Unless a film strikes me as
rare and out of this world – and one that won’t make a statement by seeing it
on a simple television – I refuse to go to a movie theater. I don’t even remember
the last time I went to see a movie in a theater. There’s too much hype over
the whole theater “experience” and the price of sitting in a popcorn and
butter-strewn cushioned seat is unacceptable no matter what movie you’re dying
to see.
Honestly, even if the movie
“The Interview” was regarded the way
most politically incorrect films are viewed in America, I still wouldn’t see
it! If this is just another American movie
that has potential to promote terrorism or a presidential assassination, why is
everyone so obsessed with what will happen if it’s released to the masses?
There are a few movies I
thoroughly enjoyed. I didn’t go to a theater to see them, but they promoted
homegrown terrorism and gives people all sorts of ideas on how to infiltrate
our government and potentially wipe out OUR OWN president! The catch? Some of
the terrorist-like characters – well most – are AMERICANS!
Ever see 2009’s “The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3”? I remember
feeling anxious while watching this movie, which stars John Travolta and Denzel
Washington. We’re ALL scared that our subway system will be hijacked by
terrorists – that someone from a Third World country is plotting to destroy our
mass transit system. However, here’s a movie that says: “You don’t have to be
from Al Qaeda to jeopardize our entire city’s train system.”
Another movie that
advertises the ease of accessing high profile buildings is “Man On A Ledge,” released in 2012. This
is a typical movie about a high-stakes diamond heist that’s carried out while
an ex-con (an American, mind you) threatens to jump from a Manhattan hotel
roof. Hey – let’s send a message to thieves and terrorists that they can cause
a mass distraction and diversion if they want to carry out a crime in another
location in our city!
Sure, “The Interview” is one of the few “controversial” films getting
media attention because it’s about Americans who plan to assassinate a dictator
– North Korea's Kim
Jong Un – a move most critics feel
will cause retaliation and threats to our country. I just don’t understand why
Sony decided not to release the 112-minute film when we’ve got TONS of other
movies where our own citizens play characters who inadvertently give terrorist
ideas on how to carry out a crime!
One of my favorite movies is
“Contraband,” which stars Mark Wahlberg as a former smuggler who
gets back in the treacherous game to save his brother from a drug lord. It’s an
edge-of-your-seat film that demonstrates how contraband is ever-so-carefully
hidden in large cargo on a barge traveling from one country to another. Is this
the kind of movie we should be releasing? Why aren’t we raving over films which
clearly teach terrorists that, if they’re clever and fast enough, they could
smuggle tons of explosives, money and drugs on any cargo and get away with it!
I know the movies
probably exaggerate the scenario – and that Homeland Security would say,
“That’s just a movie – it’s not that easy in real life.” Well, “The Interview” is just a movie too! And
if it’s JUST a movie, why are we afraid of repercussions or terrorist acts that
the Feds swear they’ve been preventing since 9-11??
It also irks me that
Americans can produce movies about our own president being assassinated – and
no one really hesitated after their release. “Death Of A President,” released in 2006, was noted as
“controversial,” as it depicted the fictional assassination of President George
W. Bush. Some thought that it could “inspire a real assassination.”
How many films have
been released in the past 100 years that could possibly “inspire” any number of
horrific incidents? We’re going to start worrying NOW that our First Amendment
rights – and our right to be entertained – will be threatened?
So, they ask, how
would we like to see a movie produced by another country about our president
being killed? If WE can produce movies about our president being killed, isn’t it a tad hypocritical? It’s okay
for US to kill our own president in a violent film, but it’s not okay for
another nation to do so?
When you watch
documentaries about politicians in America who were assassinated, it’s usually
seen as an “inside job” that was plotted for months and years – by another
American! What’s more, you hear about the CIA and the Feds hiding the
administration-involved murder or homicide.
If you ask me, we’re
not demonstrating that we’re a country whose colors don’t run. Our movie
industry is BASED on the shock value and impact of film directors, writers and
producers. Our movies are known to provoke violent thoughts – whether it’s
Americans carrying out a crime or preventing terrorist acts that mimic real
life incidents. If you want to argue that it's the wrong time of year - Christmas Day – to release this kind of movie - that's another cop out reason to cow down to "threats" that our government is supposed to protect us from.
Go ahead, Sony,
cancel the movie and cause an uproar over Seth Rogan’s typical Hollywood
performance…I’ll be among the thousands of people yawning and moving on to the
next film that they have no interest in seeing.
Want even more in-your-face insight? Check out my blog
at http://dtellingitlikeitis.blogspot.com/, where
you’ll find past “Telling It Like It Is” columns as well as new and unpublished
works. Feedback is welcome!
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