Occupying public opinion. Fort Hood victims seek $750 million. KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan and Peter Rainer join Larry to review the week’s new film releases, including J. Edgar, Jack and Jill, Melancholia, Into the Abyss and more. TGI-FilmWeek! Life on film: What are the best – and worst – biopics ever made?
Occupying public opinion
New York’s Occupy Wall Street protests started in September with a small group of activists voicing grievances against big banks, the unequal distribution of wealth and a growing sense that the middle class and the poor have become disenfranchised.
The movement has drawn support from unions and mainstream liberal groups, as well as criticism from politicos, law officials, business owners and others across the political spectrum. Despite the mixed response, the Occupy movement has continued to spread across major cities worldwide.
But the movement is now facing new challenges. A fatal shooting outside the Occupy Oakland encampment is under investigation, as is an apparent suicide of a military veteran at an Occupy encampment in Vermont. Protesters in Portland have been warned that they have until midnight this Saturday to clear out and the tide seems to be turning against Occupiers in Los Angeles as well.
WEIGH IN:
What impact do these headlines have on public perception? According to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, almost half of the public thinks the sentiments at the root of the movement generally reflect the views of most Americans. What about you? Do you agree with the protesters’ issues, and their methods? Has your opinion shifted? If so, how and why?
Fort Hood victims seek $750 million
Eighty-three victims and relatives in the shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas are seeking damages from the government. They claim the Army's willful negligence enabled Major Nidal Hasan to attack the military base on Nov. 5, 2009.
Last week, 54 relatives of eight of the murdered soldiers filed claims for varying amounts of compensation. As well, nine injured soldiers and one injured police officer have filed claims along with 19 of their family members.
Attorney Neal Sher represents the claimants. Sher told Reuters, "The Army knew all about [Hasan's] beliefs, his radicalization, and, even knowing that, his superiors did nothing except promote him. That is inexcusable." Sher is a former Justice Department lawyer and former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs committee.
Fort Hood officials are not commenting on the news. The claims name the Defense Department, the Justice Department and the FBI. If the Army denies the claims, Sher would be allowed to sue the government in federal court.
It was two years ago when thirteen people died and 31 were wounded at the huge Texas Army post. Hasan, an American-born Muslim, will stand trial this March. A Senate report earlier this year said Hasan was a known threat to his superiors and described as a "ticking time bomb."
WEIGH IN:
Has the military learned from the Fort Hood shooting? Do the victims have a case? How do you prove it? Is there a larger political motivation to behind this?
Guest:
Neal Sher, Attorney representing Fort Hood claimants; based in New York; and Senior Counsel to Simon & Partners law firm
FilmWeek: J. Edgar, Jack and Jill, Melancholia, Into the Abyss and more
KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan and Peter Rainer join Larry to review the week’s new film releases, including J. Edgar, Jack and Jill, Melancholia, Into the Abyss and more. TGI-FilmWeek!
Guests:
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and henrysheehan.com Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and Christian Science Monitor
Live tweeting this week's reviews:
Life on film: what are the best – and worst – biopics ever made?
Leonardo DiCaprio is already drawing raves for his stunning turn as J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar. Credit is also certainly due director Clint Eastwood and writer Dustin Lance Black (who also penned the Oscar-winning biopic, "Milk"). Portraying a real-life character is arguably Oscar-bait for any serious actor or director; one of the first to start the trend was Charles Laughton in 1933's "The Private Life of Henry VIII."
We've also seen the Best Actor award go to Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta in "Raging Bull," Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in "Capote."
The ladies don’t lag behind – Sally Field in "Norma Rae," Julia Roberts in "Erin Brokovich" and Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn in "Coal Miner’s Daughter" all earned their Best Actress statues by playing actual singing, fighting, hell-raising women.
WEIGH IN:
What are your favorite films about real people? Who got it right – from the accent to the attitude – and who missed the mark? Who deserved more applause than they got for bringing a living, breathing historical figure to cinematic life? And which attempts should have been left out of the history books?