I have no doubt that Michael Moore is full of himself, a blowhard, an annoying thorn, a clown, an ass, and sometimes a fool.

But he is, most of all, a magnificent creature.

If he weren't real, we'd have to create him.

For the record, I by and large sympathize with Michael Moore's politics, but I'll also be the first to admit that sometimes I wish we weren't on the same "YAY! Working Class!" side. He's a gadfly, to be sure. Sometimes he makes mountains out of molehills. Sometimes I can't figure out his point.

But I've followed his career starting with Roger & Me, through The Awful Truth on Bravo, through Bowling for Columbine (not his best work), and now this.

Short review: Amazing film. An astounding piece of propaganda that will be studied for years to come right next to Triumph of the Will.

Michael Moore is not so much for Kerry as he is against Bush. His stated intention has always been that he hopes this film is instrumental in getting Bush tossed out on his ear. To that end, the DVD will be released in September with hours of additional footage that didn't make it into the film.

What is most especially clear in the film is that Moore's been gunning for GeeDubbya for four years since Florida debacle.

And the killer is: the Bushiviks in power have given Michael Moore all the rope he needs to hang 'em all in this film.

Getting into Fahrenheit 9/11 yesterday proved impossible since all shows in two theaters were sold out from the get-go. I did stick around with coffee to watch people leave and gauge reaction.

There's nothing more frightening than seeing a cross-section of people: from disreputable liberals, senior citizens, high school students with parents, and people who look like they should be members in good standing with the Republican Party walking out of a theater with that grim look of blood in their eyes.

Someone somewhere is going to pay and pay big.

I'm just glad it's not me.

Anyway, I decided to haul my ass to the 10:45 a.m. showing figuring I'd get in, no problem.

I had to stand in line.

People in front of me were buying 16 tickets, 30 tickets, 20 tickets (no shit!) for later shows.

Hell, the 10:45 a.m. show was almost sold out by the time the film started.

As for that R rating? Heh. Parents were bringing their kids into the film. Whole fucking families were camping out in the lobby when I left.

I chatted with the exhausted concession stand employees and they were already wild-eyed at the number of people coming in to see a morning showing. According to them, almost all showings were sold out yesterday. The end of every showing ends with rousing applause and sometimes standing ovations.

They had to add an 11:00 pm showing for the duration.

As one girl put it, "We didn't even have to do that for The Piano when it won Oscars."

Her boss added, "And we're a small theater (the West Newton Cinema) and this is happening to us. I gotta wonder what Chestnut Hill (the AMC theater a few miles away) is going through."

Like I said, the 10:45 a.m. showing wasn't sold out, but the theater was full. Mostly adults, a smattering of high schoolers and junior high schoolers. Some of the "regular" senior citizens were overheard (by me) remarking that they'd never seen the theater this full on a Saturday morning showing.

It was a pretty good cross-section, pretty much like Friday night.

Anyway, for a detailed review, check out behind the LJ cut.

( Michael Moore hunts the fictious president who sent us into a fictious war. )

The film definitely makes you laugh uproarously. It makes you weep uncontrollably. I can only say: go and see it for yourself and make up your own mind. I can't stress that enough.

And yes, there was applause at the end of my showing.