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Times Staff Writer
Published October 7, 2004

Fahrenheit 9/11;

DIRECTOR: Michael Moore

WRITER: Michael Moore

SYNOPSIS: Moore pieces together a lively and controversial conspiracy theory about the Bush administration's handling of the war on terror and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

WHAT WE SAID: Times film critic Steve Persall gave the film an A-. "For the sake of argument, let's agree that Michael Moore is a pain in the neck, or any other anatomical region you wish to reference," Persall wrote. "Make no mistake: Fahrenheit 9/11 is polemics disguised as documentary filmmaking. . . . What Moore does so well is assimilate news stories that were spun away or overshadowed into a crudely cinematic flow chart. You don't have to believe it to admire it. He may indulge in bits of trickery himself, piling on so much information so briskly that viewers can't cross-examine his methods." Persall said multiple viewings may be necessary to assess the truth of each of Moore's assertions. "Moore's slant is obvious, but his evidence should be questioned by anyone of any political bent. If nothing else, he makes a compelling case for making ourselves wiser about where our leadership is taking us. If only one of his accusations is true - and they're splattered like blood all over Fahrenheit 9/11 - then voters have a patriotic duty to look beyond the campaign ads before Nov. 2."

MPAA RATING: R; profanity, grisly war images

RUNNING TIME: 112 min.

DVD FEATURES: Features on the people of Iraq, old men who patrol Florida's coast, Abu Ghraib Prison, Arab-American comedians, Condoleezza Rice's 9/11 Commission testimony, more.

Saved!

DIRECTOR: Brian Dannelly

CAST: Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit, Heather Matarazzo, Chad Faust, Eva Amurri, Mary-Louise Parker

SYNOPSIS: Christian high school students clash, including pregnant Mary (Malone) and sanctimonious Hilary Faye (Moore).

WHAT WE SAID: Persall praised the performance of Amurri, daughter of Susan Sarandon, but gave the film a C. "The purpose of such comedy is making viewers reconsider ideals they supported before," he wrote. "Saved! winds up preaching to the heathens, focusing on the worst aspects of Christian thinking and assuming there's no middle ground between salvation and being saved from it."

MPAA RATING: PG-13, for teen sexual content, behavior and language.

RUNNING TIME: 92 min.

Aladdin

DIRECTORS: John Musker and Ron Clements

CAST: Voices of Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried

SYNOPSIS: The 1992 Disney feature, being released on DVD for the first time, tells the story of a boy from the streets who falls in love with a princess and uses wishes granted by a genie in a lamp to get the girl.

WHAT WE SAID: Then-Times film critic Hal Lipper said in 1992 that the Disney animated film "is a treat for adults, as much as it is for children, because the big blue Genie of the lamp is none other than Robin Williams."

MPAA RATING: G

RUNNING TIME: 90 min.

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