Arbusto Beware

I delayed catching the opening of Michael Moore's latest, Fahrenheit 911, until I could get back into S.F. and see it with Serena. Having arrived home late last night, I thought we could catch a matinee at the Metreon this morning. We headed over to catch the 10:30 AM screening thinking we could thereby avoid the crowds. I am happy to report that even the show we attended was thirty seats shy of being sold out.

As for the film itself, my reaction is very favorable. I applaud Moore's efforts and success at generating such fascinating levels of mainstream interest for a documentary and putting up some remarkable numbers. Much of America is waking up from its apathy and engaging the discussion once again. The film was entertaining, and at times, downright touching. There are points where tears are inevitable.

On the other hand, this film suffers from Moore's traditional achilles heel - he cannot stay on point. Instead, his stories meander from nugget to nugget bridged by segues stretched beyond their comfortable bounds. At one point in today's film, Moore spent five minutes talking about how few state police guard sections of Oregon. Hardly the stuff of import we came to see. He constantly yields to the temptation to infuse too many punchlines, rather than more deeply flushing out his analysis. (Maybe this just shows his savvy for TV/commercial film).

Whatever the case, this film is important. I have read a handful of well-researched books outlining the foibles and malevolence of the current administration and have already drawn my conclusions about these folks. Despite that, I think we all need constant reminders of just how misguided and evil this president is lest we become too complacent. Fahrenheit serves as that nudge into the realm of discomfort and dutiful reflection upon what we can do to bring about change.

Comments

[Chester]

While I generally view Moore as fighting the good fight, his Achilles Heel, to me, is the fact that he comes across as a smug, rude asshole. I also don't like that Progressive political thought is being visually married to an unshaven, fat slob like Moore.

But these, I suppose, are minor quibbles when trying to unseat Satan from his throne.

[Molly]

Um, Chester, since when do you have a problem with smug and rude?

I thought maybe it was on purpose, the way the movie jumped around and left major points out or un-explored. I think a direct case would have been too sensational--and the way it was filmed gave me a chance to let it sink in and make my own conclusions. Notice, he didn't mention much about the lack of wmds or the missing uranium lies, and I guess this was probably finished before any of the prison scandal. What Moore gave me with this movie were new links and explanations for stuff I already knew about.

Spelling it out more clearly, or including all the things we already know about to make his point would have made the film too extreme to be taken seriously.

What's happened is so awful, it's overwhelming. I took the pace of the movie for a psychological maneuver--scare the crap out of you, show a silly clip, rip your heart out, talk about Oregon. It had a rhythm that kept me focused and didn't allow me to go numb at any point.

[Chester]

Molly: Touché. But, still...I'm always neatly groomed and more chubby than fat.

[kevin lyda]

iirc the point of the lone trooper protecting oregon was to demonstrate just how seriously the bush admin is "protecting the homeland." (which i find to be a disturbing phrase, but whatever)

considering the amount of material bush has provided over the past four years, i think moore did a great job puting it into a two hour package.

[Abercrombie and fitch london]

talk about Oregon. It had a rhythm that kept me focused and didn't allow me to go numb at any point.

[abercrombie fitch]

It is hard to say such a thing is clear.

[abercrombie]

talk about Oregon. It had a rhythm that kept me focused and didn't allow me to go numb at any point.

[abercrombie]

It is hard to say such a thing is clear.