June 25, 2004

I have hit the wall…

Today is the day that most of you can go see Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 for yourself. If you are reading this column, there is no question… you need to go see the film. It is a part of this industry’s conversation and you are a person who wants to know. After all, you put up with me.

My goal regarding this movie, at The Hot Button and at MCN, has been to seek the truth from around the hype. At moments, I have been drawn into being a part of the hype. I have been drawn into focusing too much on the daily hype that Michael Moore is so gifted at created, assisted by no less than The HypeMaster General, Harvey Weinstein. I have been drawn into conflict with those who wish to tell me what I think because what I write is not what they want me to write. I have been called names, accused to rather breathtaking biases, and intentionally misunderstood. I have also been embraced by many, for both good and bad reasons.

Bottom line is, I can’t write about Spider-Man 2 today. Because it just doesn’t matter. (Just for the pre-review record, I saw the film a second time last night and quite like it, although there are some issues that for me make it less than the very highest form of the art. Still, no one will walk away unhappy.) Yet, I don’t want to write another word about Fahrenheit 9/11 because… you know what I think. You know that I want you to take it all with a grain of salt and to consider it all for yourselves. You know.

By Monday, the story of this film will have moved along to its next
incarnation, whatever that will be. There will be a new perspective. And hopefully, I will have a fresh perspective too.

E ME: I hope you will honor me with your feelings about this film as you see it over the weekend. And on Monday, we will start again.