Saw F9/11 twice this weekend; more powerful the second time

[Kathy in Cambridge]

I went to a 6:30 show in Revere MA, a suburb of Boston. It was sold out, as were all the showings all weekend. This crowd was considerably more vocal and emotive than yesterday, and people cheered loudly at the end. I went with my sister, and her husband's aunt.

I feel more drained the second time and more angry. The camera work shows the juxtaposition of the rich white men and the profits they are making off the war, and the misery that their policies have wrought. Those fuckers are using the lives of our boys and girls as venture capital for their businesses that profit from perpetual war. I came away feeling like I had witnessed pure evil. Yesterday, I was more struck by the incoherence of our fearless leader, and his spoiled brat attitude that comes from being extremely sheltered.

My sister's aunt is a retired public school teacher who taught in a working class suburb of Boston. One of her favorite former students died in Iraq a few months ago, and she was shaken by the images of all the young men and women who are in Iraq because of the business interests of the "haves and have mores". Michael Moore shows respect for these forgotten kids-respect that the mainstream media lacks.

F9/11 grossed $21.8 million this weekend-more than any other documentary. Let's see how the RW media and freepers spin this one.

[Lefta Dissenter]

1. My friend just said the same thing!

She was there Friday night, when I was, and then she went again today. She said that she cried a ton more this time, and came out a lot more angry and ready to do anything to get bush out!!! (and she was pretty damned motivated already!)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. I think it's because I was so busy reacting the first time

that I missed some things. I cried for Lila Lipscomb and those poor soldiers and the Iraqi civilians.

I've heard criticisms that Moore exploited the grief of Ms. Lipscomb, but the media doesn't allow you to see the families left behing, the body bags and the soldiers with serious injuries. He was balancing out what we don't see on TV.

[Cha]

7. The media says alot of things...

like ..Paul Wellstone's memorial wasn't allowed to be political.

[Cookie wookie]

9. To those who says Moore exploits her grief

and that of others, I'd like to say that I'm sick of seeing the zombie media with their slick packaged Disney style portrayal of the war! Moore puts a human face on the cost of war, one that is totally absent from corporate media.

The American people need to have the consequences of war, the pain and suffering, the far ranging human costs, the enormity, put right in front of them every day. That's what our troops in Iraq and the Iraqi people see, and that's what the people of "Old Europe" aren't too dumb to know.

so there to them!

:mad:

[Lars39]

3. It was very hard to go the second time, knowing what I'd be seeing.

Feeling like you'd seen pure evil, being drained emotionally and being more determined than ever---yes, I agree. I caught more of the nuances the second time, too.

[beyurslf]

4. Agreed. It was more emotional the 2nd time

[Skip Intro]

5. I thought it would be. The 1st time was more powerful the day after for me

When I saw it last night, I felt too - something, in awe that I was in a crowded theater watching everything be put out there, all the stuff most duers already know - I just felt numb at times. And that feeling lasted afterward - I didn't have much to say about he flick. It was almost anti-climactic for me. Then I went to sleep.

When I woke up today, F911 was still with me, and as it crossed my mind several times today, all I could say was, "wow." The movie - the lies just put right out there, the crowd - a lot of people in a southern town who have no use for bush, and the cute cop - who was leaning up against the wall watching us watch a moron destroy our country, and this is happening all over the country - wow.

I can't wait to see it a second time.

[Droopy]

6. I just saw it this evening

Frankly, I wasn't all that moved by the film. There's nothing in it that I haven't read on the internet over the last 3.5 years. I was impressed by Moore's film making abilities and the flick did keep me entertained for two hours. I think this film would be a big shock if I had just been getting my news from television over the past 3.5 years. Those are the type of people who really need to see this movie.

[Cookie wookie]

8. Same here

Saw it Friday night and this afternoon at Phipps Plaza. Both times the auditorium was full. First night people were more vocal -- laughed and applauded more. Today the audience did laugh but less. I got the feeling that today's audience was less the choir than Friday's. Lots of kids with their dates.

Before the movie there was a screen that said that ids would be checked for "R" rated movies and no one allowed in who was under 25. 25!!!!!! yeah, cut out the 18-25 draft age kids for sure. However, it didn't appear they were enforcing this policy, which I understand is left to the discretion of the theater operators.

I needed to see it at least twice because the first time it was overwhelming, even though I knew most of what was shown (with the exception of the egging of the president's car at the inaguration, the size of the protest crowds for it, and the shameful treatment of the CBC when the vote was being certified in Congress.)

The subject matter is understated. How wrong the critics are, who complain that Moore goes "over the top." Hardly. I wish he had, because the truth is "over the top." After all, I've seen the Take Back the Media Flash, "911: An American Requiem" by Symbolman with the president at Booker Elementary in a split screen: he laughs, smirks, and applauds while at the same time in history, and on the split screen, people are jumping out of the burning WTC (http://web.takebackthemedia.com/geeklog/public_html/article.php?story=20040606205749962&query=flash%2Bsymbolman).

That's what I expected to see (for some reason) from Moore's film. But he never strayed from what he does best, and that's not about telling his story with fancy video work. Most of the video in 9/11 is low res, straight documentation, which is his style. When I think about it, having Moore package this information is brilliant, and a gift for America.

He also just broadly covers the surface of the deep and convoluted mystery of the bush family, bin Laden's, 9/11, etc. For instance, when Moore outlines Salem bin Laden's involvement with Arbusto, Bush junior's failed oil company, he doesn't add that both Salem and his father (who was involved in the oil business in Texas with bush sr), were both "accidently" killed in plane crashes -- separate crashes I might add, if my memory serves me. Last year I did some research on it.

I don't have all the links on it, and imagine this has been discussed here in depth but here are a couple in case someone asks: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/binladen/who/family.html; also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbusto_EnergySalem_bin_Laden.

Anyway, Moore just touched the tip of the iceberg.

BTW: I've been enjoying lurking here for some weeks, and have immensly enjoyed the laughs, and getting to experience the heart and soul of like-minded posters to this board.

Going to one of the MoveOn events tomorrow night.

[Carolina]

10. welcome to DU

or should I say, glad you made the transition from lurking to posting. Be careful though, it's addictive! :hi:

[Cookie wookie]

11. Be careful though, it's addictive! :hi:

Thanks. Yeah, I'm definitely addicted already.

[Oddman]

12. I can't wait to see it a second time!

I saw it up here in conservative NH!!! Lots of people from every age group!!! Old people - young people - middle age people!!! Moore might never change a single persons mind with this movie - but he will do something far more powerfulhe will EXCITE and INSPIRE the electorate!!! That is the most important thing - get the Democrats off their collective asses and VOTE!!!!


A Pathetic Excuse for a pResident

[Kathy in Cambridge]

13. I work in NH...you're right about the conservative part

I fear the state will go red again. Faced with all the information and bad stuff going on, the people I work with still love Bush.

[jonnyblitz]

15. I saw it in tyngsboro, MA which is right next to Nashua NH

on the border (the second time). I guess its conservative in this area yet the sunday 10:15 pm screening was PACKED with young people reacting and clapping.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

17. DUH DUPE

forget it-I haven't had enuff coffee yet!

[Oddman]

19. One of my co-workers who has been an ardent bush supporter

is now on the fence, she says bush doesn't seem to have the capacity to be President . . .only took her 3 years to figure it out!!! I told her she should go see this movie so she can see our side of the story - she thinks it's propaganda . . . but I told her Michael Moore doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the Democrats and that intrigued her!!!


A Pathetic Excuse for a pResident

[jonnyblitz]

14. I saw it the next day after seeing it with you and meegbear

on Saturday . I also was more affected the second time for some reason...

[trumad]

16. I saw it with my Bro and Dad the first time

Tuesday night I'll see it with my wife. She can cry during a Doritos commercial so I better bring a box of Kleenex. :cry::cry:

[Kathy in Cambridge]

18. I was still tearing in the car on the way home myself

and I'm not a crier generally.