How Michael Moore Makes His Arguments in Bowling for Columbine
Michael Moore in his latest documentary, 'Bowling for Columbine', has
aimed his camera directly between the eyes of our American culture.
Using the school shootings of 1999 in Columbine and Flint as a
starting point, Moore documents the fear and hypocrisy that has come
to define this American culture. I'm going to avoid discussion of the
specific material presented in this moving film; I feel no need to
reinvent the wheel, it would only come out square.
Personally, I have never been witness to a more powerful, more
heartfelt documentary. Michael Moore, a Flint, MI native, is obviously
shaken, and incensed by these shootings. In the role of forensic
sociologist, he tries to reconstruct the scene of the crime. What went
wrong? How were these kids led to shoot and kill their classmates? It
wasn't the teasing. Kids are cruel, everyone knows that. It wasn't
Marilyn Manson. No matter what the parents say. So what was it? Why
are there so many gun murders in our country?
As clear as Moore's state of the nation comes across, so does his
personality. Typically, a man who faces tragedy with a sense of humor,
in doing so, skirts the issue. Moore, through his interviewing, and
filmmaking, expresses both his heavy heart and lighthearted wit. This
humor is what makes the film bearable to watch. The material discussed
is not easy to take. It focuses in on our major flaws and accepts no
excuses. There are many images of death, including September 11th
footage. That the film leaves the viewer informed and not suicidal is
a testament to Moore's virtuosic presentation.
On leaving the the...
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...deological quest, an op-ed piece concerned mainly with asking
questions. Moore himself admits he is confused; he presents
suggestions, but by his own admission the answers are beyond him. It's
all right; sometimes questions are enough.
Any U.S. citizens concerned with the state of this country should view
this film. There are moments of high comedy and moments that are
unspeakably moving. You will be affected. Some say we have a
constitutional right to any and all weapons, the better to overthrow
any unjust government. Moore suggests that it may be more powerful to
arm ourselves with inquisitive natures, and with outrage. I hope this
film shakes people up. I hope it makes them think. Time to wake up and
smell the fear. 11,000 murders each year, within our borders alone.
We've got the Constitutional right to them all.
In his essay, “It’s Just a Movie: A Teaching Essay for Introductory Media Classes”, Greg M. Smith argues that analyzing a film does not ruin, but enhances a movie-viewing experience; he supports his argument with supporting evidence. He addresses the careful planning required for movies. Messages are not meant to be telegrams. Audiences read into movies to understand basic plotlines. Viewers should examine works rather than society’s explanations. Each piece contributes to Smith’s argument, movies are worth scrutinizing.
If it was not apparent enough that America’s education system is failing, Michael Moore’s “Idiot Nation” openly explains to us about the truth. America, for being the richest country, is behind in the educational standpoint. America needs to rethink their standards when it comes to education. America is more focused on corporate earning than educating our youth. The author of “Idiot Nation” makes the reader think about how America is viewed in the world. The purpose of Michael Moore’s essay is to point out what is wrong with this nation and also give the reader the motivation to actually do something about the situation at hand. Moore is trying to make readers aware of where we send our children. The author is trying to shock readers with the facts to do something to improve the American education system.
raised, and the film’s bring the awareness to the forefront while also considering the underlying
The present essay aims to analyze the connection between American society and gun ownership. Also what this can provoke on the citizens. These issues have been highly debatable over the past fourteen years since the massacre on Columbine High School occurs on April 20, 1999. As gun ownership is closely related to availability of firearms, the people who are against this civil duty of bearing arms to defend themselves and theirs are terrified of being shot, so the fear has spread over the country. Another relevant aspect is the discrimination of students from Columbine School since the existing paranoia. Students are taken to court to declare about their ‘misbehavior’. Finally, all these negative feelings have increased within the country creating a division having ‘firearms’ as guilty.
While watching the movie A Beautiful mind, I couldn’t help but feel glad the movie got the accolades that it did because everyone involved in the making of this endearing portrayal of schizophrenia truly warranted. Also, I understand the book to be wonderful, my aunt has it and I will be borrowing it soon. It pleases me to see a movie that gives a glimpse into how perplexing the world can be from the onset of schizophrenia and across its lifespan, plus I really got drawn into the characters (real and not real) making it easy to identify with them and be able to empathize with their triumphs along with their struggles. The movie touched me on a personal level especially when he said to her he believed in the value we decide to put on things when she gave him the handkerchief on their first date (which he kept with him throughout the movie for “luck”).
well the film will do, and who it will appeal to. It is evident that
Presidents and other people of high power have the ability to do many things that some may disagree with and walk away with very minimal consequences. In the movie Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore, shows how George W. Bush manipulates his power to fool the American people and enter into an unnecessary war. “There are some who feel like that if they attack us that we may decide to leave prematurely. They don 't understand what they are talking about if that 's the case... There are some who feel… that they can attack us there. My answer is bring 'em on.” Bush creates a sense of fear among the American people that the nation is under attack, but is very patriotic and confident to the point that Americans will trust him. Moore shows that the war is pointless and invading Iraq does not make sense. In the film, Moore goes around D.C. and asks senators and other officials of congress to sign their child up for the war and none of them signed the forms. That clearly shows that members of the government do not support and want their children in a
...er apparently created successful persuasive appeals for the crowd to be attracted and enjoy a movie that will be funny, colorful, and full of adventures that eventually will teach a life experience to the public.
Schools, Teaching, and Learning; Not Good for Everyone Never let going to school and taking classes get in the way of learning. There is more than enough blame to go around regarding the education and preparation for the recent generations of students entering adulthood. Some people, like Michael Moore blame politics on the poor state of education, others like Davis Guggenheim, blame the powerful teachers union putting their own needs before the students. I place the blame squarely at the feet of the parents, students and over all society for the current state of education.
It is a common mis-conception that films are merely entertainment, and serve no other purpose than to provide for the viewer a two-hour escape from reality. This is a serious under-estimation of the power, purpose, and potential of film, because film, upon reflection, revea...
For the overall mental health culture, they way people perceive mental health needs to change in order to alleviate the stigma attached to the topic. As I read and listened to the film, movies play a large part in inflicting the fear that so many people have towards mentally ill people. Another example is news media and how they usually assume that the school shooter , mass muder, rapist or pedifile is mentally ill person causing harm to others. Besides, do you really need to be mentally ill to cause harm to others? I personally don’t believe that and I think anymore is capable of inflicting
This book is telling a story about two African American boys (Wes A and Wes P) who have the same name and grew up at same community, but they have a very different life. The author, Wes A, begins his life in a tough Baltimore neighborhood and end up as a Rhodes Scholar, Wall Streeter, and a white house fellow; The other Wes Moore begins at the same place in Baltimore , but ends up in prison for the rest of his life. Then why do they have the same experience, but still have a totally different life? I will agree here that environment (family environment, school education environment and society environment) is one of the biggest reasons for their different.
What if the Oklahoma City Bombing was not planned by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols? It was one of the biggest domestic terrorist attacks in America. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were helped by middle eastern terrorist groups to commit the Oklahoma City Bombing.
In recent times, such stereotyped categorizations of films are becoming inapplicable. ‘Blockbusters’ with celebrity-studded casts may have plots in which characters explore the depths of the human psyche, or avant-garde film techniques. Titles like ‘American Beauty’ (1999), ‘Fight Club’ (1999) and ‘Kill Bill 2’ (2004) come readily into mind. Hollywood perhaps could be gradually losing its stigma as a money-hungry machine churning out predictable, unintelligent flicks for mass consumption. While whether this image of Hollywood is justified remains open to debate, earlier films in the 60’s and 70’s like ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967) and ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976) already revealed signs of depth and avant-garde film techniques. These films were successful as not only did they appeal to the mass audience, but they managed to communicate alternate messages to select groups who understood subtleties within them.
In his piece titled Idiot Nation, Michael Moore depicts many faults of the American education system. One quote that caught my attention was “teachers are politician’s favorite punching bags” (pg. 160). Teachers in the public school system are grouped together as the number one predicament when it comes to America’s lack of worldly knowledge. He goes on to discuss the much more egregious and omnipresent issues. I enjoyed Moore’s counter arguments, because I have always disagreed with this myth without knowing the actual problems in our schools.