White Noise

An unsettling look into the rise and transformation of the alt-right, Lombroso gets unfettered access to the movement's most divisive and popular pioneers. A cautionary tale about the pernicious nature of racial bigotry in today's internet age, this documentary is powerful, pertinent and impartial allowing the viewer to draw his or her conclusions about the future of the alt-right.

I don't think the documentary tries to expose the AltRigt or its rhetoric as much as to expose the airheads behind it, all egomaniacs who at one point or another were given enough attention to pursue it indefinitely as a lucrative business. The documentary shows the political culture of our time in painful poignancy, empty, void of any real substance or ethical argument and charged with individual motives and always tied to personal financial gain.

White noise is infuriating and annoying but if you don't turn it off you may very well stop hearing it and learn to live with it.

It's interesting and unnerving at times to get a perspective from the subjects in this documentary.

There are no real "gotcha" moments or overt techniques like narration specifically calling the subjects out, but I don't feel like the documentary is endorsing their beliefs (maybe some viewers would feel differently).

Sometimes what they say makes them come across pretty bad- plus editing, in terms of choosing what to show, of course. Funniest part was Cernovich exercising like an absolute clown, and after taking a huge number of supplements with two espresso shots (and he later says - while trying to sell his products online - that he doesn't like too much caffeine!)

I definitely feel like he was running faster than usual because the camera was on him - almost sprinting - and there's no way he keeps up that pace while trail running (presumably long distance? Who knows. But he looks like he's trying to flex 😅)

It's interesting for the first half or so, but I felt like it ran out of steam and new ideas in the second half. Felt a bit repetitive, and I felt like the second half either needed some unique scenes to show or concepts to explore, or otherwise needed to build to something climactic, and it didn't really do either for me. That's the only big flaw here, but it's unfortunately quite a significant one.

Otherwise it's definitely good stuff, and at least half of it is quite compelling.

WHITE NOISE is a shocking and extremely timely documentary that takes viewers inside the alt-right through multi-year discussions with leaders of the movement. The film is unique and powerful in offering unparalleled access to what seems to be becoming a not-so-fringe movement and unusually candid conversations with its members and leadership. Lombroso has created a significant historical document that should be required viewing in schools, for law enforcement, etc.

This was really just a journey into the lives of three or four individuals. The doc doesn't really do a deep dive into the views of the Alt-Right. I think a documentary solely about Bannon alone would probably give us more insight. I don't recommend paying for this. If it is free, I still don't necessarily recommend.