Farenheit 9/11

Well here's my take on Moore's film. I was only semi-pleased. If you haven't seen it yet and want to be surprised, then don't read this. First off, I'm normally pretty pleased with Moore's work, but this time I felt the film was a little sporadic. The movie starts out great. Showing how Bush lost and then FOX news basically recreated the election results and everyone else just accepted it. I would've appreciated a little criticism of Gore here or at least some direct facts about the true count results, but this is all old hat so Moore doesn't waste our time with it. Then the movie took a typical Moore turn. Images and clips of various people and events accompanied with Moore's glib remarks. I found a few things hilarious and well brought up. Bush's vacations, the several remarks before the 9/11 commission, The Mission Accomplished and the "Bring 'em on" stuff. One topic he discussed though makes things a little bit awkward though, the Saudi's. Juan Cole's Informed Comment has a review very close to how I felt about the movie, but Cole is a little bit more informed on the true story of the Middle East than I ever could be. If you hit this site, check out the reaction of Bush's visit to Istanbul too, it's one of those great stories that won't show up in the US for obvious reasons. Anyhow I'm getting off track. Yeah, Moore first makes a point to make you aware of the deep rooted connections of the Saudis, and then sort of tries to make it out that this is somehow connected to Iraq and terrorism, and it doesn't really work. The good things mentioned though are Bush's prior oil investments, his connection with the Carlyle Group and the pre-Iraq meetings that basically set forth who in the US would profit over the war. The thing that everyone seems to be praising, and probably the most impact of the film is where Moore begins to let the footage say everything on its own. Here we see Iraqis and their response to the war, American soldiers and what they have to say(good and bad) and there's a lot about this woman who's son had died and it's hard to watch, but very poignant. My favorite parts of the movie were the funniest though. I'm a political junky, but what really gets me going is when I see a good joke. I love all of the business about the Patriot Act. The truth about how that crap got passed wasn't news to me, but when Moore starts driving around in an ice cream truck reading it, you can't help but smile a bit. My disappointment on this was that you didn't hear any of what's actually in that law. Another great bit was when Moore was trying to convince congressman to sign their children up for military service. And yes, Moore mentioned that one Congressman has a child in the service. The end is also classic. George W.'s great speech "There's a saying in Texas, well I'm sure it's in Tennessee too, it's an old saying and it's fool me once...shame on you...the fool can't be fooled again." There's a lot more in the film I wouldn't mind discussing once you all have seen it. Or if anyone wants to know some more about it. I didn't even comment on the recruiters in Flint, the Bush fundraiser speeches, there's a lot to this movie and it is worth seeing. If you've been like me you know most of the facts before Moore presents them, but it's still worth seeing his spin on it even though I disagree with a good bit of it.