Must See

As is being reported in dozens of other blogs, Michael Moore has won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for his film “Fahrenheit 9/11.” The right-wingers have probably already begun making jokes about Moore winning an award, never mind that the lead jury member is an American. Lots of people will heap disdain on Moore for even being able to say “thank you” in French. I can’t wait to see the film and I hope to find some people to go with me. It’s one of those things that is more fun to see with a bunch of people and then dissect over beer with people afterwards. As a filmmaker, I think Michael Moore is perceptive and self-effacing. Other than that little stunt with Charlton Heston, Bowling for Columbine was a funny, insightful, and humane movie. He knows how to step back and let his subjects reveal themselves to the camera, which is why the bit with Heston was kind of disappointing. I have a copy of Moore’s last book sitting on my shelf; I’m hesitant to read it because I’m afraid I’ll find it more polemical than his movies.
The sun hasn’t shown itself in the last two and a half days. I actually like streaks of gray weather like this; it’s good thinking weather I could live in Seatle or London without any problem. In fact, I’d probably get more writing done if I lived somewhere where the climate was in a pissier mode year-round.