“Examined Life” is a mostly engaging documentary that raises some deep philosophical questions. The film’s title comes from Greek philosopher, Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” 

The film includes interviews by some notable intellectual superstars such as cultural/political critic, Cornel West; the European philosopher, Slavok Zizek:  the feminist post structuralist, Judith Butler; the young visual artist, Sunaura Taylor: and the founder of the animal rights movement, Peter Singer.

The film will play at the Gene Siskel Center on Friday, April 24 at 6:15, Saturday, April 25 at 3 pm, Wednesday, April 29 at 6:15, and Thursday, April 30 at 8 pm. 

The film’s main strategy seems to keep things interesting to show us the speakers going on walks. They sometimes speak near mundane settings which serve as backdrops for the philosophic discussions. Sometimes the settings seem appropriate and other times they come off as ironic. The film “Sound?” did the same thing with John Cage’s music theory talks. 

Cornel West is probably the best speaker in the film, and he displays his impressive oratory skills when he talks about mortality as a driving force for thinking of course it would not be a Cornel West talk without some cross disciplinary/pop culture references, and West is wholly convincing when he tries to convince us about the connection between philosophy and the blues while he is riding a cab.  

Slavoj Zizek is also impressive when he tells us without a hint of self doubt: “We need more alienation from nature!” while he looks through the trash in the garbage dump. The director, Astra Taylor, had previously devoted a whole film to this magnetic thinker called “Zizek!” 

The visuals in the films are not always as exciting as the actual discussions. But the film still is worth seeing. Since the discussions have so much depth, die hard philosophy scholars might want to buy this film rather than see it once at the theater.