I got into some argument with a friend a while back upon that I asked what he thought of Bowling for Columbine? But the guy just blew air around, saying that the facts in the movie were bent to fit with Moore's agenda and so forth. So when I watched again I took to look more closely at the facts and seeing them form my friends perspective and yes, he's right in one way that Moore pick facts that fit with his ideas but what that manages to do to an audience is to push them into finding out more about the things the movie is about which is what my friend ought to have done. My knowledge about crime and statistics are so much more diverse than my friends so the facts that is presented isn't new to me. What's new is the context in which these facts are put. The context is what really should open one's eyes, and if not? That's poor... poor for that person that won't see the truth even when it's staring straight at you...
I saw it. It was interesting but the same as Farenheit 911, the beginning was good but ending with a ridiculous conclusion.
Columbine does show the Walmart executive saying he was going to ban the sale of bullets from the store. I know the Walmart in Canada sells air guns and rifles and ammo but it is fairly regulated. But the film goes on and on about racism being the cause of gun violence in American and that issue had nothing to do with the Columbine shooting at all.
Moore presents the problem but he does not make a good conclusion based on his presented facts. Even worse, he never offers too many useable solutions to the problems. So if the local Walmart stops selling bullets, well, someone can just go to another store and buy them or steal them from someone who has them. Moore criticizes the American health system but really the "for-profit" greed that exists in the current system will be almost impossible for people to eradicate. If people keep crying that democracy offers choice -- well sometimes the government has to force people to submit.
My mum stopped caring when he said a Doctor's wait in Canada is only 3 weeks. I used to like his movies and would consider myself a fan until recently because of Sicko. He really twists the facts or picks and chooses what he uses. Since my parents are both in the medical field and since my mum and some of her family have been very sick and gone through it, she's offended by statement's he's made for Sicko. Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN pointed out every factual inaccuracy and added his own facts live, with Michael Moore. That's as good as it will get. Moore tries to say Canadian health care is free. Its not free. We pay taxes, lots of them, to pay for health care.
For our media studies class we watched Fahrenheit 9/11 and then Fahrenhype 9/11 which stated both sides. Each one could mislead the viewer.
Still, the general message gets across which is about gun violence, about Bush and about the health care system. I just wish he was truthful. There is a movie on his inaccuracies out as well I believe.
CNN has apologized for Gupta's false charges against Moore.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/st...ertainment
Gupta is a big corporate/"Big Pharmo" tool.
CNN, like all corporate media, has much invested in protecting the zillion dollar insurance/HMO/pharmacy interests. The corporate media's attention to "Sicko" will therefor be focussed on "Is Moore Lying?" (even when their after-the-fact conclusion is "no, he's not") and attempts to nit-pick figures. What they will not focus on is the essential truth of Moore's film. There has been a long-standing cottage industry of Moore detractors. They have had little success. But Moore takes on incredibly powerful and wealthy targets, so of course there will be people trying to shout him down.
Certainly Moore never says that health care in other country's is not supported by taxes. Of course it is -- that is stated in the film. Health care gets paid for one way or another. But what does NOT get paid for is a multi-billion-dollar "insurance" scam and the exorbitant profits for HMO's, corporate pharmaceutical monopolies, etc.
There are problems in every system, but other countries are not clamoring for "let's do it the way the Americans do."
Columbine does show the Walmart executive saying he was going to ban the sale of bullets from the store. I know the Walmart in Canada sells air guns and rifles and ammo but it is fairly regulated. But the film goes on and on about racism being the cause of gun violence in American and that issue had nothing to do with the Columbine shooting at all.
I heard the movie mention racism as one of the keys to gun violence, but the main issue (At least that I heard) was paranoia.
I also read "Stupid White Men" cover to cover, which was interesting. I also want to read another book I saw in the store which is "Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man" -- supposed to present the other side. Not sure to what level I would agree with either, but it would be interesting to hear someone argue the other side. Of course, hopefully it won't be a disappointingly weak argument.
It is absolutely fair to say that some of Moore's facts are false for Sicko. Regardless of the message, Gupta was more than reasonable, both agreeing and fixing the one mistake he made. Moore was completely off the mark with Canadian health care. 6 weeks for a specialist? My ***. My mom had cancer and didn't see a specialist for 4 months after. He twists it to his liking, which is why he's not truthful. He should be truthful why sending his message, and he never directly answered the questions set out to him.
Health care is not free in Canada, we pay for it. It was this movie that allowed me to see that he isn't truthful. In my articles I don't bend facts to my liking just to make a point, I still succeed in being truthful and getting the message across. What he's doing isn't truthful reporting, and is more like propaganda.
I very much like the work of Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
They have their own personal experiences with Mr. Moore, as can be read
here.
Interesting that Matt Stone and Trey Parker are still on speaking terms with Conan O'Brien, as they had him jump off a building in "South Park" movie!! hehe.
Oh yeah, and the Michael Moore / suicide bomber scene in Team America was very funny too. Although I don't know how many of the people portrayed in that movie would have taken it too seriously, anyway.
I won't believe stuff from Moore's websites, but in Media Study class, we spent a week analyzing his films. I told you, I like his messages and I used to be a big fan of his films, but when I did my own research and can clearly see that he does twist some facts to his own advantage, I lost faith in him.
Don't get me wrong Max, I like that he's bringing the message to the audience and it gets across, but to let Americans think that Canadian health care is free and that its six weeks to see a specialist is just untrue. It even says that many Canadian people were not that receptive of the movie.
I also read that Trey Parker thing on wiki. He heavily manipulated the Charlton Heston thing as well. He does lots of editing and taking things out of context.
I know he does a lot of good work for LGBT's and brought more awareness of guns etc. but it doesn't mean he doesn't bend facts to his own liking.
Not many people in Canada, especially Toronto, leave their doors unlocked. This year was the worst in history for the gun here, and for him to say that Canadians do this or that isn't right. I read he went to three or four locked doors before finding that opened one.
I tend to take what Michael Moore says with a grain of salt but agree with the view that his movies provoke thought and so they are worthwhile for that reason.
I also read that Trey Parker thing on wiki. He heavily manipulated the Charlton Heston thing as well. He does lots of editing and taking things out of context.
And apparently in his earlier movie "Roger and Me" (Haven't seen it but I saw this on another documentary) he actually managed to get two interviews with Roger whatsisface (CEO of General Motors) at least one of which was recorded, but chose not to include these interviews on his doco. Because that was not the image he wanted to present, or something...
Bah Michael Moore, black sheep of the family indeed ;p
He certainly seems to have lived off the fat of the land....
With the exception of Sicko, I have all of his movies.
Tim