Viva Amiga

I recently found a documentary that validated one of the strangest obsessions of my childhood. That obsession was the Commodore family of computers. First, let me take a step back and explain computers during the 1980s.

You basically had a few choices. Commodore, Apple and IBM. IBM was a business machine and was primarily a green background that crunches numbers. Apple was a black and white machine that was limited. And then, there was the Commodore Amiga. The immortal machine that could do so much more than the rest.

Commodore had been inventive with their last computer the Commodore 64. Their follow up the 128 was a bust, so they bought the rights to the Amiga. This machine was so advanced. It was released in 1989, and truly had revolutionary concepts that today's computers owe a debt of gratitude.

Try telling that to your kids. Amiga has long since been gone. Most of my friends that debated the worthiness of the line are also gone. I shelved the whole experience. Then came the documentary, Viva Amiga. Oh my, it was like being a kid again. I watched it with my own children, and quite honestly, they loved the story. The documentary captured the history of this little known machine. Fresh and compelling, it really made the Amiga into a great story.

Anyone who computed back then will go down memory lane. Especially former Amiga users. We knew at the time that this machine was way ahead of it's time. We all were loyal fans. I am sure that most owners will remember the stories. Even if you never owned an Amiga, the movie is truly fun to watch.

Eye In The Sky

If you ever wondered about the morality of Predator Drones, and the dangers, I highly recommend Eye In The Sky. The complications of predator drones go well beyond what we can imagine. The movie is as real as it gets.

The plot(spoiler alert) is about a drone attack in a remote portion of Africa that is needed to thwart a future terrorist attack. The detail to the planning of such acts is simple mind boggling. The actual drone operations are in Nevada. The main character (Aaron Paul) notices that a little girl is within the home that is going to be imploded. A series of moral dilemmas ensues with the planning. The governments of the UK and the US are indifferent to the little girl. They see her as collateral damage. A means to an end for ending attacks on us. The back and forth between the soldier responsible for destroying the compound and his counterparts at a much higher level are as good as it gets.

The ending of the story truly was a non-Hollywood ending. Just as dark as you can get in a cinematic experience. And the director bravely kept it real, instead of the hero saves the day kind of ending. This is what I admire most about the film. The movie makes us feel uncomfortable, and we should feel that way. The morality of video game wars are complicated. I would have thought we could be desensitized to killing another human being. The film does a great job of challenging the morality of such technology.

There are many more intriguing parts to this movie that challenge our conventional thinking. I highly recommend this movie for anyone considering the armed services. It also serves as a reminder what could happen if this technology were to get into the wrong hands. We could be just as vulnerable. Bottom line, great movie. Watch it with as many friends and family as you can. It is sure to provoke interesting conversations after the movie.

The Matrix

The Matrix was a movie made in 1999 that is more relevant today than people realize. Somehow, it serves as a metaphor for our world we live in.  The movie depicts a dystopian society whereas people live in an alternate reality, dominated by energy sources not within their control. Today's climate is very similar. People allow their smart phones and social media apps to help them see the world they live in. Many are lost in a world of applications, and critical thinking is playing less of a roll in our world. The sentinel machines are after all, technology.

The premise of the original is that Neo, played by Keanu Reeves learns that he has been living in an alternate reality. Morpheus, his guide offers home a choice. He can take 1 pill that allows him to stay in his current reality, or take another pill to free his mind to learn of the "real" world that his lives in. Once Neo frees his mind, he is able to see what is "real."

We live in an age that we Facebook is like a modern day civil war. Meme's shape reality. People use twitter to post in 140 characters or less their feelings and emotions regarding civil rights. The struggle is guided by minimal thought. Technology replaces pen and paper thought processes. Humans rely on emotional responses not through human interaction, but through computer interaction. In a sense, the Matrix is very real.

Realistic fiction and science fiction predicted today's world that we live in. We were warned early on by shows like the Twilight Zone and Outer limits that realities are sometimes created for us, and technology will strongly influence our perceptions of what is "real" The Matrix is a great example of this reality. So here is the question, when you woke up this morning, what pill did you choose? When a person questions reality, transformational changes can occur. We all have the potential to be Neo.

Before The Flood

Before the flood is a National Geographic documentary on climate change. Leonardo DiCaprio is the main figure throughout the movie. His presence was actually a stronger part of the movie than I would have expected.

Many years ago, Al Gore had a similar movie known as an Inconvenient Truth. While and excellent movie, it had a feeling of a PowerPoint presentation by the former Vice President. What Leonardo DiCaprio brings to this documentary is the heart lacking from an Inconvenient Truth.

Leo starts the movie with his childhood vision conjured up by a renaissance art painting, "The Garden of Earthly Delights." He discusses how climate change frightened him, and he makes an astonishing connection to this brilliant piece of art. The revelation that humans are at a point in which their is no turning back on the damage fossil fuels have done to our environment.

Another aspect to the documentary is the science behind climate change. If we were to show this film to every classroom, we would surely see a change in our culture. However, films like this are optional, which is part of the problem .We allow the Koch brothers and big business to prevent a mass education to our children about climate change. The science is clear, yet there is so much doubt in the United States that climate change is real.

Solutions abound in this movie. Some simple, some complex. Even our diet plays a role in climate change. The most significant solution is people demanding change. However the barriers to change is media manipulation. This is why the movie is so important. We need to get the word out.

Before the flood is available on most platforms. If you never like Leonardo DiCaprio, this documentary may change your mind. He is an ambassador of peace, and I was truly proud of his commitment to future generations.

Luke Cage - Marvel's Social Commentary

Luke Cage on Netflix is a throw back to the 70s Marvel Comics. Marvel Comics at that time reflected a complicated period in American History. Not many people realize that Marvel Comics has a a history of Social Commentary during this time period. It was refection of the changes brought about by the Civil Rights Movement. People were tiring of the same old product of superhero. Marvel decided to take a chance on Luke Cage.  So did Netflix, and the series extended the story line to today's current events.

Luke Cage is set in Harlem. It combines many of the themes we are use to seeing. Corruption, betrayal and fighting crime go well together. However, the first African American superhero also deals with the elephant in the room. The color of his skin.

The writing is very subtle. They talk about the other guys uptown as if they were in another class system. The other guys being the Avengers. The series tackles black on black crime. Luke Cage also is the anti-hero at times. Is he getting a bad wrap because he is black?

One of the best themes whether on purpose or not is the use of the hoodie. Mistaken identity was cleverly placed in the series in my opinion to pay tribute to Trayvon Martin. After all, Luke himself was falsely accused of a crime. That is how he becomes Luke Cage.

This was a terrific series. A bit lighter than Jessica Jones and Daredevil. Humble at times, and more representative of the human side of the Marvel Universe. Minus the first episode, you could watch it with your teenagers, who are also beginning to identify with their world as Luke Cage had to after getting out of jail. Definitely

worth the binging.

Sicario - Hollywood's Mixed Message About The Border

Hollywood likes it both ways it seems when it comes to the Mexican border. They want us to believe that the border is secure enough to trust our current policies. Any attempt to control the borders is racist. Over the past year, actors and actresses are making videos about Trump being a racist for his remarks about the border. In fact, they are also producing videos that are strongly opposed to Trump's message. Why is it then,

Like him or not, the movie Sicario validates Trump's view of the border. Violent, and loaded with coyote runners (rapists). The kind of world that spills over to the U.S. as Trump described. A border on the bring of destruction. Finally, the kind of world that we have to address, as it is a creation of the U.S. government's making.

This is a great movie. Poignant to say the least. There are many great points and topics in the movie. One of my favorite lines is "Unless you can get 20% of the U.S. to stop smoking and ingesting drugs, what the hell are we going to do?" The border is clearly a complicated place created by supply and demand for drugs. Our appetite for our own internal destructive behaviors only complicates things.

When you watch the movie, you can't help but contemplate about the two worlds that we have been told exist on the border by the Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats tell us, all is better. The border is less violent that it was before.The Republicans however want us to have stronger borders because the border is out of control. What should we believe? According to Sicario, the Republicans are spot on, which with an open mind, intrigues the viewer.  As Hollywood accuses a candidate of being intolerant, they sure do paint a picture of a border that is far from tolerant. Okay Hollywood, which one is it?

Stranger Things

This would be a suggestion for Tweens and older. I do like this series on Netflix. It reminds me of some of the classic 80s movies that Spielberg created including Goonies and Poltergeist. The creators of the series master the rising climax effect that Spielberg meticulously mastered back in the day.

Another aspect I like about this series is the importance of adventure for tweens and teenagers. Science fiction allows us to imagine a world as adults that tweens imagine every day. The exploration of life beyond our limited world. A world of comic books, and sci fi thrillers allows for imagination to develop. A world that play can lead to dramatic outcomes.

The series is for older kids and adults. I still recommend viewing it with your kids. So many references to a time that has past, that might inspire a trip to the grave yard or moonlight walk. The idea of mystery is a great aspect to the world we live in. Too often, technology replaces the realm of imagination, and the places it can take us.