How's Your News? (1999)
A Documentary chronicling the travels of a team of reporters and crew across America in a hand painted RV. Each of the reporters have a disability ranging from Down's Syndrome to spastic cerebal palsy and their own style for gathering news. The basic approach is "man on the street" reporting and the interactions are sometimes hysterical, sometimes confusing but always honest.
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Reviews
hyped garbage
A Masterpiece!
The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
Heartfelt, moving, inspiring!I found this film to be wonderful - respectful - and life affirming all at the same time - the reporters - a group of people with so much heart and verve for life that you cannot help but learn from them "what's your biggest dream?" is about the most profound and elemental question known to humankind - and these reporters dare to ask.Kudos to everyone involved - if you've ever felt like an "other" and outsider, or someone behind the glass - watch this film and then join all of us - each person striving to be, do, learn and become - the best the can.What's not to love - the people driven to realize the film - the reporters on a quest to explore America - they each have a valuable mission - to become themselves by interacting with others, where they will learn. As cheesy as the story could have been, it wasn't - nor clichéd - which of us on this planet has not a single quality which stands in our way? We are all coping as well as we are able - and my favorite feeling at the end wasn't just for what the entire group accomplished - but how the film reflected some aspect of the viewer - whether they were looking or not.
Overall weak effort given the possibilities. There's simply not enough context presented for the viewer to be more involved in the story. I thought the totally blown opportunity would have been for the director Bradford to become more involved in the story and present his commentary from time to time, or other crew members for that matter. It would have lended a more rounded view and been more compelling.Quite frankly, after the first 10 minutes or so, the interviewing of people on the street gets pretty repetitive. I had the FF button on my DVD remote working overtime. A little bit went a long way. Again there were so many possibilities and chances to make this a much more interesting film. There's no doubt in my mind that any positive response to this film has much more to do w/ the PC nature of the subject matter than anything else. In terms of style there really is none to speak of, the film is made in an unpretentious way, but is also totally unremarkable in every way. very flat! The short film that was included on the DVD was a much better effort imo.
I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to watch this film because you were worried that it was exploitive of those with disabilities. I felt the same way before I watched it. I feel different now. If you could see how proud the "How's Your News?" crew are of their work, you'd realize what an accomplishment this was for them. I really admire the courage it must have taken to go out and meet the world face to face. They have a truly amazing perspective on the American experience. I think they probably have a better understanding of how "we" are doing as a society than any of the people who refused to talk with them. They really earned my respect.
This movie from start to finish was an in-depth look into the developing minds of the mental and physically challenged. I must say that it puts away the fears that the general public reserve for the less fortunate, including the severely retarded. I, being one of these people, have a new understanding and tolerance. The line between "laughing at them" and "laughing with them" is not even an issue. The sheer joy, dedication and child-like determination makes this film shine. Whether it be the "goofiness" of the characters or the ignorance of the people they encounter. You will undoubtedly be laughing your head off from start to end and left with a warm, fuzzy feeling deep down. This movie is an instant cult classic and has already been copied and recopied through my friends. The reaction is ALWAYS the same..."Tell us, "How's Your News?"".