john kerry: "today we are one step closer to the end of the bush administration" *

yep. i just saw it.

i broke my "i'll never go to the movies alone" rule by going to see Fahrenheit 9/11--by myself. but i was pleasantly surprised to see that i would not be alone--upon arrival, i joined an ever-growing line reaching nearly a block down the street outside of the westcott cinema in syracuse. shit, even channel 9 and chuck plumpton from channel 5 were there--must be big news!

this rickety old theater hadn't seen ass like this in who knows how long. how they got a copy of this movie i'll never know--of 868 theaters in the country showing the film, this little 500-seat, one screen movie house in residential syracuse got their hands on a copy and i happen to live a mere 3 or 4 streets away. (to a kid that grew up in jefferson county NY with the closest theater being 20 miles from the farm, this is virtually next door.) waiting in line, i almost felt like i was back in ithaca NY--so many politics-savvy, educated, opinionated people--they have a certain look about them. oh, i know what it is--they CARE about the WORLD AROUND THEM. unlike most people.

i digress.

watching michael moore's bowling for columbine at home on DVD had a huge effect on me. imagine how jazzed i got watching this one--in a sweaty, jam packed theater with 300 other anti-bush whackos. (did i mention that i am a republican? probably the only one in the house?) there laffs, tears, applause, and the crazies who think they can channel directly to michael moore by talking to the screen. it was a good time and a good film.

good. but not great. but good enough to stir the pot. sure, lots of things are taken out of context. some things are not accurate. but it does show how seemingly simple decisions by our government are incredibly complicated by circumstance and politics. and it most certainly shows our bumbling president doing what he does best--looking foolish. it doesn't take a movie to show that. just look at his interviews, speeches, and candid quips. the guy sucks.

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one of my coworkers tried to tell me today that a movie like this is disrespectful to the president.

disrespectful?

it's disrespectful to burn a flag. it's disrespectful to boo at your troops overseas. it's disrespectful to piss on the white house lawn. but an attempt to influence others to vote out a president by making a movie with 100% REAL IDIOT footage--slanted as it may be--is your freedom of speech and democracy in action, baby! if you think it's disrespectful to voice your opinion, then go to a country that doesn't allow opinions. there's plenty of them.

unfortunately, the people watching the movie are the choir. bush lovers are not going to be converted, because they AIN'T gonna go see this. but for you diehard bush voters, at least think of it this way: this movie is already hugely popular, and for good reason. when was the last time there was a movie that was a blatant attack on a SITTING president? how bad must the current state of affairs be to warrant that? oh, and let's not forget the unsavory portrayal of bush in bowling for columbine. he didn't look to good in that, either.

moxie, i hope you're reading this! :)

*john kerry's comment had nothing to do with the release of this movie. too bad, cuz it sounded good.