Waiting for Superman is a powerful new documentary from Participant Media about the education crisis in America. We saw it on Saturday in Omaha. Touching and infuriating, a kind of hopeless look at a stark reality that demands a passionate response from an engaged citizenry to make change as soon as possible. Pledge to see the film and Take Action.

A couple video animations done to support the film:

TakePart: Participant Media – Waiting For ‘Superman’ – Infographic from Jr.canest on Vimeo.

A Conversation with Davis Guggenheim from TakePart on Vimeo.

Last week Jason and I were catching up over the phone. Discussing upcoming projects, aspirations, recent roadblocks, cities, traveling, work and life with a healthy dose of examination and contemplation. He mentioned 180° South being a very appropriate film for the subject matter. Katie and I watched it this past weekend.

The only thing I’ll say about it, one of my favorite pieces, and the film itself is gold and a must watch, was the line about process, from Yvon. Something to this effect:

IF YOU COMPROMISE THE PROCESS, YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE GOING IN, AND AN ASSHOLE COMING OUT.

Here’s to now.

How the world really works, as opposed to how we were told it worked. The LA Times has a great article about the documentary, which opened late last year: Apocalypse now: ‘Collapse’ and the end of the world as we know it.

In the future, will we be able to control the weather? Do we already?

Owning The Weather: We’ve always wanted to control the weather. Now we may have to. OWNING THE WEATHER is a film about weather modification and climate engineering. The desire to modify the weather has been around forever; but with the threat of catastrophic climate change, water wars, and intensifying hurricanes, a new breed of weather control called “geoengineering” has emerged.

A really great documentary. Illuminating and a bit unnerving. In the face of runaway climate change, the need to keep Earth happy for humans may very well lead to some highly unusual solutions. And consequences.

Owning the Weather trailer from prewarcinema on Vimeo.

A whole bunch of people came together in Omaha on Saturday night to say these unjust, anti-immigrant laws are UNACCEPTABLE. And we rocked. Loud. To our immigrant communities, to our Latino brothers and sisters, we stand with you in solidarity.

The Concert for Equality featured Desaparecidos, Cursive, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Bright Eyes, Lullaby For The Working Class, FATHR^, The Envy Corps, David Dondero, The So-So Sailors, Conchance, Simon Joyner, Flowers Forever, Vago and a final Hootenanny at the end of the night. All proceeds went to the ACLU Nebraska’s effort to repeal Fremont’s Anti-Immigration Law.

We’re trashing the planet. We’re trashing each other. And we’re not even having fun. So, let’s turn this spaceship planet earth around. Presented by the Story of Stuff Project and Free Range Studios.

Revealing the true state. Shining a light. Via TED.

Life In A Day is a historic global experiment to create the world’s largest user-generated feature film: a documentary, shot in a single day, by you. On July 24, you have 24 hours to capture a glimpse of your life on camera. The most compelling and distinctive footage will be edited into an experimental documentary film, executive produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald.

Is your life compelling? Or how about footage of your life? Hmm…

The world's first Street Art disaster movie

Exit Through the Gift Shop, enter the world of Street Art. From its temporary place in the real world to the endless online sharing of this “legal gray area,” the film is about the art, of course. But also the intellectual mind-twisting that takes place when confronted with the idea behind the visual. Itself a piece of art, prank, celebrity, commentary, confrontation, the film is part “we pulled one over on you,” part honest account of the way things are when you’re a Street Artist. Maybe.

View the trailer here:

More Banksy here:

Banksy in Palestine. Photo via Revista-Amauta.org

The National. The Take-Away Shows.