Bowling for Columbine (2002)

A useful movie. Must be seen by those wanting to be informed on the intractability of the those wanting to own and possess firearms.

Michael Moore has done it again: highly informative, well edited documentary, trying to scratch a bit deeper, to find the truth about American psyche. Michael was a member of National Rifle Association himself , so he challenges and tests his own initial views when making this movie. Why is it so that the violent deaths in Canada are seldom and in the USA are frequent? Why Canadian TV shows very different news than their US counterparts? One day before wacthing this doco I viewed another American documentary about the "Waco" tragedy (by a different director) and the theme of excessive use of firearms etc. was a common central feature of both movies. Michael More rightly points out that it is not just individual private people who commit violent acts but also government's bodies (such as FBI and ATF in case of Waco) and soldiers. I disagree with Gerd's comment below, the linkages made by Michael Moore are insightful and relevant, obvious it was lost on Gerd. You have got to see the forest, not just the trees. In any case I am glad I do not live "the American dream", thank you very much.

what an eye opener!!! really makes you look at things in a different light......

If Michael Moore has a reputation as a worthwhile documentary maker on the basis of this film, it is undeserved. The film is a hodge-podge of unrelated material on a whole range of America's social issues and lacks any insight or incisive theme. In the end he appears to be saying America is a violent society because Americans are violent. He asks NRA spokesperson, Charlton Heston, why that is, and seems to delight in showing the ex-actor walking away. But it is an unanswerable question.

Again I am impressed by how calm and balanced Michael Moore is: I had expected him to be aggressive and "American" but he is well spoken and thoughtful. The story of the USA post Columbine (post 911) is an interesting one, even ten years (and a few more mass shootings) later. Well done Mike. Worth watching.

I guess, more than anything, this movie scared me. Some of the people and their attitudes defy belief as someone not brought up in that nutty gun culture. This should be a real eye-opener for anyone who watches it.

It took three years to produce this excellent film. US Comedian Chris Rock's stand-up routine is one of the many highlights.

A good movie where the director really illustrates how commercialism and the American culture has overtaken morals leading to disastrous consequences

very good.

Brilliant juxtaposition of facts and interviews to make his point about America and guns.

A lot of this falls into the "Only in America" category. It is an interesting insight into a culture that reveres the right to bear arms. Well worth watching - including the extras.

Bit boring

Moore should return his Academy Award for Best Documentary, as this unbelievable film has more factual holes in it than swiss cheese. His editing job on the Charlton Heston speech is a prime example. It is actually two different meetings (months apart) edited to look as one! Never mind the way he presents the context (shortly after the shootings) only tells half the story. Suggest the DVD Michael Moore Hates America or the book Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man as a companion to this one-sided diatribe.

As good as documentaries come. Mind-boggling reality.

Very interesting, thought provoking, outrageously anarchistic - and much more.

Wish Americans would all watch this. Great.

Profoundly disturbing, American society is fundamentally flawed - great cartoon sequence by the guy behind South Park - do not miss this film!

Reality is a frightening thing but paranoia is terrifying and dangerous.

This shows the power of the film maker - to change K-marts strategy for example. Michael Moore, leaves you in no doubt where he stands politically, and is biased, but then again so are the organisations that he fights. A middle finger to corporate America - a very danngerous beastie.

An eye opener into the mentality of some parts of US society.

One of the best documentary films!

A great film. Love the way he approached Charlton Heston and showed the photo of the 6yo girl killed by a fellow 6yo boy with a gun. Some of the stats about gun related crime in America compared to other similar sized countries is disturbing. Truly a sick culture in the US that such crime and lax gun laws continue to be tolerated, even after several school shootings, and mass murder suicides.

Gets you thinking about how we are going to bring about "peace on earth" doesn't it? Not with guns, that's for sure. Brilliant movie.

Tell the truth and people still don't get it.

Enjoyed this thoroughly, but I do like a little US-bashing :-) I imagine some may find the far-left view of the movie a little hard to take sometimes, but I found most of it funny (sometimes in a very black way). I think the main message could be summed up as "Guns don't kill people, people who lurvvv guns kill people"

How true.....not to be missed

Good and bad, some bias and some great insights.

WOW! What a powerful movie & what an itelligent person with a good heart is Michael Moore. The interview with Maryln Manson is a real revealation As an Aussie who spends lots of time in USA & has mant good friends & loved ones there, i think every American should watch this movie & so should every Australian just to make you appreciate how lucky we are. A classic!

Frightening...should be compulsory viewing in the US. Love the Charlton Heston interview, poor sod.

If you watch this with someone you'll find yourself looking at each other in amazement!

Propaganda vs Propaganda. We like Mike Moore's best.

Loved it is really not the right term for this movie but it deserves 4 paws. It is the scariest movie I have ever seen and a real eye opener about how Americans perceive guns. All I can say is thank goodness Australians don't have the right to bear arms amendment embedded into their consciousness. A must see documentary.

Extremely relevant and entertaining doco - right from the opening bank scenes. It scares the pants off you when one of the guys on the film sees nothing wrong with keeping a loaded M16 military rifle in his family home because it's his constitutional right. Scary people.

Very insightful movie, makes you think what's happening to America!!!