Sometimes to understand a movie you need to do a little homework. You may read the book, others you read the reviews, and almost always watch the trailer. But Rendition deals with a topic that many know little about but hopefully more will come to know. This is something that has happened and continues to happen today.
Wicked wrote a post regarding the real life rendition of Sabri Ben Kahla. (see OMG's sidebar) Rereading it makes you stop and think, not can this happen? but why are we doing this? Another case you may know of is the case of Khaled El-Masri, an entirely innocent victim of the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program who was released without ever being charged. As Hollywood as these cases sound, unfortunately they are not, but are real life cases.
Gavin Hood asks the same question in Rendition. What are we gaining from extraordinary rendition? Is it worth it? Are there pros and cons? What are they? What outweighs the other?
The goal of Rendition is not just to entertain but inform. At Rendition's official site under Film Info and then World View there is a great multimedia resource list regarding the practice of extraordinary rendition. Check it out.
I do add this one thing from the American Civil Liberties Union's website regarding rendition:
"Since 1990 the U. S. has utilized an intelligence-gathering program involving the transfer of foreign nationals suspected of involvement in terrorism to detention and interrogation in countries where -- in the CIA's view -- federal and international legal safeguards do not apply. Suspects are detained and interrogated either by U.S. personnel at U.S.-run detention facilities outside U.S. sovereign territory or, alternatively, are handed over to the custody of foreign agents for interrogation.In both instances, interrogation methods are employed that do not comport with federal and internationally recognized standards."
"...some experts estimating that 150 foreign nationals have been victims of rendition in the last few years alone. Foreign nationals suspected of terrorism have been transported to detention and interrogation facilities in Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Diego Garcia, Afghanistan, Guantánamo, and elsewhere. In the words of former CIA agent Robert Baer: "If you want a serious interrogation, you send a prisoner to Jordan. If you want them to be tortured, you send them to Syria. If you want someone to disappear -- never to see them again -- you send them to Egypt."
ACLU - Fact Sheet:Extraordinary Rendition
ACLU - El Marisi vs. Tenet Case
OMG - Real Life Rendition - Sabri Ben Kahla
Rendition Official Site
Well this is timely so I will put it up.
ReplyDeleteBush Say US Does Not Torture
Rendition is opening at a very interesting time I must say.
How many more days do we need to suffer this charlatan in office.
ReplyDeleteI just caught up on the previous thread, and while I agree the cost of making JFC was probably a factor, it still makes me mad that HBO renewed that new drama even though the numbers are lower than for JFC, and that JFC wasn't given another chance to build an audience.
ReplyDeleteI saw I'm Not There, the Dylan biopic, at the NYFF last night, and Bruce Greenwood has a small role in it as a journalist. It was strange seeing him in something other than JFC. Cate Blanchett was amazing, and Heath did okay with a role that really didn't call for a lot, and he looked great. Unfortunately he was not one of the actors that showed up for the screening, maybe because Michelle was there.
And ditto what Zero said. This administration's policy on torture and prisoner rights is the most disturbing and damaging thing this administration has done on what is now a very long list of misdeeds.
^^That's great, Destiny. I saw the previews for Cate's new film Elizabeth: The Golden Years and it looks amazing too, and I am very much looking forward to it and also I'm Not There.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Special and your post Wicked. A very difficult subject for which there are no easy answers, but certainly answering violence with more violence can't be the answer, and I don't like the idea of having dirty deeds done elsewhere in order to circumvent U.S. human rights policies and laws. Rendition should be very interesting.
Thankfully, elections are coming up in 2008, speak out with your votes.
Zero,
ReplyDelete472 days
Can I be ot for a minute, and say GO CUBS!! thanks
ReplyDeleteTotally Joker.
ReplyDeleteAnd I second it with a GO SOX!!
Joker, I third that, GO CUBBIES! and of course, GO SOX! is a given for me. ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL Wicked! Love that watch though I would have pinned the watch hands a bit lower ;-)
ReplyDeleteWFT - posted by lycanthos
ReplyDelete"Today (Oct 2) I was at Ivy eating lunch. To my surprise, I saw Jake Gyllenhaal eating lunch with a VERY attractive young man in his early twenties. The two were laughing seemed to be having a great time. Jake was wearing black sunglasses, destroyed blue jeans, and a grey cashmere like sweater. As they were leaving Jake said to him," I will be by tonight to pick that stuff up" and the guy just smiled and said," Ok, I will be there" They seemed VERY cozy together and it was obvious there is something between them"
http://defamer.com/hollywood/hollywood-privacywatch/barbra-streisand-motors-through-beverly-hills-307742.php
Umm, someone is going to tape Friday Night Lights tonight, right? In case Austin's scenes are in the preview for next week. I won't be able to watch tonight, and I can't tape it. So if someone cand and would be kind enough to post scans...:)
ReplyDeleteHeph
My first thought when reading the defamer post above was what PiQ had to say about the Ivy. It's where stars go when they WANT to be seen.
ReplyDeleteDistract and dissemble anyone?
Heph
5 Reasons to watch 'Friday Night Lights'
ReplyDeletehttp://tv.yahoo.com/falltv2007/photos/5-reasons-to-watch-friday-night-lights/168
Of course, the #1 reason for OMGers is that Austy is on next week. :)
Heph
J-
ReplyDeleteI found more stuff that you need to pick up. ; ) - A
Austy starts with next week's episode, right?
ReplyDeleteThat is was is what it sounded like from the Statesmen. I wonder if we will see him in the previews for next week.
ReplyDeleteHmm. yeah. I think I left my sock at your place and there was that book you bought in Texas that you wanted to show me. Plus, those CDs--oh yeah, I left my CDs at your place. So much stuff I need to pick up there. I'm just so forgetful, aren't I, honey? (winking)
ReplyDelete*sqeee*
ReplyDelete*ahem*
What am I going to do with you Mr. Gyllenhaal? Somehow every time you come over you leave more stuff. Seems to me that you just want to come back for more. ; )
ReplyDeleteIt's your fault that I keep forgetting my stuff at your place. I'm around you and I become an amnesiac. I wonder why that is...sweetie-poo.
ReplyDeleteWhat would I do that would make you lose your memory? ; )
ReplyDeleteWhat would I do that would make you lose your memory? ; )
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheeky Austi! :)
I just smell you and breathe in your air, babe and I'm lost. (Batting eyelashes).
ReplyDeleteCome here you.
ReplyDeleteUPDATE TO WICKED'S POST
ReplyDeleteAdd The Today Show to Jake's Schedule.
Here's a schedule of Jake's Upcoming TV Appearances & Specials (Courtesy of IHJ)
- October 10th, 2007 - HBO First Look: Rendition
- October 12th, 2007 - Friday Night With Jonathan Ross (UK)
- October 15th, 2007 - Late Show
With David Letterman
- October 16th, 2007 - The Today Show
- October 16th, 2007 - Live With Regis & Kelly
- October 16th, 2007 - Late Night With Conan O'Brien
- October 17th, 2007 - The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
- October 18th, 2007 - The Ellen DeGeneres Show
that sounds to be a fake sighting!!
ReplyDelete9:36
ReplyDeleteDo you have a name to with your take on the sighting?
^
ReplyDeleteThat should be "name to GO with your take on the sighting."
I sometimes wonder if Jake did have a thing with Austin but is now with someone else, or has been for sometime, and everyone just assumes it must be Austin. It'd be very interesting if this steady bf turned out to be somebody nobody knows about, Austin was a cover recently and Ted's info is not incorrect in what they did have or the basic undrcurrant but the players. Because only Jake really knows that.
ReplyDeleteAustin might be the one, who knws, but It'd be intriguing if it did turn out to be someone not even connected with acting.
When Toothy's bf dumped him--briefly--last year, Ted thought it was important that he actually put it in the main column as opposed to leaving it as a blind vice. So if Toothy (Jake) has a new bf, that's not the one Ted has been talking about for two years, I imagine that Ted would have mentioned it in the Awful Truth column or he will mention it soon.
ReplyDeleteSo far, no news is good news (if you're a Jake/Austin fan).
ITA, 12:48. There's no way Ted would not mention that TT and his bf broke up and that Jake was now involved with someone new. Anyway, his BIs have consistently pointed to the same bf, a breakup with the bf, the bf benevolently taking TT back and the superdomesticating that followed. TT with a new bf would be major gossip in Ted's world.
ReplyDeleteOn the main page for Friday Night Lights at nbc.com, there's a preview for next week's ep but I haven't been able to get it to play. Anyone else have any luck? And if so, is Austin in the preview?
ReplyDeleteHeph
Heph,
ReplyDeleteI saw other videos on the FNL NBC page, but not a preview for next week. Miraculously, the videos actually played for me. Do you have a link or URL to the preview?
I caught most of FNL last night and the preview for next week. If Austin was in the preview, then it flashed by too quickly for me to catch even a glimpse of him.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the show seems pretty engaging. I don't know the backstory from season one, but I had no problem becoming interested in the characters and storylines. Can't wait to see next week's episode with Austin. I think he's a very good fit.
Unfortch, there was no Austin in the preview for next week's FNL.
ReplyDeleteTami Taylor, Connie Britton's character, is out of work on maternity leave. She's the high school guidance counselor. So there might be some decent length scenes between the new young guidance counselor seeking advice from Connie's character since she's the lead female actor on the show.