Rating: 
Summary: GIant Turd
Review: Perhaps entertaining, but since it is based on pathetic lies now exposed, it can only be considered a joke
Rating: 
Summary: Bowling baffled me
Review: I didn't fully understand this film, perhaps you really have to be American to get it. Michael Moore's point seems to be that Americans are more violent than other people, I have no idea whether this is ture or not. Does he want to ban guns? I couldn't quite make out exactly what he wanted. He is very fond of following people around with a camera and trying to interview them, but i understand he doesn't much care for it when others do the same to him. I heard he got someone thrown in jail for pestering him in a similar manner? Is this true? I would love to know. He succeeded in irritating Charlton Heston, i rather hoped Mr. Heston might take a swing at him, but instead he just walked away, somewhat to my dissapointment. He seems to approve of Canada, where apparently it's so safe people don't even lock their doors. this, if true, is very dissapointing. I had the impression that Canada was a sinister, dangerous country full of vampires, werewolves, deomns, ghosts, ghouls, and entrances to Hell. This is because I spend too much time reading the novels of Tanya Huff, who has succeeded in making Canada a very exciting place, to me anyway. Michael moore has really dissillusioned me. Would gun control make America less violent? I live in a country where it is practically impossible to own a gun, most people never even see a real gun, yet that doesn't stop nutters from getting hold of them every so often and going on the rampage. I don't know what the answer is. I'm not even sure what the question is.
Rating: 
Summary: Bowling for brilliance
Review: Michael Moore's valid study of the Columbine High School tragedy and our country's obsession with firearms is the best film of 2002. A thought provoking and moving analogy on the state of our world in the crisis of violence, isolation, unemployment, gun control, and terrorism. Moore and company look at both sides of the issue and Moore an avid hunter and member of the NRA questions the president of the organization Charlton Heston on the true intentions of his cause. Hopefully one day these problems can be overcome until then I praise directors like Moore for addressing the issues.
Rating: 
Summary: Thought provoking
Review: I enjoyed watching this movie and was riveted as he was looking for the answer to his question 'why is there so much violence in the US?'. It was sad to see all the people that have suffered from gun violence, creepy to see the weird militia guys who are ultra paranoid about people and the government and embarrassing to see Charlton Heston answer 'becasue of all the different ethnicities' to the question of violence in the US.Though I'm against gun possession, there were some issues he explored that I just don't buy. 1. Canada can't be SO safe that everyone, even in the city, does not lock their doors. I think he chose only those that would 'prove' his point. 2. I don't buy his ascertion that the 'fear of black men' is causing people to be scared or that the media revels in showing black criminals. What is the media to do when someone commits a crime who is black? Cover the face as not to reveal their race??!! Those shown on tv being arrested for crimes HAVE commit crimes, the tv is not making it up. 3. Though I don't necessarily agree with much of US foreign policy, I think the montage of US 'violence' abroad seems a little lopsided being that there are many benefits to US intervention. He showed only the bad. I still don't know why the US is plagued by gun violence, but the documentary was an interesting watch. I think the most logical, insighful and intelligent person inteviewed was Marilyn Manson.
Rating:
Summary: Propaganda of the level of Der Ewige Jude
Review: Mr. Moore has clearly studied the art of propaganda diligently. In this faux "documentary," he distorts reality to fit his ideology. Sadly, the Third Reich created a film entitled "Der Ewige Judge" (the Eternal Jew), purportedly as a "documentary" of Jewish people as they lived. "Bowling for Columbine" shares the sinister intent, the skillful manipulation of the facts, the appeal to demagoguery as that vicious film. Both were/are aimed at extinguishing freedom, both by entities that oppose(d) the right of the People to keep and bear arms.
Rating:
Summary: Take the skinheads bowling!
Review: This thought provoking, beautifully structured, funny, relevant, touching documentary of the tragedy at Columbine High and our country's obsession with firearms is the best film of 2002. Michael Moore and company make very valid points on the extremely violent nature of our country compared to others. It does take a somewhat impartial look at the issues and is open to both sides. Moore himself an avid hunter and member of the NRA questions President of the organization Charlton Heston as to the intentions of his cause. Hopefully one day these problems with our world can be controlled, until then we need people like Mr. Moore to address the issues.
Rating:
Summary: ¿Its an ethnic thing¿ - Charlton Heston
Review: America got a double-dose of realism when both "Gangs of New York" and "Bowling for Columbine" where released. It is not surprising that many Americans hate this "documentary", which they unfairly call - a fraud. Make no mistake about it - this is a film about Michael Moore as much as it is about the subject matter and there is more than just a smidgen of Jerry Springer hiding behind that smile. The fact is that those who think that this documentary is nonsense will more than likely appraise American foreign policy after watching reruns of Bruce Willis saving those "helpless African" people in the Hollywood war propaganda movie - "Tears of the Sun". "Bowling for Columbine" is everything that "Rambo III" is not. Of course Moore takes some poetic license in making his documentary and yes there is some subversive editing in the process and some bad statistics, but at its heart Moore is asking those same questions that Americans where screaming in the 1960s. "Why do Americans need guns?", "Why is America so violent?" and "Why are Americans so cruel to each other?" What Moore is really hitting at is not the American people but their own government and the manipulation of the media. He shows us what lies beneath the fabric of "God Bless America" with the "fat cat" business types, political corruption, the military industrial complex, crime and paranoia. It all adds up to a ticking bomb and Moore goes to great pains to show that there needs to be change or else the country is basically going to open itself up to some form of martial law. Moore is a visionary and presents us with a glimpse of the future if things do not change. He dishes it out in many forms by undertaking interviews with people of all types, from different backgrounds, age groups and professions on different topics such a gun control, terrorism, hate crimes, paranoia and the mass media. He presents us with problems such as mind control, war mongering, media generated hysteria and social detachment which appear in a series of documentary segments that are connected by the one link - gun control. This is one of the most important documentaries you will ever likely see. It should be treated with a degree of skepticism, not everyone or everywhere in America has the problems that Moore lists and some other counties have them too!, but anyone who trashes this film by saying that it is nothing more than totally subjective and self-proclaiming is guilty of complete and utter ignorance - one of the many themes that Moore himself treats in his documentary. Remember those kids at Columbine who shot and killed their classmates? No one listened to them when they needed to be heard. Their calls for help (and they did call for help) where met with ignorance. In many ways this documentary is the evolution of Reality TV. Springer-types bring up topics to embarrass people or exploit their guests who just want to be on television. They USE people to get the ratings that they need. I was expecting that Moore would do the same, and he does at times, but what he is really trying to show is a truth that is hidden within every American. Watch them breakdown in tears when they say something that they should not have said. Watch them cry when they make the mistake of saying what is obviously on their mind but some sort of unknown PRESSURE prevents them from doing so in public. Where is this pressure coming from? Who causes that and Why? There is something mystical lurking there in the background. Its something that Moore can not quite put his finger on - but he sure as hell can bring it out. Even though the documentary has no real resolution you can conclude that the whole "America is great" feeling that has been bashed into people has been hijacked at some point by those who wish to manipulate the people of that great nation for their own profit. This is what Moore eludes too and he brings it out by generating emotional interviews. This documentary is prophetic and regardless of how patriotic you are, you should watch it and take some time to think about it. Moore is a breath of life and you should be thankful that someone stuck their head on the guillotine to ask the questions that everybody wants to ask and say the things that everybody wants to say.
Rating:
Summary: An Epiphany
Review: This is truly one of the best films I've ever seen. So, do I go on and on and basically repeat a lot that has already been said in many of these other reviews? No, BUT I would like to give some of you Bowling/Moore bashers something to think about. You all accuse Michael of lies and half-truths, right? Well, surely you realize that he had a team of lawyers check and double-check every statistic and FACT presented in this film. DON'T YOU THINK THAT WITH ALL THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THIS FILM THAT IF IT WERE FULL OF LIES SOMEONE WOULD HAVE A LAWSUIT AGAINST HIM? PLEASE THINK PEOPLE!!!! This is America- the litigation capital of the world!
How about a thought out, intelligent panning of this film for once...I'd like to read just one... don't use this excuse that you wouldn't waste your time. You watched the film (hmmm, or maybe not!) and took the time to come to this site and review it so surely you can muster up more than a few fat jokes, can't you?
Rating:
Summary: Not just about guns.
Review: Expecting just a polemic against firearms in general, I was pleasantly surprised at the thoughtfulness with which Mr. Moore addresses his subject. The documentary begins by examining the Columbine tragedy, then broadens into a discussion of the prevalence of gun-related violence in the U.S., relative to other countries. His arguments are well-founded and developed as he delineates and then dismisses most of the traditional explanations for this phenomenon. Particularly surprising to me was his observation that the firearm-to-household ratio in Canada is much greater than that in the U.S., although the gun-related violence rate is much less; this is not an argument you expect to hear from someone who seems to be in favor of reducing the number of guns in American households. Rather, Mr. Moore seems to be pointing to some aspect of American culture that is less tangible, but best exemplified at the culmination of his investigations in his confrontation with Charleton Heston at his home. Understanding this aspect is what makes watching this movie a worthwhile experience.
Rating:
Summary: Great film
Review: I watched the michael moore film, not already being a fan of his, I didn't know really what his politics were. I really have no apprehension for what people hold against him. He is intelligent, when he interviews people, like Charles Heston, people who hold different views against him, he does it respectfully, more respectfully than the way some of the people criticizing his film talk about him. He uses straight facts and kind of puts it all out on a plate for you. He says stuff like, "Australia has 34 gun related deaths a year...the US has 11,600 some.." He doesn't tell you everything you are supposed to believe, he sets facts, interviews, and what not clearly out on a plate and he lets you make your own opinion.
Having lived in 7 other countries during my life time, in Africa, Asia and Europe,and now CALI. I probably have a different view of the US. My parents are US diplomats, I am not ignorant, I know a lot about the US. I love being American, but sometimes watching the news, as big hearted as the american ppl are, it's almost like what the hell..why would i want to live here? the poor people get stepped on, though the majority of the american people are generous and loving, and would love to see equality amongst all the classes, we are being overuled by a minority (white men) who are in charge.
i saw moore speak last night on campus and it was interesting. he said that he had done lots of polls, in usa today, the new yorker..various magazines and stats pointed out that most of the public is liberal. even when he asked one guy in the audience who had said he was republican some questions, he said.
"So you're a repubican..do you think that men and women should get equal pay?"
Yes the guy said.
"Do you think that gays and lesbians should be discriminated against?"
No the guy said.
He basically went on and was like..see most ppl are republican because they dont want their money to be taken out of their pockets..but they have liberal views.
anyway, i think michael moore is great.
i recommend anyone and every1 to see this movie.
its not biased. its just shocking because you never hear this stuff. and people who dont like it maybe dont want to hear the stuff in the movie anyway.
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