM the OVER-zealous & those who are really “PLASTIC Patriots” (including certain ex-big-shots in the Federal Government)…  I’d rate this 7.5 out of 10 stars…

[  NOTE:  You can easily  SHARE  this Posting with your friends or family by sending them an automatic e-Mail LINK via clicking on the “M” button in the lower left-hand corner under “VOICE OF SILENCE” below...  ]

 

 

  (o_
   /\ 

= = =         …  ( <>  ^  <> )  ...