Bowling for Columbine

I have just seen THE most influencial movie that I have ever seen in my entire movie-going life. Now, before you read below, I want to warn you that I express my opinion (what a concept!) in this review, and if you are sensitive to that, please read at your own risk. There are also spoilers, but you may have heard about the events in this movie on the news, when they actually happened.

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"Bowling for Columbine" is Michael Moore's take on gun violence, and he doesn't hold anything back. I mean, he starts his film out in a bank, a bank that gives people a free gun if they open an account with them. Mike says. "Don'tcha think it's a little dangerous to be handing out guns in bank?" That is very real. I was laughing my ass off at the obsurdity.

Probably the main focus of the movie is what happened in Columbine High School April 20th, 1999, but he also goes into depth into "COPS", the Oklahoma City bombing, the Michigan militia, and how Bushie senior, Clinton, and Bushie junior think it's okay to bomb the hell out of another country, just because we don't like them. Two wrongs don't make a right, silly.

One of things I liked about the movie was that not all the shots were perfect, and some looked like they were shot just a consumer camcorder, overblown and grainy, but in a documentary about real life, which is what a documentary is, you can get away with that. No, the whole movie was not shot this way, and in fact, about 20-30 minutes into it, the shots cease being grainy and it looks like they used film, they were very pretty, not grainy at all, but then he pretty much goes back to the camcorder style. I like that, mixing up different styles.

I found it very interesting that how every other country has the same amount of guns that the United States has, watches the same violent movies, plays the same violent games, yet has far less murders than the USA.

What makes the US different? Michael Moore thinks that it's the media perpetuating fear and hate, and so do I. Canada is full of gun owners and hunters, yet their news corportions don't shove murder stories down their viewers throats...and that is why there are less murders in Canada.

There is a great "history of the USA" cartoon in the middle of this film, that every American should watch. It's millions times better than any history class you will take, but the highlight of the movie is when Michael takes two surviving victoms of the Columbine school schooting, to the KMart headquarters to tell them not to sell ammuniation anymore (the same ammunition that is still stuck in both kids' bodies, mind you). They get shunned.

So, what do they do? They go to their nearest KMart and buy EVERY peice of ammunition (clean them out) and bring it back to KMart's headquarters, this time with the press. I won't say anymore, but you all probably heard this on the news, then again maybe not, since there is is no violence in this story. Long story short, KMart no longer sells ammunition.

Michael Moore also talks about how the media and politicians started blaming artists and entertainers, when it is they (the Media) share the blame with the NRA and every gun owner. The Media blamed Marylin Manson, of all people! Haha, gimme a break. Maryin Manson is as guilty as a banana.

The highlight of the movie (yes two of those, who'd a thunk it?) is when Michael talks to Charton Heston in his house, lying about things just so the devil doesn't kick him out of his house. He got Charton Heston to really look like a criminal! I mean, Hesten turned and walked away when Michael showed a picture of the 6 year old girl killed in her Flint, Michigan school.

I get sick whenever I see Charton Heston, a lot of you know that. He's cold and heartless, I mean you can't have a heart if you hold an NRA conference in Littleton, CO days after the shooting, or days after the Flint, Michigin shooting. It's like he did that because he didn't want more people to turn against him and his phoney bologne organization.

This is all very nice, James, but what can I do?

You have to see this film, or you are just as guilty as the NRA, for it will really put things in perspective for you. We gotta fix this problem of our country. Don't move to Canada to escape the murder-rate of this country, STAY AND HELP FIX THE PROBLEM! How? Call your network affialites and complain that they report too much violence. Reporting violence just breeds fear and fear just leads to more violence, BREAK THE CYCLE!

I want to close with the comments that were made by a Baltimore Sun reviewer named Michael Sragow, "...the film is one-sided..." Geez, Mr. Sragow, you sure don't understand this art, for you if you did, you would know that filmmaking is always one-sided, because only one person directs films! (exceptions, I know.) If you want and like to think while you are being entertained, see this film, else go see "Jackass: The Movie", jackass.

Read this review and others @ PopkornJunkie.com