Movie Reviews for Bowling for Columbine

Bowling for Columbine

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Movie Reviews of Bowling for Columbine

Movie Review: A Scattershot Review
Summary: 5 Stars

Although his gorilla-style tactics turn off many people (see the Oscars), even his enemies have to admit that he has the balls the size of Wisconsin hanging between those fat thighs. I have no doubt in my mind that if Gore was now in office, and he sent the troops into Iraq using the same political and propaganda-like tactics the Bush administration is using, Moore would've called him out in front of millions, too.

In some ways I agree with Moore's critics when they accuse him of being a manipulator of the facts in order to further his own agenda. But here's the thing: Michael Moore is Michael Moore. Everyone knows of his past work. It is there like a bullet lodged in the throat. Everyone knew he was going to cause a fuss at the Oscars. Everyone knew that "Bolwing for Columbine" would be slanted in a way that would [upset] ... about 60 percent of America. Moore's last movie, "The Big One," felt a little forced in this way(I still loved it). It was just an extension of his stint on television, and never moved the emotions quite like "Bowling for Columbine." It's a great expose and a fun romp, and you should see it.

And that's why the argument of manipulation doesn't matter when it comes to "Bowling for Columbine." No matter how you look at the facts, they hold water. A dead person is a dead person. So what if Moore leaves things out -- he only has about two hours here. Any good spin doctor -- Moore included -- can weave straw into gold, but the facts are the facts here and they will bring you to tears. There's no denying that if you take what Moore presents to heart, you will come away from the movie simply moved.

"Bowling for Columbine" is a movie for true patriots, the ones who want to see this country move forward instead of stagnate in a ceasepool of violence. Sure, to some extent, "guns don't kill people. People kill people." But Moore tries to answer the question why. In some ways, he comes up empty, but this is a start.

Oh, by the way, I'm pro-gun ownership.

Some people will be turned off by Moore's sarcasm and satirical treatment of his subjects. He basically ambushes a near-senile Charles Heston, but the man deserves it for his insensitivety to victims of murders by guns. The cartoon that breaks up the live-action is hilariously -- and historically -- scary. The footage from the Columbine masacre is horrifying and poingant. The man in the missle factory is blistfully unaware, and Moore whacks him for it. Is that Moore's fault? Any good writer would do the same thing and call him out.

Moore is a cinematic Johnathan Swift.

I'm out of steam. See this movie. It will simply break you heart.

Movie Review: Poor Charlton Heston, My Foot!
Summary: 5 Stars

Some conservatives have accused Moore of exploiting Heston's Alzheimer condition. News flash, GOPer's! The interview was conducted before Heston revealed he had Alzheimer's disease. Unless Moore is paying off Heston's doctor to give him his medical history, there was no way he could have known about Heston's condition. The damaging quote from Heston is that America's racial diversity is at the root of all the gun violence in America. Moore did not manipulate Heston into saying that. He merely asked Heston, as spokesman of the NRA, what causes all the gun violence in America. Charlton Heston was the spokesman for the National Rifle Association. If he can't handle a simple question from Michael Moore without blaming racial diversity and essentially sticking his foot in his mouth, maybe the NRA should be looking for new leadership instead of calling a completely fair question from Michael Moore dirty pool.

Right wingers love to wrap themselves in the flag and call someone that disagrees with them un-American. I believe strongly in the right to bear arms and keep guns in responsible households for self-protection, but the NRA is yet another right wing fringe nut group that hides behind the 2nd Amendment in order to forward their extremist policies. This, remember, is the organization that claimed that teflon coated "cop killer" bullets were a right and that porcelain guns that could be smuggled through metal detectors were protected under the 2nd Amendment (imagine how much more horrific the events of 9/11/01 might have been had our friends at the NRA had their way). Anyone who actually thinks that Michael Moore was being unfair to Charlton Heston in his interview just can't accept the fact that Heston leads a extremist group that can't possibly defend it's policy goals. Once again, the right wing whines about being picked upon when they really richly deserve every bit of criticism they've received. Casting Michael Moore as the devil will never excuse the dangerous, irresponsible and racist beliefs of Charlton Heston and the organization he represented.

Movie Review: Suprisingly Objective....
Summary: 5 Stars

Bowling for Columbine is among the list of those "rare" objective documentaries. There wasn't any direct or hidden message. It just presented the the relavent facts from both sides (equal attention was also focused on both sides) and left the job of formulating an opinion up to the viewer.

I got the DVD 3 days ago and so far have viewed it 3 times with a total of 10 people. It's not that I have nothing better to do. Instead I enjoy stimilating discussions about topics which effect our society...something this documentary helps initiate. Sure beats turning your mind off and absorbing all the "controlled" information the media (and those who have an interest in it) feeds you with.

I can't help shake my head when reading the negative reviews of this documentary. I can't help thinking "these people would rather formulate an opinion on an important subject matter based on 5 minutes of biased network TV instead of 1.5 hours of information presented from both sides". To me that's simply "metal laziness".

If you're a person who gives a damn about the subject in question (leftist, rightist, pacifist, warmonger, etc..) and one who dedicates more than 2 brain cells to a discussion, I strongly recommend this DVD.

On the other hand, if you just say you care but are to lazy (or ignorant) to formulate a judgement based on more than 5 minutes of facts, then save your money for the cable TV bill at the end of the month!

I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity of living in both the U.S. as well as numerous other countries (mainly in Europe and Asia). I little advise to Mr. Moore......please start a fund which gives this same opportunity to those "metally lazy" folks who have given your documentary a negative review. I'm sure that after this experience they will change their opinions somewhat and start using more than the average 2 brain cells per discussion!. Now that would be a ground breaking achievement in itself.

Mr. Moore, you should run for president. If you need financing you can always rely on the outside world which has not yet reached the point of "metal enslavement". Ofcourse, some fellow citizens will label you a traitor but then again history dictates who's the saint and who's the demon!

Movie Review: You absolutely, positively must see this
Summary: 5 Stars

The focus is primarily about gun ownership, fear culture, and some history of gun laws, in the USA. Columbine High School is used as one of the illustrative examples of how and why the current legislation is not a good thing.
Some coverage is provided about the culture surrounding gun ownership, and the culture of fear that seems prevelant in american media over recent years. As a regular viewer of american news services (thank-you digital tv :-), I can attest to the accuracy of this coverage in comparison to that provided in europe. Michael Moore provides his own comparison - to media coverage of events in Canada. Also, some interesting insights from Marilyn Manson (who rose considerably in my estimation), which seemed especially relevant as we sat on the cusp of Gulf War 2.
Something which was clear to me from Moore's attempts to speak to someone senior in K-Mart, was that without making a fuss, and turning up without an attending media circus, no-one seemed particularly interested in listening to him and the students he was with. It seemed that only when revenue was potentially affected by bad press, was anyone prepared to take any form of action at all.

The closing interview with Charlton Heston, and indeed some of his actions as president of the NRA, leaves one wondering how people of this ilk can sleep at night. Perhaps it's the loaded weapon under the pillow that does it for them, which I find as disturbing as some of the other images presented liberally throughout the documentary.

I speculate that there are those in the USA who will not take well to this. However, I felt that the documentary was well thought through, and presented a good case for attempting to remove guns from the population at large. It may also help a few people consider how some of us in europe view the USA.
There's a lot more I could say about this, but you really are better seeing this for yourself. There's plenty in there to make you laugh, but there's even more that you'll watch from behind your hands in disbelief. You can be laughing one minute, and very misty eyed the next. You absolutely, positively must see this.

As a minor aside - interesting to see Disney preventing Miramax from releasing his new movie this month (May 04). So much for freedom of speech.

Movie Review: Blinded By The Right: The Movie
Summary: 5 Stars

The "What a Wonderful World" sequence should be required viewing in, say, high school...where our young'un could get some "fair balance" against the recruiters who will swear that war is an adventure; a way to be all you can be. Including killer and atrocitor, I suppose...

A SUGGESTION:

Since Michael Moore and those on the left-center side of the dial are more interested in truth than money, at least in our present configuration...I'd suggest doing the following:

ENCOURAGE copying and distribution of the film, vid, DVD, etc.
Have no FBI warning at the beginning, but instead state that you have given permission, a blessing, to copy and distribute freely.
Even include a blank tape with every purchase of the product.

You may want to make a statement about where donations could be made...but making money is not the bottom line. That is the other folks. And they would never do this...wanting to such up every available nickle, instead. Think "Hundredth Monkey"...

As far as healing America, and the sad cancer that seems to infect every adminstration...another story altogether. But Michael is certainly doing his part, as a good Michael will, archangels that they are. Let's hope the man who yanks the reigns from the current incompetence can steer our ship back to clear, clean waters. The lies are forming a thickening stew through which light may not, one day, pass.

By showing us how the Media-Industrial-Military Complex manufactures fear and causes for fear...just to make a profit -- and by showing that we do not have to succumb to the faux fear --
Mister Moore has opened a window where light can, and does indeed, pass.
Perhaps what we really should fear, if we need to fear at all, is what we, as a nation, an empire, has become. And how we got, and stay, that way.

The problem with "our system" is that it doesn't include the notion of TMM, or "Too Much Money". How much is too much money? Well, if you have to kill for it, it is too much. Time to downshift. "A wise man distributes as he receives." This is his, or her, protection...and worth. Guns are for chickens and hoarders. Fear not, wise bodhisattvas!

May Time give this gift of Moore a thousand wings. And we...a thousand tongues.

-Anonymoses David Beckwith
Charlotte, NC