In this time of rapidly-increasing gas prices, it is important to view a film like Gashole and see exactly why they are what they are. This is not a documentary that merely focuses on the present, but looks into the history of the United States and its fascination with oil and gasoline. To properly flesh out this story, the creators of Gashole place this question in the larger context of socioeconomic and political forces.
However, this is not a history-only documentary. Rather, there is a tremendous amount of information present about how individuals can break their dependence on oil/gasoline. What I found to be truly interesting about Gashole is the sheer amount of alternatives that currently exist, and how little work could be done to make some of these alternatives a reality. The sheer amount of experts that are contacted through the narrative of Gashole is stunning, and represents individuals from all walks of life.
Whether it is an interview conducted with consumers of alternative fuel, Congressional leaders, different doctors in related fields (Psychology, Economic), the directors of Gashole try to make a fair and balanced documentary.
It is due to their care taken in the creation of this film that Gashole is one of the best documentaries that we have reviewed this year. While the specifics of the data may change in the years to come, the framework that is created during the documentary’s 100 minutes should be adopted by anyone that is looking to contribute to the larger discussion about the American obsession with gasoline and how it could conceivably be broken. Check out Gashole today and educate yourself about the nuances of this problem and see if you could move to an alternative.
Rating: 8.2/10
Gashole (DVD) / 2011 Cinema Libre Studio / 100 Minutes / http://www.gasholemovie.com / http://www.cinemalibrestudio.com