Sicko

[isadorah]

will be out in theaters June 29th (hopefully). that is if the administration doesn't confiscate it first.

 

Michael Moore just sent out an email giving a summary of the recent turn of events surrounding the film and those in the white house. a snip it from the email:

 

"Bush's Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, launched an investigation of a trip I took to Cuba to film scenes for the movie. These scenes involve a group of 9/11 rescue workers who are suffering from illnesses obtained from working down at Ground Zero. ...This preemptive action taken by the Bush administration on the eve of the "Sicko" premiere in Cannes led our attorneys to fear for the safety of our film, noting that Secretary Paulson may try to claim that the content of the movie was obtained through a violation of the trade embargo that our country has against Cuba and the travel laws that prohibit average citizens of our free country from traveling to Cuba. (The law does not prohibit anyone from exercising their first amendment right of a free press and documentaries are protected works of journalism.) I was floored when our lawyers told me this. "Are you saying they might actually confiscate our movie?" "Yes," was the answer. "These days, anything is possible. Even if there is just a 20 percent chance the government would seize our movie before Cannes, does anyone want to take that risk?"

 

It premieres at Cannes film festival this Saturday night.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Even if there is just a 20 percent chance the government would seize our movie before Cannes, does anyone want to take that risk?"

 

Does who want to take what risk, really? The Cuban trade embargo is stupid. However, Moore did go to Cuba and risked harassment from the Treasury department. There is no more risk to take now. There is 0 chance that they will "confiscate" (confiscating a film these days is nearly impossible) the movie. It would reek of censorship and be the best possible publicity.

 

There is a slight chance that they would impose a steep fine or appropriate the profits, but that's really something else entirely.

 

Moore is trying to build buzz for the film--something he is excellent at.

[Kicking_Television]

Does who want to take what risk, really? The Cuban trade embargo is stupid. However, Moore did go to Cuba and risked harassment from the Treasury department. There is no more risk to take now. There is 0 chance that they will "confiscate" (confiscating a film these days is nearly impossible) the movie. It would reek of censorship and be the best possible publicity.

 

There is a slight chance that they would impose a steep fine or appropriate the profits, but that's really something else entirely.

 

Moore is trying to build buzz for the film--something he is excellent at.

 

Yup, as extremely liberal as I am, I really don't like the guy.

 

That said, his films are eye openers and well made, but should be taken with a grain of salt.

[quarter23cd]

I liked Roger & Me and that tv show he briefly had a long time ago. Somehow I have managed to not see any of his more recent/popular/controversial films.

[cryptique]

The thing that bothers me about Moore is that you don't have to stretch the truth to paint an incredibly damning portrait of most of the stuff he goes after -- an honest portrayal would be horrifying and maddening enough. But he's lazy, and he takes the easy way out. In the end, he's probably done as much harm to his causes as anything.

 

That said, he's a talented filmmaker and I always enjoy his films ... I just don't expect them to be completely factual.

[Atticus]

will be out in theaters June 29th (hopefully). that is if the administration doesn't confiscate it first.

 

Michael Moore just sent out an email giving a summary of the recent turn of events surrounding the film and those in the white house. a snip it from the email:

 

"Bush's Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, launched an investigation of a trip I took to Cuba to film scenes for the movie. These scenes involve a group of 9/11 rescue workers who are suffering from illnesses obtained from working down at Ground Zero. ...This preemptive action taken by the Bush administration on the eve of the "Sicko" premiere in Cannes led our attorneys to fear for the safety of our film, noting that Secretary Paulson may try to claim that the content of the movie was obtained through a violation of the trade embargo that our country has against Cuba and the travel laws that prohibit average citizens of our free country from traveling to Cuba. (The law does not prohibit anyone from exercising their first amendment right of a free press and documentaries are protected works of journalism.) I was floored when our lawyers told me this. "Are you saying they might actually confiscate our movie?" "Yes," was the answer. "These days, anything is possible. Even if there is just a 20 percent chance the government would seize our movie before Cannes, does anyone want to take that risk?"

 

It premieres at Cannes film festival this Saturday night.

 

I'm not sure I can think of anything Moore would be happier about than a story about the possible "confiscation" of his movie.

 

I'm surprised he doesn't film his own bowel movements.

[caliber66]

I'm surprised he doesn't film his own bowel movements.

Floater and Me: A Logumentary

[WilcoFan]

I read somewhere that he was afraid of it being confiscated by the government so he actually is paying a company to store it in a lock box in some other country.

[Sir Stewart]

Did you say lock box?

[caliber66]

I read somewhere that he was afraid of it being confiscated by the government so he actually is paying a company to store it in a lock box in some other country.

[WilcoFan]

 

Ha ha!

 

As far as the film, I'm looking forward to this one.

[ikol]

I'm surprised he doesn't film his own bowel movements.

 

That would be redundant.

[Dreamin']

The thing that bothers me about Moore is that you don't have to stretch the truth to paint an incredibly damning portrait of most of the stuff he goes after -- an honest portrayal would be horrifying and maddening enough.

Good docs have been made about the same topics, but almost nobody sees them. In 2003, The Fifth Estate (CBC) broadcast an excellent doc, Conspiracy Theories, that covered the same ground as Moore's Farenheit 9/11 (released the following year). I bet the number of people on this board who saw the CBC doc can be counted on one finger.

 

As Graham pointed out, Moore is brilliant at getting people's attention. He brings the marginal to the mainstream, but his gift for socratic irony and clowning around to entertain and inform is also his weakness (looking like a clown).

 

Full disclosure: Roger & Me is one of my favourite movies.

[bobbob1313]

He's an extremely talented entertainer. Thats it. To call his stuff documentaries is about as big a stretch as you can take.

[Atticus]

That would be redundant.

 

ZING!

 

[Sir Stewart]

He's an extremely talented entertainer. Thats it. To call his stuff documentaries is about as big a stretch as you can take.

Word.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I read somewhere that he was afraid of it being confiscated by the government so he actually is paying a company to store it in a lock box in some other country.

 

He couldn't say, make a digital copy of it? In this day and age? I guess that wouldn't be dramatic enough.

 

I do enjoy his films and will see this one.

 

He's an extremely talented entertainer. Thats it. To call his stuff documentaries is about as big a stretch as you can take.

Also, I don't agree with this. What would you call them?

[bobbob1313]

Also, I don't agree with this. What would you call them?

 

"Movies". "Films". "Cinematic adventures".

[anodyne]

i really like THE BIG ONE. i'm not too into his other films. the government should not be in the business of promoting commercial films.

[brokendowntele]

"Movies". "Films". "Cinematic adventures".

 

The inverse of a Fox News Special Report.

 

Visual Editorials.

 

Multi-media News Column

[isadorah]

Good docs have been made about the same topics, but almost nobody sees them. In 2003, The Fifth Estate (CBC) broadcast an excellent doc, Conspiracy Theories, that covered the same ground as Moore's Farenheit 9/11 (released the following year). I bet the number of people on this board who saw the CBC doc can be counted on one finger.

 

As Graham pointed out, Moore is brilliant at getting people's attention. He brings the marginal to the mainstream, but his gift for socratic irony and clowning around to entertain and inform is also his weakness (looking like a clown).

 

I agree with this. I think he does a good job at getting people to at least talk about things we're all shy away from talking about (across the isle anyway). It's almost like MoveOn.org though, good intentions, but doesn't know when to limit it. So everything is taken so far that the actual message is lost. I'll definitely go see Sicko. and will have lots of great debates and discussions about it afterward.

 

I do find it interesting, even if Michael Moore is using it to help hype the film, that the administration is still jumping and maneuvering to stay one step ahead of him/keeping the public from having easy access to his work, even if it's a bit exagerated, the gesture is still there. Remember when he was going to air Farenheit 9/11 on the eve of the election on TV or when there was a warrant out for his arrest in Michigan for giving out underwear to encourage voting. This is the administration that has brought us wiretapping, torture, and shady intelligence to go to war. never mind cia agent name leaks, political meetings for government personnel, and whatever it is that gonzalles can't actually remember. i'm very very liberal and the Fox news network annoys me to no end. I say bring it Michael Moore, even if he is the liberal version of what's that guys name, O'Reilly/Hannity and Colmes, I don't remember.

 

[by the way, i am a terrible speller]

[myboyblue]

The thing that bothers me about Moore is that you don't have to stretch the truth to paint an incredibly damning portrait of most of the stuff he goes after -- an honest portrayal would be horrifying and maddening enough. But he's lazy, and he takes the easy way out. In the end, he's probably done as much harm to his causes as anything.

 

That said, he's a talented filmmaker and I always enjoy his films ... I just don't expect them to be completely factual.

 

I agree with what you are saying. I'm also a fan of his movies. Bowling for Columbine is 90% good as well. Although I really enjoyed Roger & Me, I was wondering the other day if it isn't outdated in a way. The whole point of the film is how greedy GM was. However, you now see what happens if you can't remain competitive. With Toyota taking over the #1 spot, it gives some creedence to what GM was doing. Capitalism.