The Movies
This limited-edition set features two Michael Moore documentaries that couldn't be more different. One is essentially a comedy, the other a painful tragedy, while both can elicit laughs and pain. One, is a self-promoting travelogue, the other an award-winning introspective film. One, is somewhat forgotten, the other a flashpoint in popular American culture. Both though, need to be seen.

Bowling for Columbine
Guns are as American as apple pie, but then, apple pies don't kill thousands of people each day. Moore's breakthrough documentary looks at the gun culture in America, and why it's so pervasive throughout every level of society. While no solution to the problem is arrived at, the problem is clearly underlined, often to chilling effect, thanks to the real-life video footage of gun murders and the Columbine massacre.

This movie is especially poignant now, in light of the President and Congress allowing the Assault Weapons Ban to lapse. No one in this film is capable of defending the rampant ownership of guns, outside of the "It's our right!" argument. But despite that, they refuse to give them up. Why? The film posits that fear is at the core of it all. The ability of the country to make money off of fear, and to control people through fear, means that the weapons that cause that fear won't go anywhere soon.

Among the highlights here, are interviews with "South Park" creator Matt Stone, rock star Marilyn Manson and NRA head Charleton Heston, which transcend the traditional celebrity sit-downs, revealing these idols' true thoughts, instead of their images. Just as interesting, and much more powerful, is the segment when Moore takes two victims of the Columbine shootings to K-Mart to ask them to stop selling bullets. The two-part reaction justifies the belief that corporations are heartless, while also giving hope to those looking to make a change in the world.

How anyone watches the footage of the Columbine killers in this movie, stalking their peers with their portable armories, and thinks that guns are not the problem, is beyond me. While people attack Moore for perceived errors or falsehoods in the movie, there are simple facts and clear real footage that cannot be argued with. Of course, being a Moore film, tangents are taken at times and the focus could be tighter. But in the end, the questions asked and the points raised are ones that will outlive this movie.

The Big One
Far less serious than Bowling, this film follows Moore as he promotes his book, Downsize This!. Since he's traveling on the company dime, he takes advantage of the chance to push some buttons and reveal the dirty truths about the companies that inspired his book and push thousands of Americans into poverty in the search for higher profits.

Moore is more playful in this movie, pulling the anti-corporate pranks he became known for, while frustrating the ill-named "escorts" the book company provides him with in each city. His support for the people he meets while selling books at Borders gives the story something of a backbone, as the film follows their attempts to unionize. It's not quite as stylish or polished as his later films, nor does it have the bite of Roger and Me, but it has a voice, one that refuses to be silenced.

There's a definite depressing undercurrent, as Moore meets person after person who has lost their job, some just hours before meeting Moore. But the film also has some of the funniest moments he's recorded on film, including a prank on one of his escorts, inspired by the band Cheap Trick.

The Set
MGM managed to get Miramax to allow them to include their DVD of The Big One, alongside MGM's now out-of-print two-disc DVD of Bowling for Columbine. The two movies are packaged in their original cases, and contained inside a cardboard box. A slipcase would have been nicer, as the box is cumbersome for removing and replacing the discs. Inside the box is a cardboard envelope, printed in full-color, containing the bonus disc.

The DVDs
Bowling for Columbine
Unavailable outside of this set, this is the original two-disc set that was released in 2003. The extras are mainly on the second disc, while both platters feature animated menus with music. The first disc has a commentary, an audio introduction by Michael Moore, the film's powerful trailer and subtitle (English and Spanish) and scene selections options. An insert lists the chapter titles.

The Big One
Sadly, Miramax has deemed it necessary to release this film in full-screen, instead of its original widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio. On this disc are scene selection options, subtitle choices (English, Spanish and French) and previews, with themed animated menus.

The Quality
Bowling for Columbine
Presented in anamorphic widescreen, Bowling looks just as good as it did in its initial release, though, as expected, the mix of video, file footage and new film can vary wildly in terms of color and clarity. There's quite a bit of grain evident, but it's a source material issue, not a transfer problem. The sound, available in 5.1 and 2.0 tracks (though there's no mention of it on the menus), does its job, but there's not much to it. The mix of music and dialogue is clear and crisp.

The Big One
Seven years after it was released, the movie looks better than I've ever seen it look, but truthfully, I've only ever seen it on VHS before. Unfortunately, the aspect ration has remained the same from that grainy tape. There's a good amount of grain, though not intrusive, and the colors, at times a bit dull, look truthful. The audio, presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, sounds good, but it's not a showpiece track for your surround sound.

The Extras
Bowling for Columbine
This two-disc set is stacked when it comes to extras. On disc one, you get an audio introduction to the film, by Moore, and a commentary by his receptionists and interns. The introduction is predictably laidback and informative, but the commentary is almost the opposite. The idea was cute in concept, but in execution, the participants don't have much to add to the party. Also on disc one is the film's excellent trailer.

On the second DVD, there are a pair of interviews, one with former Clinton Press Secretary Joe Lockhart, filmed at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, and one with DVD producers' best friend, Charlie Rose. Both are worth a look, as Moore's always a good chat-show subject. More Moore comes in the form of a Film Festival Scrapbook, including clips of the director at Cannes, Toronto and elsewhere, a look back at his Oscar win and the controversial acceptance speech (which the Academy would not allowing this DVD to use), and a heavily-edited speaking engagement in Colorado after the film was released. They've even thrown in the "The Awful Truth" segment that was in the movie. One odd inclusion made it in as well, that being Marilyn Manson's video for "Fight Song." I realize he was in the movie, but what's the connection between the song and the film?

On top of all the extras, DVD-Rom features are also included, with a Teacher's Guide and Mike's Action Guide accessible on the disc. Check these informative extras out, even if you aren't a teacher.

The Big One
The only extras here are a few previews, including the embarassing theatrical trailer for the the film. A parody of the Men in Black trailer, Moore puts on a bad act to promote his movie.

"39 Cities in 23 Days"
This 13-minute featurette is included on an exclusive bonus disc with this set. Following Moore on his "Dude, Where's My County" book tour, it's mainly clips of Moore's speaking engagements, as he rails against George W. Bush and a government that led America into a war with no exit strategy. Interesting, and ultimately aggravating for anyone on Moore's side, as they know the things he's saying.

The Bottom Line
MGM's limited-edition Michael Moore DVD Collector's Set has plenty of problems, but if you want to get the two-disc special edition of Bowling for Columbine, and can't find it used, this is one of the only ways to get it. Getting the bonus featurette isn't a bad thing either. Considering the four discs combined are cheaper than buying the one-disc Columbine and The Big One separately, this isn't a bad option for anyone looking to pick up both movies.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.