Author Archive
One of the Ten Best Documentaries of 2009
Roger Ebert just named his Ten Best Documentaries of the year, and “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” made the list! Of course all of us who made the movie are thrilled and honored. (His original review is here.) Ebert is quick to note, though, that like a lot of his favorite docs, very few people [...]
Tom Frank to appear as screenings added at Liberty Hall through Dec 30, 2009
Great news! “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” is a hit in Kansas! Who’d a thunk it? Here are updated shows, including another guest appearance:
NEW SHOWTIMES:
Mon December 21-Tue December 22 : 4:40 7:10 9:30
Wed December 23 : NO SHOWS
Thu December 24 : 2:10 4:40
Fri December 25 : THEATER CLOSED-MERRY CHRISTMAS
Sat December 26-Sun [...]
Larryville.com knows what’s the matter
The Staff of Larryville of Lawrence, KS made it to a recent screening at Liberty Hall, and “armed with popcorn and beer” took a reflective journey into the politics of their home state. We feel that they may have found the heart of the movie, as they conclude:
The character selection in this documentary showed some [...]
Reaction from Lawrence, KS premiere
The opening night of the movie’s theatrical run in Lawrence, Kansas drew a big crowd and featured Donn Teske, President of the Kansas Farmers Union and a star of the film, as a guest speaker. Matt Quinn of Foundation Journal attended, and here is his reaction:
From the opening scene of a train traveling through a [...]
Tea-Party: The Documentary Film
The “Tea Party” movement has inspired a documentary film by FreedomWorks, an organization which also helped fund the movement. The premiere was held last night at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, with special guests including Congressman Jim DeMint and others.
The Heritage Foundation reports:
From the opening scenes of “Tea Party: The Documentary Film,” [...]
Proposed 10-point purity test for Republican candidates
RNC Committeeman Jim Bopp, Jr. has proposed what many are calling a “purity test” for Republican candidates. In today’s Wall Street Journal, Thomas Frank calls it “a ten-point test that Ronald Reagan would flunk.”
Here is the text of the resolution below, courtesy MSNBC.com. You can read what Ron Paul thinks of it here. Interestingly, in [...]
From the mouths of Sarah Palin fans
Jezebel has posted a popular Youtube video of some interviews with fans lined up for a Sarah Palin book signing in Columbus, Ohio.
For the informed citizen, Palin’s fans are hard to listen to. Here’s a typical exchange:
FAN: (presumably in response to “what does Palin mean to you?”) Fairness, realness.
INTERVIEWER: Any policies, I guess, specifically, of [...]
Thomas Frank vs. Glenn Beck
In the current issue of Playboy – yes, Playboy – Thomas Frank profiles conservative pundit and author Glenn Beck.
It’s natural that Thomas Frank would be drawn to Beck, who is among the leaders of the conservative populist rebellion against the Presidency of Barack Obama. From our vantage point in Chicago, Beck’s fans remind us of [...]
The two Manhattans
George Haymont reviewed “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” back in October for his blog, My Cultural Landscape.
Writing about our movie alongside “New York, I Love You,” he couldn’t resist comparing Manhattan, New York to Manhattan, Kansas, beginning as follows:
While two new films focus on two very different areas of American life, they are tied together [...]
Kansas theatrical premiere at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, Dec 11-17
The one question we get asked most often is – when is “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” going to finally play in a theater in Kansas? Well, the wait is over!
On Friday, December 11, 2009, the movie will begin a weeklong run at the historic Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas. Known for live music, but [...]
San Francisco Landmark screenings Jan 1-7
“What’s the Matter with Kansas?” will play for a weeklong engagement at one of the Landmark Theatres in San Francisco, either the Lumiere or the Opera Plaza, starting on Friday, Jan 1. Check local listings and our web site closer to the time for details, we might not know which one until late December.
The filmmakers [...]