The U.S. vs John Lennon

David Leaf, John Scheinfeld (directors)
John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Noam Chomsky, Walter Cronkite, Gore Vidal, (and many more)

Emily:

This documentary focuses mainly John Lennon post-Beatles, and it focuses on his dedication to the peace movement. I’m sure that everyone here knows a bit about John Lennon, but for me, a whole new person was revealed. His rebellious personality and his passion for peace and understanding are revealed in detail, as well as the US government’s attempts to silence this powerful celebrity.

I highly recommend this documentary to anyone interested in art, music, culture, or the right to free speech. And that’s about all I can say about that!

Cale:
I’m loving the documentaries coming out right now, usually because they fire me up with that educated feeling you only get from a film that challenges your beliefs. This one’s fun right from the start, blending images, timeless music and startling facts. A few of the great minds interviewed put these themes into context for us, and (purposefully or not), draw unsettling comparisons with the present day. Thankfully, it doesn’t dwell on Lennon’s assassination (that’s my word for it, call his death what you will), and there are no attempts at conspiracy theories by the end of it, since your brain is already telling you that somehow President Nixon was responsible.
Moreover, I liked that it made me understand the bond between John and Yoko, because I always thought John went crazy and married a mute and together they did a lot of acid, but their love was something on a very human level, and you see it in the candid moments, and in their firm humanist statements. Slightly overlong-feeling until it ends abruptly. I loved it. Wish he didn’t get shot.