Movie Review: Sicko

Sicko is the most intense of all Michael Moore movies. This time, the moviemaker takes aim at the American healthcare and presents a myriad of stories of woe told by those victimized by the system. These include an individual forced to choose which of his two injured fingers he can keep, his index finger for $60,000 or his middle for 12,000. Then there is the pathetic story of a child with cancer whose parents had to remove her from treatment and many more.

Sicko then traces back the History of our existing health care system to a devilish plot designed by Nixon and Kaiser.  Then, his movie recants the failed attempts of the Clintons to pass the health care reform bill. 

However, in an attempt to prove his objectivity, he alleges that the Pharma companies managed to buy politicians(Republicans and Democrats), and silence any talk of reform.

In typical Moore fashion, he compares the medical system with those in other countries, like Canada, England, France and last but not the least, Cuba. Moore loves Canada. He tries to prove that the myth that Canadians are unhappy with their health care system is baseless. If Canada is a safer place to live, as he said in Bowling for Columbine and has better health care, what keeps Moore in the US? Easy guess, he makes his money, criticizing the system.

He moves to England to undermine the theory that Social medicare doctors are underpaid. Finally, he does present a claim that there is a place in the US that has cutting edge health care. It  is provided to the inmates of Guantanamo Bay.

In a classic move, with a handful of injured 911 rescue workers, Moore comandeers a boat to the Bay seeking the same benefits for his posse that its being received by the inmates. Dejected by the lack of response from there, Moore lands on the shores of Cuba and asks for heathcare for his crew.The results are dramatic. All the victims receive six star treatment and respect in Cuba and come home content and teary eyed. 

As with all his movies, this is a movie that is informative, offering a lot of point of discussion and arguments. There have been a few shows on the network TV channels claiming that Cuba and Canada are not  the healthcare paradises the Moore claims they are.

Despite all the alledged falsehoods, Moore may have presented, this is an important film and reminds us that the existing system is broken and urges us to take a close look at ourselves to examine why it is not effective enough and all encompassing. This movie is a must see for all adults. Indeed heathcare is one of the most important topics in the forthcoming elections and affects us all.

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MovieReview: Farenheit 911 (2004)

The truth and nothing but the truth. The whole truth? Of course not. Thats how I'd sum up this movie by the Cheeseburger(As he's called on right wing radio.), Michael Moore.
Bush vacationed for months after becoming President.Bush continued to read to a class of kindergarteners for 10 minutes after the first plane struck the World trade centers on 911.The army sends out sales people who patrol malls and shopping centers to get young people to join them. They pick out the poorest among us.

The Bush family has allies in Oil Corporations and all those evil rich people in Saudi. His family had ties even with Osama's family.Osama's crew attended flight school in this country. The CIA knew about this and informed Bush. Bush just sat around with this information. Bush fooled us all by drawing a non-existent connection between 911 and Iraq. And there is the war itself.Want to hear more rants? Watch this one.

Unfortunately, for him,  most people did not buy Moore's allegations. They still voted for Bush. To add salt to Michael's wounds, he had little luck at the Oscars. Personally, I liked 'Bowling for Columbine' more.

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Movie: Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Michael Moore's outstanding documentary, 'Bowling for Columbine' takes a look at the question, why is there so much violence in America? Beginning with the school shooting in Columbine, Moore takes us on a journey into the cause of such dastardly deeds in our country. What are the influences that contribute to mindless killings? Is it rock music, access to firearms,VideoGames or Movies?

Canadians listen to all the latest music from the US, watch the same Hollywood movies we do, and have the easy access to firearms that we have. Most violent video games come from Japan. Yet both these countries have only a fraction of the gun related crimes that the US has.Is it our violent past History that causes us to kill our own? Well, Germany had a violent History too. Yet,it has only a few gun related deaths.

These are some of the arguments Moore presents. However, he comes down pretty hard on two organizations, the Media and the NRA. That he claims the Media has built into us a paranoia for imminent violence surprized me considering his well known liberal views and the 'well known fact' that all media is liberal. Moore claims that the news media in the US has a tendecy to focus on violence, particularly gun related deaths than on other kinds of news. He also claims that it portrays Black males in a bad light.

The allegation that the right to carry firearms is the biggest culprit for increased murders was more like Moore. One on the highlights in the film is a hard hitting interview with NRA President Charlton Heston. His interviews with some crazed people who talk about the government as dictatorial and that it was a citizen's right to stand up to anarchy are chilling.His interview of an executive at Lockheed is quite interesting. The film ends on a strong positive note that we can make a difference.

This is an important film that must be seen by teens and adults. Rightfully, it has been included in many school curriculums. Watching and discussing this movie will produce interesting and important viewpoints. (As it depicts disturbing scenes of violence and adult situaions, it not recommended for minors.)

Rajiv's View: Recommended for all adults, educational and maybe even uplifting.

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