Autumn is here. The evenings are getting colder. There are not many great films at the cinema these days.. So now is a good time to watch some DVDs that have just arrived at your local Geo or Tsutaya rental shop.
By chance, there are two great films about the lies told by the American government in the 1970s. The Pentagon Papers (original title: The Post) is important because it helps us to remember the terrible crimes committed by Nixon and Kissinger in Vietnam. In the film, which takes place in 1971, some journalists decide to tell the American people about what has been happening in Vietnam. It might be difficult for younger people today to understand that newspapers used to have much more power than they have now.
The second film is called The Secret Man (original title: Mark Felt). This is the story of Mark Felt, a man who worked for the FBI for more than 30 years. After the Watergate scandal in 1972, he decides to tell the truth about what has been happening in Nixon's White House. (This story was told in the famous film All the President's Men, which was made in 1976). Mark Felt is a lonely man; he doesn't seem to have any friends. But he finds the courage to tell the truth. Because of his courage, Nixon and Kissinger were finally forced to leave the White House. That is something we should all celebrate...