I was sitting in the theater with my gigantic soda and popcorn watching Michale Moore attempt to take apart the whole Bush clan and I found myself thinking "hey, this isn't fair to the Bush family".

I saw Control Room a few weeks ago. The most memorable scene was the widow of a reporter begging that the US tell the truth about the attack on the Al Jezeera building that killed her husband. She asked that, just this one time, the truth be told because truth was what her husband was seeking - an honest report of what was happening. I think everyone should go see Control Room because I think it's an honest film. I wish I felt the same way about Fahrenheit 9/11.

Don't get me wrong, I want to see Bush FIGURATIVELY nailed to the wall as much the next asshole on the Internet. I think that a lot of what Michale Moore had to say was right on and I think he has some important information. I believe that, whereas his information may be valid and correct, he fails to convey it in a way I can support.

That, to me, was the biggest failure of Fahrenheit 9/11. It put me on the defensive FOR the people I don't even like.

For instance, the first half of the movie is about the ties between the Bush family and Saudi Arabia, specifically the Bin Laden family. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention but I was hoping for some more specifics as to why the friends of the Bush family were so bad. It's a commonly held notion that Osama Bin Laden is the black sheep of the Bin Laden clan. Moore attempted to debunk this myth by interviewing someone that said Osama was at a wedding that many of the other family members attended. That isn't damning enough for me. I'm not defending Bush for flying the Bin Laden family out of the country before they were asked any questions about Osama, I just think a more detailed look at the connections between the Saudi Government, the Bin Laden family, and terrorism would've furthered the cause of truth more than a montage of members of the Bush family shaking hands with unidentified Saudi Arabians while "Shiney Happy People" plays in the background.

Moore comes across as less of an insufferable prick in Fahrenheit 9/11 than in Bowling for Columbine, however his editing and narrative techniques seem so blatantly manipulative that he loses any credibilty he has on the facts. He is a master of removing statements from their context and inserting them into conviently edited footage. The frustrating thing is that I'm sure the statements their origional context are embarassing and infuriating enough.

It's also very frustating to watch a clip and hear a quote, then have Moore repeat it only dripping with incredulity. It's almost insulting - as if I wasn't able to make the connection without him beating me over the head with it.

Finally, let's talk about Flint, Michigan. Michale Moore is just like Walter from the Big Lebowski only instead of Viet Nam he relates everything to Flint Fucking Michigan. Fahrenheit 9/11 is a long, rambling movie that lacks direction and a main idea (other than Bush is bad). The straw that broke the camel's back was the sudden hard turn into the impoverished conditions of Flint Michigan. I got up and went to the bathroom. I was sitting there (it was #2) thinking "What the fuck does this have to with Flint, Michigan? What the fuck does ANYTHING have to do with Flint Michigan?"

I think Fahrenheit 9/11 is an interesting movie and I'm not saying "Don't go see it", but keep in mind when you're watching it that it is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to keep Bush from getting re-elected. I support that cause 100%. However, I think releasing this movie and pretending it's a documentary is a bit of a joke.

It seems that the people on either side are so willing to shout and scream that the middle gets lost. There is truth somewhere buried under blind flag waving, jocko-homo rhetoric and ranting against the machine and I think it's very easy to get caught up in whatever side you align closest to. I'm afraid that that truth gets lost in all the alterior motives on both sides. I doubt that you will find it from Fox News, Al Jezeera, Donald Rumsfeld or Michale Moore.