The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011)

Touches You

Admirable film.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Shocked at the way big name Hollywood blockbusters can get by by placing brand names in them, and at the way everywhere you turn these days people seem to be trying to sell you something, acclaimed rabble rouser Morgan Spurlock tries to make his own film, selling itself and getting promotion by selling out to as many corporate brand names as he can find. While learning how corporatism has robbed the heart and soul out of everything around him, Morgan finds his own heart and soul come to be ripped out by what he has set out to do.While the success of his 2004 indie hit Super Size Me could have launched him into the stratosphere and made him something of a cult figure, acclaimed film maker Morgan Spurlock would appear to have stuck to his small scale roots and continued down his path of exposing the dark side of corporations and consumerism. While he can be admired for sticking to the formula that set him down the road he's on, that's not to say his antics can't become tiresome, and I have to admit, despite the interesting concept and his good intentions, I did find myself becoming bored by the goings on in this film.I never really paid much attention before, but I have started noticing lately how the relentless and aggressive methods of advertising all around us can destroy the heart and atmosphere of wherever they are placed, with some even suggesting it may have played a part in last year's UK riots, so as well as an interesting idea, Spurlock also has a relevant subject matter at hand. It is weird how this doesn't feel it has worked as well as it could have, but the execution and the way he goes about it just fails to work. He ends up feeling not so much a sell out, but a no sale. **

Morgan Spurlock once again pushes the envelope of movie-making with a unique form of documentary. It's a movie-within-a-movie about product placement and it explores all the artistic and moral dilemmas that go with the territory. He gets both sides of the story from famous directors (J.J. Abrams, Peter Berg) to big time marketing execs (with often hilarious war stories from the trade). All the while, truly "showing" rather than "telling" the story of how commercialism and art intersect, and often collide. Its a meditation on the (often financial) struggle many artists feel to get their message out. Spurlock puts his reputation at stake as he did with his health in Super Size Me. He also manages to be highly educational and its a must-see for anyone who studies marketing or aspires to be a producer.Overall, its good natured, fun movie-making that's enjoyable through every scene. Spurlock is a talented documentarian with original style and flair that gets plenty of laughs.

One would need to be a fan of Spulock's to appreciate anything in this movie. Appropos to the theme, he once again demonstrates his remarkable grasp of the obvious. One would need to be living under a rock to not know that most all movies and TV shows have corporate sponsors, and associated product placement. Morgan would like to think that this bothers the public more than it likely does. Not an original thought/concept in this trite and boring film. Spurlock would like to believe that he is a champion for corporate greed, and instead comes off as a rebel without a clue. HE insults the public in a series of "man on the street" interviews, and trots out mostly b-list individuals working in marketing in a series of carefully and heavily edited interviews. Unless you literally can't get enough of this same-old tired Spurlock pablum, pass on this one!!

The man Morgan Spurlock does it again he once again makes a true and informative, fun outrageous documentary that shows just how companies and corporate America really is. The message as seen here in "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" is that money is the main goal of company sponsors, and companies and corporate agencies go hand and hand with the entertainment industry and the movie business. It's interesting to see how all of it is a nice little greedy scratch your back you scratch mine monopoly. As it's so common when you watch your favorite TV shows, and see a big screen movie it's interesting to see the brands and products of companies that are often featured in them. As clearly it's today's media culture the showcase of these products thru film and TV and advertising leads to sales it's a must have society.Fun and interesting with this doc, is seeing how Spurlock goes inside company boardrooms to see how far that a corporate agency will go to sponsor a film that he wants to make(that's the "Greatest Movie Ever Sold")that's the pitch and catch phrase put the advertising of my product in your movie if you will buy and do advertising for my brand also. Note worthy is the interviews with Hollywood directors saying how true it is that Hollywood entertainment and product placement advertising go hand in hand it makes the business go around. Overall interesting film that proves that business and company and corporate tie ins make the world go around in our media culture advertised driven world it's all about money and entertainment baby!