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'Joker' star Phoenix takes aim at climate apathy with film about dying Earth

LONDON (Reuters) - Oscar favourite Joaquin Phoenix stars as a medic battling to save a dying planet Earth in a film launched on Thursday, the first in a series of short Hollywood productions aimed at spurring action on climate change.

The “Joker” star teamed up with environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion and Amazon Watch, a California-based organisation campaigning to protect the Amazon rainforest, to produce the 2-minute film http://www.mobilize.earth “Guardians of Life.”

Shot in a Los Angeles emergency room, the movie shows doctors attempting to save an unidentified patient whose flatlining vital signs represent the threat posed by climate change, deforestation and fires from Australia to the Amazon.

“It’s really a call to action,” said Phoenix, among the most prominent Hollywood stars to draw attention to the catastrophic damage being caused by human-induced global warming.

“People don’t realize there’s still time, but only if we act now and make sweeping changes to our consumption. We can’t wait for governments to solve these problems for us.”

Founded in Britain, Extinction Rebellion promotes its climate activism through civil disobedience, and Phoenix was himself arrested at a climate change protest organised by fellow Hollywood star Jane Fonda in Washington last month, a few days after winning a Golden Globe for his starring role in “Joker”.

The first in a planned series of 12 short films, “Guardians of Life” points to the vital role indigenous people play in protecting habitats, a finding emphasised by scientists studying the million plant and animal species they say risk extinction due to damage caused by industrial society.

“This film is very important for us at this moment,” said Sonia Guajajara, head of Brazil’s largest indigenous umbrella organisation, the Association of Indigenous Peoples.

“It demonstrates the artists’ engagement in Amazon protection by showing the key role indigenous peoples play in defending the forests, the planet, and life itself.”

Rosario Dawson, Matthew Modine and Oona Chaplin appear alongside Phoenix in the film. It was directed by Shaun Monson and produced with Mobilize Earth, a U.S. not-for-profit organisation set up for the series, and aims to raise money for Extinction Rebellion and Amazon Watch.

“There is still a disconnect between how bad things are and the action that needs to happen,” said Gail Bradbrook, a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion. “But that gap is narrowing. There are more significant people starting to break ranks, to tell the truth and act as if it is real.”

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look, climate change being a hoax, i mean whatever

i do think industrial cities are fucking shit up though, massively

i live in NYC and there's NO FUCKING WAY you can fish in our waters

I LOVE FISHING

you can't fucking fish here though, you'll grow like 3 extra limbs

i gotta go down to tesseract country for that shit
 

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Distinction Rebellion aims to tear about society and end human civilization in an attempt to "save the planet." Fuck them and anyone who supports em, honestly.
I'm just so glad Phoenix and Jane Fonda are brave enough to stand up and getting themselves arrested. It must be pretty difficult for them to have to go through that.
 

Chiggs

Gold Member
I sure hope Joaquin manages to show us this medic’s rapid spiral into insanity by dancing in at least 6 different scenes.

I thought the way he used “crazy“ dancing in Joker to show the audience that his character was losing it was so brilliant and subtle. Who has ever thought to do such a thing on screen? No wonder why he’s often called our generation’s River Phoenix!

Give ‘em hell at the Oscars, Joker—I mean, Joaquin!
 
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Atrus

Gold Member
If I had multiple movie stars volunteer their time to make an impactful video for fighting climate change, I would certainly not cover their faces up for most of the short film.

I understand budget is a constraint but that just means being more creative in using the talent to maximize their message at the lowest cost. Fear and threats won't work as well on people as inspiration will.

Your average Civilzation Intro these days probably is more sentimental about the fact that we need to preserve human achievment by preserving the planet. People tend to be emotional to time, history, and our place in it.

 

highrider

Banned
You can be a good actor and still be a moron. Like just stop. You’re an actor dude, I’m an auto painter. It’s equally laughable when either of us speak with authority on what everyone needs to do going forward. And very few people who preach this crap personify any kind of example themselves.
 
Speaking as someone who works in the Environment Sector/Government in the UK, this kind of thing is dumb but has its uses.

The more press it gets, the more pressure is puts on MPS's, who then are more willing to pass legislation to protect the environment.

And that legislation is created and advised on by us, who are well aware of what a bunch of nutjobs people Extinction Rebellion and their ilk are, or how uniformed these celebrity opinions are, and have both a duty to protect the environment and ensure our society keeps on going as consistently as possible to benefit everyone.

And yes, we are also all pissed off these cultists are completely ignoring Asia and Africa while slagging off countries like ours that are leading the way on takling climate change, and roll our eyes at propaganda (like now having to now call it a 'climate emergency'), but it lets us get results, so you kind of have to smile and nod along to the pantomime.

It's also kind of funny how this lot are also always a part of yhe anti brexit crowd.

Now we're out of the EU, Defra has already been responsible for a major improvement in policy for sustainability, environmental preservation and biodiversity net gain in the new Fisheries and Environment bills that recently went theough parliament that go far further than the EU ever did. Fucking big business loving globalists.
 
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buizel

Banned
Shut down Hollywood then. Doubt there's anything more draining on the environment than the needless indulgences of the rich and famous
 
I dated a chick in college who showed me a film called 'Earthlings' over a decade ago. It is about abusive animal farming / butchering practices and is set to synthesizers to make you feel somber. The film was narrated by Joaquin Phoenix. These kind of projects aren't new for him.
 
look, climate change being a hoax, i mean whatever

i do think industrial cities are fucking shit up though, massively

i live in NYC and there's NO FUCKING WAY you can fish in our waters

I LOVE FISHING

you can't fucking fish here though, you'll grow like 3 extra limbs

i gotta go down to tesseract country for that shit

Actually the NYC harbor has improved a lot and is now as clean as it was back in the 70s. Is it perfect? No. Former industrial areas like Newtown Creek are always going to be toxic.

But whales and seals are seen a lot more in the harbor, which is an indicator of things improving. But if you want to fish, you’re far better heading north and fishing the reservoirs.
 
Actually the NYC harbor has improved a lot and is now as clean as it was back in the 70s. Is it perfect? No. Former industrial areas like Newtown Creek are always going to be toxic.

But whales and seals are seen a lot more in the harbor, which is an indicator of things improving. But if you want to fish, you’re far better heading north and fishing the reservoirs.
i don't know anything about if it's getting cleaner or not but i'll take your word for it

still it sucks i can't fish even if i'm going out to montauk (okay, MAYBE MONTAUK)

some people actually even fish at boating/fishing events much closer to the city for porgies and shit but got damn i don't trust that at all

florida is so nice, catfish and tilapia all day
 
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Sakura

Member
Why the fuck would the planet care about climate change? The Earth isn't going to "die", just like it didn't all the other times climate change has happened over history. If you want to say the results of climate change will be bad for human civilization, then sure. But this nonsense about killing the planet or whatever isn't based in reality.
 

iorek21

Member
Man, Coronavirus is way more worrisome than climate change and no one says a beep about it.

But I guess pushing Green Earth narrative gives more likes
 

LMJ

Member
Nothing wrong in standing for what you believe in, but like so many on the "progressive" left in Hollywood all I see are multi millionaires trying to out guilt one another to the point it loses all meaning...

Obligatory

 
C

Contica

Unconfirmed Member
Why the fuck would the planet care about climate change? The Earth isn't going to "die", just like it didn't all the other times climate change has happened over history. If you want to say the results of climate change will be bad for human civilization, then sure. But this nonsense about killing the planet or whatever isn't based in reality.

Potato potato.

When people talk about the planet dying, they are talkikg about it as it is now, and life as it is now.
It's up to you if you want to derail and focus more on semantics than actual issues.
 

DonJorginho

Banned
What does this have to do with past work?

He’s a dancing monkey that you’re looking to as a source of morality. Excuse the French but you’re a fucking idiot if you take anything he says seriously simply because his line of work has given him a public platform.

I care about climate change and took it seriously long before Mr Phoenix made these statements, I am just saying it is good for another high profile individual to bring more eyes onto the subject.

Do I believe in everything he says? Not at all, I am just giving him props for speaking out about something to bring it more attention and thrust it into the public eye.
 
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Papa

Banned
I care about climate change and took it seriously long before Mr Phoenix made these statements, I am just saying it is good for another high profile individual to bring more eyes onto the subject.

Do I believe in everything he says? Not at all, I am just giving him props for speaking out about something to bring it more attention and thrust it into the public eye.

What if he starts spouting political opinions you don’t agree with?
 

Papa

Banned
I would call his opinions out and say why I do not agree of course, that is what any well balanced and unbiased person would do.

So it’s only “good for another high profile individual to bring more eyes onto the subject” when they’re saying things you agree with?

Why do you believe that an actor is a “high profile individual” on this topic?
 

DonJorginho

Banned
So it’s only “good for another high profile individual to bring more eyes onto the subject” when they’re saying things you agree with?

Why do you believe that an actor is a “high profile individual” on this topic?

I never said that? Just because I don't agree with something either doesn't mean I won't want it to be in the public eye as debate is what moves us as a society forward so I wouldn't want to suppress someone as I didn't agree with them.

And they are known by many, inspire many and are linked to large social circles so are good for spreading a message, also people will have to cover them in the news due to their stature in the entertainment industry, so that will gain traction too.
 

Papa

Banned
I never said that? Just because I don't agree with something either doesn't mean I won't want it to be in the public eye as debate is what moves us as a society forward so I wouldn't want to suppress someone as I didn't agree with them.

And they are known by many, inspire many and are linked to large social circles so are good for spreading a message, also people will have to cover them in the news due to their stature in the entertainment industry, so that will gain traction too.

Yes you did. I directly quoted you:

I care about climate change and took it seriously long before Mr Phoenix made these statements, I am just saying it is good for another high profile individual to bring more eyes onto the subject.

Do I believe in everything he says? Not at all, I am just giving him props for speaking out about something to bring it more attention and thrust it into the public eye.

If you want to give professional liars (actors) they keys to morality, be my guest. I’m gonna laugh at you and call you a moron though. Actors have different priorities and incentives to everyday people. Their public image is their brand and their brand is how they attain work. They don’t need to be virtuous but instead simply have to appear virtuous. Their success is not based on merit but on popularity. Telling the truth is therefore not necessarily their highest priority. Similar to politicians.

Actors ascending to the top of the social hierarchy and dictating morality to the plebs is a sign of impending cultural collapse. We simply need to look back through history to the fall of Rome. When the populace is safe from harm and entertainment needs are its highest priority, entertainers ascend to godlike status. People like you who falsely idolize actors and look to them as a source of morality are the kind of people that traditional religion exists for. You’re not equipped to function without it.
 
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