Bowling for Columbine

[EUR_Zaitsev]

I just saw it for like the 5th time and I was wondering did anyone NOT like that movie and if so why not? I thought the entry was nice "a typical day in america: the president bombing countries whos name we cant pronounce. UMM and I didnt realize Clinton screwed up so much like bombing what turned out to be a medicine factory.  Also the NRA guy got royally slammed he just looked stupid and also all the scenes of violence. And I think the canadians are right about why we have so much gun violence. No other reasons so its probably fear like the whole door locking thing.

[jn.blackhand PW??]

yay for rambling posts.

i actualy came into contact with a candien a while back (imagine that! a canadien!) and she pretty much confirmed that most canadiens do lock their doors...

by the "NRA guy" I'm guessing you mean chuck heston. before he was the "NRA guy" he was the famous actor from films like Ben-Hur and the original Planet Of The Apes.

but, yes, it was a good movie.

[kami]

What, Americans don't lock their doors...?
I've got to see that, only heard good things about it.

[alaric]

Awesome movie, very timely. I love the style of this film, it's just got this Guerilla Cinema feel. For anyone else who likes this style of film make sure to check out "Freedom Downtime" by the 2600 guys. It's every bit as good as this one.

http://store.yahoo.com/2600hacker/film.html

http://www.2600.com/

If you don't want to buy the movie feel free to download it off the internet. 2600 encourages the copying and distrubution of "Freedom Downtime".

[tasty]

yeah moore combined the best elements of his filmmaking style into a truly unique and powerful documentary. just so y'all know, it was recently voted the best documentary film ever by the international documentary filmmakers association.

for those of you out there that are documentary lovers like me, here are some other titles i recommend:

dark days
hellhouse
roger and me

[EUR_Zaitsev]

My friends dad won an oscer for a documentary called The Stone Carvers but that isnt political and also hes making one called Anjelz about death.

[The Ghost of Bondo]

I want to see it but my shithole of a half a million population city didn't get it in the theatres as far as I know...it needs to come out on DVD.  Preferably before I move to Canada and it becomes a moot point.

[abe]

i just saw the movie and i really liked it. he makes some really good points about america and the whole gun culture thing and the US in general, but still keeps it funny.
ive read both downsize this and stupid white men and i recommend them to anyone who liked bowling for columbine. the big one and roger and me are both good movies too.
as much as i like mike moore, i do think hes somwhat of a propagandist because of the way he juxtaposes things and takes stuff out of context sometimes. but hes brilliant at it and really deserves props for this movie.
to everyone whose seen it: there is one thing i have a problem with. first he talks about america having a violent culture and violent history (remember him citing every dirty US policy move since the shah?-i almost puked) and then he turns the argument upside down by saying that all these other countries have bloody histories, but not US-style gun violence so its not about americas violent history. i was confused as to which one he settled on in the end, i guess its the latter....good film nontheless.

[alaric]

to everyone whose seen it: there is one thing i have a problem with. first he talks about america having a violent culture and violent history (remember him citing every dirty US policy move since the shah?-i almost puked) and then he turns the argument upside down by saying that all these other countries have bloody histories, but not US-style gun violence so its not about americas violent history. i was confused as to which one he settled on in the end, i guess its the latter....good film nontheless.

I think he was just trying to show that the problem is more complex than a violent history = violent culture connection. He does this a numer of times in the movie. He'll propose a theory, explore it and eventually just leave it up to the audience to decide what the right answer is.

[(SiX)Ben]

lol. good movie.

Ben

[The Ghost of Bondo]

Just saw this...as it came out on DVD yesterday...thought I'd revive the thread.

First my comments about the movie itself.  It jumped to the top of my best movies list...in this case that list covers movies released in the theatre in 2002 and/or released on DVD in 2003 (because I'm shifting from using theatrical release year to DVD release year beacuse I don't go to the theatre enough for that).  I live fairly close to Littleton...about an hour away.  I have met students who were in Columbine in '99 at university and have heard that first hand feeling.  The movie is incredibly sad in many parts, but not in a way that is uncaring for the victims of violence, it doesn't abuse them.  I disagree with some reports I have heard about how he ambushes people.  I think he asked very fair questions to Heston, it isn't his fault Heston (perhaps because of his condition) responded in a very poor way.  Overall it was just really well done and really thought provoking.

Now more discussion afterthought...on the topic of what is different about the US that makes it more violent (gun violence specifically although more violent crime in general I believe)...certainly the movie does a good job dismissing most and seems to settle partly on just the media contributing to a fearful state.  One suggesting that I don't particularly believe but it is something unique to the US.  Compared to the countries he used, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Japan, and Australia.  The US is essentially the only one that could be considered conservative.  The rest have very liberal/progressive governments, the US on the other hand is conservative and likes to drag its feet on change.  It is the kind of mentality that leads to some questionable things like owning guns simply because you have the right to, not because you need it.

Anyway, I hope now that it is available at any rental store more people will see it.

Oh, and I should mention since it was being discussed, my girlfriend's family (Canadians) lock their house...we were almost locked out because her sister thought she didn't have her key.

[Kuza]

If you havnt deen this movies you must see it. its shows just how fucked up people are in the NRA and all that republican evil and greed.  I think they should make a movie about fast food and how much of it americans eat......

+MOD+yaKuza

[x1|sixshooter]

speaking of countries we cnat spell... its CANADIANS blackhand. TISK TISK.

I thought the movie was great but you have to take in mind that what micheal moore tells you is basically the complete oposite of what you will get off fox news. i agree with him in most aspects, but i feel he didnt show both sides of the story.

but oh well, maybe this will convince more people to hate bush. maybe not.

[Blitz]

Well, I haven't seen the movie.  But I do go to Columbine High School.  So I believe the guy is a dip shit.  One, he is trying to outlaw a stupid rule stating guns... Personally the guy needs to read the history on the Constitution.  The Amendment only deals with Revolutionary times.  He then goes on to state guns are bad.  trust me, gun don't kill people, people kill people.

I can only say, the guy is a nut case, and needs to worry about the white man becoming a minority.  While he is at that, improving education in texas.

Blitz

[The Ghost of Bondo]

Yes Blitz, you HAVEN'T seen the movie, which is evident in you having no clue what it was about.  Moore isn't anti-gun, he doesn't want guns banned.  He's a freaking member of the NRA for christ's sake.  The movie wasn't to blame guns, it was to figure out why America is violent, what is different then other developed nations who have similar features.  And that guns are the reason is ruled out quite clearly in his comparison with Canada which has plenty.

Why is white men (men already being a minority) becoming a minority something to worry about?

Oh, and since you are in Colorado apparently, how about we worry about our education system before we think about Texas, after all, we do have the lowest standards of all states in the union.  Not that we are the worst in performance.

[Blitz]

Good for you.  Give my regards to Bush's special education teachers.

Here is one thing to think about.  If what you are saying is "true" then why is America trying to protect the world from itself?  That is the only reason that I believe is why America is so violent.  What is beyond me is the amount of gun scene's Moore put in the movie.  I do believe is wanting guns outlawed...

That is my belief, take if you want, I am not forcing you to.  But Bondo, pull your head out of your ass next time you decide to add a comment okay?

Blitz

[tasty]

Here is one thing to think about.  If what you are saying is "true" then why is America trying to protect the world from itself?  That is the only reason that I believe is why America is so violent.  What is beyond me is the amount of gun scene's Moore put in the movie.  I do believe is wanting guns outlawed...

I recognize that there are problems with Moore's movie that discredit his message somewhat, but your rant doesn't even make sense. What do you mean by "protect the world from itself"? Are you talking about our international peacemaking efforts and occuption in foreign countries? Because if you are, this is outside the scope of Columbine. Also, how would our foreign policy affect our internal violence? I'll assume that with that comment you are talking about our efforts to curtail violence, in which case you may be correct about the solvency, but would be foolish to go so far as to claim that it actually increases violence.

The reason Moore includes gun violence in his movie is because guns are one the primary ways with which governments control their citizens. His movie does lead one to draw the conclusion that guns make violent behavior much easier, but he by no means condemns firearms for America's violent crime problem. Although the movie does not directly blame any one source, I would say the main areas Moore concentrates on are the media, the military, and the foolish treatment of violence by our government.

[Cutter]

Never saw the movie and probably never will.
Fuck that fat piece of shit! Fuck him , fuck that dike garaffalo, and fuck huffington! I'm a gun owner, not just because im an american, but because i live in a rough city where home invasions and car jackings happen daily. I never felt as though i need a gun for protection (i wrestled in h.s., a little in college and i coach at the local P.A.L.). I still train and i fear no man, however, i'm married now and the thrill of breaking bones has diminished slightly. I inherited a .45 detonics combat master from my step father (ex philly cop for 22 years) when i was 21. The protection of my wife and home prompted me to purchase a gun my wife could handle ( a glock 19). Shes a great shot! When i was a teenager my father had some incident that prompted him to go to a gun store, and the woman talked him outta buyin a gun saying "sir if somebody comes into your house to rob you, are you willing to end that mans life?" My father choose not to but the gun. I've considered this question many times, and i always come to the same conclusion..."if somebody comes into your house, could you stand by and watch some crackhead beat and rape your wife and take everything you've ever worked for?"......I couldn't....

[Mr.Mellow]

I just have one question...Who doesn't lock their doors, and if they don't, why the hell not? Okay, that was 2 questions lol. Keeping your house unlocked is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. I know people who left their house unlocked, and they were burglarized in broad daylight, and this was in a busy neighborhood, too. It just doesn't make sense to leave your house unlocked, unless I'm missing something, or confused. I never saw Bowling for Columbine, but I probably will now that it's on DVD.

[tasty]

Cutter, you should see the movie. I don't think Moore criticizes sane, responsible gun owners in any part of it. The movie is about violence, not guns. Perhaps by watching it you might come to a new understanding of why violence like the kind you fear occurs and why you fear such an episode occuring in your own life. Shooting a person trespassing on your property and your rights is your legal right, and it isn't attacked in this movie. Once again, it is outside the scope of what Moore is trying to address.