The Grind

hey, i said AT LEAST two weeks

So as you know, I've been back for quite some time and finally got most of my 13 rolls of film developed. How did it go? Man, if I could tell you what I think about Chicago and the trip along the Colorado River, I'd spend too much time typing. As I already spend a LOT of time typing and staring at a computer at work all week, my free time is hardly spent on my iMac at home typing. If you wonder why I don't write long emails often, this is why.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On an unrelated topic, JP and I went to go see Fahrenheit 911 this past Sunday. As it opened up in only about 800 theaters, it's amazing that it shot straight to No. 1. What did I think? First of all, the movie didn't sway my current opinion of Bush; I already didn't like him. When you elect an oil tycoon, do you think he's gonna want to abandon his intereSt$ completely to be a national servant? Yeah right. My pro-life colleagues would like to vote for him just because he's pro-life, but pleaaaase...Under his governorship in Texas, the state saw the highest number of executions. Oh yeah, the war...and the POST war. I don't think that the world has become a safer, more life-giving place under his decision-making. Did he go into this thinking no one's gonna die? He's not THAT dense, is he? He's hardly pro-life. Pro-life isn't just about abortion. But to Bush, pro-life is not a personal belief, it's an item on his party's agenda that he has to agree to.

Anyways, back to the movie...

So I hate Bush already...my opinion hasn't changed. If anyone wants to see the movie hoping that Michael Moore will suddenly open their eyes to what's going on, they're going for the wrong reason. They need to be better informed about what the movie is based on, BEFORE seeing it. The same goes for the movie The Passion; people were watching the movie hoping to become better Christians. It doesn't work that way. Simply looking to an entertainment medium shouldn't compel you to become a more spiritual or informed person. If it does, it's pulled at your emotions in some way, and you've let that emotion (which is only temporary) define how you think or your spirituality. It's like going to class only when the professor makes you laugh, or going to sing/praise meets just to "feel" the presence of God. Michael Moore is still a film maker and is interested in getting an audience reaction. He does plenty of that with the graphic war scenes, and spending waaaay too much time on Lila Lipscomb. Bush and his cronies got plenty of grumbles and hissing from the audience. But in the end, does Moore truly "teach" us on what we can do about the injustices in the system? No. Does he suggest at all that we should go out and do some researching on our own? No. The message is implied...well, don't vote for Bush, but is that it?

I would say that the movie is a primer for the uninformed, such as myself. But just like Cliff notes, don't let it be your only resource, because you won't get the full story. Give it credit for what other movies do - entertain you. It was funny; I'll definitely give it that.

I give it a B+.

Current temp: Cloudy and 65
Currently playing: They - Jem
Currently feeling: eyestrain