Monday, June 28, 2004
I wasn't going to go see Farenheit 9/11. I'm not a big fan of documentaries - at least I don't like spending $9 to see one. But because some of the conservative forces have tried so hard to block this movie, I had to go see it.
I have to say it was pretty good. Some of the information I knew already - some I definitely did not (like the fact that there were envoys from the Taliban running around Texas with Bush in Spring 2001). Some of the images were very powerful and disturbing - beheadings, and dead Iraqi children turn my stomach. I did think some of the points Moore was trying to make were unfair. Like Bush's reaction to hearing about the second plane on 9/11. If you remember, on the morning of 9/11, Bush was in Florida with a class of children reading. It was 7 minutes after hearing about the second plane before Bush got up to leave. Moore questions the wisdom in waiting 7 minutes, but I don't think jumping up and running out would have done anything but scared the children in that class to death. I remember the chaos of that day. I remember feeling like someone took the world, turned it upside down, and shook it. Bush looked scared and concerned. He's only human and I truly believe he did the best he could at the time. As much as I disagree with MANY of his policies, and as much as I hope the American public hands him his walking papers in November, I can't find fault in that seven minutes.
But I did think Moore did an excellent job of showing scenes from the Iraq war that the networks aren't showing. The movie showed the violence, the people killed and disfigured. It showed soldiers pissed off about being in Iraq. It showed the grit of the war. And that's the part I think we all need to see and be constantly reminded of. That's what our soldiers face, and we owe it to them to understand and acknowledge the ugliness of the war - whether you agree with the war or not. We need to recognize the sacrifice we are asking our soldiers to make.
In addition to Farenheit 9/11, I saw 4 other movies this weekend. Stepford Wives - ugh, hated it. The ending was HORRIBLE. I have NEVER seen a movie with such a rambling ending. It was all over the place. The Terminal - LOVED it!! This movie is so funny. And I love that the ending was real and not overly saccharine. It was not the typical Hollywood ending. Dodgeball - um, not a big fan of this one. I'm not a big fan of Ben Stiller (although I loved Meet the Parents), so I'm not surprised I disliked it. The Day After Tomorrow - OMG, What a bunch of hooey!! This movie required the viewer to suspend reality more than my favorite wizard on his flying broomstick. When a movie is this ridiculous, it makes me want to make fun of it. So I did. And it was too damn long. But the special effects were pretty cool.
I have to say it was pretty good. Some of the information I knew already - some I definitely did not (like the fact that there were envoys from the Taliban running around Texas with Bush in Spring 2001). Some of the images were very powerful and disturbing - beheadings, and dead Iraqi children turn my stomach. I did think some of the points Moore was trying to make were unfair. Like Bush's reaction to hearing about the second plane on 9/11. If you remember, on the morning of 9/11, Bush was in Florida with a class of children reading. It was 7 minutes after hearing about the second plane before Bush got up to leave. Moore questions the wisdom in waiting 7 minutes, but I don't think jumping up and running out would have done anything but scared the children in that class to death. I remember the chaos of that day. I remember feeling like someone took the world, turned it upside down, and shook it. Bush looked scared and concerned. He's only human and I truly believe he did the best he could at the time. As much as I disagree with MANY of his policies, and as much as I hope the American public hands him his walking papers in November, I can't find fault in that seven minutes.
But I did think Moore did an excellent job of showing scenes from the Iraq war that the networks aren't showing. The movie showed the violence, the people killed and disfigured. It showed soldiers pissed off about being in Iraq. It showed the grit of the war. And that's the part I think we all need to see and be constantly reminded of. That's what our soldiers face, and we owe it to them to understand and acknowledge the ugliness of the war - whether you agree with the war or not. We need to recognize the sacrifice we are asking our soldiers to make.
In addition to Farenheit 9/11, I saw 4 other movies this weekend. Stepford Wives - ugh, hated it. The ending was HORRIBLE. I have NEVER seen a movie with such a rambling ending. It was all over the place. The Terminal - LOVED it!! This movie is so funny. And I love that the ending was real and not overly saccharine. It was not the typical Hollywood ending. Dodgeball - um, not a big fan of this one. I'm not a big fan of Ben Stiller (although I loved Meet the Parents), so I'm not surprised I disliked it. The Day After Tomorrow - OMG, What a bunch of hooey!! This movie required the viewer to suspend reality more than my favorite wizard on his flying broomstick. When a movie is this ridiculous, it makes me want to make fun of it. So I did. And it was too damn long. But the special effects were pretty cool.
