Fahrenheit 9-11
Fahrenheit 9-11 will not be eligible for a Best Documentary Oscar. That’s because Michael Moore has decided to push it for Best Picture instead.
I saw the movie in New York on my fifth try, the previous four being sold out (and I mean with five or six consecutive shows sold out each time), and even then people were sitting on the stairs and on the floor to see it. The movie was also big in other urban areas, and was not even played in some parts of the Midwest. Republicans I know likened it to the Oliver Stone film JFK, meaning that it was a clever piece of fiction. Many Democrats lauded the film as an expose of the man who stole the White House. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between.
The film obviously grabbed a ton of attention, but is it a Best Picture or even a good film? The segment on Bush sitting in that classroom like a moron on September 11th is quite damning, and the part with the poor mother whose son died in Iraq was powerful. I think he was less successful with the parts about the Bush family’s connections to the Saudis. The timeline was a bit off sometimes, and I wondered where he got some of the monetary figures. Regardless of your political beliefs, the film grabbed you in some way. In that sense, it was a good movie. Best Picture? I would have to say no, mainly because it is so unbalanced.
I must add that I hope it doesn't win. Since Bush really did win the election this time, the movie’s chances might have fallen a bit. In addition, a Best Picture win would give more ammo to all the conservatives who blame Hollywood for society’s ills. A “Michael Moore liberal” has become more evil than a regular liberal as far as conservatives are concerned, and this would turn many more people into “Moore liberals” and further infuriate Republicans. Why they’re so angry when they’ve controlled the government for a few years now and will continue to do so for at least two more, well, that’s a topic for another day. With all the attention Fahrenheit 9-11 got, it wasn’t enough to help turn Bush out of office. Nice try, but it came up short there, and ultimately, will and should come up short for Best Picture also.
I saw the movie in New York on my fifth try, the previous four being sold out (and I mean with five or six consecutive shows sold out each time), and even then people were sitting on the stairs and on the floor to see it. The movie was also big in other urban areas, and was not even played in some parts of the Midwest. Republicans I know likened it to the Oliver Stone film JFK, meaning that it was a clever piece of fiction. Many Democrats lauded the film as an expose of the man who stole the White House. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between.
The film obviously grabbed a ton of attention, but is it a Best Picture or even a good film? The segment on Bush sitting in that classroom like a moron on September 11th is quite damning, and the part with the poor mother whose son died in Iraq was powerful. I think he was less successful with the parts about the Bush family’s connections to the Saudis. The timeline was a bit off sometimes, and I wondered where he got some of the monetary figures. Regardless of your political beliefs, the film grabbed you in some way. In that sense, it was a good movie. Best Picture? I would have to say no, mainly because it is so unbalanced.
I must add that I hope it doesn't win. Since Bush really did win the election this time, the movie’s chances might have fallen a bit. In addition, a Best Picture win would give more ammo to all the conservatives who blame Hollywood for society’s ills. A “Michael Moore liberal” has become more evil than a regular liberal as far as conservatives are concerned, and this would turn many more people into “Moore liberals” and further infuriate Republicans. Why they’re so angry when they’ve controlled the government for a few years now and will continue to do so for at least two more, well, that’s a topic for another day. With all the attention Fahrenheit 9-11 got, it wasn’t enough to help turn Bush out of office. Nice try, but it came up short there, and ultimately, will and should come up short for Best Picture also.
posted by Wounded Liberal at 9:50 AM
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