2 thoughts on “Michael Moore on Democracy Now!”

1. Saw “Where To Invade Next” at the second-run theater today. It was wonderful. Moore’s always been able to mix humor and sadness. He’s such a gifted filmmaker now (he was always a good documentarian; now he’s a great filmmaker) that the balance appears effortless. The audience was laughing right from the start, and by the end had applauded three times.

   So much worth mentioning. The segment, simple but effective, which points out how countries with better social welfare pay “more” in taxes. The film observes, that’s because of all the things we don’t count as a “tax”! Your health insurance premiums, your child care, college loans, nursing home costs, these are all “taxes.” Add them up and we pay far, far more — we just don’t pay them to a non-profit government.

   The part where I started weeping uncontrollably was when Moore visits Norwegian prisons. It really has to be seen to be believed. Their highest-security facilities are more humane than our halfway houses. It’s so funny and uplifting (how great that prisoners are treated decently somewhere!) and so terribly sad all at once. And then Moore interviews a father of a teenager killed by Brevik who is steadfastly against the death penalty, and that was it for James. I bawled my ass off for the rest of the film.

   Incidentally (you reading, Elizabeth?) the applause moments came at the film’s most feminist statements (and at the end, of course.)

   I used to always enjoy Moore’s movies while resenting his “gotcha” gimmicks — asking tough questions to a befuddled old Charleton Heston in “Bowling For Columbine,” for example. Since “Sicko” Moore hasn’t done that. He looks like hell, but I hope he lives forever. I’m sure he’s taken occasional policy stances or made statements I could disagree with here or there, but what a filmmaker.

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   • Sounds great. I’ve requested it from the library, but it’s going to take forever to come.

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