Wednesday, September 9, 2009

No Impact Man, The Movie



Has anyone got a chance to watch this movie on the big screen, it looks awesome! It amazes me that someone who lives in the high consumption city of New York would be brave enough to take on such an earthy, natural living project - even if he might have just started it as hype. I would consider New York to be a hostile environment for sustainable living, the difficulty and temptation to slide would be tremendous. It made me compare my own sustainable environment to his- I am living in the opposite lifestyle, completely rural with every opportunity to be as "no impact" as he is (except with health challenges it makes it harder). He does have some advantages that rural living doesn't present, like easy to walk to farmers market & more money. But I have soil and land to grow and raise my own food.
Watch the trailer and tell me what ya'll think about it!?!!

XoXOooo

6 comments:

Erik said...

Looks interesting, I like the concept behind it. I was a bit put off by the scene of the wife complaining at the beginning, it reminded me of the conflated levels of conflict that 'reality show' so beloved by producers :)

Have you seen http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/ ?

Miss Voodoo said...

Hey Erik! Thanks for sharing the link...peak oil, oh the things that come to mind are too many!
Yeah, the wife in No Impact Man is definitely a point of contention, but I can easily see how it is "real" reality - I used to live in NYC and plenty people who live in a large city like that are completely engrossed in the conveniences that make up their lifestyle. Switching from electricity in a apartment building to none is a bold move, and asking your Starbucks lovin' wife to not use toilet paper anymore is quite hardcore. I think it would break up most marriages in that environment.
I can see where you would be put off by the hype though- unfortunately most larger films have to be made (so they think) in a dynamic (sometimes annoying) way these days to get anyone's attention. I look forward to watching this entire film and seeing how it turns out.

Erik said...

This one looks great:

Crude

Miss Voodoo said...

Hey Erik!

The Crude movie trailer was so sad. I know it's sexist to say this, but gawd when I see a woman defending a big evil oil company, working for the man to get ahead at the expense of children and villages it makes me sicker then anything- it makes me feel like she is betraying our biological & emotional instincts as a woman to nuture and care for the world by using our maternal inclinations for the betterment of mankind.
I am also disgusted knowing how much that type of thing goes on, and is shipped out to to other parts of the world so we in the USA can be spoiled with whatever we want, while other less impactful people are made to suffer and be poisoned - all for the sake of our walmart minded consumption.

I am not a big fan of the peak oil genre (aside from the film) mainly because I find on a whole to be overly focused on fatalism, negativity, and apocalyptic predictions - rather then focusing on the ways we can make the world a better place. Kunstler in particular I find to be arrogant and focused on statistics. Also there is a strong prejudice among peak oilers against living in the south of the US because the thought are that people in the south are somehow gonna be more ignorant and turn against each other, have more guns, and be less helpful. And personally speaking (since i live in the south) I think that people in the southern states have not only kindness towards their fellow man, strong tendencies towards heartfelt charity, but also are heavily skilled in things like growing food, hunting, and other useful earthy skills (even if they have become somewhat convoluted by modern times.)
I just believe in optimism, even in the face of horrific odds.

green LA girl said...

Hey Leslie -- I saw No Impact Man a few weeks ago :) Here's my review in case you're interested :) It feels a tad long, but is heartwarming nonetheless --

Miss Voodoo said...

Hey Green LA Girl :)

Oh yay! I am so glad you reviewed the movie! Didn't you meet with him too (or did i dream that i read that on facebook.... i hope i am not dreaming about facebook)? I can't wait to read it!!!

xo