The Bank Job - A Lesson In British History

The Bank Job was a movie made in 2008 that I overlooked. I thought it was another Jason Statham movie that was the likes of Crank and never gave it much thought. Well this weekend, I decided to give it a shot, and wow was I wrong.

The movie is based on the little known (at least in the US) Baker Street Bank Robbery back in 1971 in London England. The robbery was controversial, because it has been suggested that the robbery was a setup to steal disparaging items of high ranking British or Royal members that were stored in safety deposit boxes.

I researched the robbery after watching the movie. What the movie tries to do (quite well I might add) is provide a semi-autobiographical account of what happened. The British government has sealed documents until 2054 so that this generation will never quite know what truly happened. However, the director had a private consultant close to the robbery that helped explain why the robbery was so controversial. The movie will absolutely blow you away with details that explain how the British Secret Service, MI5 and local law enforcement had no other choice, but to allow the robbers to keep the goods from the robbery in exchange for secrecy.

I do not want to give away too many spoilers. However, I want to encourage people to watch the movie. For anyone that might question government secrets, or conspiracy theories, this is a must see.

Freeway: Crack In The System

Freeway Crack In The System is a complicated documentary. This is the story of the rise of Freeway Rick Ross. The movie is a bit disjointed at times, however compelling. The main theme is the involvement of  our government in the drug trade during the 1980s to help fund the Contras in Nicaragua. While the Iran-Contra connection is just a faded memory for some, the movie will surely encourage viewers to relook this page of the Reagan legacy. 

The reason this is so powerful is the strong connection to a lack of empathy or feeling for the devastation of South Central Los Angeles. Economically, the area was devastated. The economic  collapse lead to a vulnerability for the drug trade. The connection was that the CIA was going to utilize this vulnerability to help fund the contras due to funding being cut off by Congress.

The movie explains the rise of "Freeway" Rick Ross's empire. Rick Ross, as you will see in the movie is a victim of not only economic poverty, but also social injustice. Ineffective schools and a lack of a safety net destroyed the entire community.

What is compelling is the exhaustive details. How one person, can rise from so little to be a gangster is just part of a very compelling plot. It is the exploitation of this vulnerability that captures the attention of the viewer. My only criticism is the focus on a rapper stealing the identity of Rick Ross. While interesting in it's own rite, I found myself intrigued by the connections to injustice and poverty. Some may find this part of the story interesting.

For cerebral thinkers, this documentary is excellent. It shines a light on the social injustices that lead African Americans to mistrust our government. I highly recommend this film.

The documentary would  be a great combination to watch with the movie, Kill The Messenger.

 

They Live

Rowdy Roddy Piper will be known mostly as a wrestler from the 1980s. He tried to transcend Hollywood as never had much success. However, he had a movie in the 80s that became a cult classic. He teamed up with John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing and many other great movies) to tell a tale reflective of the Illuminati theorists. If you follow the Illuminati, or just enjoy their posts on Facebook and are inquisitive
, you have to check out this movie.

The story focuses on Piper's character. A drifter named Nada. He stumbles into the City of Los Angeles and discovers all is not as it seems. He becomes curious about a church has some odd activity. He realizes they are beaming out a message warning people they are being controlled and "All is not real."

Spoiler Alert - There is about 15 minutes of plot development and something happens. Nada is given a pair of glasses that exposes the world is not what it seems. Their is an Alien race living among us. They use the media and consumerism to keep us under control. This scene is so well done by Carpenter. Considering it was made in the 80s, it is actually more relevant today. It is uncanny how much this movie reflects recent events in the United States.

There are some corn ball antics and phrases that might annoy some people watching this movie. However, amazingly enough, it does not distract from the film. Carpenter actually weaves them in intentionally in the movie. Some of the context is actually helped by Piper's words and actions. Some may find my conclusion absurd, however Illuminati theorists may agree with me that the action scenes and puns are intentional to add emphasis to key points of the movie.

This movie is a must see for anyone who is skeptical about systems and structures as they exist. It truly has an ability to transcend from what at times seems like a 1950s B movie to a John Carpenter masterpiece questioning our reality. I highly recommend the movie in light of recent events in the past 4 years. The movie absolutely predicts the struggles we have in our society today.

(Rowdy Rider Piper died the day before I wrote this review. RIP)

Whiplash

Whiplash is an interesting movie on many levels. Primarily, it explores the relationships of a teacher and student at a post-secondary level. The setting is a music school band room. Within the four walls of the band room, students are exposed to tirades from an emotionally damaging teacher. You quicly get the impression the teacher has been given a pass for years because he has won numerous competitions by being abusive to his students. The movie is an exploration of the relationship of "power over" within an educational setting that goes unchecked.

Underlying the theme is the complex relationships that make a person vulnerable to such a teacher. Students come to a class like this with diverse life experiences. Prior traumas will resurface when students are in an abusive setting. The movie strikes a chord right from the beginning. For example, the teacher seems like he cares and asks the young student about his life, only to use it against him during a music lesson. Spoiler Alert - The end of the movie travels down a very dark road. It is poetic and surreal.

A few facts about the film that are interesting. The film was based on a real-life teacher that conducted the Princeton School High Jazz Band. The movie was filmed in just 19 days. It was given a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Real music students were used as extras and the terror in their faces was a reflection of the skillful acting of J.K.Simmons.

Chef

Chef is a movie in 2014 that I failed to see or even hear about. I recently watched it on Netflix. To my surprise, it was a great movie. Chef  was written, produced, directed by and stars Jon Favreau. An impressive supporting cast includes: Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Downey, Jr.  Jon Favreau plays the chef who is in charge of the kitchen at a popular Los Angeles restaurant. He is divorced and has a rocky relationship with his son. He is amicable with his ex-wife, and she is growing tired of his lack of effort with their son.

The main character's problem is he can not recognize how unhappy he is regarding his work. His passion for cooking has been suppressed by an owner who only wants a menu that is familiar to all of his customers. The chef is challenged by a local food critic that his food is safe and lacks imagination. A eventual conflict accidently occurs on Twitter (very humorous) and the Chef quits his job out of frustration that he can not defend himself through his cooking.

His ex-wife and her former husband offer him assistance to get back on his feet. They offer the Chef a food truck in Miami. The food truck is a disaster and will require the father and son to restore the truck together. This is where they reconnect. A transition happens in their relationship that is positive by their working together.

Soon the sous chef from the LA restaurant comes to help them restore the truck. After they learn Cuban food, the father begins to teach his son the trade of cooking. They begin to offer food on the truck and the response is overwhelmingly positive. Next, the three drive the food truck across the country back to Los Angeles. Along the way, the adventure is chronicled via social media. The conclusion of the story will not surprise anyone, however it is still special.

An excellent movie. Well written and diverse. While some themes are mature for younger children, I think it is an excellent movie for older family members to watch together.

Selma - Did You Notice?

Selma changes everything regarding civil rights history.  I wonder how many people caught the subtle changes. In the interest of spoilers, I will warn readers ahead of time that I am going to provide an overview with the details how the movie is significant.

This movie demonstrates an important concept to historical accountings in our country. We wait until an entire generation has passed before we offer an accurate accounting of history. And, Hollywood plays a role in shaping our perceptions.

To understand what I mean, go back in time to the 1980s. Watch Ghosts of Mississippi or Mississippi Burning prior to watching Selma. Great movies on their own, however they portray the Southern culture as evil and the Federal Government as the saviors sent in to right the wrongs of a racist society. You leave the theater thinking, "Thank goodness the FBI and our Federal Judicial system stepping in to save the day!"

While there are partial truths to the stories, many key parts of our history are left untold. To suggest that Federal Government played a role in suppressing the Civil Rights leaders through harassment and even possible assassination was never a part of the story. Most likely, it would seem too conspiratorial to suggest serious allegations that our government was part of a more complex plot regarding civil rights history.

Selma immediately tries to correct history. The story is complex. Interwoven are themes of harassment and possible assassinations at the highest levels including LBJ. The movie suggests that all of the assassinations of the 1960s were not a coincidence. In fact, they were by design. Martin Luther King starts off the movie understanding that the risks were very real that he would die. His family also knew those risks.

While this may not be news to the African-American communities that promoted social justice, much of the United States was cleansed from any consideration that our government was possibly behind any of the civil discourse created by assassinations during these turbulent times. If you watch the movie and pay attention, it is not impossible to leave feeling that your historical education was biased and fraudulent. This is why Selma matters. It is so rare to have a movie challenge such popular misconceptions.

Ironcially, Selma was released against American Sniper which is a totally different movie. Americans embraced a movie that while complex, will not encourage anyone to question our government's intentions. It speaks volumes that we embrace what is safe and familiar versus a movie that asks us to question the historical realities we were taught in school.

Cerebral Cinema Hit #1 on Amazon Today

Proud to say that Cerebral Cinema hit #1 today on Amazon. Thanks to everyone that supports my writing. I am very proud of this accomplishment.

Here is the category

Publisher: Decency Publishing (January 4, 2015)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Language: English

ASIN: B00RSNCDRK

Text-to-Speech: Enabled

X-Ray:

Not Enabled

Word Wise: Not Enabled

Lending: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,881 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)

• #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Professional & Technical