Monday, July 2, 2007

Off to Guantanamo to get my meds

Just went to see Sicko a couple nights ago, and like all of Moore's films, the images stick pretty well. First of all, I thought it was an excellent movie--compelling, funny, irritating, and earnest. All of the criticisms that one can make of Moore are probably true but ultimately not very interesting. The bottom line is he just makes good movies about important topics. This one especially I thought had a sense of improvisation, lightness and self-deprecating humor that really made it a joy to watch. He has a measured sense of his own image and weaves it deftly into the substance of his film. I suggest people watch this in the theaters too, because the reaction of the audience is a big part of the show. When Moore shows the creation of HMO's via a white house tape of Nixon and Ehrlichmann people got genuinely angry (and foul-mouthed), and not in the pansy ass liberal way. More like that LA street riot way. And when we broke into applause at the words of a British statesman, it wasn't a self-righteous nod to someone who is affirming our own presuppositions, but acknowledgment of how surprising the truth can be, what a good idea democracy is, and the huge potential that Americans, perhaps alone among the peoples of this earth, have to mark this world with a genuine form of it.

5 comments:

Janet leslie Blumberg said...

Thanks. Great review and especially the suggestion about seeing it in the theater. (Maybe we can all compare our own audiences' reactions!)

Janet leslie Blumberg said...

Go see Transformers! I made me remember how joyous it was to be in a theatre when the first Star Wars came out.

Davis said...

Tried to comment on the new web page for a test, but no luck.

Davis said...

Hope all is well, but the .com site doesn't come up for me...

Take care guys!

Janet leslie Blumberg said...

Davis and everyone -- I too am stymied in respect to the new site. It comes up for me, but when I left a comment it was just erased awhile later. We're worried about you guys? Is all well? Let your faithful readers know! Thanks!