05-24-2004, 03:51 PM
Well, first, I might point out that while Mike is well thought of all over the world, Rush is a guilty pleasure more or less restricted to the American Right, and maybe a few castoff Thatcherites. That alone might say something about the equivalence of their messages.
Second, Mike's films deal in facts and events. No question, they're arranged for polemical effect, and no question that this is not the holy grail of impartiality. But they are not simply fabricated polemics (a "liberal comedy"; if you want to see something in that mould, there are enough examples in "TV Nation" and "The Awful Truth", although mixed with more substantial criticisms.)
Third, this is not, nor were any of Mike's previous movies, about stereotypes. Roger and Me was specific; this town, this company, these people. He could point to them. That's not stereotyping. Bowling for Columbine was certainly about perceptions, but deliberately rejects blanket notions like "Gunz R Bad". I obviously haven't seen Fahrenheit 9/11 yet, but again, a single instance, a couple of families who you can point to without much difficulty. Maybe you don't like it, but it's not stereotyping.
Rush on the other hand... Rush is Rush. Maybe it doesn't seem like he's completely fruit loops where you live, but up here in Canada, it didn't come as much of a surprise that he was on a pretty high dosage of painkillers.
Jester
Second, Mike's films deal in facts and events. No question, they're arranged for polemical effect, and no question that this is not the holy grail of impartiality. But they are not simply fabricated polemics (a "liberal comedy"; if you want to see something in that mould, there are enough examples in "TV Nation" and "The Awful Truth", although mixed with more substantial criticisms.)
Third, this is not, nor were any of Mike's previous movies, about stereotypes. Roger and Me was specific; this town, this company, these people. He could point to them. That's not stereotyping. Bowling for Columbine was certainly about perceptions, but deliberately rejects blanket notions like "Gunz R Bad". I obviously haven't seen Fahrenheit 9/11 yet, but again, a single instance, a couple of families who you can point to without much difficulty. Maybe you don't like it, but it's not stereotyping.
Rush on the other hand... Rush is Rush. Maybe it doesn't seem like he's completely fruit loops where you live, but up here in Canada, it didn't come as much of a surprise that he was on a pretty high dosage of painkillers.
Jester