Happy Monday, everybody!
I am happy to announce that Smurfin’ the Web and I will be co-hosting the Monday Movie Meme, which is currently on tour as The Bumbles gets settled with their new wonder....7 pounds 6 ounces and 21 Inches of Samuel Morgan G. who will often be referred to as Baby Bumbles in the future. This week’s topic is...... The Digital Wave - Movies featuring a plot that is centered on technology. Share your movie picks on your blog and visit your fellow Monday Movie Meme participants to read what they are offering up. To start things off, here are my Digital Wave selections.
Four Eyed Monsters
Arin Crumley and Susan Buice’s independent film is the epitome of this week’s digital wave topic, in so many ways. What started as an experiment became a humorous, inspiring, enlightening and sometimes depressing piece of art that has probably changed that way many people view not only movies but independently produced titles. “Four Eyed Monsters” is about finding new ways to communicate without talking to one another.
The main characters in this movie use video cameras, photos, artwork, handwritten notes and other forms of media to share their experiences and feelings. This movie was also made on digital video, combining video footage, drawings, music, text and other visual graphics to take audiences on an unforgettable journey through finding one’s purpose in life, dating, interacting with strangers through the social networking atmosphere and paying more attention to one’s surroundings.
Angelina Jolie is one crazy woman, or so I thought when watching “Hackers,” a film that young teens who have a competitive nature along with that “us against the world” attitude will likely find entertaining. Next to her highly publicized marriage to Billy Bob Thorton, this movie was probably the first time that I learned about Angelina Jolie...the actress, not the superstar celebrity slash sex symbol.
I like her short hairstyle for the character that she played in “Hackers” and yes, this has nothing to do with the film but, so what. Fortunately, the computer whiz kids in this film use their skills for good or at least to try and track down the mastermind behind a computer virus and keep the cops off of their tail.
Speaking of “Hackers,” Bruce Willis gets introduced to the world of technology in an inconvenient and explosive way as Justin Long’s “Live Free or Die Hard” character becomes the target of a n insane criminal who thinks that the world has to operate around his interests. It’s scary to imagine how a whole city can be shut down with various forms of technology and also interesting to watch the way Willis and Long navigate the whole computerized landscape using cell phones, laptops and crazy algorithms to save the country.
Swordfish
John Travolta, Don Cheadle, Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry star in this crime thriller about an anti-terrorist group who gets a hacker to steal billions of dollars from the government. Of all the movies listed here, “Swordfish” is the only title that I have yet to watch. I wanted to go see it when it was out in theaters years ago but then didn’t get around to it. As time passed, I lost interest in watching this movie out of concern that it might be corny, after reading other people’s reviews about it. Still, “Swordfish” has been sitting in my Netflix queue....far down in the queue, but in there nonetheless and maybe I will either remove it or just get it and play the darn thing in the background while performing other tasks.
When I think about this movie, I also get annoyed at the fact that it seems like audiences take notice of Halle Berry when she’s undressed or in vulnerable roles that arouse but lack much depth within the character. She gets a big payday for being topless in “Swordfish” and later earns an Oscar for having sex with a racist who executed her husband. Hmm...I guess these two performances stand out as a reflection of quality work in an industry where Berry has completed more than two dozen films...what a shame, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Which of these four movies do YOU think fits the Digital Wave the best?
What technology based movies would YOU add to this list?
Attention Monday Movie Meme participants: If you are on Twitter, use the hashtag #mondaymoviememe for comments, retweets and further conversation!
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