Bowling for Columbine
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Movie Reviews of Bowling for Columbine
Movie Review: AN UNDESERVED BAD REPUTATION
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the reviewers on this site forgives Willie Horton of crimes against women in an effort to discredit Michael Moore. Of course there are going to be a handful of negative reviews when some people are so willing to bend over backwards to find a problem with Michael Moore.There are, however, also some very, very good reviews, and I would encourage visitors of amazon.com to consider the agenda of those people who have attempted to drive down sales of this item through negative feedback. Rather than encouraging people to become informed from a variety of ideological sources, conservatives have made it their mission to stiffle liberal ideas. I would personally suggest that you watch this movie and also read something like Ann Coulter's "Slander," and then make up your own mind, rather than having it made up for you by a lack of information.
Also, to say that this film is "liberal" in the common sense of the term is a misrepresentation. In most ways it is liberal, except that it is a film about the dangers of gun violence and it quite specifically DOES NOT SUPPORT GUN CONTROL. I think that Michael Moore likely started filming with every intention of making a movie about the wonders of gun control, but what he found in his investigation steered him away from this ideology. This is a sign of the open-mindedness with which Mr. Moore approaches a liberal agenda. I was impressed to see one of the staples of liberal-dom, gun control, thrown out upon further investigation. Mr. Moore recognized that other concerns had more impact on the issues that he was discussing.
As to the meat of the film, it would be inappropriate to ruin anything specifically. Michael Moore's presentation of the issues is so ingenious that to hint at his method of approach would do the film a disservice. What I can say is that there is an animated history lesson that should be shown in every school, an interview with Charlton Heston that should be shown to every closet racist, and a segment about Canada that should encourage Americans to travel even in the face of SARS.
This is a fine film. It is easily one of the most thought provoking and entertaining films of recent years.
Movie Review: " Michael Moore: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness"
Summary: 5 Stars
"Bowling for Columbine" begins as a documentary about the Columbine High School massacre and turns into an examination of the American psyche that is as honest as it is insightful. In a country where `the right to self-defence' has been traditionally identified with `the right to kill', where six-year-old children pull guns on one another in class, and where the NRA responds to classroom massacres with pro-gun rallies that shamelessly target the communities that are still mourning, Michael Moore's humanity, sensitivity, and intelligence are qualities that cannot be praised enough. "Bowling for Columbine" explores the recent trend amongst American schoolchildren to take firearms to school and use them against their own schoolmates in a way which highlights important social issues such as, gun control, the power of the arms industry, and the connection between big business and the gun lobby in the United States. Michael Moore asks that most vital of questions, "What is it that turns American schoolchildren into gun-toting killers ?". This proves a very difficult question to answer, and Moore has no intention of scraping the surface of this problem so as to ease the nation's conscience and avoid confronting the full implications of this cultural phenomenon. A less responsible documentary-maker would be content to point out the ease with which Americans can purchase weapons at will, or the fact that American youth is systematically desensitized by rock-music lyrics, violent computer games, or shocking video-nasties so they are more prone to violence than other children. Michael Moore, however, is not the man for a white-wash. By comparing American history with that of other countries, and tracing the role played by violence in each, Michael Moore seems to suggest that it is not the insecurity inbeded in American conscioussnes which is itself responsible for producing class-room killers, but the way various political and economic interests systematically cultivate this `culture of fear' for their own profit. In the light of the present administration's so-called `war on terror', "Bowling for Columbine" is a very significant testimony indeed.
Movie Review: Give us more Michael!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is not another dull, dry discussion regarding the issue of guns and gun ownership in America. Moore has an axe to grind (or ammunition to load?) and he does it with a style all his own. If you treasure the cliche of "if guns are made illegal, then only criminals will have guns" then you might as lessen your likelihood of suffering a stroke and buy a ticket to the next Charlton Heston Film Festival. But if it you seek a different viewpoint, one presented with wry and cynical humor, invest in this movie. You won't be disappointed. Who ever thought that the far-right militias could provide such humor? And how about the bank that doubles as a - fully licensed - gun distributor? Michael Moore will never be accused of being too subtle, but he does provide a great amount of entertainment while expounding on his admittedly liberal bias. When this film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, he unabashedly used his 30 seconds of air time to propagate those views even further.
The title of Bowling for Columbine refers to the two teenage killers who allegedly went bowling on the morning of their massacre at the Colorado high school. Moore has been criticized by some for his use of video from a security camera at Columbine on that day, however I think that these images are presented with respect and in the proper context.
Yes he does attempt a few ambush interviews, with mixed results. Dick Clark basically drives away, K-Mart's public relations people provide a surprise and Charlton Heston manages to salvage some dignity while surrendering no ground whatsoever. Other highlights include an examination of the different attitudes regarding guns as held by Americans and Canadians, the aforementioned bank with it's guns-as-giveaways promotion, and the Miss Militia calendar.
Moore uses statistics that sometimes beg for more explanation and source accreditation, but then again few people or organizations with positions on gun ownership and legislation do. Where Michael excels is in the areas of providing entertainment and raising questions. He may not always provide satisfying answers, but he'll certainly make you think!
Movie Review: This is a really excellent insight into our love 4 guns
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to say that this documentary that I saw just last week "Bowling For Columbine" was a very big eye opener for me. In a lot of ways, I was already aware of the fact that guns in America are very prevalent in our society and culture but you won't believe how easy it was to actually buy the ammo for these things. Just watch the documentary and see for yourself at what I'm saying here. Another thing to look at is the dire gap between the rich and the poor, even between the upper and lower class workers in the same building. You got the story of an impoverished mother who worked two jobs just to make ends meet and even then she was in danger of losing her home because she could no longer afford it and would go for an 80 mile bus trip every day to work at a fancy Dick Clark restaurant and her son got a hold of the gun that was used in the shooting in Flint, Michigan a few years ago. I was absolutely heartbroken by the news of that. When I watched this, I lost all my respect for Dick Clark when seeing htis and it's absolutely a shame how so many rich guys just contribute almost nothing to less fortunate sectors of society although there are some exceptions.
Michael Moore to me is a true hero in our society. He aims to expose the truth and go deep into the roots of such problems like our dangerous obsession with guns. Included in this documentary are footage of Moore with two COlumbine survivors one of whom lost the use of his legs and the other still has some bullets embedded within his body. It's really heartbreaking but it's true. I lost all my respect for Charlton Heston when seeing this too.
I'm not saying that I support the idea that they should get all guns away from citizens because I believe that we all have the right to bear arms but a part of me thinks that we have become a really violent society that is obsessed with guns and shoot-em-up games and gore.
Go and see this documentary. It will piss you off, it will make you think hard but it will ultimately be a very rewarding watch as it delves deep beyond what news channels funnel into our minds.
Michael Moore, you are great!
Movie Review: a movie everyone should watch
Summary: 5 Stars
There is a long, repetitive diatribe a couple reviews up in which the reviewer gets on Moore's case for his biased portrayal of the subjects of this movie. I think that reviewer is missing the point. Gun control is not the main thrust of the movie, it's that Americans seem to have a great deal more fear than citizens of other countries. The fact that people shoot criminals is not a rebuttal of that argument, in fact it's more proof. The reviewer states that there is less violent crime in states where people are allowed to carry concealed weapons, a solution which boils down to "make criminals afraid as well". Anecdotal or not, the evidence presented fits Moore's hypothesis that fear drives much of the violence in this country. A reading of Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent" (which I'm sure Moore must have drawn from) should further convince you of the media's role in forming public opinion, and in this case fear.In my personal experience as a Canadian living in the U.S. I find that there is a big difference between the two countries, and that is the difference between capitalism and socialism. Capitalism can be summed up as "every man for himself", while socialism is based on spreading wealth to those who need it. One engenders competition, the other cooperation. In America you take what you can get because no one is going to hand anything to you, so naturally you're going to protect what you already have a little more vigorously. That difference goes a long way to explaining why Americans are more afraid, and why they feel the need to own guns. In any event, I grew up without locking my door, although I sure lock it now.
Whatever your politics you can't deny that Moore documents a great deal of absurd and dysfunctional behavior in this movie. He makes the viewer think and more importantly, take a stand. It is riveting, heartbreaking, disgusting and funny, all at the same time. this could be the most powerful movie I've seen in years.
Oh, and I'm no fan but Marilyn Manson was one of the most intelligent people interviewed by Moore. He gained my respect, if not my admiration of his music.