meddlecore Poliwood is an interesting documentary by renown filmmaker Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Wag The Dog, Sleepers). In this film he has set out with a number of celebrities, interviewing them about their political affiliations and activities, with hopes of scratching the surface to reveal the ever-blurring boundaries between Celebrity (Hollywood) and Politics. It is essentially looking at how Celebrity influences Politics in a number of ways: from Actors becoming Politicians (Reagan) and vice versa (Gore); to how PR Firms/Mainstream Media Outlets promote and cover Politicians the same way they do celebrities ("they don't sell you the product, they sell you the lifestyle you will inherit"-Sarandon); to how politicians align themselves with Celebrities in order to gain an advantage over their competitors (Obama); and, of course, how all of this affects the decisions of voters.The film particularly focuses on a group of Hollywood "Elites" that have aligned themselves with a "non-partisan" (clearly liberal leaning) organization called the Creative Coalition, where they work together in order to influence politicians on a variety of issues and promote social programs in the realm of the arts, music, and physical education. The group was founded by Ron Silver in 1989. Some members highlighted in this film include Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, Ellen Burstyn, Rachael Leigh Cook...and don't worry, there are some Conservatives in there too... like crazy Christian Stephen Baldwin.The first important revelation comes when Levinson is talking to Susan Sarandon and Ellen Burstyn about an interesting article written by JFK, published in TV Guide in 1959, prior to his running for the Presidency. Now Narrating, Levinson discusses how JFK used this article to outline how the growing influence of Television- and the Hollywood style PR that came with it- was starting to drastically affect America's political culture. Sometimes for good, sometimes for greed.He compliments this by noting how it was a television speech that Reagan made as an actor in support of Goldwater's presidential bid that led him to politics ; and how TV News, which had been previously operated as a social service, became watered down when it started to require ratings and sell advertising...He even gets an MSNBC anchor to admit that he and everyone but Jim Lehrer are pandering for ratings.After putting forth his argument and interviewing a bunch of CC members from both ends of the spectrum, Levinson follows the group to both the Democratic and Republican Conventions, where they seek to garner support for their causes while educating themselves about what their opponents are thinking, and why. They are particularly surprised by the Republican Convention where everything is like it is on TV: the politicians fake; the speeches scripted; and the audience there as props to cheer when required. Though, keep in mind, the majority of the group's members allowed themselves to be used as promotional props for Obama's campaign. To be fair, Levinson and the members of the group do acknowledge that, "everything is orchestrated on both sides", as one person states.I personally found the segments near the end, where the CC sat down with the talking group of Republicans for a "dialogue", and the interview with that bow-tie wearing douche from CNN, to be particularly interesting. The accusations and assumptions made by the group toward the CC members: that because they were actors they had no political knowledge and thus had no right to promote a political agenda, were not only hypocritical (in that they felt that way only because the CC members didn't agree with them), but were actually more applicable to the Conservative minded celebrities, as opposed to the more liberal-minded ones they were degrading in the meeting. You've got to respect the CC members' attempt to dialogue with their ideological enemies, at the very least.Shot and edited like a homemade documentary, the film offers us a glimpse into what it's like to be a liberal leaning celebrity with a political opinion, as seen through the eyes of Barry Levinson, a liberal leaning celebrity with a political opinion. It must be noted that the film was edited in a way as to ensure that the film's focus would not be on the actual opinions of the Celebrities, but rather on their role as a mechanism of influence. Unlike the organization's non-partisanship, the film does take a partisan stance...but that does not detract from it's value. I quite like the argument that Levinson develops in regards to the technological introduction of Television and how it got us into this mess; in fact, i think it's rather un-debatable. But at the same time, I left feeling that this film was an attempt to vindicate the Celebrities for promoting Obama as the lesser of two evils...despite the fact that they realized both sides are just as fake as Hollywood.In conclusion, I'll leave you with this quote from Levinson, which pretty much sums everything up: "If they are not Telegenic then they cannot become President of the United States. We are about this far (*shows an inch between his fingers*) from the political version of Miss America." Interesting watch, worth checking out. 6.5 out of 10.

OutsideHollywoodLand "A little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787 One documentary film serves to highlight Tinsel town's liberal artists and celebrities as they exercise their political voice and power. Poliwood, directed by Barry Levinson and co-produced by actor Tim Daly, of the progressive Creative Coalition, criss-crosses America during the 2008 presidential campaign. Interviewing Hollywood liberals and mainstream media moguls, Daly hopes the production will underscore the main goal of the Coalition, "bringing issues to the table for national discussion".Levinson's Poliwood ambitiously interweaves several issues that that he sees as important in Hollywood: How television has changed the nature of politics, the development of politicians as "actors" in shaping public opinion, and the increasing political polarization of America.Instead, Poliwood serves to expose the hypersensitivity of today's liberal Hollywood creative community – which is understandable - given their experiences at the hands of conservative Hollywood during the Communist Inquistion of the 1950s. If the shift sometimes appears unfair, it may depend on who's looking through the lens of history.It probably comes as no shock that most artists are a pretty unconventional crew. This is due in part to their creative nature and because the very act of creating art itself needs a rather imaginative soil to grow and thrive. So, it's a safe bet that most Hollywood artists are liberal in their thinking and hence, in their politics.Levinson chose the 1959 Kennedy-Nixon presidential campaign to make his point that: "Television is a medium that lends itself to manipulation, exploitation, and gimmicks. Political campaigns can actually be taken over by the public relation experts who tell the candidate not only how to use television, but what to say, what to stand for, and what kind of person to be." The movie focuses on some of the Creative Coalition's more visible members – Tim Daly, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway – as they attend both the Democratic and Republican Conventions during the summer of 2008. Levinison's camera catches their roller-coaster emotions, from breathless and teary-eyed enthusiasm during the DNC's homage to candidate Barrack Obama, to their petulant "do-we-have-to-go?" resignation at the RNC.One revealing scene occurs during an "open dialog session", facilitated by conservative pollster and communications consultant, Frank Luntz, during the Republican National Convention. He was asked (presumably by the CC) to moderate a discussion between Creative Coalition members and RNC campaigners. Levinson's camera pans the CC membership, all well-known actors, as the conservative campaigners voiced their concerns on the negative stereotyping that liberal Hollywood practices. Many in the CC entourage became visibly angry, defensive, and hostile. It was left to the more seasoned veteran liberals – Susan Sarandon, Tim Daly, and Ellyn Burstyn – to paint a pretty picture and sooth the hurt feelings all around.Even the founder of the Coalition, the late Ron Silver, laments before the camera about the current polarization of the country, which is now coming from the left-wing faction. He saw a real danger in the "intolerance on the left", because they "are unwilling to hear arguments they don't agree with." Along the way, Poliwood is successful in interweaving television's complicity as a propaganda tool with the political processes of Washington. However, the scenes of Hollywood activists displaying their different shades of bias – however humanitarian - make a stronger statement about history repeating itself.

Robert J. Maxwell Barry Levinson's documentary is not really about politics but about the relationship between politics, celebrity, and the media, which Levinson calls "an unholy alliance." If Levinson has a political opinion in the standard sense of the term, it's not readily apparent.The director evokes a Frank Capra movie from the early 40s as an example: "Meet John Doe." The movie stars Gary Cooper as an ordinary guy who is picked to represent a fictional character by a newspaper. He's picked to be made into a public hero because he looks photogenic and he acts in an innocent and ordinary way. And John Doe DOES become a populist hero. The newspaper takes him on tour. He reads rousing speeches about the nation being made up of "little guys like us," written for him by Barbara Stanwyck, a reporter. John Doe Clubs spring up all around the nation. He's adored, lauded wherever he goes.Then, back to reality, there is Joe the Plumber, if anyone remembers him. He was an ordinary guy who asked Barack Obama a simple, challenging question during the campaign. The media loved Joe the Plumber, a husky, plain-looking Midwesterner with a shaved head. He looked right. He could speak in complete sentences. He was taken on tour and lauded. But he was swept up by the losing side and today, a man of no journalistic experience and no background in politics, the media has lost interest and Joe has faded from public consciousness after writing a book and becoming a motivational speaker.This isn't to denigrate Joe the Plumber or his political philosophy but to emphasize the nature of celebrity. There was unquestionably a similar element of "celebrity" in Barack Obama and his campaign. Expensive inflatable sneakers decorated with Obama's face are now advertised on television. You can buy an authentic Barack Obama chia doll. (Obama's head is filled with dirt and, when it's watered, tiny leaves sprout from it.) I've taken up a lot of space with John Doe and Joe the Plumber, one fictional and one real, because it summarizes the main points I think Levinson is trying to make. The television camera, he tells us in a few black-and-white editorial inserts, is "entertaining" but "a disaster" for the news because it confuses make-believe with the truth. "Reality TV" is not "reality," he reminds us.Some of the Hollywood celebrities we see have pointed political views. We're probably familiar with most of them. But, on the whole, they're not the ego-ridden airheads we might have expected. And some have frankly come to learn something about the issues and how the system works, and they find themselves embarrassed when reporters ask them to make comments on complex issues. I mean, what the hell does Anne Hathaway know about the role of structured derivative instruments in an economic collapse? More engaging points that Levinson makes. What can a celebrity or politician "sell" on TV? Not funding for the arts or education. The channel gets switched. But they can sell conflict and outrage which, like natural disasters, receive ready attention.Sometimes, if you want to make your pitch for a cause, "celebrity" provides a more powerful platform than "politics." For many years, global climate has been one of Al Gore's chief concerns. Yet, as Vice President, he could not engage the media. But once out of office, a private citizen and public figure, he could organize a persuasive presentation, film it, and win an Academy Award -- not because he was a former Vice President but because he had become a celebrity.Anyone who wants to, can find weaknesses and bias in "Poliwood." Who knows what wound up on the cutting room floor? But they'd have to work at it because Levinson, who treats all his guests politely and with sweet reason, seems GENUINELY gripped by the ethical problem of politics/celebrity/media, and not by any particular social issues. He doesn't ask anyone about political issues and his subjects' comments are mostly limited to the subject at hand, the confluence of politics, celebrity, and the media. Sixty years ago it was mandated that the networks devote at least some part of their air time to news, as a public service. The news departments of all networks consistently lost money, but they were willingly done by professionals as pro bono publico. Now it's not about public service but ratings.

sarahcatt-1 Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general for that matter, has more than its share of vacuous people...BUT, there are many intelligent and thoughtful people there. I'd like to think the latter vastly outnumbers the former. Barry Levinson does a nice job in "Poliwood" by showcasing some very popular 'celebrities' who also happen to be very passionate and credible in their concerns about political issues. When did actors cease to be 'real Americans' as asserted by Rudy Giuliani? Thanks, Barry. The rest of us who call ourselves actors appreciate seeing our profession represented as more than just a bunch of overindulged airheads.