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.