Michael & Me (2004)

Don't Believe the Hype

Admirable film.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Michael & Me is an independent and self-financed documentary made by Los Angeles-based radio and television talk show host Larry Elder that intends to disprove the statements made by Michael Moore in his Academy Award winning documentary entitled Bowling For Columbine about the following issues namely:American culture with respect to increased violence and gun ownership.Elder uses Moore's style of interview and tone as well as the sense of humor known in his movies particularly Roger And Me and Bowling For Columbine to relay the basic message that guns are good for Americans and the promotion of gun ownership.He interviews people who have been victims of crimes and how a gun could have been helpful to them as well as responsible gun owners in the United States.It also insinuates that Moore is an anti-American individual.Too bad that Elder completely misfires in this documentary.His sense of humor will barely elicit any laughter especially when he tries to locate Michael Moore the same way the latter tried to locate GM Chairman Roger Smith in his film,Roger And Me.The use of "The Woprah Infrey Show" as the show where both Elder and Moore will appear together was just corny.The use of people on the street who are unaware of our 2nd amendment rights or American's right to bare arms was just not helpful in promoting his message.While the appearance of reformed gang leaders and members simply does not help his pro- gun ownership message as these people were used to a life of violence and they are not the typical American that we meet on the street.The same is true with those who were victims of violence as it shows that a gun would have been the only answer for the prevention of criminals in the U.S. While the promotion was gun ownership could have its advantages,it would have been better if professionals were the ones interviewed about its advantages such as historians,psychologists,psychiatrists and the likes.Also,the use of facts would have also helped a lot to present its advantages rather than interviewing individuals with an axe to grind.In the end,it just became an ad for the NRA rather than discussing the issue intelligently and a propaganda against Michael Moore.

This film was an obscure one to me. I had not even heard of it until recently when a friend dropped it off for me to see. I was always curious on how Michael Moore could be so hypocritical to dismiss any blame from artist Marilyn Manson and place it on another artist (actor) Charlton Heston. I notice Bowling for Columbine never addrressed black crimes, and I found his editing style very fishy. I mean who else at the time really believed Canada the entire country allows people to walk into their homes.So this brings me to Michael and Me. Larry Elder intelligently and open-mindingly presents his view on his defense of gun ownership. When watching this film I laughed at the idiotic statements made by pedestrians who opposed gun ownerships, I gasped at the rape victim's story and her newly realized empowerment, I had also was amazed at the statistics showing Canada's suicide rate being high.This film may have not had all of the funding that Michael Moore had. In fact I believe Larry Elder put his own money into this project. It is a shame that this did not receive enough air time in theaters because I feel this film is a great rebuttal to Michael Moore's film.Common sense has been replaced with political actions. So what if one entire party stands for guns, that should not influence the other political party to be against it completely. Whats more is that we see a lot of hypocrites who oppose guns, and yet hire bodyguards who own guns (Rosie O'Donnell).Michael and Me is a great film. Lary Elder is brave to make a film against a commercial film like Bowling for Columbine. I believe if anyone is going to watch Bowling for Columbine, they should have this film as a companion piece. Michael and me is much more even handed with the issue of gun ownerships, and Larry Elder presents his material in a much more credible way than Moore has (no chopping of different footage to twist a person's words).

This movie uses the Michael Moore name to try and sell a totally slanted propaganda piece that offers little insight to anyone who has not already staked-out a position on the gun control issue. The obvious counter arguments to most of the points made will leave anyone logical and sensible, a very frustrated viewer. A simple example: Should people be allowed to have and use nuclear weapons? If no, then you agree with weapons limitations. Should the average person be allowed to own and use 50 caliber sniper rifles that can shoot through cars? If no, then you believe in gun control. Now, let's discuss sensible gun control rules we can all live with. Spare me that nonsense that few rules are needed. If you think that way, you are simply a moron.Anyone can use extreme examples to make any point. One lady gets raped on day 2 of her 10 day waiting period. Of course they fail to mention the many hot-heads who are deterred from using guns in anger BECAUSE of that same waiting period. As I say, the counter arguments, which this film avoids, are glaringly missing. In this film, everyone who loves guns shoots straight, is always sober, and has keen judgment. Anyone who wants any sort of gun control is portrayed as an idiot. Don't waste your time with this one. There is nothing there.

Firebrand Libertarian television and radio talk show host Larry Elder takes on filmmaker Michael Moore over guns, gun owners, and armed self-defense in his documentary, "Michael & Me," an unflinching, unabashedly pro-Second Amendment, pro-self defense film that proves the folly of gun control laws and the illogic of paranoia about an armed citizenry.In his 2002 "documentary," "Bowling for Columbine," Michael Moore posited that the reason there's so much violent crime in America is because there are too many guns in America. Elder confronts Moore himself with this and more. But more than anything, Elder conclusively shows that in places where guns are available to average citizens, violent crime is lower. Who believes that? Cops, lawyers, professors, gun dealers... and average Americans of all races and walks. I've read that the conservative estimate on annual defensive gun uses -- incidents where a firearm is used to prevent a crime -- is about 100,000. It's this figure Elder presents.Larry Elder interviews a number of people in his film, including people who have used a firearm in self-defense, Second Amendment supporters, and a woman who was savagely raped and insists that if she had been armed, she would not have been attacked. Elder questions the effectiveness of registration, the sanity of bans on "assault weapons" and "Saturday Night Specials," and breaks down what the word "militia" in the Second Amendment means.Included is an animation of a humorous, fictitious Larry Elder/Michael Moore interview where Elder's tough questions cause Moore to literally sweat off pounds and flip out. Elder does manage to get a few words with the real Michael Moore, who claims that Larry Elder refuses to debate him. Elder invites him on that evening's radio show. No, Michael Moore didn't take Larry Elder up on the offer.People on both sides of the Second Amendment will benefit from a viewing of "Michael & Me." If you're pro-gun, "Michael & Me" will likely reaffirm your beliefs; if you're anti-gun, it will likely lead you to question whether you've been given the facts about an armed citizenry.