America's Heart & Soul

2004

Action / Documentary

Plot summary


Uploaded by: FREEMAN

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720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
810.97 MB
1280*714
English 2.0
PG
23.976 fps
1 hr 28 min
P/S 2 / 1
1.63 GB
1920*1072
English 5.1
PG
23.976 fps
1 hr 28 min
P/S 1 / 1

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by tigger_689 / 10

A Stunning Celebration of America

This is a visually stunning and emotionally moving tribute to the everyday people that make America great. Unlike those films that live to tell us how horrible things are, this one shows the faith, love and determination that make this nation.

While some chose to focus on celebrity, this shows everyday people. From a farmer and his son in Vermont to a father and his disabled son who run the Boston Marathon, it is a heartwarming view of good and decent people.

The cinematography is breathtaking and the director made the wonderful choice to not have a narrator, referring to allow the people to tell their own stories.

I've noticed many find this to be bad because they see it as somehow patriotic (I guess for some people that is a bad thing). Many also blast it for being a pro-Bush or post 9/11 rally film.

Perhaps they failed to listen to the audio commentary by the filmmaker who points out that most of this was filmed BEFORE 9/11. Indeed he has been working on it for 20 years, so a good portion of it was made during the CLINTON years. Perhaps it's OK if it supports him ?

Nor do they take into account the fact that, from what I've been able to find out on the net, the filmmaker is actually a Democrat who did not support Bush in 2004.

I won't go into the debate over diversity in the film since many have already pointed out that the film is quite diverse.

I think this film taps into the real divide in America today. Most people in the United States love this country, regardless of whether they are liberal or conservative. They may dislike policies or leaders, but they love the country.

A small group simply hates America. To they all is bad, nothing is good, and any optimism or positive thought is wrong.

That angry elite may find this beneath their standards, but for most of us it is a wonderful 90 minutes.

Reviewed by southdavid5 / 10

Apache Time

In my childhood, I was lucky enough to make it across the Atlantic to the Disney Theme Parks a few times. Occasionally I ended up in exhibitions showing movies about America or the American Dream. They were alright because, I was on holiday in a foreign country, and happy to be there, they had air conditioning and they lasted about ten minutes. Watching this, at home on Disney Plus, for 84 minutes I was less enthralled.

The documentary has us meet a number of Americans, most of whom participate in some form of "wacky" way to amuse themselves. Some of these range from genuinely worthy, such as the Erik Welhenmayer, a blind man who ice climbs or the Hoyt family, who run marathons together. Some, such as Olympic Boxer Michael Bennett or Oil Well Fire Fighters in Texas chose difficult lives for themselves. Some of them like the Bandaloop Cliff Dancers or the Art Car festivals just have more money than sense and two of them, Frank and David Pino just play in one of the worst craprock bands you'll ever see.

The issue is, to call it a documentary is a bit of a stretch. It's a mile wide but a centremetre deep, there's no focus to it, or even really a theme other than these people are all American. It might have been interesting had we gone from coast to coast in order and seen how the landscape of America itself changes, but instead it's a scattershot approach, leaping from here to there and seeing people in a seeming random order.

I didn't hate it but it's hard to think of a reason to recommend spending time on it.

Reviewed by pied9 / 10

Enjoy

The greatness of America is her people. This documentary took me out of my neighborhood and town and made me realize the true diversity and greatness of America.

We see one of the last of the cowboys out West, a family of New Orleans magicians, a Vermont dairy farmer, Latino immigrants and so much more.

Every one of the subjects in this documentary demonstrates hope. These people are true Americans with the spirit of perseverance. What I found most refreshing was the way they all loved what they were doing.

As a high school special education teacher, I plan to show this film to my students.

"America's Heart and Soul" is completely non-political and enjoyable.

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