Documentary Review: CNN Tribute: America Remembers: The Events of September 11 and America's Response (2007)

 This documentary is about the reporter's different stories of 9/11.  We all have our own 9/11 story and have seen the after effects over the past 24 years.  Many of these people were closer to the actual action and share some interesting insights.  They focused a great deal on the people who perished, and the memorials.  They also focused on the reaction of President Bush.  They reviewed going to war in Afghanistan and the Taliban quickly fleeing.  There was a subsequent anthrax attack in the United States.

Documentary Review: ****102 Minutes that Changed America

This video begins with a warning about the graphic nature of the material.  9/11/01 8:46 New York time the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.    This video was produced for the 15 year anniversary of the attack.This presentation is just a combination of videos and pictures from the attack, starting just before the first plane.  There is not any organized narration, just the voices of those that are on the actual videos.  Sometimes there is no sound, but most of the time the sounds of what was happening.  You hear the reaction of people to the events, the first responders directing people and news commentators talking among themselves about the scene.  There are 9-11 calls included, and police guidance. 
The most graphic scenes are after the first tower falls, and the horrendous dust cloud overwhelms people.  There are rescuers seeking water and many seeking fresh air.  Those in close apartment buildings tried to shut their windows with some success.  The dust was tremendous.  There is a brief scene with reaction from those watching on monitors at Times Square.  There was lots of anger, and many seeking revenge. 
The dust cloud scenes were repeated when the second tower fell.  What a tragic day. 

National Geographic - George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview

This video is fascinating.  It is an interview with President Bush about ten years after the event of 9/11.  His insight, from that of the President is intriguing.  With the third and fourth planes he determined America was at war; and accepted the fact that his would be a war presidency.  That first day started with the President being flown away, and ended after he had gotten back to Washington, and was whisked to the bunker when they thought there was an attack on the White House.  Turned out a friendly plane just had the wrong transmitter.  This also shows a few days after 9/11.  Addresses to the American people, visiting the Pentagon, and visiting New York.

The MIssing 9/11 Terrorist: The Power of Everyday Heroes

Taken from Miracles and Massacres: True and Untold Stories of the Making of America, by Glenn Beck with Kevin Balfe and Hannah Beck, Theshold Editions, New York, 2013.

It may well have been the actions of an Orlando border agent Jose Melendez-Perez, an Army veteran who took protection of the United States seriously.  The individual in question had incomplete documents, and so was interviewed by the agent.  His story did not add up.  He wouldn't say who he was to meet, and how he was getting around with his limited English skills.  He did take the finger prints of Mohammed al Qahtani before denying him entry.  He was given they opportunity to return to Dubai, paying for his ticket back.  Facing this or imprisonment he took the opportunity.
The day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Flight 93 only had four terrorists on board, not five like the other planes.  Perhaps one less man defending the cock pit after taking over the flight is what allowed the heroes aboard Flight 93 to drive it into the ground instead of the intended target in Washington, D.C.
After the attack on Afghanistan, Qatani was captured in the Tora Bora area.  He was identified from the finger prints.  He had not given his name when captured, but the finger prints gave him away.  Qatani ended up at Guantanamo Bay.
There he was subjected to accepted interrogation procedures, restraint on a swivel chair, deprivation of sleep, loud music, prohibition of praying, threats of rendition to countries who use torture.  After a week the interview began.  He was accused of being the twelfth hijacker.  He was asked the location of Bin Laden.  He was accused of wasted the interrogators time, and asked to give one name.  He gave Abu Ahmed al Kuwaite, who taught him internet.
Some months later, that name came up, Sheik Al Kuwaite.  Invasion of the compound where he was located lead to the killing of Bin Laden.
Small things can bring important results.

Jose Melendez-Perez

Book Review: September 11: Snapshots in History

September 11: Snapshots in History, by Andrew Langley, Compass Point Books, Minneapolis, MN, 2006.
Written on the fifth year anniversary of 9/11, or ten years ago, this book tells the story of 9/11.  It does a fairly good job of telling the events of the day, although no book could totally capture the day.  I thin the place the book bogs down is his going back in history to try to explain why the terrorists would do such a thing.  It seems the author is somehow trying to justify the actions of the terrorists, or cast blame where it doesn't belong.  He also talks about three major world religions coming out of the area, but he only talks about the tenants of one.  To be more balanced he should have also mentioned the beliefs of all three religions, or not mentioned them at all.  He tries to explain how the teaches of Islam have become the teachings of Islam, as they protect the world from the influence of evil.  I guess I am saying much of this book is cow pucky.

Documentary Review: Saint of 9/11

This documentary tells the story of Father Mychal Judge, who was a New York Fire Department chaplain, and died on 9/11 when the first tower fell.  His body was carried from the wreckage.  This documentary tells Mychal's story and influence of his life.  He reached out to the poor and destitute of New York.  He had a fire department car, which he would pack with items for the poor and homeless.  His most important work was among those with HIV and AIDS.  He was a mostly closeted gay man himself, and when he heard of the AIDS HIV related disease, he found a new mission in lift, from which he was not dissuaded.  The story is punctuated with a mass given by the father on September 10 to a group of fireman.  The next day the World Trade Center fell.
This documentary is narrated by Ian McKlellan

Book Review: September 11 Then and Now

September 11 Then and Now, Peter Benoit, Scholastic, New York, 2012.

This book, although written for youth, is a very good a succinct history of 9/11.  He tells the story of what happened with each of the four plains.  It also talks about the planning that went into this event, which started with a garage bombing I 1993.  The terrorists were hoping one building would topple into the other, killing everyone.  Ramzi Yousef was sentenced to life in prison, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to helping plan the event and being part of al-Qaeda. 

Osama Bin Laden and Mohamed Atta spear headed the attack in 2001 in which hijackers took control of planes with box cutters and knives.  They then flew the planes into the two World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon Building.  The fourth plane crashed into a field. 

In the World Trade Center he rescue effort got many people below the explosions out, but those above the explosions were doomed, except for a handful who found a way to the roof.  Most of the roof access was locked, and the smoke too heavy for helicopters to land. 

This book also talks about the consequences, going to war against the Taliban, the after effects to health to the rescue workers and others, and of the country coming together.

9/11 MXL - Not for the faint hearted (18+ ONLY)

This documentary explores the jumpers among other things.  You see Mayor Giuliani's reaction to seeing someone jumping.  If you don't want to see this, don't watch the documentary.  One thing I didn't remember about this day was how close the two attacks were to each other; Only fifteen minutes apart.  This documentary concludes with the collapse of the two buildings.  There is a brief comment by the engineer who designed the buildings.  This film makes you think and remember that horrible day.
I also noted that there are available through You Tube numerous live newscasts form the day.  watching these more than anything reminds me of this terrible day.

9/11 Documentary Review Summaries

****9/11 2002

****102 MInutes that Changed America

**** National geographic, George W. Bush, The 9/11 Interview:

***^From the Ground Up (9/11)

***^Saint of 9/11

***^9/11 MXL - Not for the faint hearted (18+ ONLY)

***^The Flight that Fought Back: United Flight 93

9/11: ***Day that Changed the World

**^9/11 Commission History Channel: History Channel

**^Brothers, on Holy Ground

*September 11

*The 11th of September: Moyers in Conversation

These are the 9/11 documentaries I have seen, and my review of each.  I prefer those that tell the story, rather than those that politicize the events.  When that happens it just makes for gobbledee-goop.  If I watch some more I will be sure to add them.  

Documentary Review: * No End In Sight: Iraq's Descent Into Chaos

This documentary is about the occupation of Iraq after it was conquered.  The film makes the point that the conquest was too fast to allow those who would follow up could get organized.  I must admit, I did not enjoy this movie.  It just seemed like a bunch of whiners complaining about anything they could think of, and a lot of back chair quarterbacking going on.  I am sure Iraq is much better with out Saddam and his sons.  I guess some wanted the force to be twice as big, and to do more to stop looting.  I could not get to the end.  However, I must agree, the destruction of the national library, museum and archives was tragic.

Book Review: Debunking 9/11 Myths: An In-depth investigation by Popular Mechanics

Foreward and afterward by James B. Meigs, Hearst Books, New York, 2011.  This is a very well researched and interesting book.  First off, who knew there were so many different conspiracy theories.  There is even a BYU physics professor Steven E. Jones, who is part of those making 9/11 accusations, and is convinces the World Trade Center had to be brought down by explosives.    Other theories is that there was a missile fired at the World Trade Center.  That the plane was a cargo plane.  That the destruction of building 7 must have been planted explosives.  That the pentagon was hit by a missile as well.  That there was a big cover-up with the passengers of all the planes being taken elsewhere.  And on and on.  There is an afterward written by James Meigs at the end, which explains the process of conspiracy theorists.  My only distaste form the book, is his comparison of conspiracy theorists to creationist.  I believe in creation, and feel there is as much evidence there as supporting evolution.  This book adequately debunks the myths surrounding 9/11.

Documentary Review: 9/11: ***Day that Changed the World

This documentary film is very interesting.  It wasn't produced until ten years after the events of 9/11, but make effective use of interview, and existing video of the day, to tell the story of what the government was doing this day, including the federal government as well as the city government.  The story of president Bush was generally known.  He was at the school talking about their reading program when informed of the attacks.  He then is whisked to Air Force One and basically flown around for a while with a couple of stops, and then returns to Washington.  There are interviews with people from his press entourage, his own press team and others, as well as video footage which document this day.  We also see Dick Cheney at the White House in the bunker.  Sometimes communication was good between the president and the White House, and other times not so good. 
We also have the story of Rudolph Giuliani in New York.  I didn't know that he had actually been caught in the dust cloud in New York, but he was.  At one point there was a worry whether or not he had survived.
Another interesting tidbit is that the Secretary of Defense actually went and helped with rescue efforts, helping carry a stretcher before he realized he should be at his post and communicating with the president.
One must admit the world has been different since 9/11.  Security is more tight.  We have been through two wars; and Afghanistan and Iraq are still unsettled, as well as most of the Middle East.  We as Americans will never take for granted that we are safe from the reach of terrorism.
Great use of video and a great reminder of the horror.  200 people jumped off the towers to avoid the horror of the flame.  Almost 3000 people died that tragic day.
I would recommend this documentary.  It seems to give a more fair and balanced assessment of the day.  It also explains what was happening behind the scenes. 

Documentary Review: ***^From the Ground Up (9/11)

This documentary is a 10 years post 9/11 presentation.  It is about what became of the widows and family members of those that died when the towers fell.  This documentary moved me to tears on several occassions.  It is so hard to get a grip around 9/11.  Why would anyone want to do such a thing to fellow human beings.  This film moves past that.  It tells the stories of several widows whose fire fighter husbands died when the towers fell.  This movie is very compelling.   Each of these women had to find strength within to go on with life.  There are stories of several women who set up foundations, one to support orphaned children, another to run group homes for autistic children and yet another to support a community library.  There was a woman who traveled to Rwanda to help women infected with malaria; but while there she met widows of the Rwandan violence, and gained insight as to how they dealt with their loss.  The women involved have been to support groups with other survivors.  They all had their own story of strength.
The most moving scene was the marathon at the end.  over 2700 people died in 9/11; of them 343 were firemen.  The Stephen Siller foundation sponsors an annual run.  The entry fee supports the foundation.  The foundation uses the money for scholarships and other needs of children.  The run is now a very big deal.  It started with 2000 participates, but now has over 100,000 and 1000 volunteers.  They recreate Stephen's run.  Stephen was headed home when he realized something was wrong.  He turned his car around, but couldn't get though the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.  So he took his equipment (60 pounds), and ran through the tunnel.  As part of the day, the have placards for each of the deceased firemen which the participants run past.  The are help by firemen, with other firemen holding flags.  It is really great.

Book Review: America is Under Attack by: Don Brown, Roaring Book Press 2011

 

I think most people can remember 9/11/2001.  This book still brings back tender memories.  I was miles away from any attack, but still spent the day glued to the television watching the news of the attack, and to see the towers actually fall was one of those things that left you sick inside. 

This author is able to present the information to a juvenile audience in a manner that is dignified, but not overbearing.  He says America was under attack by Al Qaeda lead by Osama Bin Laden.  He also lets us know that Osama Bin Laden was killed by American forces ten years later.

One thing I like about this book was how it took you inside of the offices where people were at the focal point of the attack, and helped me feel the chaos people were going through.  However out of that chaos, were people patiently walking down the stairs, and others who went about looking for co workers and helping them get on their way down the stairs.  Also the firemen and police men cannot be over praised nor over honored.

The author tells stories of heroes, some who survived this day, and some who did not.  I enjoyed reading the author’s summary remarks in which he dedicated the book to those from his town who had passed away.  It was very touching.

Documentary Review: **^9/11 Commission History Channel: History Channel

This is a documentary produced by the History Channel of the 9/11 Commission.  However, it is mostly a presentation of what the history channel thinks is important rather than the official version of what happened.  They kept showing the wife of a victim who had passed away in the attack over and over.  She was angry and wanted answers.  However their overuse of one individual made me tire quickly of the entire program. 

The conclusion of the 9/11 report is that we were not expecting planes to be used as missiles and consequently were not vigilant enough in keeping something like this from happening.  Several of the hijackers were known to the CIA, but dropped off the radar shortly before the attack.  Only one person was thwarted by a border agent, other than that it appears all the hijackers were able to do what they wanted in hijacking the planes.  However a late flight, and passenger resistance kept one plane from reaching Washington.  We pretty much were caught with our pants down.  Even though memos had been passed around about a significant threat from Al Qaida, specifics were not forthcoming, and departments did not add two and two together.  Part of this was a lack of communication between agencies and within agencies. 

Lets pray something like this never happens again.

Documentary Review: ***^The Flight that Fought Back: United Flight 93

This is a very good documentary which deals with flight 93, which crashed into a field in Pennsylvania on 9/11.  This documentary was made for Discovery Channel and was narrated by Keifer Sutherland.  My only complaint, is being made for television, in sometimes repeated itself, like before commercial and after.  However other than that it was very good. 

It used interviews with surviving family members, and historical reenactment to tell its story.  They had also review airline tape, which is generally confidential.  Family members had been allowed to listen to some which was not accessible to the public.  They concluded that the passengers had breached the cockpit which resulted in the ship crashing into the field. The people on this flight, were in every sense of the world heroes.  They knew there was not much chance of survival, but even so the attacked their terrorist hijackers, and caused enough confusion that the terrorist were not able to achieve their objective. 

Movie Review: ****9/11 2002

This is a 2002 made for t.v. movie which I have watched through Netflix DVD.  It is a bit graphic, and the language is not always great, but it is an important movie.  Two French film makers, Jules and Gedeon Naudet, brothers, were making a documentary of a rookie firefighter, Tony Benenatos, and were embedded with a fire station close to the World Trade Center, Engine 1 Ladder 7 in lower Manhattan.  The rookie had only had one fire in his few months with the department, and that was a car fire.  And then when 9/11 came he was not out with the unit, but at the station.  A fire truck from the unit, was at a call when the first plane struck.  The photographer actually recorded the plane flying into the WTC.  He also recorded the team when they moved to respond, and there is actually footage from inside the WTC lobby.  One thing he noted is that even though the plane hit many stories above, the lobby looked damaged.  This is because burning jet fuel had come down the elevator shaft with such force that people burst into flames, and all the windows were burned out.  The photographer stayed in the lobby, and recorded as people came down the stairs.  He also recorded the sound people were making as the jumped from the windows above.  There was lots of debris falling as well, but people jumping from the tower made the loudest bump as the hit the ground.  Jules recorded what happened in the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed.  The dust was incredible.  Everything went dark.  He used the light on his camera so people could see.
His brother, Gedeon, meanwhile recorded events outside.  He recorded the second plane hitting, the collapse of the towers, people running from the wall of dust, the effects of the dust.
After the second collapse, the next line of business was to gather back at the station, and make sure everyone was all right, and count those that were not.  Gedeon thought Jules was dead for sure, but they got out of the lobby before the collapse.  Miraculousy, all members of the station escaped.  The last to report was Tony, as he was looking for survivors.
During the next few days they helped with rescue efforts.  Hardly anyone was rescued from the mess.  They found one person alive.  Mostly they found body parts.  Finding a body in tact was very rare.
They interviewed the rookie at the end of the show.  He said in essence, that even though he liked his new job, he would go to the military if asked and fight against those who had done this.

Movie Review: **^Brothers, on Holy Ground

Finally a movie worth watching with regards to 9/11.  This movie was produced in 2003 by Engine House Productions.  It was filmed by Mike Lennon.  He was a fellow New York Fireman, and had filmed, in documentary fashion, one of the victims of 9/11 before his death.  He also interviewed others of the survivors, some of whom had survivors guilt.  This film talked about the outpouring of condolences for the fire houses of New York, almost all of which were affected by this day with a lost comrade.  This movie brings home some of the tragedy of that day.

At one point the firemen below a certain floor were told to evacuate, and it talks of those who left the building worried about those who were above.  It also showed the reactions of wives and friends.  It was a moving expose.  I would recommend this movie.  I got it at the library.

Movie Review: *September 11

September 11 was produced by Empire Arts in 2002. That means it was produced within a year of the tragedy of 911 when nearly 4000 people were killed on American soil by Islamic terrorists.   It is a documentary presenting the stories of September 11 from several different angles.
I must admit I was unable to watch it very closely.  Not because it was showing graphic material, but because it seemed to me like a propaganda piece trying to put the reaction of different societies into a different light.  It had the Iranian School teacher trying to get her children to understand the tragic event, it showed an interaction between and Egyptian film maker and a U.S. soldier killed years earlier in the bombing in Lebanon.  To me it was an attempt by different cultures to explain how they would be effected by 911 and that it wasn't going to be good.  It did not show the dancing in the street in some Muslim countries which was recorded the day the tragedy.  You can't wash over the tragedy by telling the story in a different way than it happened. 
I would not recommend this movie to anyone.  I got it from the library.  If you see it there just let it stay on the shelf rather than waste your time.

Movie Review:*The 11th of September; Moyers in Conversation

This movie presents the Bill Moyers show, and conversations he has with his guests following the terrorist attack against the World Trade Center.  It presents several different guests, with different views.  The first episode, I think the evening of 9/11 has a conversation with regards to the bravery of the firemen and police officers.  Everyone was going down and the rescue staff were going up.  Everyone was running away, but the police and firemen were running  towards the disaster.

The next week presented an individual talking of taking everything slow, and turning rage into I don't know what. He had written about a Japanese terrorist attack in the subway.   He commented that the U.S. were also terrorists, nuclear terrorists.  I don't know what point he was trying to make; he must have been an American hating citizen.  Bill Moyers seemed to agree with him.

He presented his own minister, a humanist it would appear, as well as people of the Islamic faith.  The point being even though Islam has its groups of extremists, so does Christianity.

And then another week he w=has a guest talking about the Crusades, and being careful with regards t our own religious views.  We have to look of ourselves as "The Devil."  Why do other cal us the devil and are willing to die killing us.

This was boring.  It does let you know why Obama won't use the work terrorist, or Islamic.  They are just people from diverse groups who want to kill us.