On finally seeing Bowling For Columbine last night...

[vi5]

Some thoughts:

-People who complain about this movie point to the same 1 or 2 short sequences with questionable accuracy. That's all well and good but discounts the fact that it's a 2 hour movie that presents a lot of stuff that IS accurrate.

-I think it's pretty clear that Moore was saying that guns AREN'T the problem, that our culture of fear is the problem. So why all the fuss from gun advocates? He shows that Canada has just as many guns, he clearly grew up around guns and is comfortable with them. So why does this get attacked as an anti-gun movie rather than an anti-Americanculture of fear movie? I'm not a gun person at all and neither is my wife. But if anything this movie showed me that guns AREN'T the problem.

-Moore is a self-aggrandizing jerk at times. If you are viewing him as a documentary filmmaker and this as a documentary there are innumerable flaws in his style and approach and he is at times very sloppy. His way of doing things makes it more entertaining and humorous which I enjoy, but it definitely hurts his case as a "documentary filmmaker" in the technical sense of the word.

-I have to admit to almost feeling sorry for Heston in the movie. I hate the guy and always will. But something about him being nice enough to let the guy into his home, especially when he did seem to be in ill health, and then having him hit him with those questions made me very uncomfortable. I think it was justified given some of the stuff that chuck has pulled and I don't think Moore was out of line. But I do have to admit to feeling pangs of sympathy for him.