Black Panther

The new sensational movie of 2018 Black Panther was released on February 16th, 2018 in theaters and has been a hit. This movie was written by Ryan Coogler, and Joe Robert Cole while being directed by Ryan Coogler. This Marvel Studio movie doesn’t only keep you hanging off your chair the whole time it also touches on many international, political, and racial issues that are soaring through media outlets today. 

The simple plot of the story has to do with a “small, underdeveloped” country called Wakanda located in Africa. This country does not accept refugees and even though it attends United Nations hearings it is not a Member State in the United Nations. The opening scene we are introduced to King T’Chaka who remains the King of Wakanda until he is tragihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxWvtMOGAhwcally killed in a bombing at a UN Delegation. After his death, his son, King T’Challa appears to naturally take the throne as we see in common Kingship run governments. Quickly the viewer is made aware that these Kings are far more powerful than they appear. The country has a secret weapon that they have been hiding from the rest of the world. This weapon is called Vibranium and is one of their natural resources. They choose to not share this wealth or benefit with anyone else in the world. In addition, they do accept any refugees and remain isolated at the international level. 

With their powerful resource of vibranium and their organized tribes that are each represented by a leader (similar to a Parliamentary system). One of the arguments made throughout the movie is that Wakanda was so successful and rich because they did not get involved with other countries and did not become a leader at the international level. 

This can be seen as controversial and can trigger the viewer to think that if they didn’t try and save every single country then we would be in a better position as a nation. This logic is similar to “Trumpism” and the idea of “Making America First Again”. Very similar to how the country is split here into the current United States with Democrats and Republicans we see a similar split during the movie. Some characters believe that Wakanda should aide the other countries and provide Vibranium to those that need it. On the other hands, others like King T’Challa believe that this should be kept for their country only and that they shouldn’t arm others outside of Wakanda. In contrary one of his biggest rivals throughout the movie, Erik Killmonger believes that this wealth should be distributed to all of their allies so they can overthrow the current “powerful countries”. 

One blogger on the Atlantic puts this “third world country” Wakanda into three perspectives and three possible outcomes. The first is through the eyes of the current King and prince in which Wakanda remains neutral and does not aide any countries. In the eyes of the world Wakanda is a third world country but behind the magical forest, it keeps soaring and growing. The second is what others in Wakanda might want to see like Nakia, where she sees that Wakanda can help African nations by curing diseases, offering foreign aid, accepting refugees and becoming a lead nation but only to serve to help others. Finally, the third alternative comes from the eyes of Klaue in which he sees Wakanda giving their powers to the “forgotten African American” class so they can overthrow the current “white supremacist” government and wage war in order for Wakanda to become a world leader and superior to other governments and countries. These three alternatives that are presented here are all raised moral and political questions which is more than any Marvel movie has ever brought to light. 

This raises the issue and continues discussion of racial discrimination and equalization. In this movie, the citizens of Wakanda are African Americans and are living extremely lavish lifestyles with great technological advances. However on the outside and elsewhere in the world especially in the United States, we see police brutality against African Americans, unequal pay. Erik Killmonger who was raised in the United States saw first hand how hard it was for African Americans and is determined on aiding them with vibranium. 

Could this be the solution for the world or would this then create a prisoner's dilemma similar to the prisoner's dilemma we have now with nuclear powers? 


Good news is that we can await the second movie and see some of the possibilities of what could be America’s solution to peace based on this Marvel Movie.

The Truman Show

We are watching the destruction of our government, thus we are watch the destruction of our lives. We are worse than Truman, we have no way to escape and unless there is a massive uproar we will remain witness to our own demolition.

Truman Burbank is an insurance salesman living on Seahaven Island who is watched by millions 24 hours a day, 7 days week. Truman lives within a fabricated television set with nearly every aspect of his environment being controlled. Truman is unaware that he is filming and has no understanding of his surroundings. He believes in the authenticity of his own false reality.

His reality begins to literally fall apart when one of the stage’s lighting crash down on his lawn. Truman carries on with his daily tasks, unfazed that his set is falling apart. However, this does strike confusion in Truman’s mind, he begins noticing things he hadn’t before. Such as his wife’s advertising placement products thought the show, strange appearance of people that try to tell him that he is on television, and the interception that occur when he tries to leave. When Truman begins to voice his confusion, the producer of the show deflects Truman’s emotion by engineering coincidences that cause Truman to question his sanity. 

Truman’s reality has been fabricated since his conception as an unwanted fetus. He becomes the first child to be adopted by a corporation and in that sense Truman is property. Since his birth, every aspect of his life has been recorded and enhanced to be consumed as entertainment. Truman has followers from around the world that enjoy watching his every move.

In his last efforts, Truman escapes from the border of his town and makes it to the lake, looking for the different reality, a true reality. As he gets further into his voyage he reaches a wall and finds staircases that lead to an exit. His last words, before he walks in the door are, "In case I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night." This is a phrase that he is famous for.

The Truman Show is a cinematic reflection into how society numbly consumes media. In every living moment and sleeping daze, there is always a camera on Truman’s every move. The observation of his life has consumed the masses as he has become a household name with merchandise and establishments created in his honor. Within the film, the camera cut to his speculators, reacting in awe any mundane act he does such as greeting the neighbors or driving to work, there are always eyes on Truman. The Truman Show itself is an artificial contraption of a false reality. To Truman his home is his world, he has never left nor does he have the ability to leave Seahaven Island. His attempt to go beyond the curtains is tainted with reinforced fear and maze-like contraption created to keep him actively complacent within this façade. Truman had the understanding of the essence of the outside world. He knows of a world as his viewers do, there is a concept of globalization but it his hindered when he tries to leave.

The show’s producers have created a limited artificial creation that has infected Truman’s mind. And though this would seem like an evident result of brainwashing and corruption of Truman’s liberty, there is little outcry from his observers. The world consumes the infringement of Truman’s sanctuary and liberty with amusement. This form of media is consumed as entertainment as much of our society consumed tragedies and scandal with amusement.

Society enjoys the visible destruction of the world surrounding them. And nothing reflects this greater than how we consume our own destruction through the consumption of our own false realities. Especially relevant today, politics has seemed to be entertaining rather than informative. Our government directly and indirectly has an effect on our lives. And with the current administration actions, many people are more amused than they are outraged.

The Purge: Election Year Dissected

After watching the Purge: Election Year numerous times, I expected to be shocked. I wasn't. My analysis reflects what I, and most people already felt for the government. People have a general distrust. Is our society a democracy or an oligarchy? The movie came off like political satire. However, there are so many subliminal messages...





 Once a year, for 12 hours, a government-sanctioned crime spree called the Purge where every crime is legal including murder. The impasse between the central character, Senator Charlie Roan and the NFFA (New Founding Fathers of America has two warring ideals, with strong evidence and arguments why each is essential. Roan's stance is that the Purge disproportionately affects the poor and vulnerable and those are the ones targeted and killed. She has a personal stake because she was the lone survivor as her family brutally murdered as a result of the Purge. The Government's stance is the Purge is necessary for economic balance and reducing crime. They feel that the population has become too dependent on them for benefits and are not willing to foot the bill anymore. It's a classic case of elitist, capitalist agendas (greed). The ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots. The need to preserve and conserve. In their words, "Purge & Purify." Their ideology is a complete and utter lie. The honest shock value of the movie is the political ruling class that elevates their own self-interest under the false pretense of doing a greater good for society. They even act like they are pious when, in actuality, money is their God. Sounds like the Bush family...



 Throughout the movie, I was constantly reminded of the venomous rhetoric spewed by the Republican Party. Is it art imitating art or life imitating art?



What's unique is that I'm on the fence about which side to take. I do agree that the country is on edge with the unstable economy, normalized degeneracy, and quasi-politics. People are suffering in silence in an otherwise tranquilized society where laws are counter-intuitive and the ebb & flow of life takes a toll. If murder was legal, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't here as well as 50% percent of people I know. What the government had planned was in order to combat lawlessness and create a more optimistic society the laws of Darwinism must be implemented. NFFA has sold the purge as an escape valve and encourages it as a form of civic duty. What's ironic that even though the crime is sanctioned, the people still engage in revenge, wanton violence, and anarchy. It is indicative of the powder keg that is brewing in people's hearts.  Some people purge just to get a kick out of killing.  The scene highlighting the "murder tourist" is a glaring example of that. In the school of thought, political realists and neo-realists describe anarchy as important to addressing the ills of society, subsequently coming up with a solution. In my opinion, one should never leave questions unanswered and let problems persist.



Senator Roan comes off as some Jesus Christ character, who advocates for the poor and undesirables. According to Oscar Ameringer, politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other...sums up the movie in a nutshell. Her challenging the establishment has made her a threat to their money and their way of life. And she now has to be protected. Previously the Purge excluded government officials, but the playing field has leveled due to NFFA circumventing the laws. The scene where the head of the NFFA, Caleb Warrens arrogance, and belligerence shines brightly on screen. He is the main antagonist and the creator of the Purge. He orchestrates to have Senator Roan killed and her opponent, Minister Edwige Owens ushered into the Presidency. That scene reminds me of some conspiracy where a small group-think is controlling the masses like puppet masters. 

AN APPARENT ACHILLES HEEL OF POLITICS

Cursorily watching and analyzing the movie,' The Purge', through the lens of politics, it arguably appears that the movie was purposely made to expose the follies and setbacks that dog our politics and political leaders today. This is as a result of the despicable attitude of selfishness, malfeasance, nepotism, and numbness to the deplorable conditions of the poor and downtrodden in the society that epitomizes the actions of our political leaders today and in the past. 


The movie is a 2013 American horror film written and directed by James DeMonaco which revolves around the theme of a family held hostage during "The Purge", which is 12-hour time in which all illegal acts are decriminalized.


To a great extent, the movie seems to paints a largely an unattractive picture of our politicians, aim as a lampoon, lambasting all senseless, nefarious humans who seem to prioritize material wealth over human life.


In fact, one of the scenes of the movie worth mentioning relates to the commendable care and concern that the young son of Mr. Sandin doled out to the black man who was searching for refuge being on the verge of death as he was pursued by killers. It appears the action of the young boy in saving the man's life is employed as a tool to mock at those political leaders as well as party flag bearers who will mismanage national funds and not take care of citizens who are most deserving of help, especially so when they are seen as supporters of another party. Again, Sandin's son's enthusiasm to aid save the life of someone he does not know and whose skin color is obviously different from his readily qualifies the young boy as a consummate "good Samaritan" whose love to preserve human life transcends beyond the boundaries of race, familiarity, and social class. In the annals of American politics, an incident that conforms with the boy's marvelously tremendous attitude and actions takes us back to the late 1800s, specifically during the presidency of one of the greatest presidents of the US, Abraham Lincoln. Without an iota of doubt, the memories of how the then president expensed efforts to abolish slavery is still fresh in our minds and cannot be flung into oblivion. Just as the young boy, Abraham Lincoln's enthusiasm to abolish the slavery was not to satisfy his whims and caprices, but based on morality, concern, and care for human life.


The selfishness embodied by the financial superpowers or bigwigs in society yet present another important theme in the movie. It is noted how the most influential in the society care less about the well-being of the downtrodden by not uprooting the menacing purge but instead turn a blind eye to the annual mayhem. It is readily understood that, to the merchants of the security system, Sandin's family, any attempt to militate against the purge will spell doom for the business. Additionally, it is through the yearly revival of the purge that there will be a boost in the sale of the security system. In fact, this particular unfortunate part seems to be a satire mocking European countries who act as the brainchild behind the feud and fights between African ethnic groups or nation just to improve the sale of their ammunition. A case in point relates to the efforts made by France to sell guns to Thomas Sankara in the 1980s the then President of Burkina Faso convincing him that he needed a protection, an idea to which the president objected to. In a shrewd fashion, the movie act as a clarion call against selfishness, malfeasance, nepotism and instead preaches the unconditional need to help, sacrifice to offer a helping hand to the needy in our societies.

The Purge Series: Official Trailers

The Purge (July 7th, 2013)

The Purge: Anarchy (July 18th 2014)

 

The Purge: Election Year (July 1st, 2016)

The Purge: Money Cures All Things

Within the Purge, economic status shines through the attainability of protection during the 12-hour cycle where all crimes are legal. Though many individuals of all financial background voluntarily participate in crimes, the ability to acquire a fortified living space is a barrier that exempts the wealthy from the horrors of the Purge.


The Sandin family’s wealth is from James Sandin’s company that sells security system advertised to protect homes from criminal activity during the Purge. The Purge allowed for economic prosperity for the Sandin family so much so that they have blue flowers in their lawn as a symbolic support in favor of the Purge. And yet, in essence, his money stems from people’s aversion to the criminal acts that are legal on that day. People buy his security system to protect themselves, or if not themselves then their personal belongings while they participate in the Purge. This contradicting cycle is mimicked for our own world as cigarette companies produce a lethal product that kills their consumers, while many of the anti-smoking campaigns are produced by the cigarette companies themselves.


Not only are the wealthy able to access security from the havoc of the Purge, but they also are able to attain weapons and tools to participate in the Purge. While the James Sandin's neighbors not only purchased his security system, they also acquired weapons. The neighbors tried to use the weapons to kill the Sandin family because of their newly-founded wealth.


Those under the same economic limitation as the bloody stranger that the Sandin family let into their home could not afford the security nor the tools of defense and this theme is repeated throughout the Purge Trilogy. Money is strength in both the alternative universe of the Purge and within our own. Within the Purge, the rich view the 12-hour time where crime is legal as a way to indulge in their most wicked fantasy where the poor are playthings. Rather than presuming the Purge as a threat to their well-being, the wealthy enjoy and look forward to taking part in criminal activity. While in our reality in the United States of America, money provides you with a better quality of life, not just with luxury handbags and sports car, but with better healthcare and safety that allows you to avoid death for a little while longer.

Would you Purge if it was legal?

The well known and critically acclaimed thriller known as the Purge is a movie that has captured a wide audience across the country. The idea behind this movie is a democratic movement that is meant to help with the decriminalization of crime. The theory is represented through out this movie which lay out the framework for the Purge and shows the point of view of the "elite" during the Purge. The idea is that one night a year for a total of 12 hours all crime including murder is legal. However there is an exception to this night, all government officials are not to be harmed during this night because it will be considered a crime. This is extremely important to make a note of because it shows how powerful the government can be and how they can turn citizens against each other while still protecting themselves. One thing to think about when it comes to this is how long will this last? They have full control during the first few years but this can only upstaged for so long. Through out the movie we start to reveal some basic inequality in class difference. Those that are "supportive" of the Purge are the "rich" who own the best type of security. On the other hand in the first movie we only see one representative of the minority lower class. He is deemed so unimportant that he doesn't have a name. He is the representation of the class members that need to be "eliminated". The reason behind the Purge is that there is a need to "get rid" off those members of society who do not contribute to society and essentially live off the government. These include minorities, people that live off welfare, and social security. All of these people are then vulnerable during the purge because they can not afford the security system to protect themselves. The increase of demand for safety also increases the demand for United States safety products to be produced in the United States and it therefore betters the economy.

It is possible to say that some may be easily convinced in participating in the Purge, however if you knew that your participation was really manipulated to increase the power of the rich and powerful would you still participate? This might have not been the directors thoughts when filming and directing this film. Yet many can find a resemblance to the government that is pictured in the Purge to the Trump Administration and his constant criticism and belittling of other classes and races.

The movies that follow the first purge will develop to reveal the weakness of a democracy and what can happen and change when someone in power has a political agenda. Even with something so dangerous like endangering innocent people's lives this can be calteral damage when pursuing a specific agenda.