The bad memories of the hero (Denzel Washington), who suspects that the war hero is a fake, are accompanied by the conventional horror-film frights of painted faces, spooky doctors, and smoky, distorted cinematography.

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Critics have claimed it is a fake religion based on making money from its followers, which include film stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

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In the film, instead, Douglas gave the speech in front of a fake dais, and the congressional foreground was digitally created later.

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Then the film crew revved up its generators and turned on their huge fans to blow fake potato-flake snow down the main street for the sake of consistency.

ECONOMIST: The past is a dark, cold place