Overview: 'This Changes Everything' is a look at seven communities around the world with the proposition that we can seize the crisis of climate change to transform our failed economic system into something radically better.

Blu-ray Verdict: OK, as much as I can fully admit that I am not really up to date on the social and actual hands on aspects of bettering, changing our here and now and ushering in a new, more welcoming future for our children and such, filmed over 211 shoot days in nine countries and five continents over four years, 'This Changes Everything' is, simply put, an epic attempt to re-imagine the vast challenge of climate change; for all concerned.

The film presents seven portraits of communities on the front lines, from Montana's Powder River Basin to the Alberta Tar Sands, from the coast of South India to Beijing and beyond. Interwoven with these stories of struggle is Naomi Klein's narration, connecting the carbon in the air with the economic system that put it there. Throughout the film, Klein builds to her most controversial and exciting idea: that we can seize the existential crisis of climate change to transform our failed economic system into something radically better.

Now, if all that still seems a little too deep for the casual bystander, let me explain it in a more broken down aspect: 'This Changes Everything' essentially proposes that local community action and control is the key to avoiding the escalating impact of climate change. While in theory this might be true, at least two of the examples cited don't bear this out. One is the case of Greece, in which mostly peaceful local opposition to the destruction of basically their entire way of life has been crushed by the EU and the IMF. As of Nov 2015 riots have not improved the situation.

The second is the case of India, the 2nd most populous country on the planet and accelerating to 1st sometime around 2025. The issue here is that no matter how you plan to provide electricity to the vast majority of the population who don't have it, that plan will still have severe impacts on the environment as the ecological footprint of each person is magnified by huge population numbers.

Forecast human population growth to 9.2 billion with increasing ecological footprint (including CO2 emissions) is pretty much guaranteed to tip the planet further into devastating ecological overshoot which is already happening and probably beyond control given the ingrained profit driven nature of capitalism (another key topic not really covered in the movie), corporate control, and sheer public apathy.

So, as you can see, as much 'This Changes Everything' sets out to push our thoughts, or desires forward to take back control of this world, it also over expands on a few things (in my humble opinion), which means it still leaves a few questions unanswered. That said, 'This Changes Everything' is a well made and well researched movie and is by far one of the best, most engaging of its ilk out there right now, trust me. This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

Over 50 Minutes of Deleted Scenes
35 Minute Interview with Naomi Klein, Avi Lewis and Alfonso Cuaron
Trailer

Additionally, the packaging is FSC certified recycled paper with waterless printing. Each Blu-ray and DVD contains a coupon to receive a reprint of Shepard Fairey’s poster for the film.

www.thischangeseverything.org