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If I didn't know better, I'd think that
"Waiting for Nesara" was a mockumentary, a very
broad and ridiculous one, so outlandish as to
be too silly to believe. But, this is an actual
documentary, based on real people so "out there"
that describing the subject of the film may
actually make you laugh out loud." "Waiting
for Nesara" is officially described as the filmmakers
as being about "a group of ex-Mormon, new- age
devotees (who) wait for UFO helpers to abolish
the IRS, prevent the Iraq war, and expose Bush
as the perpetrator of the September 11th attacks."
I shit you not.
The film centers on Jim, a man who appears
to be in his 50's. Jim seems like a sensible,
intelligent, thoughtful sort, that is, until
we spend a little time with him. Jim has started
a group called the Open Mind Forum, an organization
that believes that President Clinton signed
a law called the National Economic Stabilization
and Recovery Act which would abolish the IRS
among other things. Why hasn't this happened?
Well, Jim and his friends believe that President
Bush has hidden this fact. There are some amazing
correlations to this belief including the idea
that Jesus will return to Earth on a UFO, that
there are white and dark forces at work in this
conspiracy, and that President Bush is actually
reptilian.
The filmmakers here, Zeb and Elisa Haradon,
have amazing access to Jim and many of his followers.
They are allowed to record meetings of the Open
Mind Forum, they interview many of the members
of the group in their own homes, and they follow
Jim on a couple of public speaking engagements,
including a visit to an overnight AM radio talk
show. But the filmmakers often seem more interested
in laughing at Jim and his followers than exposing
any true light on why these people believe what
they believe. For example, there are several
minutes of the radio show where logical questions
are asked of Jim that he simply cannot answer.
The documentary filmmakers here take this opportunity
to focus on Jim's fumbling, incoherent answers
in an attempt to expose him as an idiot, an
object of ridicule. More interesting questions,
like where Nesara started and why it seems to
mainly appeal to Mormon men and women in the
senior years, are never explored. The film discusses
how these people are excommunicated by the Mormon
church for their question of beliefs, but it
never gives us an adequate insight into what
in the Mormon faith is really all about so that
we may better understand why Jim and his group
seem so vulnerable to such an obvious scam.
For you see, Nesara is also a money-making ploy
used by Internet mavens to ask for donations.
There is also a pyramid scheme set up where
people believe that if they give $300, they
will receive a huge amount of money when Nesara
is announced. There is a lot going on here but
the film never really finds a true focus and
a narrative thread. It often meanders around
the subjects involved here.
In fact, the filmmaking here is kind of
sloppy, and the film drags at points with pacing
being a major concern, but these problems are
more easily overlooked because the subject here
is so fascinating. I just wish the film didn't
seem to want to laugh at its subject instead
of delving deeper into what motivates someone
into believing the fantastic with such disregard
for its obvious trappings and its total negation
of common sense.
Note:
77 minutes, in color, shot on mini-DV.
The film has shown at a few film festivals.
The official film website is http://www.waitingfornesara.com
The Dove of Oneness, who has the most well-known
site regarding the imminent announcement of
Nesara is http://www.nesara.us
Googling "Nesara" will result in over 50,000
matches.
Viewed on a DVD provided by the filmmaker
in August of 2005.
Report Card
Content: B-
Completeness: B
Cinematography/Lighting: D
Special Effects/Make Up: C
Music: D-
Final Grade: B-
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