Chris Smith Videos

Conspiracy theories abound on the left and the right--the "Birthers" are only the most recent incarnation. But there are plenty of scary secrets out there that are real and well-documented, from Max Blumenthal's investigations into the religious right to Jeremy Scahill's work on Blackwater. It can be hard to tell where the conspiracy theories begin and the truth ends. Our guests today talk about shady global conspiracies, corporate overlords, and the military-industrial complex, and what we can do about any of it. John Perkins is the author of Hoodwinked and Confessions of an Economic Hit Man , and has written about how corporations push politicians around and even threaten them with violence. Russ Baker, meanwhile, is the author of Family of Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put It in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America and has written extensively about the military-industrial complex. They argue the only weapon we have is public opinion and public pressure--and we need to bring it to bear not just on the government, but on the corporations. In the new film Collapse, filmmaker Chris Smith follows Michael Ruppert, a former Los Angeles police officer who publishes a newsletter where, among other things, he predicted the economic crisis. But his theories often range into the apocalyptic. Smith joined Laura in the studio to discuss his film and whether or not he believes Ruppert. Is he a genius, or just paranoid? Today is Veterans Day, and we are supposed to honor those who have served in the military. This video from New America Media takes a look at the struggles of veterans to readjust to civilian life, and asks what more we could be doing to truly honor them. With all the depressing news about corporations and the government today, we thought we'd add some of the brighter side of capitalism. Social Capital Markets aims to help save the world--and still make a profit. The Earth Island Institute created the annual Brower Youth Awards to honor six young people for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy, and we take a look at another of their winners, a food justice activist in Texas who is redefining environmentalism.

Michael Ruppert is a former Los Angeles police officer turned independent reporter, and he gained some credibility after predicting the financial meltdown that most politicians claimed no one had seen coming. Ruppert has plenty of other apocalyptic theories, from peak oil to drugs to, yes, 9/11. In the new film Collapse, filmmaker Chris Smith follows Ruppert and looks into his theories. Is he a genius, or just paranoid? The film allows you to make your own judgments, while showing the risks and rewards of having--and publishing--unpopular opinions. Smith joined Laura in the studio to discuss his film and whether or not he believes Ruppert.

Americans generally like to hear good news. They like to believe that a new president will right old wrongs, that clean energy will replace dirty oil and that fresh thinking will set the economy straight. American pundits tend to restrain their pessimism and hope for the best. But is anyone prepared for the worst? Meet Michael Ruppert, a different kind of American. A former Los Angeles police officer turned independent reporter, he predicted the current financial crisis in his self-published newsletter at a time when most Wall Street and Washington analysts were still in denial. Director Chris Smith has shown an affinity for outsiders in films like American Movie and The Yes Men. In Collapse, he departs stylistically from his past documentaries by interviewing Ruppert in a format that recalls the work of Errol Morris and Spalding Gray. A character study of the apocalyptic imagination, Collapse is a portrait of a man who believes with total conviction that industrial civilization is on the verge of collapse. Ranked 3.50 / 5 | 0 views | 0 comments Click here to watch the video (02:01) Submitted By: videodetective Tags: Movie Trailers Movie Trailer COLLAPSE Chris Smith Documentaries Bluemark Films Categories: Entertainment

Click image below to view full poster The scariest movie coming out this year isn't about a murderous psycho or a ghostly demon who terrorizes a couple in their own home. It's Chris Smith's (American Movie, The Yes Men) documentary Collapse, where one man uncannily outlines the dark path our nation and world are heading down. He's no Nostradamus talking about the "great bear from the east" or anything, he's just a normal guy using the same facts and figures available to everyone. The exclusive poster might only feature the back of his head, but once you hear Michael Ruppert talk (he's a bit like The Smoking Man on The X-Files), you'll realize why the truth is much scarier than fiction. The movie opens in New York on 11/6, Los Angeles on 11/13, and will be released on cable video on demand on the Cinetic FilmBuff channel on 11/15. Bug your provider now if you don't already get it -- this is one you definitely don't want to miss. Check out the full poster by clicking the image below. Gallery: 'Collapse' Poster Filed under: Documentary, Movie Marketing, Posters Permalink | Email this | Comments