Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Very interesting documentary ostensibly about the reason for the Columbine massacre…but really less an exploration of what makes kids kill and more about Michael Moore: Self Righteous Ass. I felt sorry for most of his interviewees as there is never any way to give a correct answer to this guy once he's decided that you're in the wrong. There were many "oh my word -- that's such a good point" moments, e.g. Marilyn Manson's take on the status of America, which he says boils down to keeping us scared so we'll consume.

I wish Moore would trust his audience enough to be able to tell the crap from the truth. Letting the clips and interviews speak for themselves without running his know-it-all (and sometimes ludicrously prejudicial) voice-overs over the top of them would have been refreshing. He comes off as a whiner and the subject deserves a more reasonable spokesman. In my opinion he's no better than the religious right screaming about the Manson tour in their home town -- just as "in your face" and unwilling to hear the other guy out.

B-