Fidel

Rating:
Summary: Fidel the other side
Review: As everyone points out this film is bias, which it is. Yet everyone points that he was a bad person, which killed many people among other things. On the other hand it is interesting to understand why so many people love him, both in Cuba and around the world.

The film does a great job of showing the other side of what we think of Castro. It is pretty even handed in that regard. Most of the negative reviews and comments come from uninformed Americans or Miami Cuban-Americans who hated Castro. Yet Castro has done a lot for Cuba and the rest of the world. The footage is great to see. It helps to reinforce the idea of what Castro has done. An example of this is showing him testing out a bed in a new resort that was being built. This is important because it helps to show that Castro was pushing to create new forms of economy.

Over all it is a good film. Again, bias, yes, but it helps to give a better-rounded idea of who Castro was.

Rating:
Summary: Well done but *too* biased
Review: I liked this movie for its interviews, footage, insights, commentary... However, there is a major perspective missing: mainly the lack of freedom of speech, association and press inside Cuba. I agree Fidel has done many good things, but completely ignoring the darkside of this experience is a mistake. It seems like the only complaint this movie can think of about Fidel's dictatorship is that "he doesn't know how to dance" (as Alice Walker laughs.) While I agree with many that the Miami "Mafia" (los gusanos) has carried out atrocities against Cuba and their viewpoints are completely skewed and off-course--and I agree that the US has tortured this small country with intervention and embargo for 45 years (while supporting dozens of horrible dictatorships around the world), I still see no reason to completely ignore the well-known problems of Cuba. Not only is it deceptive, it also will cause people to question the entire documentary's accuracy (which they should not.) While a focus on the positive is necessary to counteract the lies of the American media, this movie is a well directed and filmed valentine letter to Fidel Castro. I'd suggest watching it and then doing some indepedent reading on the matter.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and informative, but missing some facts
Review: Ok, so long ago I gave up my goal of becoming an Amazon top reviewer. Instead, I want to be at the very bottom of the list. The Christians hate my critique of Intelligent Design "science", fat people don't like being told that the south beach diet is probably another hopeless failure, and I certainly expect all of the communists to hate the fact that i am going to call this documentary crudely biased.

Maybe you are a political idealist and believe that human beings are intrinsically good, that they will always work to their full capacity, bla bla bla. Maybe you think that communist (not socialist -- COMMUNIST, characterized by revolutionary takeover, full nationalization of industry, and a planned economy) economic policies are wise (go back to high school). Fine, you are stupid and lack pattern recognition skills...But whoever you are, NO WAY IN HELL can you justify Castro's disregard of political liberties, individual rights, and democracy.

This man employed the same techniques as the government he overthrew - torture, imprisonment for suspected political treason, execution walls, etc; he placed all individual liberties as secondary to the security of the state, in the fashion of Joseph Stalin; and he sat on the throne of Cuba for decades without a single election.

Just like you leftists can go on imagining that Bush is an evangelical Christian but Saddam is secularist, you can continue to imagine that post 9-11 policies are a deep violation of individual liberties, yet Castro is the "liberator" of the 20th century.


Rating:
Summary: Well done but *too* biased
Review: This DVD will be considered heretical by some because it dares to present the idea that not only is there a perspective behind Cuba's communist leader but there is also an individual man.

Here you will see a review of Castro's life, his rise to power, his huge significance for third world countries, his essential contribution to freedom in South Africa, his conflicts with the USA, and (another heresy) his conflicts with, and independence from, the erstwhile Soviet Union. There are more heresies as well. Viewers will be surprised to see Castro publicly admit to mistakes, awkwardly avoid questions about his romantic life because he believes that private lives are not anyone's business (a socialist thinks that--imagine!), his notorious competitive side in sports and games. The film accomplishes this through many interviews with him, old footage of Castro, and interviews with his friends and compatriots. I was most surprised about how shy Castro seemed one-on-one.

I highly recommend the film because it dares to show a picture of Castro that observers rarely get in the USA. I haven't seen a better film on Castro than this one.

Rating:
Summary: Destined To Be Considered Heretical
Review: This DVD will be considered heretical by some because it dares to present the idea that not only is there a perspective behind Cuba's communist leader but there is also an individual man.

Here you will see a review of Castro's life, his rise to power, his huge significance for third world countries, his essential contribution to freedom in South Africa, his conflicts with the USA, and (another heresy) his conflicts with, and independence from, the erstwhile Soviet Union. There are more heresies as well. Viewers will be surprised to see Castro publicly admit to mistakes, awkwardly avoid questions about his romantic life because he believes that private lives are not anyone's business (a socialist thinks that--imagine!), his notorious competitive side in sports and games. The film accomplishes this through many interviews with him, old footage of Castro, and interviews with his friends and compatriots. I was most surprised about how shy Castro seemed one-on-one.

I highly recommend the film because it dares to show a picture of Castro that observers rarely get in the USA. I haven't seen a better film on Castro than this one.

Rating:
Summary: Should be renamed: Fidel, Not the Whole Story.
Review: While Fidel did replace a dictator that was running Cuba in a very disorganized way, while allowing corruption and poverty to flourish, instead of setting up a "democracy" as he always said he would, he became King of the island, his slaves the Cuban people, and the corporation buddies (the various Canadian and European investors.)

This movie doesn't even hint on the many murders and tortures that the KKKomandant has used to gain and remain in power.

If KKKastro would of used his wit and charisma, into fomenting Cuba into a democratic country, Cuba would really be the star Pearl of the Carribean. Instead, he chose (out of hatred against the USA,) to inprison Cuba into the dregs of the socialist bloc, make poor decisions despite expert warnings, and polarized the Cuban society into the very thing he fought against; the wealthy investors and mayimbes, and the common dirt poor Cuban who is not allowed to step into most beaches, hotels, or clubs that cater to the tourists.

Wow! The slogan has changed from socialismo o muerte (socialism or death,) to ultracapitalism or death.

One last comment, being that Harlem seems to think he's a real leader; please investiage the very bew blacks that make up his politburo; they are, in a country of almost 70% blacks and mulatos, a couple compared the mostly white majority. Very much an under representation.