So I watched the trailer for Michael Moore Hates America......

[ClevelandSportsCurse]

and putting political biases aside, I see this film as an incredibly lame work of art.

The director does not hint how he will prove that Michael Moore hates the USA. OK, so he says that the film is not a hack job on Moore, but why does he stick to the title? Certainly, there are other titles that can catch just as much attention without misleading the viewer.

How is Penn Jillete a credible source to comment on Moore's filmmaking techniques?

When Penn says that documentary makers always quote things out of context to skew a point, does he specifically mention any examples of Moore and his methods?

When the director goes around asking (what seem to be) lesser educated people to comment on a complex subject such as whether the US economic and political system grants everyone an equal opportunity to succeed, how is that to be enlightening to a viewer? That is, when the director's interviewees consistently state that "hard work" is the answer to everything, how is a viewer supposed to lend credibility to such statements from such interviewees?

Granted, Moore asks questions to common people too, but they are generally simpler questions pertaining to the person's life, and perhaps the person's opinion on how he/she is affected by policy, but Moore does not ask them questions that are better reserved for members of academia or policymakers.

Who is the white bearded guy in the beginning? What is his credibility?

If the director thinks that people are dumb enough to accept everything at face value, he might have an audience, but in order to sell tickets, a movie has to possess the artistic qualities that enrich the movie watching experience. I am not convinced that this film meets that standard.


I am a little worried, however, that conservative backers will pump a bunch of money into the film to generate publicity, thus the media will try to assassinate Moore again.

What are your thoughts? Feel free to add my trailer review.

[Kukesa]

1. Welcome to DU, sph812!

Be sure to check out our Ohio forum for what's going on locally in this battleground state of ours (I live in Dayton).

:hi:

[Rick Myers]

2. Welcome to DU

Penn couldn't win a card game with Angie Dickinson and Jeff Gordon!!!

Somebody PUNCH him.

on edit: Go tribe!! But, GO BROWNS!!! It was great to see Joe Gibbs tank in the Dawg Pound!!!

[ClevelandSportsCurse]

3. Go Browns too!!

Today's victory was nice, but when I see Ben Roethlisberger perform so well for the Steelers, I just cringe because I really wanted the Browns to take him in the draft instead of signing Jeff Garcia, whom I do respect, but he is 34 and Roethlisberger would have been a great fit since he is highly talented and from Ohio.

[rednek_Liberal]

4. Ummm... zackley what is the focus of this ...um .. film

from the "Press" portion of the MMHA site..

"He covers everything from the American dream to the tenor of contemporary political discourse to the ethics of documentary filmmaking."

and...from the "Reviews"

"The most interesting movie" at the American Film Renaissance festival.

--Salon.com

Since when does Salon.com give a flying Fuck about the Wingnut film festival.

I say put that Wilson kid back on the Ritalin, he is off kilter.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Welcome and thanks for the note!

[bicentennial_baby]

6. Penn's from my hometown

You think he's bad on film, you should see him up-close, joggin 'n jigglin... :puke:

[kskiska]

7. They have no creativity to make their OWN movies

All they do is feed off ours.

[The Minus World]

8. "Michael Moore Hates America" Hates America

Only a right-winger would be able to get away with such a brazen statement. You see, there is this bubble of conservatism which coddles those who agree with it, and shuns those who don't - regardless of factual integrity.

As educated individuals, we will never be able to understand it fully, since this phenomenon defies any logical explanation: willful self-subordination, unquestioning compliance with the government's wishes, religious zeal and a sense of superiority which taints their every interaction with those who may not agree with them fully.

This film is just a by-product of the aforementioned idiocy.