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Fahrenheit 9/11

Caught Fahrenheit 9/11 last night. Pretty amazing stuff. The most surreal thing was seeing a film like this in the same environment where we normally chow down on popcorn and cheer when Jean Grey shows signs of her inner Phoenix. I'm not educated enough to give you an educated opinion, so I won't try. What I will say is that it's powerful. There are bits that'll come as a complete surprise (and not in a happy way) to many, but even those who've done their part to keep up with the real news will be a little taken aback at seeing it put forth this way. Some reviews I've read point to it as a mere shock piece, citing the images of gruesomely wounded Iraqis and whatnot -- let me tell you, that wouldn't even rank in my top ten in terms of the most assaulting moments. It's bias, yes, but it's the ultimate voicing of a sentiment shared by many, many people. The film's point is to paint Bush as an asshole; if not, some will certainly leave the theater thinking he's a buffoon. Moore makes points of varying validity; some you won't agree with, others will have you embarrassed for having previously believed anything different. Though at times unfairly bias and skewed, some of Moore's gathered factoids and clips simply can't be argued against. If you erase the op parts and just view the purely documentary portion, you're still left with some serious shit to think about. Moore's mission wraps up without a solid smoking gun, but there's more than enough here to sway a flighty opinion.

Posted by Matt on 06/26/2004. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 124 comments
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Nexus, I am not making any assumtions in my comment. It is a simple fact of demographics. I did not say that all democrats are poor idiots, or all republicans are rich genius, it is just a simple fact that the lesser fortunate tend to lean more toward the democratic side. I did not say that this is the way that it should be or, how I would like it to be, it just happens. Or at least that is how it was 7-8 years ago when I was taking courses on politics and government.

I did not mean to offend anyone, and apologize if I did.

Now who wants a puddin pop?

I do, I do, but Walmart didn’t have them last night.

Chestnuts roasted by Beerstalker @ 06/30/2004 10:57 AM

See Matt? This is why you just avoid talking about anything remotely political. You get swamped with idiots on both sides.

Chestnuts roasted by Magic Flyin Lemur @ 06/30/2004 2:23 PM

Eh, it’s been mostly friendly fire so far. Thank God I didn’t post about abortion.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 06/30/2004 2:28 PM

Long time reader, first time poster.

I originally came here when I searched for my beloved Centurions cartoon.

I’m going to go ahead and state that I’m a fairly die-hard Republican (except when it comes to my stance on abortion and gay marriage) and hate Michael Moore with a passion for reasons already explained here.

I was taken aback to see a political topic on here. Even if I were to try and boycott your site, I would eventually be drawn back here because your site is too damned funny.

Unlike many politically active minded people, I respect that there are going to be opinions different from mine, and that there is no set of ideals that will please everyone. I just go with the ones I like the most.

Someone earlier mentioned that there is no unbiased news. I’ve found that to be true. Seems like most news on the television is left-minded, hell even my local Fox station leans towards the left. My only option if I want to hear the news is listen to news that is biased towards my beliefs. Which pretty much is just talk radio.

So Matt, keep up the good work, If you would like my 2 cents, leave off the political topics. I would like to have at least one place on the web where I can go and not hear about politics for a change and just hear about the long forgotten parts of my childhood.

But, it is your site, do what ever you wish.

Chestnuts roasted by AlbinoTurtle @ 06/30/2004 3:35 PM

HockeyRube – Moore explains the error behind that on his website, michaelmoore.com. There was no editing or anything malicious about it.

The entire piece can be read here:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=20

We all make mistakes, even documentary filmmakers.

Chestnuts roasted by Left-wing Nutjob @ 06/30/2004 4:46 PM

"We all make mistakes, even documentary filmmakers."

Moore is not one of those. See the wacko attacko page on then watch http://bowlingfortruth.com" target="_new">BOWLING FOR TRUTH

then watch http://richwatch.net/gorespeech.htm" target="_new">AL GORE make a complete ass of himself repeating Michael Moore-esque lies…

Chestnuts roasted by AL FRANKEN @ 06/30/2004 5:55 PM

I wish I could go to one website that was not talking about politics in one shape or another. It gets tiresome. Although your review is one of the better ones out there, Matt, it totally blows the wonderful escapism that this website otherwise provides.
Too many people are not thinking for themselves today, and relying on the media (whether Moore and Franken or Fox News) to tell them what they believe. Both sides are pretty damn corrupt, you have to be corrupt to climb the tree of politics these days. A real decent person cannot succeed in politics. It’s a sea of sharks.
We may manage to get rid of Bush, but Kerry will just be another bad can of worms just as Clinton was before Bush. maybe the war situation will get better, but Kerry will tax us back into recession. Kerry is a liar like everyone else in upper-level politics. Hell, his probable running mate, John Edwards , was one of my state’s two senators. He is nothing more than a money and power lusting trial lawyer. He did *nothing* for our state while in office, he just used his senatorial office as a stepping stone to more power.
Moore is an ass, he tells lies and lots of others do, too. I’m surprised the republicans don’t have a version of Moore- the democrats are no better, there’s plenty of fodder in their ranks for movies about corruption, too. Bush bashing is just in fashion now, as Clinton bashing was 5 or 6 years ago.

Chestnuts roasted by Blair @ 07/01/2004 2:23 AM

Long time lurker, first time poster.
All right. I’m a lefty-moderate, and I acknowledge the bias and skewing in Moore’s movie. I expected it. All you need to see is the look on GWB’s face when his aide whispers in his ear in the Florida schoolroom. It’s the very definition of dumbstruck panic. It is very clear he has no idea what to do. Tack onto that the countless numbers of tragically funny quotations and incidents from his years as President and Gov, and one thing becomes clear. No matter your position on the Iraq war, no matter your position on foreign labor, no matter your position on gay rights, no matter your position on any issue–the man is an ignorant, bigoted, insensitive, arrogant, misogynistic, inarticulate, ethnocentric rube. And he is our leader. The spokesperson for our country. We are the laughingstock of the world! Forget policy and corruption issues, I just want a president that understands basic grammar and that there is a world outside the Lone Star state! Is that too much to ask?
I have seen televised debates involving Tony Blair and Parliament, and it makes me weep. THAT is exciting government–the PM verbally going toe-to-toe with members of the Houses in open discussion. Could you imagine Bush doing something like that? Never. Watching one of Dubya’s press conferences is like watching episodes of Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp, except the chimps are smarter and the lip synching is better.
"Look, America! Cheney and Rumsfeld are drinking glasses of water while Bush speaks! How do they do that?" It’s like the beginning of the Simpsons when it looks like Maggie is driving the car, but it turns out to be Marge. Bush has one of those kiddie-steering-wheel-thingies for the country! Meep! Meep!
Republicans, you should be ashamed and embarrassed.

Basically, what I’m saying is, Lancelot Link in 2004!!

Love your site, Matt!

Chestnuts roasted by Brad @ 07/01/2004 5:29 AM

Hi, long time reader, first time caller…

i’m a londoner, (no i don’t have tea and crumpets although my teeth are fairly bad) and i’m extremely left wing i suppose although i don’t exactly like pussy liberals scared of offending everyone – screw em i say – but i often find Americans views on politics a bit odd.

personally i can’t believe any free thinking, unselfish, intelligent individual would ever consider supporting Bush. But then, Reagan is a national hero or whatever and the man’s administration supported countless Hitlers all round the world.

moore is a prick, but hey: his movies will get made and shown and the extreme leftist viewpoint i have will never be represented like that. kerry doesn’t look great, no: but he’s the lesser of two evils now. Which is pretty much western democracy in europe too.

to say that "most of the media is liberal" is the most misguided thing ever. the rich control the media and the rich are never going to be all socialist like. they protect their own interests, which is their bank accounts.

oh and CARAMEL CORN RULES! you can’t buy it here, so when i had it in Las Vegas 9 years ago it blew my mind. i’ve had it once since, but it was stale and japanese (?!).

Chestnuts roasted by A different Matt @ 07/01/2004 7:12 AM

Thanks for a good post, Brad.

Chestnuts roasted by Chris @ 07/01/2004 9:42 AM

Must…resist…urge to become…political, rant…respond harshly to above posts…

Galaga. Galaga. Galaga. Shinobi. Shinobi. Shinobi.

Think cleansing classic arcade thoughts…ahhhhhhh.

Urge to kill fading.

Chestnuts roasted by Jared @ 07/01/2004 11:11 AM

Don’t know if anybody here watched the BET Awards, but Outkast won for Best Song. During their speech, Andre 3000 mentioned their upcoming HBO movie, and Big Boi said, "Another movie everyone should see is Fahrenheit 9/11!" It got a bigger cheer than I expected from the crowd. Big Boi’s already made his feelings pretty clear in the song War:

When will we all, awake up out this dream
Come here and smell the Folgers, the soldiers are human beings
Man actin as if he was the supreme bein
Clockin the souls of men out like he was G-O-D and W-A-R
rah, there’ll be no tomorrow but sorrow
and horror will follow the hollow hearts battle for dollars
Politicians, modern day magicians
Physicians of death, more health care for poor health
Who makin us ill, they makin us kill
That’s makin me spill my guts (chill Big, lay in the cut)
For what I refuse to sit in the backseat and get handled
Like I do nuttin all day but sit around watch the Cartoon Channel
I rap about, the Presidential election and the scandal
that followed, and we all watched the nation, as it swallowed
and chalked it up, basically America you got FUCKED
The media shucked and jived now we stuck – damn!

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 07/01/2004 11:23 AM

Moore should have gone after Dick Clark again–we can’t let that evil bastard get away with his BABY-KILLING.

I missed Moore on the Stern show as well… I was hoping Howard would bring up how fat he is ("Over three hundred pounds… like a giant beach ball." –Ralph Nader) and how he’s gotta do something about that.

Chestnuts roasted by jay @ 07/01/2004 8:03 PM

Okay I know it’s been a while since Jason’s post on the 27th but I had to respond to his links.
Glen Beck sells t-shirts on his site that say "Michael Moore is fat" nuff said.

Christopher Hitchens wrote the second article. While Mr. Hitchens is widley considered a liberal he is also a devil’s advocate. Take for example his book "Missonary Posititon" in which he investigates Mother Theresa’s motivation for the work that she did, where she got her funding, and what she did with that funding.
His reason for writing the book. (which I can admire)Is because he feels that there is a wide spread belief that her motives are unquestionable.
In Mr. Hitchen’s article he insinuates that F/911 is full of contradictions but somehow fails to see Moore’s larger POV. Which is that Bush lied about why we were going to war. And that he has done a poor job in handling the war.
His tone is bitter and when he mentions that he has produced and written numerous documentaries on such figures as Kissenger and Bill Clinton I get the feeling that he’s more jealous of Moore’s ability to use pop culture to communicate with the everyday person.
By the way I’m sick of hearing that Moore hates America. He doesn’t.

Chestnuts roasted by nutgrrrs @ 07/02/2004 3:46 PM

According to Glenn Beck he sells the "Micheal Moore is fat" shirt because Moore’s charges are all so ridiculous that he feels its ridiculous to counter them, so instead he offers a shirt with something that is at least factual.
You really have to listen to Mr. Beck’s show to understand him. He does deep serious discussion of the issues along with lots of irreverant comedy like you saw on the T-shirt. Lots of people don’t get him and you have to listen to his show for a while before you will.

As for Mr. Hitchens, I know nothing about the man so I can’t answer that charge and I really don’t care. I know what I believe and I’m sticking to it. However you say Mr. Hitchens fails to see Moore’s larger point of view. I see Moore’s larger point of view. I respect his right to express it and I think he should be able to make all the movies he wants about it. My only problem with him is how he deliberately fabricates and distorts the truth to get his point across. If the film wasn’t a propaganda piece that combined fabrication and half truths with the real truth, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Documentaries are supposed to be FACTUAL not opinion pieces.

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 07/02/2004 6:54 PM

Oh and one more thing, our country was founded on capitalism. That is our system. Mr. Moore is a socialist and basically wants to scrap the system that we have, that our founding fathers fought for and start all over again. To me, that’s anti-American.

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 07/02/2004 6:58 PM

Bush is a loser

Osama is a loser

Saddam is a loser

The world has losers…..now its time for winners

Chestnuts roasted by Billy @ 07/03/2004 12:57 PM

"According to Glenn Beck he sells the "Micheal Moore is fat" shirt because Moore’s charges are all so ridiculous that he feels its ridiculous to counter them, so instead he offers a shirt with something that is at least factual."

Claiming that you don’t need to bother responding to Moore’s charges and then resorting to ad hominem attacks is definitely the mature, reasonable and professional way to prove your point. It’s also totally deep and serious. And irreverant! Mr. Beck just won himself a convert!

If Moore is profiting from America’s tragedies, what is Beck doing? Does using an "anti-American" to make money for yourself make you some kind of Super Patriot?

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 07/03/2004 1:52 AM

Ok, I’ve had enough. No one is going to have their mind changed and we are making a website that used to be fun, not fun anymore so lets agree to disagree. I’m not going to waste my time arguing with total strangers. I just wish that people could discuss things in a civil manner instead of the ugly divisive thing that politics has become.

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 07/03/2004 3:34 PM

I’m with Jason on this one, and I regret bringing the real world here. It’ll be the last time. Political arguments aren’t as playful as "who was the best Ninja Turtle?"

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 07/03/2004 7:22 PM

Anti-American? There is an idea out there that being a true American and being patriotic has to do with having a certain ideology. As Thomas Jefferson once said: "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." The best thing that a citizen can do is to try and change our country for the better. Just because someone wants change doesn’t mean that they should be labeled as "Anti-American." Change is a good thing. Where would we be without the Revolutionary War, without the abolishment of slavery, without the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s?
In respect to Michael Moore specifically, he has never made any claims to want to "scrap the system." In fact, all of the problems he has with our society and all the solutions he has proposed to these problems lie well within the boundaries of our system of government. All the work he has done has been to preserve the system we have while changing it to benefit the majority of the people of the United States. To suggest that Michael Moore is some sort of revolutionary is really missing the point.

Chestnuts roasted by Jaxin @ 07/06/2004 3:20 AM

As The legendary Billy Jean would say "fair is fair" I guess we can agree to dissagree. However I encourage everyone to see the movie. It’s an important piece, culturally speaking, at its very least.

Regardless of Moore’s movie, and my stance on social issues, my life hasn’t improved during the past four years. I’ll be voting for change.

Okay, So now I’m going to check out the newest blog. I love your website Matt. Thanks for getting me through the day!

Chestnuts roasted by nutgrrrs @ 07/06/2004 10:05 AM

Hey Matt, I’ve been reading X-Entertainment for years, and I was happy to see the F-9/11 review.

Dittohead-types are ALWAYS going to throng onto the message boards when they see something that challenges their worldview.

If there’s some spin going around that F-9/11 is *Baaaad*, they’ll simply repeat it undigested. Way of the world, man.

Moore is talking about offering a $10,000 bounty to anyone who finds a factual error in the movie. Its critics all going to be rich soon, presumably. Imagine all the ThunderCats toys you could buy with….

Chestnuts roasted by A. Nelephant @ 07/08/2004 1:19 AM

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