New Movie Called ‘Soft Core Eco-terrorism’ for Kids
Three middle school children band together, sabotage a construction site, gag a land developer and take him hostage. But their criminal conduct, aimed at saving the habitat of burrowing owls from “greedy land developers,” isn’t reality-based.
It’s the subject of a new movie that one entertainment reviewer labels “soft core eco-terrorism” for kids.
The movie, “Hoot,” opens Friday, May 5. It features environmentally conscious teenage characters vandalizing heavy machines by stealing parts off of them and flattening tires in order to hinder a development project.
The teens, who ultimately succeed in halting the project, spray paint a police car that is providing security, trespass, rip up surveyors’ stakes, place alligators in portable toilets, release poisonous Cottonmouth snakes at the construction site and evade the police. The teenagers also debate stealing the construction trailer and sinking it into a nearby canal to further delay the project.
The teenagers in the PG-rated movie face no repercussions for the illegal acts and instead are portrayed as heroically preventing the construction of a pancake house in South Florida to save the owls’ habitat. There are consequences, however, for the pancake company.
In addition to facing construction delays and cost overruns because of the kids’ actions, the company’s project manager is arrested at the end of Hoot for violating environmental protection laws.
The film’s trailer urges viewers to “break the rules” and features one of the lead characters saying, “You gotta start thinking like an outlaw.”
Wil Shriner(Scotty from General Hospital), the movie’s director, dismissed the notion that the movie portrays eco-terrorism and instead called the teenagers’ vigilante actions on behalf of the owls “mischievous.” The teenagers in the film are merely reacting to the illegal behavior of adults, said Shriner, who hopes Hoot will inspire kids to take a stand to protect the earth from too much development.
Here is my take on this…I do think that we need to be mindful of the environment, but teaching kids to break the law, in order to protect it, is not the answer. I also find it wonderful that the kids seem receptive to the movie, but what is the message they are walking away with?
What do you think?
Michelle has her vent available here.
I saw the promos for this propaganda piece and immediately saw this movie for what it was: 100% trash.
Who were the bad guys? Evil, greedy developers who just want to rape the planet to make money. The cops, bunch of incompetent morons, except there is one thing that they do well, and that is corruption.
The heros: The beautiful, wonderful, enviros, who are going to fight the evil developers and their capitalist cronies to protect the planet. And of course the kids, who once they are under the banner of the enviros, are elevated to the status of being wiser and more valuable than their parents, the police, and probably just about everything traditional.
100% pure fecal material. My 11-year old saw the promos and spotted this for what it was, and just laughed at it. No I won’t be seeing it and neither will my boys, because like Farenhype 911, I wouldn’t give one cent to the degenerate slime that created this pos. Except unlike F911, which I did watch once it came on tv for free, I will never waste my time or attention on this pos. I saw the promo; that told the whole story.
Relax. Carl Hiassen is the next closest thing to John Stossell as a journalist that covers science. If you want to be outraged, but amused, read Skin Deep.
This isn’t about subversive. It’s about our students being the best. Reading Carl Hiassen’s novels will only help them get better. As for the movies, blame the movie business.
The best scientists I have met from the Florida area all read Carl, at least for his cutting sense of humor. Kids don’t need protection from Carl Hiassen; they need access to multiple points of view. Hiassen is not ridiculous; he is shocking. He thinks he needs to be. Often, he is right.
He’s not one of these wierd, Maureen Dowd-type writers, that I can tell. However, he’s apt to get that way soon if sensible people don’t listen. Read him yourself, trust your kids, and talk about his crazy books. Forget the movies; that’s Hollywood.
Chris- did you miss the point where I pointed out that this was a movie we are talking about?
It’s the subject of a new movie that one entertainment reviewer labels “soft core eco-terrorism”for kids.
And kids do not need to be taught that they can break the law and there are no reprocussions.
“did you miss the point where I pointed out that this was a movie we are talking about”
This movie is based on a novel by Carl Hiassen…(!)
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“And kids do not need to be taught that they can break the law and there are no reprocussions.”
Maybe, but kids DO need to be taught the value of defending things that can’t defend themselves like animals and the environment…
Kid’s need to be taught to read and write..and do some fucking math.
But thanks to your vaunted teachers unions and “public schools” they are lucky they can tie their shoes, let alone break down political, social or environmental issues on any meaningful level.
I am fully aware of whoe wrote this SF. And kids need to be taught that they can’t break the law.
The same rotten directors who would show our GIs as saddistic monsters will go and show a bunch of unruly tennage brats as wonderrful admirable heros becuase they want to save the burrowing owls i mean this is how crappy hollywood is getting and HOOT is a peice of filmatic garbage and they will probibly niminate it for a oscar next year. And to make matter worse there are some jerks who call this crappy movie a woderful movie to let your kids see what a load of BS:mad:
“I am fully aware of whoe wrote this SF. And kids need to be taught that they can’t break the law.”
Sure, but like I said, kids also need to be taught the value of defending those who cannot defend themselves – even if it sometimes means breaking the law, yes.
We all know the value of the “illegal” sit-ins of the 60′s. Would you say that those freedom fighters were wrong because they broke Jim Crow law?
Why doesn’t your side stop whining and write some feel-good screenplays about corporate executives and the good they can do with their greed – I mean – wealth? I’m sure it will sell more tickets than a story about kids saving helpless wildlife…
And regarding who wrote
…the novel, his name is familier in Florida for his op-ed pieces.
There’s a little for people on both sides of the spectrum to get into…
Three middle school children band together, sabotage a construction site, gag a land developer and take him hostage.
spray paint a police car that is providing security, trespass, rip up surveyors’ stakes, place alligators in portable toilets, release poisonous Cottonmouth snakes at the construction site and evade the police. The teenagers also debate stealing the construction trailer and sinking it into a nearby canal to further delay the project.
Wow, so this is acceptable…question though..what illegal act did the developer commit if he didn’t construct the building or kill the owls?
A classic “defending the defenseless” story.
Naturally, many Republicans would oppose this.
It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with common sense.
“It has to do with common sense.”
You’re 100% right it’s common sense – the common sense to defend those who are unable to defend themselves!
This is really a no-brainer, I’m not sure why some on your team is having such a hard time understanding the value of a story like this.
No wonder Republicans are thought of as being ass-backwards when it comes to the environment.
Swoosh! That’s the sound of the main points of this topic going right over SF Liberal’s head, without him understanding or addressing them.
In Northern Kalifornia the last few months 3 stupid ecowankers just went to prison for ecoterrorism, done in the name of the “Earth Liberation Front”. They were planting firebombs at construction sites. They were too inept to do much damage, but off to prison they went.
Funny how their parents, in total denial (like Jihad Johnnie Walker of Marin) were just shocked and outraged that their poor little darlings were sentenced to prison! How could that be? They’re just wonderful little ecowackos!
Robert – Firebombs are just a little different than ripping up surveyors’ stakes or placing alligators in portable toilets. (!)
Obviously, those NorCal fools you are talking about stepped over a line and deserve to be punished. But a story about school-age kids trying to defend the habitat of endangered owls with school-age pranks makes for a fun story and a good lesson for kids.
I’ll bet these miscreants started with seemingly innocent fare like Captain Planet, or whatever that cartoon Ted Turner propaganda creation is. Their pliable minds were already conditioned and well primed when the more dangerous propaganda came along in high school. By the time they reached college age they were willing and eager ecoterrorists.
That’s the danger with exposing young minds to evil.
So putting an alligator in a toilet is a nice way to treat the alligator? Alligators aren’t known to kill are they? Certainly not in Florida! Or even poisonous snakes..they’re harmless! And so easy for kids to handle.
KIDNAPPING,ARSON,VANALISM all in the name of saving a species is wrong and frankly this movie just glories eco-terrorists i mean what those little eco-freaks commit are federal crimes and yet they go unpunished and are appluaded as heros this is a movie you should defenetly not take your kids to nor should ever buy or rent it when it comes out on VHS and or DVD:mad:
“KIDNAPPING,ARSON,VANALISM”
LOL…It’s a kids movie!
Come on, people!
Once again SFL, you just don’t get it.
This is amovie that EARTH FIRST and EARTH LIBERATION FRONT would approve of since it shows just what they do:mad:
“Once again SFL, you just don’t get it.”
Yeah, I do…I just don’t think it’s a big deal – AT ALL – to teach kids to be pro-active on the environment. (!)
Your side is pretty much lost on this one, Robert. You should know, too, because you have school age children.
Kids nowadays spend LOTS of time learning about the environment and the value in protecting it. There are cartoons, movies, and all sorts of online media that tens of thousand, if not hundreds of thousands of school kids learn about daily.
Conservatives like those ripping on this movie and the ideas behind it are being left behind daily by their own children!!
Your own kids will probably have vastly more environmental awareness and concern than any conservative adult here ever will…
Another generation or two and the whole fringe conservative anti-environment argument will be dead.
Not my neices and nephews here in Michigan!
“Your side is pretty much lost on this one, Robert. You should know, too, because you have school age children.”
Yes, and as I have already articulated, mine are being raised Right. My 11-year old readily recognized “Hoot” as a propaganda piece just from watching the preview. He has no desire to see it.
Now if more parents were doing their job properly, Ecowhackoism would be eventually relegated to a curiosity, not something that is causing us enormous problems.
“Now if more parents were doing their job properly, Ecowhackoism would be eventually relegated to a curiosity, not something that is causing us enormous problems.”
Umm, I’m not sure “ecowackoism” (love the term, BTW) is as big of a problem as environmental destruction and degredation is.
I guess it depends on where you live…
“Not my neices and nephews here in Michigan!”
Time will tell! I don’t know them, but I do know that most kids these days have more concern for the environment than adults do…years of pay-off from the cartoons, movies and mass media.
This “I’m a conservative, and I rebel against the liberal establishment” is just a phase for most. I know, because I was one of them! Still own my Rush L. books from back in the mid 90′s, in a box somewhere…:lol:
Can’t fight it guys…Recycle programs are bigger than ever, mass acceptance of global warming has ostracized opponents into a fringe of deniers much like the holocaust deniers…the list goes on and on of advances made by environmental awareness.
And it’s starting in the schools.
Thank god.
Can’t fight it guys:Recycle programs are bigger than ever, mass acceptance of global warming has ostracized opponents into a fringe of deniers much like the holocaust deniers:the list goes on and on of advances made by environmental awareness.
And it’s starting in the schools.
1. I won’t pay to have the recycler make money off the scrap…What a joke that is!
2. Actually, come out of your bubble..you are the fringe!
“1. I won’t pay to have the recycler make money off the scrap:What a joke that is!”
Maybe, but would you pay to divert certain percentages of your garbage from being tossed into landfills?
“2. Actually, come out of your bubble..you are the fringe!”
Not sure where you’re getting THAT from, Peejz, but seriously, anti-environmentals like yourself and the few who post here, are FOR SURE on the fringe of American thought.
Read a poll or two on it:
“Do you think the U.S. government is doing too much, too little, or about the right amount in terms of protecting the environment?”
Too Little = 62%
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“Right now, do you think the quality of the environment in the country as a whole is getting better or getting worse?”
Getting Worse = 67%
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Better yet, instead of me posting each poll, why don’t you all go check it out for yourselves?
http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
You’ll see that YOU ARE ON THE FRINGE on this issue!
No I will not pay extra for anything on garbage!
And wow, you showed me a push poll…am I supposed to believe it anymore than any of the other polls? Nope. Less than 1000 people does not register as a % of the population. Therefore polls are worthless..that is unless you poll between 500,000 to 1,000,000 people. That is an indication on any subject. Besides..look at how well those exit polls did in Nov 04..
Deny, deny, deny…
Try using a 12 step program, Peejz.
Eventually, you will admit that you have a problem…:wink:
Besides, this isn’t really a liberal/conservative thing; the environment. Most americans want clean air, clean water and to be able to enjoy the paradise that our outdoors provide.
I think in your natural haste to oppose all things “liberal” or maybe touchy-feely sounding ideas, you are unintentionaly aligning yourself with the devil (Big Business) that cares little for the environment and more for profit.
I do care about the environment as do most people that I know..the difference is that we don’t think it is the biggest problem that faces this world.
27. SF, you are odd. I have met many xlibs who grew up and became realistic, but you are the first xconservative who became a lib. What induced you to do such? Really. I am all ears,,, or eyes.
Moving from the Detroit area to San Francisco will do that John!
SFL, it is not true that we don’t care about the environment and don’t want clean air or water. What we don’t want, and oppose (if I can speak for others too here) is:
1. Politization of environmental issues, as the Left has so completely done.
2. Absurdity, usually promulgated by people who have a vested (financial) interest in pushing for more regulations that don’t make sense in the big picture, but benefit them.
3. The hijacking of environmentalism by Communists/Socialists who only use it as a vehicle to control others (like the Kyoto global warming thing, which is a corrupt boondoggle designed to cripple Western economies).
Going on right now in Kalifornia is a perfect example: We’re so against “greenhouse” gas emissions (42% in Kali comes from electric power generation) that the Governator is getting ready to implement changes in regulations that would cost industry hundreds of millions of dolars each year and make us less competetive in the marketplace, while only making a very small reduction in emissions. At the very same time, because of the idiotic hysteria against nuclear power, they are proposing construction of several new coal burning power plants (out of state, of course, in somebody else’s back yard) to supply needed power, that would put billions of tons of greenhouse gas in the air each year! And these coal burning plants emit radioactive particles into the air for all of us to breathe, now isn’t that just grand? This is an example of environmental idiocy, but it it’s all blessed by the Sierra Clubs and their associated Ecowhackos.
Conservatives are for environmentalism that makes sense!
This movie is a s bad as that CAPTIAN PLNET eco-wacko crap and that stupid SEAQUEAST DSV its junk made to look like agreat movie:mad:
Yeah, usually liberal environmental arguments are based purely on emotion, and based in no fact whatsoever…and I’ll give you an example.
Deer in Fairmount Park.. Fairmout Park in Philadelphia is the largest urban park in the united states, 10,000 acres completely inside the city.
Now, there are many deer roaming the park, which environmental wackos and animal rights nazi’s will not allow people to hunt…. and you know what happens when the deer population gets unnaturaly large, due to the removal of their NATURAL predator…that’s right, they starve, roam onto roads and other populated areas in search of food, and guess what…more deer die, as do humans…
do the lefties care? Nope…. their only motivation in life is felling good about THEMSELVES, but thinking they are saving fuzzy little bambi by banning hunting.
maybe we should hunt liberals.