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sar43
Reviews
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Lets take back America
Michael Moore may the wild-card that tips this election. His documentary is sending people to the theaters to see for themselves what all the gossip is about. This movie did a wonderful job in showing why we should not be in Iraq. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that we cannot impose democracy upon a people. Most of the Arab world (over 90%) was strongly opposed to the war. Everyday in the news, we hear of car-bombings, kidnappings, etc., all by Iraqi insurgents who are opposed to a US presence in their country. How much longer will this continue?
There were some powerful emotional moments in this movie. I was shocked at the scene where none of the black representatives in Congress could get the approval of a single senator. Also the part with the interracial couple that lost a son in the war was moving. It added a very real, tangible characteristic to the movie.
What I didn't like so much in the movie were the petty personal attacks on the Bush administration. I mean, Bush is a puppet, an idiot, but that's all old news. Did the movie really need the scenes of Bush golfing, of Bush forgetting that saying (at the end), and of another member of the Bush admin. using spit as hair gel? I think these weakened the movie. But then, it's part of Moore's style. I guess I would have liked it if he touched more on the issue he brought up at the end, how the army heavily recruits in the poorest neighborhoods, sending the "scum of America" out to die in Iraq, while the rich sit at home and get wealthy from investments, weapons contracts, oil contracts, and whatnot.
Balseros (2002)
Definitely not the most powerful documentary ever, but still moving
This is the story of many different Cuban lives intertwined, as they all hope of one day escaping Castro's communism and achieving the American Dream. However, the degree to which they achieve this varies widely. Some, like Rafael Cano are able to persevere and put their faith in God, and achieve the dream. However, another young woman who moves to Albuquerque becomes involved in drugs and falls into the depths of poverty, and is eventually even disowned by her own sister. She even says at one point that she wants to go back to Cuba, because it is "her own country." For this character, the American lifestyle was a lot less glamorous than it seemed from the outside.
I don't believe the film was making an overt political statement. Although it did show the passion with which these young men and women so desperately wanted to leave Cuba, it also portrayed the United States as villainous, with Clinton telling Cubans to go back to their own country, etc.
I wish the film had shown us more about the lifestyles these characters led in Cuba before fleeing to the U.S. From what I could tell, it seemed as if the only thing that excited Cuban people was the prospect of escaping to the "freedoms" offered by the United States. For instance, when someone was leaving the village with his or her raft, the entire village gathered around and bid him farewell, and then people proceeded to follow him with bikes. It was almost as if a president were passing by on a motorcade. So, I was really interested in learning about Cuban life under Castro, but I would imagine it is definitely not as mundane as the film (inadvertantly?) makes it out to be.
Overall: 6 stars out of 10