Taxi to the Dark Side

Winner of the 2007 Best Documentary Oscar, Taxi to the Dark Side is a profoundly disturbing look at the unsavory methods the U.S. practices overseas in its fight against terrorism. To narrow its scope, the film focuses on an innocent Afghan taxi driver who was taken into custody by American troops and found dead within a few days of being imprisoned. Director Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) includes both sides of the story, featuring such talking heads as U.S. Department of Justice’s John Yoo, who helped the Bush administration get around such legalities as the Geneva Convention treaties. Featuring rare footage of Army bases in Afghanistan, Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, as well as disturbing images of tortured prisoners, Taxi will have an emotional effect on its viewers, regardless of their political party.

Shelf Talk: Taxi should garner much attention for its Oscar victory, prominently displayed on the box art, as well as wins at film festivals. Also, Gibney is a known documentarian, whose Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson recently had a limited theatrical run.