Film Discussion: CitizenFour

The story of how the movie came to be in its present form is fascinating all on its own. The filmmaker, who was making a documentary about CIA surveillance programs and abuses, was contacted by an anonymous informant who seemed to have lots to say on the issue. And when she flew to Hong Kong to interview this character, she got a series of interviews with Snowden about Wikileaks and his reasons for releasing the CIA files that he did that give new meaning to “the horse’s mouth.”

Citizenfour is an Oscar contender and a darling of the critics. But more importantly right now, it will give us all a chance to get this topic in our teeth and shake it around some. I know I have mixed feelings about what Snowden did, some of them dating back to my own time in the Army arm of the National Security Agency.

Deciding to offer a discussion of citizenfour rather than Pride, which is playing in The Historic Theater, was hard. Both are highly regarded and deal with big issues. But in the end, the subject of this movie was just too compelling.

I hope to see you there, which will be in The Music Hall Loft at 7:00.

And if you’re filling out your dance card for the rest of January, we have two more thought-provoking movies to look forward to. Dear White People will be discussed on Tuesday, January 13 in The Historic Theater. (That was another wrenching decision, as Frederic Wiseman’s National Gallery will be showing in The Loft. But the chance to discuss race trumped great art, both that of Mr. Wiseman and that of the Gallery itself. So it goes.) Then on January 20, we will be discussing Whiplash, another movie that’s getting Oscar buzz. That will also be in The Historic Theater.

January is a great month for sitting in the dark watching movies with friends! Stay warm.

Paul Goodwin
TMHMG