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      Control Room

      Released Jan 21, 2004 1 hr. 25 min. Documentary List
      95% 111 Reviews Tomatometer 87% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score Filmmaker Jehane Noujaim provides a behind-the-scenes look at the operations of Al-Jazeera -- the most prominent television news network in the Arab world -- during the war in Iraq. Through interviews with American journalists, journalists reporting for Al-Jazeera, and high-ranking U.S. military officials, Noujaim explores the nature of media bias, Al-Jazeera's relationship with the Arab community and the network's perception in the Western world. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Feb 03 Buy Now

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      Critics Consensus

      A fascinating, enlightening behind-the-scenes look at the Al Jazeera network.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Valuable for the authentic interviews it provides & the relatively balanced look at the subject. I liked seeing how the American military man's viewpoint widened over time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Interesting documentary about Al Jazeera. The most interesting information was that both sides dislike them. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Captivating and compelling, Control Room feels like the kind of film that's poignant message will remain so for generations to come. I read a review of this, written in 2004, that said the film probably won't be as powerful 10 years from now. Well, it's 10 years from 2004, and I think the film is still incredibly powerful. Director Jehane Noujaim may have just wanted to make a film about Al Jazeera and the western media's assault against it, but really he made a film about war and how we see "the enemy". It's a film about how the media controls the way we receive information. Are we really getting the full story? Is there real, objective journalism? Noujaim might posit that there's not, and that the idea of true objectivity in journalism is an impossibility. I love the honesty and the raw and rough production of this film. It feels incredibly authentic. Even if it's not, during the near 90 minute run time, you believe it is. You are drawn into the lives of these people, and you care about what happens to them. You are outraged alongside of them, and you feel the weight of what is going on. Control Room proves that there are no "clean" wars. There are always civilian casualties. We need journalists to remind us of the civilians casualties and the cost of war, so that we are hesitant to engage in it. So that we can be a country that doesn't rush to war, but only engages in war when absolutely necessary. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Exceptional documentary. I can't believe it took me so long to watch it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Brilliant documentary that chroniclers the start of the Iraq on the Arab side. With interviews from Al Jazaeera, we get a glimpse into the war that we've never seen, and it's an engaging documentary that shows us something that is captivating in the sense that we get a different look at the war, and the documentary goes in depth on its topic. I'll keep my personal feelings of that war out of this review, but what is presented here can raise questions in viewers. Al Jazeera did not sugar coat the images, and showed the world disturbing images of the conflict that raised many eyebrows. As a documentary, Control Room is a powerful, engaging picture that offers something quite different than what the other news networks has given viewers. This tells the story from the Arab point of view, and it does it very well, and with this film, we get a much more complete picture from both sides of the spectrum of the Iraq War. The film is brilliantly shot with plenty of interviews and war footage to tell its story. Control Room is an important film, a documentary that is well worth your time if you are interested in the subject. Control Room's power is in the way it tackles the subject by documenting it from a different point of view. The film focuses on the new coverage of the war, and it's a captivating look at that, and Al Jazeera is the focal point of the film, but we also have other news agencies documented. However like I said, Al Jazaeera is the main focus and what is presented here is quite interesting, and we get a great portrait from the Arab side as well, which is quite interesting. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member A useful review of events using a new lens. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Nell Minow Common Sense Media Fascinating documentary for mature older teens+. Rated: 4/5 Dec 22, 2010 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel The optimistic viewer will see in all this blunt and messy contrariness the emergence of the first free press in the Arab world. Rated: 4/5 Aug 13, 2004 Full Review Armond White New York Press Control Room leave viewers susceptible to the deceptions of politicians and media charlatans. Jun 28, 2019 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal "Control Room" acknowledges wartime journalism sits between objectivity and propaganda, indifference and passion. Neutrality doesn't exist; to avoid gore is a stance. In a way, it's TV's true reality - the impossibility of objective footage of horror. Rated: 4/4 Sep 25, 2010 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 3/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Filmmaker Jehane Noujaim provides a behind-the-scenes look at the operations of Al-Jazeera -- the most prominent television news network in the Arab world -- during the war in Iraq. Through interviews with American journalists, journalists reporting for Al-Jazeera, and high-ranking U.S. military officials, Noujaim explores the nature of media bias, Al-Jazeera's relationship with the Arab community and the network's perception in the Western world.
      Director
      Jehane Noujaim
      Executive Producer
      Abdullah Schleifer, Rosadel Varela, Nick Fraser, Mette Hoffman Meyer
      Screenwriter
      Julia Bacha, Jehane Noujaim
      Distributor
      Magnolia Films
      Production Co
      Noujaim Films
      Genre
      Documentary
      Original Language
      Arabic
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Jan 21, 2004, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 15, 2017
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $2.6M
      Sound Mix
      Dolby SR
      Aspect Ratio
      Flat (1.85:1)
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