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weblog | events | features | gallery | noticeboard | links | zine | shop | supporters | about | contact film review: Super Size Me Review by Fiona Prior, e: mccommissions@hotmail.com Super Size Me: just another piece of corporation bashing - yes please, with the works … Director / Producer / Writer: Morgan Spurlock One month on a three meals a day 'no exceptions' all-McDonalds diet, and all 'super size(d)' (when prompted by McDonald's staff), is pretty over-the-top in anybody's books. Grossly so. Even the most diehard, junk food junkie would cut the sugar, salt and fat with a piece of fruit or wholemeal toast over a month period. Director, producer and writer Morgan Spurlock is a madman and a movie maker. So what's new? Spurlock's documentary technique is heavily influenced by Michael Moore (Stupid White Men, Bowling for Columbine) and Super Size Me is his personal doco-odyssey into serious ill-health. A number of reviews I've read have admonished SSM as an indulgent wank to fast-lane-fame, but just as Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine (here) achieved the withdrawal of ammunition retail from the Wal-Mart supermarket chain, Spurlock's SSM may well have pre-empted McDonald's withdrawal of 'Super Size' servings from menu's world-wide. That can't be a bad thing. My delight in Messrs Spurlock and Moore's offerings is for different reasons. These men are doing really positive stuff with the technology revolution and the reality aesthetic ... and I don't for a minute begrudge them their personal fame. They're pioneering techniques with regards to effectively presenting a personal message to the global community. Both directors/creators have taken advantage of the increasing accessibility of the tools of technology; then produced, packaged and distributed their offerings to achieve maximum effect. Whether this goal has been achieved through making use of existing mainstream systems or just 'virtual-awareness-raising' is irrelevant; they're hitting the bullseye. I guess it depends on your views on public health and the right to bear arms etc. as to how highly you rate the contents of their achievements but the fact that their voices have been heard - to me - is the message. Super Size Me is expectedly gross but also packs some disturbing surprises. Spurlock has a three doctor team - a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist and a GP - track his downward spiral through the golden gates of 'M'. Initially the medical experts predict some weight gain and a rise in cholesterol level, but they are as horrified as Spurlock when their regular testing begins to give dangerous readings. Spurlock's cholesterol level rises from a healthy 165 to a dangerous 230, his liver strains so badly (manifest of toxic shock) the doctors are fearful for his life, his blood pressure rockets, he experiences chest pains, depression, a weight gain of 24.5 pound, dwindling libido, hyper-tension … It is also impossible for Spurlock to obtain more than half his (US government) recommended daily intake of vitamins. Scary stuff. Spurlock also presents sociological 'associative-data' - Michael Moore-style, to address much larger issues than the simple case of 'if you live on McDonalds you'll get really unhealthy' (the following list refers to American data): o Obesity has become second only to smoking as a preventable cause of death in the United States. o 1 in 3 adults is overweight or obese o The targeting of children through *Happy Meals, toys, playgrounds, birthday parties, animated television shows and multibillion-dollar advertising campaigns will effect life-style choices throughout their lives. No amount of 'good example' from parents and teachers can combat the sheer volume of spatial infiltration these messages achieve o The national weight gain over the past half-century coincides with the rise of major fast-food outlets He also delves into the ethics of on-site soft drink/'soda' machines and fast food outlets on American school campuses and the (budget-driven) cutting-back on 'nutrition' education from the American education syllabus. In a nutshell Spurlock puts together the hot issues of personal, corporate and social responsibility and the insidious factors of multibillion dollar advertising campaigns and subliminal life-style influence and presents them in a grossly subjective and very entertaining way ... Super Size Me should be compulsory viewing for every teenager. Super Size Me movie website: http://www.supersizeme.com Review by Kirsten Lowe, e: kirsten@chaosgeneration.com Saw Super Size Me at the Academy Twin, Oxford St, Paddington earlier (ie last night)- Cyclic Defrost promotion. It was a great doco. It had heaps of humour in it but the message runs deep. Morgan Spurlock is one v.talented director, writer etc... The film should be compulsory viewing to every school-kid, parent, everyone really! I was feeling a bit whoosy/unsettled during the movie watching him eat McDonalds every meal for a month. Regardless of whether or not you eat 'fast foods' a lot or not, you leave the film feeling inspired to do some more exercise and to take the time to buy fresh fruit and vegies, and to cook healthy meals. Super Size Me won the Best Director Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. The film's website is at: http://www.supersizeme.com and Morgan Spurlock's blog is at: http://blogs.indiewire.com/morganspurlock. For more info of film screenings in Australia, go to Dendy Films at: http://www.dendyfilms.com.au.

About CG | Editor: Kirsten Lowe | PO Box 559, Broadway 2007, Sydney, Australia Ph: 0410 310 238 | Fax: +61 2 9555 1752 | Email: info (at) chaosgeneration (dot) com