Directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand, this revealing and surprisingly entertaining documentary explores the news-making events of the past four years, detailing how the “global warming gap” (i.e., between the reality of global warming and the American public's awareness and acceptance of same) has effectively diminished as the Bush administration's deceitful efforts to minimize the threat of global warming have gradually been exposed in the media. Not that the media have been guilt-free in their reporting: Gold and Helfand hold news outlets accountable for initially echoing the White House's lack of concern. But Everything's Cool primarily focuses on the information campaigns (from 1988 forward) by environmentalists and journalists such as Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ross Gelbspan, one of the pioneers of global warming awareness (whose career-long odyssey provides much of the film's dramatic impact). While the debate about global warming has essentially been won (despite the White House's and oil industry's aggressive campaigns to censor scientific studies and discredit global warming experts), Everything's Cool makes it clear that the crisis itself is far from over, and that public support and awareness may be a case of too little, too late. For the most part, however, the filmmakers maintain a hopeful attitude, as the old-school alarmist approach gives way to more progressive efforts to bring environmental activism into state and local governments. While exposing misinformation perpetuated by the Bush administration (thanks to, among others, the efforts of whistle-blower Rick Piltz, who brought censorship of scientific studies to national attention), the film follows parallel stories involving the private manufacture of alternate fuels such as bio-diesel, the rising popularity of The Weather Channel's resident climatologist Dr. Heidi Cullen, and the vindication of experts like Gelbspan as the threat of global warming becomes increasingly irrefutable. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Shannon)
Everything's Cool
(2007) 89 min. DVD: $24.98 ($295 w/PPR from www.bullfrogfilms.com). City Lights Home Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-9793607-2-2. Volume 23, Issue 6
Everything's Cool
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