Michael Moore's Sicko Vs. Die Hard 4 And Ratatouille?!

I love The Weinstein Co. They make some great films. But they seriously need to consider hiring a new marketing department? First Grindhouse bombs. Even Harvey blamed the film's concept awareness and release date for most of the movie's failure. Now Michael Moore's latest film has gotten a release date.Sicko will hit theaters on June 29th, right up against Pixar/Disney's Ratatouille and Live Free or Die Hard (which opens two days earlier). What are The Weinsteins thinking? Why not give this film a late 2007 release like it deserves. Releasing the film in the middle of Blockbuster season can't be a good thing.

Lionsgate has been brought on board to distribute the film, while TWC will market and publicize the flick. Moore's Sicko is "a comedy about 45 million people with no health care in the richest country on earth." The documentary investigates health care with a focus on large American pharmaceutical companies and the corruption in the Food and Drug Administration.

Lionsgate's Tom Ortenberg told Variety that the June 29 release date is a prime pick:

"That will be six weeks from the film's Cannes presentation for us to open," he said. "With July 4 coming on a Wednesday, we see that entire week as virtually seven straight Saturdays."

Is Ortenberg on any prescribed medication?

I don't wish Sicko, Michael Moore, The Weinstein Co, or Lionsgate any harm. I'm actually a huge fan of Moore's previous documentaries (especially Bowling for Columbine). This release date just seems like premeditated murder to me. It's a shame.