Even though An Inconvenient Truth opens tomorrow in L.A. and New York, a lucky few of us here at Berkeley got an advanced screening of it tonight as part of the China - U.S. Climate Conference on campus. Al Gore was originally scheduled to speak in person, but sent an advanced copy of the film for us to see because he was unable to make it.

Although I haven't had time to fact-check, and I still need to let all the proverbial juices mellow, my first impression was "wow."

The movie was not so much a documentary in the style of Michael Moore, but rather, it was more like going to hear a very entertaining speaker. Gore is still goofy-doofus Dr. Namedropper, but once you learn to see past his not-terribly-likeable persona and actually listen to what he's saying (and realize that planet-wide changes are happening), it's pretty eye-opening. Even as a scientist, it's hard to pay attention to all the current geophysical research—I look through Science and Nature all the time where these articles are published, and it's overwhelming trying to piece it all together—nevertheless, Gore does a pretty good job of placing it all together into a good narrative... one that is very thought-provoking.

It's a powerful, powerful film, devoid of obvious hyperbole and I would recommend in a heartbeat for everyone I know to see it on opening weekend in your area. You can find out when and where it opens by going to the movie's website.

UPDATE: Man, Fox News is just out of control.