Watch War Made Easy

War Made Easy is a documentary film directed by Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp. The movie is based on the book War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death written by Norman Solomon. It features narration by Sean Penn and interviews with various experts in the field of media, politics and journalism including Norman Solomon himself.

The film examines the role that the media has played in shaping public opinion and supporting government policies when it comes to war. It shows how both Democratic and Republican presidents have used propaganda to justify military action and how the media has often been complicit in this process.

The movie begins by discussing how the government often uses fear and other emotions to manipulate the public into supporting war. It then goes on to show how the media helps to create a narrative around a particular conflict that often obscures the true motives of the government.

One of the central themes of the film is the concept of 'manufacturing consent', a phrase coined by Noam Chomsky which refers to the way in which the media shapes public opinion through the selective use of information. The movie shows how the media often presents a one-sided view of a conflict that supports the government's position and how this can lead to a distorted view of the situation for the public.

The film also examines the role of pundits and 'experts' in the media who are often used to legitimize the government's position. It shows how these individuals often have connections to the government or the military-industrial complex and how their commentary is often biased in favor of the government's position.

One of the most interesting segments of the movie focuses on the use of language in the media to frame a particular conflict. It shows how the government and the media often use euphemisms and other language tricks to make war seem more palatable to the public. For example, the phrase 'collateral damage' is often used instead of civilian casualties and 'enhanced interrogation' instead of torture.

The film also looks at the history of propaganda in the United States and how it has been used to support wars from World War I to the present day. It shows how propaganda techniques have become more sophisticated over time and how the media is often used as a tool to shape public opinion.

Overall, War Made Easy is a thought-provoking documentary that raises important questions about the role of the media in shaping public opinion. It shows how the media can be used to manufacture consent for war and how important it is for the public to have access to diverse sources of information in order to make informed decisions about government policies. The movie is well-made and engaging, with compelling interviews and striking visuals that bring the issues to life. It is a must-see for anyone interested in media, politics or military history.

War Made Easy is a 2008 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 13 minutes.