The Hollywood Reporter, Film Reviews

Bottom Line: Oliver Stone visits the socialist leaders of South America and likes what he sees.

Venice Film Festival — Out of Competition
VENICE — Good-humored, illuminating and without cant, Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone’s documentary “South of the Border” is a rebuttal of what he views as the fulminations and lies of [...]

‘South of the Border’ profiles Hugo Chavez

Cinema Libre has acquired North American rights to Oliver Stone’s documentary “South of the Border,” which chronicles the rise to power of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other South American leaders.

The distributor plans to launch the film with a June 25 bow in New York City, followed by a July 2 opening in Los Angeles.

Come back frequently as this blog will share information about Oliver Stone’s schedule, where the film will be playing in the US and internationally, media coverage about the film, as well as sharing news stories that are relevant to media misperceptions and Latin American news.  Also join us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates [...]

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivian President Evo Morales announced a workers’ day takeover of four power companies on Saturday, expanding the state’s dominion over key industries.

Morales signed the nationalization decree at offices of one of the companies in the central city of Cochabamba hours after police and soldiers moved in to secure them.

Check back here for posts and updates on the mainstream media’s reaction to South of the Border as well as some analysis on current events.

In NYC, Hugo Chavez & Evo Morales Hype Oliver Stone’s Latest

by Brian Brooks (September 24, 2009)

Latin American Presidents Hugo Chavez from Venezuela and Evo Morales from Bolivia spoke of democracy, social justice and a cautious opening in their relationships with the new Obama administration last night, when they were at New York’s [...]

A divided Supreme Court on Thursday swept away decades of legislative efforts to restrict the role of corporations in election campaigns, ruling that severe restrictions on corporate spending are inconsistent with the First Amendment’s protection of political speech.

When the Vancouver Olympics open in February, activists plan to stage their own “Poverty Olympics” to put the spotlight on social problems in the city’s notorious Downtown Eastside neighborhood. While local officials say the games will help revitalize the neighborhood, critics say $6 billion in Olympics-related spending has yielded scant benefits for the poor.

Two different stories on All Africa today pose two very different assumptions on the economy in Nigeria. Dr. Magnus Kpakol head of the poverty reduction program for the government of Nigeria says that the poverty rate is falling. However, the head economist at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Dr. Mike Duru says that the poverty rate is rising.

Haiti’s humanitarian disaster has rightfully elicited an outpouring of support from around the world. But the tragedy should also elicit outrage because the massive destruction, suffering and loss of life were largely avoidable.

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods that have regularly afflicted Haiti, have plagued mankind throughout history. As the world has become wealthier, the ability to cope with such calamities has grown; annual deaths due to such disasters have declined by 96 percent since the 1920s.