Bowling for Columbine
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.59 You Save: $11.39 (76%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Bowling for Columbine
Movie Review: From my cold dead hand
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't always care for Michael Moore, I think he had overstepped his boundaries at times (see his most recent film, Farenheight 911) and has opinions not all of us agree with. But, he has the right to say what he feels. And this was a movie about saying what you feel.
This movie was about gun control in America and how it related to the Columbine tradgedy and the six year old school shooting in his hometown of Flint, MI. We all scratch our heads and think "why?" when we hear of these terrible things, but he introduces us to these otherwise heavy topics with humor here and there. The bank where he buys the gun, talking with the members of the Michigan Malicia (home of the Nichols brothers and Timothy McVeigh of the Oklahoma City bombing), asking the salesman of the home security system where exactly the rapist was now, and even Marilyn Manson! Check out the special features section with the Marilyn Manson video "Fight Song" before a football team. Now that's cool! It very much as a horror aspect in very direct ways. There is none of this old school horror / suspense mentality as it's a documentary rather than a movie. There is no boggie man lurking in the shadows, these boys were real people. Look at the video footage they took from the security cameras in the cafeteria and library from Columbine - one of them is blowing people away and drinking out of a pop bottle at the same time.
The biggest question we all ask is "Why?". Why did these two boys do what they did? The answer? Well, I guess there are no true answers. Some atest it to the fact that it really REALLY sucks to be a teenager. And even though I left my teens behind long ago, it really REALLY did suck. Matt Stone of South Park creation summed it up pretty well when he talked about being tracked since the sixth grade to be in honors math class. It is drilled into your head that if you don't get certain things in life you'll be a loser and die poor and lonely. That's certainly not the case, as we would all find out, but it's hard to accept that while you're actually in bonehead math.
I especially liked the scenes where he is chatting with two trashy young men in a bar who blame their hometown for all their problems, only to find out that they are the problem. They were trash - selling drugs, guns, stolen property, etc. And the other one said he was angry that he wasn't named as the #1 suspect in the making of an Anarchist Cookbook recipe, but this town was bringing him down so bad. As we can see, the town is clearly to blame.
That brings us to the state of the union address as his hometown of Flint. Already depressed and downtroden over the auto industry decline, Flint also became the sight of the youngest school shooting in American history when a six year old boy brought a gun to school and shot a fellow first grader. And Charlton Heston came to town to represent the NRA immediately following the Columbine as well as Flint tradgedies. Now that's truly poor taste. And he walked away from him. He continued to walk away even when the audience was in tears when he said "Mr. Heston, this is the girl who was shot in Flint". Michael Moore left her picture on his front porch and he too walked away. Shame on Charlton Heston. And shame on each and every one of us who is negligent.
This is a movie with a message, and it touched each and every one of us somehow. Michael Moore, if only one man, made a difference.
Movie Review: Moving...makes me dislike the USA even more
Summary: 5 Stars
OK, again, this is still media that I am viewing. Believing everything on TV is just sadly too common nowadays, yet irresistable. I agree to some comments on here, that being a Canadian, it may not be as safe to live here in Canada as Moore portrays it. But comparing to the USA, HELL YEA! We may have tons of guns, but much less percentage of us actually use them just because we dislike someone, or the way someone drove on the highway. There have been school shootings in Canada and Germany too..not only USA. But to my knowledge so far, it seems like the Columbine incident was one of the major first 'role model incident' that has sparked such interests to the mentally sick and left out kids in high school, in which there were several school shootings following Columbine. Of course, if reasons are these individuals were being bullied prior to such revengful incidents, the bullies should be taking the responsibility as well.Anyhow...6 yr old with a gun? Ok similar incident happened here in Canada too... but shootings and murders happen so often every day in the US, its not possible to keep track. News only report locally. Yes, USA has a much larger population than Canada..but even if you calculate the percentage, the US does still end up having a much higher average of annual murders or random shootings.
Oh yes, black people or other refugees who immigrated from less fortunate countries still have to work low wages, work their butts off...and still not being able to earn enough to support a small family. Of course the states have enough money (or enough power to solve something)...but of course, it is never a priority. Rich people are more prioritized. Sure, government cutbacks happen everywhere...but it seems that even if the US is perfectly fine financially, they would prefer using money to build bombs and send troops (of foreign origins) to fight and die for a country they don't even have permission living in yet, only wished to. And bribing such immigration-applicants to fight for the country in order to gain immigration status is not terrible enough? There is so much wrong with the USA (as a whole), that it is sickening. Of course, I HEARD from TV as well. But it seems that I don't even need a DVD such as "Bowling for Columbine" to see where the US' attitude. Bush's own words prove a lot already. They can quickly point fingers at music stars like Marilyn Manson (which I read that the 2 Columbine murderers didnt even listen to, in the first place), yet they can NEVER blame their own media in which they depend on daily, such as CNN, movies.....and Bush. Oh, power black-out...blame Canada first: Easy way out...save their own butts.
This is a great DVD for anyone who is curious why so many out there still hate "America" despite what happened in Sept. 11...and despite the "Americanized" lifestyles that we live happily with. Some of you may find that not 100% of the contents are right, but then again, who & WHAT is perfect? But it is definately good realization of what the world is dealing with. There are terrorists out there...yet the US (Bush & the government of course, not all the citizens of course) are not responding in a correct enough way. After watching this DVD, I feel sorry for so many Americans who are being victimized by their own government and politicians...
Movie Review: Conservatives can be open-minded too
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first purchased this DVD, all I knew was what I had seen of Michael Moore at the Oscars, which at the time made me furious for questioning the war in Iraq. I felt and still believe that we needed to get rid of a madman who was slaughtering his own people and was a threat to the world.What I found when I began watching Bowling for Columbine was not some demon left-wing commie, but someone who loves America, is part of the NRA, and who genuinely wants to find out why Americans seem to be so violent. And then I watched as Moore tore down the typical reasons given: less guns in other countries, less ethincity, less bloody histories.
I have always had my own opinion of why it happens, as I'm sure everyone has, and this movie reinforced my own beliefs as I'm sure it enforces others in different ways. I am the last one to point fingers, but I see it every day. Americans seem to be obsessed with death. Whether it's rubbernecking at an accident, watching the evening news reports, we seem to be fascinated with the misery of others. I am guilty of this, and I do not blame anyone else. That is one major problem I see and what I believe is a primary reason here.
We in this country love to blame others for our woes, both personally and collectively. We armed Usama bin Laden against the Soviets, Iraq against Iran, and watched them turn our own weapons on us as well as their own people. But it is not that simple.
It's easy to blame the media, but they are simply giving the public what they want to see. Are video games and violent TN shows the culprit? Tell that to Ed Gein or Albert Fish. I don't remember Hitler owning a Playstation. Marilyn Manson? Simply theatrics, did Mozart inspire the Nazis? We have a bloodthirst and a detachment from others that transcends all this.
I was here during the horrible riots in downtown Cincinnati. We still suffer repurcusions of that. I volunteered with fear in my heart to be a tutor and a mentor in the Washington Park area downtown, right in the heart of where the riots took place. And dammit, it still makes me nervous to go there. Have I ever been threatened? Not even close. The children are wonderful, people are helpful, and once I get over the jitters I see that it is not what it has been made out to be. But violence is a commodity that sells in the United States, and as long as we keep buying the hype it will not cease.
I do disagree with Michael Moore's politics at times, as I do many others, but I can see that his heart is in the right place. If we had more caring people trying to make a difference instead of living in fear, perhaps we could bridge these gaps. I know that despite these deep-seeded premonitions that I may always carry due to conditioning, I'm not giving up on those kids in Washington Park. I still love my president, and support him as a patriotic American, but healthy debate is what makes us the democracy that others in repressed societies admire. Don't ever stop going after the truth Mr. Moore, though we may not vote for the same person, we do have a common goal to make our country better for everyone.
And to the conservatives out there, if you pass over this documentary as I almost did, you are only hurting yourselves and possibly your country that you love so much. And to all the victims of our countries imperfections, you will not be forgotten.
Movie Review: Sign of the Times
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, winner of this year's Academy Award for best documentary film, is the greatest documentary ever made. Like his other stellar film, Roger & Me, Moore has the uncanny ability to combine tragedy and humor in what is a film for the ages. Because of the recent situation in Iraq, this film will stimulate discussion as it connects so many relevant issues together, particularly violence and cultural values.Visually, the film is stunning. The editing is fabulous, and I can think of no other documentarian, save Errol Morris, who can so skillfully combine the varied interviews, film clips, cartoons and dialogues in a coherent manner. Unlike some documentaries that lay out a linear narrative, Moore's look at violence in the United States leaves the viewer questioning the ultimate outcome of the weaving that the director undertakes through the various threads of the film. The skillful editing allows this open-endedness of Bowling for Columbine to emerge. If you watch this film with friends, you will enjoy how it will stimulate so much varied discussion of the topic.
I viewed Bowling for Columbine as part of a film series at our local college and I did not meet one person who saw the film who was not moved by it. I believe that anyone who views this film will think differently about violence and the unfortunate role that it plays in all of our lives.
Like Moore's other films, BFC utilizes effective interviews that represent people from all walks of life. Though the film's title suggests it is a documentary about the Columbine tragedy, Columbine is itself but one case study in a complex picture of violence-from violence on television (COPS), to school violence, to excessive reporting of fear on the news (killer bees), to the proliferation of guns, to the work of defense manufactures and the role of the U.S. government in overthrowing other governments and killing its citizens. Bowling for Columbine teaches us the important message that violence is a part of our every existence and that the culture of the United States may be unique in the fact that its citizens are victims of gun violence more than any other country. "Why do we kill so many people with our guns?," this the question Moore sets out to answer in his documentary, but ultimately leaves to his viewers to answer. This is an incredibly intelligent film!
No doubt Bowling for Columbine will interest educators. I plan to incorporate it in a number of my classes. This would also be a great film to show at your local community center film series-it WILL get people talking. Particularly in times of war, this film may get people to think twice about supporting state-level violence. Hopefully, viewers of this film will come away with a more critical understanding of culture in the United States, and work to change that culture both in political senses and in striving to eliminate violence in their own lives. Viewers may also come to better appreciate the documentary film form. As Michael Moore alluded to in his Academy Award acceptance speech, more people should be watching documentaries. They teach us important things about our lives that feature films cannot.
If there is one film that you purchase this year make it Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. You will not be the same after watching it.
Movie Review: Sign of the Times
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, winner of this year's Academy Award for best documentary film, is the greatest documentary ever made. Like his other stellar film, Roger & Me, Moore has the uncanny ability to combine tragedy and humor in what is a film for the ages. Because of the recent situation in Iraq, this film will stimulate discussion as it connects so many relevant issues together, particularly violence and cultural values.Visually, the film is stunning. The editing is fabulous, and I can think of no other documentarian, save Errol Morris, who can so skillfully combine the varied interviews, film clips, cartoons and dialogues in a coherent manner. Unlike some documentaries that lay out a linear narrative, Moore's look at violence in the United States leaves the viewer questioning the ultimate outcome of the weaving that the director undertakes through the various threads of the film. The skillful editing allows this open-endedness of Bowling for Columbine to emerge. If you watch this film with friends, you will enjoy how it will stimulate so much varied discussion of the topic.
I viewed Bowling for Columbine as part of a film series at our local college and I did not meet one person who saw the film who was not moved by it. I believe that anyone who views this film will think differently about violence and the unfortunate role that it plays in all of our lives.
Like Moore's other films, BFC utilizes effective interviews that represent people from all walks of life. Though the film's title suggests it is a documentary about the Columbine tragedy, Columbine is itself but one case study in a complex picture of violence-from violence on television (COPS), to school violence, to excessive reporting of fear on the news (killer bees), to the proliferation of guns, to the work of defense manufactures and the role of the U.S. government in overthrowing other governments and killing its citizens. Bowling for Columbine teaches us the important message that violence is a part of our every existence and that the culture of the United States may be unique in the fact that its citizens are victims of gun violence more than any other country. "Why do we kill so many people with our guns?," this the question Moore sets out to answer in his documentary, but ultimately leaves to his viewers to answer. This is an incredibly intelligent film!
No doubt Bowling for Columbine will interest educators. I plan to incorporate it in a number of my classes. This would also be a great film to show at your local community center film series-it WILL get people talking. Particularly in times of war, this film may get people to think twice about supporting state-level violence. Hopefully, viewers of this film will come away with a more critical understanding of culture in the United States, and work to change that culture both in political senses and in striving to eliminate violence in their own lives. Viewers may also come to better appreciate the documentary film form. As Michael Moore alluded to in his Academy Award acceptance speech, more people should be watching documentaries. They teach us important things about our lives that feature films cannot.
If there is one film that you purchase this year make it Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. You will not be the same after watching it.