The Greatest Movie Ever Sold dares to expose the fact that films use product placement (GASP!)! However, if you're a semi-intelligent human being, you already know this. This movie doesn't really bring any new information to the table and, therefore, it just feels flat. It's entertaining, and I do now want to try POM Wonderful, but it doesn't have the heart that Super Size Me has.

"Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" is an unusual film in the sense that while you're watching it, the film feels like a behind the scenes feature. It's a movie about branding, marketing and advertising in which our hero, Morgan Spurlock of "Supersize Me" fame tries to gather sponsorship for the film that you are watching. The film often takes a break to explain to you how a process is going to work or how wonderful this product or brand is in a gleefully self-aware manner. The fact that it feels like a behind-the-scenes feature is not a bad thing then, but the entire point of the movie. It's an experience that's quite unique. Morgan Spurlock's enthusiasm and charisma are more than enough to keep you interested as he struggles against all of the problems related to branding, marketing and advertising while his movie is being put together before our eyes. It also has some interesting information to divulge on the subject to balances out the personal hardships that make up most of the film. It isn't terribly insightful about how branding, marketing and advertising affect people on a day to day basis but the film isn't really about that. There are more insightful movies about the subject out there somewhere I'm sure, so if that's what you're looking for you may be disappointed. If you're a fan of his or if you're curious about the subject, or even documentary making, there's a lot to like here. (Dvd, September 30, 2012)

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.

The best thing about Morgan Spurlock is not that he examines societal issues, but that he does it in an entertaining and engaging way. With Pom Wonderful presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold he stacks irony upon irony while putting it all out there in the name of transparency without being judgmental. There are of course few obvious sequences where the artist's preferences creep in. Like when he visits São Paulo as a total fan-boy of a city that got rid of all commercial hoardings – utopia! Or when he showcases struggling schools willing to make ends meet by selling out ad space on school premises. But overall, you are free to make what you want of it and here's what I think:The movie is about Spurlock attempting to use product placement, marketing and advertising to finance a film about product placement, marketing and advertising. My initial impressions were of rage towards shameless corporations dictating terms on artist and art. Towards 'sell outs' who compromise on their vision just to make quick bucks. And towards bad movies that showcase products so blatantly that you feel offended on how stupid these companies think you are.But after a few days of pondering upon the movie, I have changed my opinion about marketing through movies. When done in a thoughtful way it can be quite a positive thing. For starters, the 17 brand partners that supported The Greatest Movie… earn my respect for the risk they took. In my humble opinion the risk paid off for Pom Wonderful & Mini Cooper especially. I will try that drink out next time I come across it.. after all it's 100% pomegranate juice! That aside, I think this movie was a perfect brand fit for both the brands. In the movie's brand is similar to Spurlock's personality – Playful & Mindful – and Pom, Mini, Jet Blue etc fall in a similar category.Spurlock in his many interviews is successful to make you believe that these companies will do anything just to get some media impressions. It's true in part, the movie got 900 million media impressions even before the release, but there is more to it than just getting noticed. Association with this movie was a very conscious attempt by Pom & gang to stand up for something.. which is what branding is all about. As many experts have pointed out that Nike doesn't sell shoes in their ads.. they sell an attitude. This strategy makes them more human and people can relate to an 'attitude' more than a shoe sole.Pom & gang stood up for playfulness and came off as confident and bold. They entertained me while showing some balls. Thanks Pom.www.AbhishekBhatt.com