Reviews: Merry Christmas / No End in Sight / Sicko
Merry Christmas (2005)
When I dropped this DVD on the counter, my librarian said, "This is a great film. You'll love it." Librarians never talk about the stuff I'm borrowing! So this must've been really good.
BUT! for the first 30 minutes, I thought I'd been suckered. "Great, another typical war movie." I thought I was in for another "Days of Glory," the dreadful French war film that I couldn't believe got an Oscar nod.
BUT! *after* 30 minutes, I thought, "Whoa, that wasn't supposed to happen." Soon I realized that it *was* better than "Days of Glory" and later went beyond all expectations. Call me nuts, but I thought it was better than Saving Private Ryan and at times, even better than Iwo Jima which already set the standard for me. I later went back and rewatched the first 30 minutes and it wasn't that bad once you know who was who. Well, not that I really knew who was who sometimes -- it was often confusing with such a large cast, many of which could speak English, French AND German.
And the ending was a bit of a downer, too. I know it was intentionally low-key and I guess my Hollywood trained mind just couldn't adjust. I wanted more. I expected an all-out battle or at least some sorta climax, but it never really came. I'm sure some people loved the ending and I guess it fits the theme, but it just didn't satisfy me.
Otherwise, this film made me smile and laugh and I kept hoping that everyone would make it through. If I taught high school, I'd show this movie for Christmas. Sure beats the Charlie Brown one or stop-motion reindeer. Joyeux Noel is a war movie about peace, and goes to show that you don't need endless explosions, dead people and grainy grey filters to make a good war movie. 8 out of 10
No End in Sight (2007)
THANK YOU. Thank you for explaining the Iraq War in plain English. After being traumatically confused by Iraq in Fragments and My Country My Country, I thought it was hopeless for me to ever figure out the war. But No End in Sight has the layman in mind, and explains the war step-by-step from the start so even a Middle East dimwit like myself could understand. Heck, they even subtitle English-speaking people who have thick accents!! Awesome.
I learned about Donald Rumsfeld, who I knew by name but never knew what he did. I learned about the fat guy in Iraq in Fragments that had just showed up and no one would set up in an "everyone knows him!" sorta way. Still not sure who the Sunnis are and why everyone seems to hate them but eh, I'll Wiki them someday.
Normally, I would be nitpicky about weaknesses in a documentary's argument, but this one seems pretty bullet proof to me. He doesn't pull any Michael Moore style "Hey, look at those hungry children! This is wrong!" scenes . . instead, he explains *why* they're hungry. With every point, he makes sure to use a ton of evidence to back it up like good researchers do. He's a great interviewer too . . he doesn't just ask questions, he makes them sweat. :) And what a excellent conclusion.
If I taught modern history, this would be a video I'd show. With the next generation of kids born after 9/11 and Iraq War n00bs like myself, this documentary is an invaluable resource. 9 out of 10 I'm curious to see "Taxi to the Dark Side" now because it must be unbelievably awesome to top this.
Sicko (2007)
"Michael Moore's funniest movie to date!" proclaims the DVD cover. "You’ll laugh till it hurts!" And here I'm thinking, "Wait isn't this about the failures of America's health care? How is this funny?" I didn't know what to expect . . a good documentary is supposed to inform and/or persuade, and there's nothing about that on the cover. The only thing it informs you of is "It's funny!"
Well, I didn't laugh as much as the critics; heck, I didn't laugh at all (sometimes I think Moore tries too hard with his jokes :P ). However, I was definitely entertained and informed. Unlike Fahrenheit 9/11 which left me confused, Moore really helped me understand what was going on with U.S. health care and the alternatives around the world.
Weaknesses? Something bugs me about Moore's narrating voice, which sounds completely different from his interview voice. It's like he's trying so hard to sound sincere, he doesn't. He should hire the "No End in Sight" guy to do his narrating.
And I don't really like how he uses music to strengthen his argument. I live in Canada, and our health care isn't perfect -- the wait time can be awful. Moore does mention the waittime, but when he does, he plays this happy music, as if to say, "Those critics are stupid. Wait time is great!" He plays happy music again when he shows footage of French protesting because endless unrest is great too! He doesn't really show much of the other side, and when he does, he kinda hides it with happy music.
Otherwise, I didn't have a problem with the Cuba thing. :)
So I thought it was a pretty informative and persuasive argument. I know there's holes in his argument and that there's anti-Moore websites that have found gazillions in this movie. Still, the victims are real. Seeing a kid die because the hospital would accept him . . where's the hole in that? 9 out of 10
When I dropped this DVD on the counter, my librarian said, "This is a great film. You'll love it." Librarians never talk about the stuff I'm borrowing! So this must've been really good.
BUT! for the first 30 minutes, I thought I'd been suckered. "Great, another typical war movie." I thought I was in for another "Days of Glory," the dreadful French war film that I couldn't believe got an Oscar nod.
BUT! *after* 30 minutes, I thought, "Whoa, that wasn't supposed to happen." Soon I realized that it *was* better than "Days of Glory" and later went beyond all expectations. Call me nuts, but I thought it was better than Saving Private Ryan and at times, even better than Iwo Jima which already set the standard for me. I later went back and rewatched the first 30 minutes and it wasn't that bad once you know who was who. Well, not that I really knew who was who sometimes -- it was often confusing with such a large cast, many of which could speak English, French AND German.
And the ending was a bit of a downer, too. I know it was intentionally low-key and I guess my Hollywood trained mind just couldn't adjust. I wanted more. I expected an all-out battle or at least some sorta climax, but it never really came. I'm sure some people loved the ending and I guess it fits the theme, but it just didn't satisfy me.
Otherwise, this film made me smile and laugh and I kept hoping that everyone would make it through. If I taught high school, I'd show this movie for Christmas. Sure beats the Charlie Brown one or stop-motion reindeer. Joyeux Noel is a war movie about peace, and goes to show that you don't need endless explosions, dead people and grainy grey filters to make a good war movie. 8 out of 10
No End in Sight (2007)
THANK YOU. Thank you for explaining the Iraq War in plain English. After being traumatically confused by Iraq in Fragments and My Country My Country, I thought it was hopeless for me to ever figure out the war. But No End in Sight has the layman in mind, and explains the war step-by-step from the start so even a Middle East dimwit like myself could understand. Heck, they even subtitle English-speaking people who have thick accents!! Awesome.
I learned about Donald Rumsfeld, who I knew by name but never knew what he did. I learned about the fat guy in Iraq in Fragments that had just showed up and no one would set up in an "everyone knows him!" sorta way. Still not sure who the Sunnis are and why everyone seems to hate them but eh, I'll Wiki them someday.
Normally, I would be nitpicky about weaknesses in a documentary's argument, but this one seems pretty bullet proof to me. He doesn't pull any Michael Moore style "Hey, look at those hungry children! This is wrong!" scenes . . instead, he explains *why* they're hungry. With every point, he makes sure to use a ton of evidence to back it up like good researchers do. He's a great interviewer too . . he doesn't just ask questions, he makes them sweat. :) And what a excellent conclusion.
If I taught modern history, this would be a video I'd show. With the next generation of kids born after 9/11 and Iraq War n00bs like myself, this documentary is an invaluable resource. 9 out of 10 I'm curious to see "Taxi to the Dark Side" now because it must be unbelievably awesome to top this.
Sicko (2007)
"Michael Moore's funniest movie to date!" proclaims the DVD cover. "You’ll laugh till it hurts!" And here I'm thinking, "Wait isn't this about the failures of America's health care? How is this funny?" I didn't know what to expect . . a good documentary is supposed to inform and/or persuade, and there's nothing about that on the cover. The only thing it informs you of is "It's funny!"
Well, I didn't laugh as much as the critics; heck, I didn't laugh at all (sometimes I think Moore tries too hard with his jokes :P ). However, I was definitely entertained and informed. Unlike Fahrenheit 9/11 which left me confused, Moore really helped me understand what was going on with U.S. health care and the alternatives around the world.
Weaknesses? Something bugs me about Moore's narrating voice, which sounds completely different from his interview voice. It's like he's trying so hard to sound sincere, he doesn't. He should hire the "No End in Sight" guy to do his narrating.
And I don't really like how he uses music to strengthen his argument. I live in Canada, and our health care isn't perfect -- the wait time can be awful. Moore does mention the waittime, but when he does, he plays this happy music, as if to say, "Those critics are stupid. Wait time is great!" He plays happy music again when he shows footage of French protesting because endless unrest is great too! He doesn't really show much of the other side, and when he does, he kinda hides it with happy music.
Otherwise, I didn't have a problem with the Cuba thing. :)
So I thought it was a pretty informative and persuasive argument. I know there's holes in his argument and that there's anti-Moore websites that have found gazillions in this movie. Still, the victims are real. Seeing a kid die because the hospital would accept him . . where's the hole in that? 9 out of 10