One of the most notable films of the year was Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine."
"Bowling for Columbine" is a scathing, striking critique and analysis of violence in America.
Director Michael Moore knows that by giving his subjects enough freedom, they shoot themselves in the foot. One of Moore's interviews is with James Nichols, who was charged along with his brother Terry and Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombing, but was acquitted of the crime.
At the beginning of the interview, Nichols seems to be a regular guy who owns and operates an organic farm, but it soon comes out that he is an all-out firearms fanatic. Like his brother and McVeigh, he keeps a loaded gun under his pillow in case an intruder happens to travel out to the middle of nowhere to rob him.
While the examples presented are amusing, they also effectively trace the benign origins of American violence. The strange humor Moore finds in our gun culture quickly turns to seriousness when he connects the Unites States' unmatched violent crime rates to a subservient commercial news media. Moore believes the media is in the business of spreading fear and that it's the conduit by which our government runs the country.
Rapper Eminem proved himself able to carry a film with "8 Mile."
"8 Mile" focuses on everyday troubles. Issues such as family, racism, and, most importantly, respect are the targets of director Curtis Hanson's vision as he sharply depicts the trials and tribulations of Rabbit's (Eminem) life. From getting booed off stage to simply trying to get his car to start, Hanson melds each aspect of Rabbit's life into a gripping story.
If the rumors about Eminem having trouble with his acting during filming are true, then he must have worked extremely hard to get it right. For a first-time actor, he is top-notch.
Like Smith in "Ali," Eminem does show himself at times, especially during his rap battle scenes, although his rhymes are not as forceful or angry as his commercial fare.
At the beginning of the spring semester, "Manna From Heaven" was just opening in Buffalo. The film went on to open in New York and Los Angeles, and was well received by both critics and audiences. The Spectrum interviewed two of the Burton sisters, who produced the film:
Speaking with co-director Maria Burton and actress Ursula Burton conveys the commitment and passion of the Burton sisters vividly. As sincere and grounded individuals, the Burtons spoke of their experience with "Manna From Heaven" with both fear and pride.
"So much rides on Buffalo now," Maria Burton said. "Every place we've gone, we've gotten more theaters. This is our first citywide big release. Depending on how we do here, that's how everyone else will decide whether or not to book it in their towns and theaters."
As a city, Buffalo can stand a little taller today. Joining great sports moments, the Goo Goo Dolls and Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemens, is the Burton family, with their comedic, yet touching, "Manna From Heaven."
-Information compiled from articles written by Josh Brown, Alexander Cheng and Nicholas Mendola.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
