Movies To Make You Think
First published on September 2, 2019
I enjoy watching lesser known movies with controversal stories that deserve a deeper look. Although some of these are well known, this list will include movies I’ve recently watched that made me think about how it relates to my personal experiences.
Black Panther
So Much African
Black Panther suprised me as a non-follower of the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU) and comics in general. The history of the character, influences from African culture in the movie, and the fact that he (SPOILER ALERT!) turned into freaking pixie dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War were my reasons for watching the movie. Now I’m awaiting the sequel.
Hustle & Flow
Everyone Starts Somewhere
“Everybody Got To Have a Dream”
Hustle & Flow motivates me every time I watch. DJay (Terrance Howard), Key (Anthony Hamilton), Skinny Black (basically Ludacris), and Shug (Teraji Henson) all reflect my path to releasing music somehow. DJay wants to deliver a message. Key wants to make a big move aligned with his teenage dreams. Skinny Black felt neglected by his hometown roots. Shug was just happy to be a part of something special highlighting she’s capable of more.
Pinky
Racism – More Than Skin Color
I forgot where I heard about the Pinky movie – free to watch on YouTube. I only remember someone talking about a white woman playing a mixed (e.g., mulatto, quadroon, octoroon) woman that passed for white. It’s a black and white movie I’d recommend to anyone curious about the different perspectives about how people are treated based on their skin color. Sadly, there are still people who believe they’re better than someone simply because of their skin color. And many fail to realize they don’t speak for the majority.
Black Hawk Down
Toy Soldiers
Black Hawk Down is based on military history, though there were many changes for story-telling purposes. Many see it as the story about how people turned on their TV to see dead Soldiers’ bodies being dragged around after a battle they knew nothing about. For some it’s a reminder of how much civilian oversight and politics affect wars. I see it as a reminder that once bullets start flying, polititricks (good song) mean little. What matters is getting home alive.
Sand Castle
One Team, One Fight
While Black Hawk Down shows how irrelevant politics become during a battle, Sand Castle (not on Amazon) shows how someone can join the military for the GI BIll but feel like they haven’t done enough by the end of their tour. The U.S. Army is all about comradery and understanding you’re part of something bigger – a team. Disregard the douchebag that chooses the wrong time to find that “i” in the “A” of “TEAM”. Do you see it?
The Red Pill Documentary
Feminism, Gender Equality and Equity
The Red Pill follows a feminist interviewing men’s rights activists (MRA’s) and other feminists about gender equality. They reference recent events, court cases, and common gender-related issues throughout the country. Read more from what I learned from the documentary.
Twisted Seduction
Love or Lust (or just manipulation)?
– Shameless Plug
Twisted Seduction is similar to the stockholm syndrome some debate Harley Quinn has for the Joker. In this movie, a man tries to mind-screw a woman into loving him. Movies like this make me grateful for knowing about The Mind Unleashed, The Earth Child (no longer live), and MedCircle content discussing mental / behavorial health issues. It’s hard to fight something you don’t understand. Read more about my thoughts on the movie.
Secretary
Real BDSM
Secretary is a story about the foundation of BDSM relationships – trust and respect of boundaries. I’ve never watched 50 Shades of Grey, but apparently it’s given vanilla folks an inaccurate perception of such relationships and kink in general. I said more about it in my 2015 Secretary review. Listen to a real Dom’s thoughts on it.
Cloud Atlas
Reincarnation
Cloud Atlas and its all-star cast tell a story about how someone’s actions affect everyone and your evolution throughout each life – and lives. All lives are connected. In 3 hours It connects smaller stories in multiple time eras – prehistoric days, the times before a USA, our current era, and far future – to show how difficult it truly is for good to defeat evil. I talk more about it in my podcast.
Dear John
Moving On
Dear John reminds me of the relationships I’ve missed out on during my military service. Of course, the military was the reason I’d met most of them anyway. Such relationships require more patience and communication than many are willing to give to make it work these days.
The Creepy Line
It’s YOUR Data
The Creepy Line was recommended by something I read. I already knew much of it as a DuckDuckGo, HackerNews, and general privacy fan. But it’s a solid 80 minute documentary covering how SEO, Google and Facebook bias, and algorithms affect our decisions and society.
What other movies should I check out?
Tags: movies, entertainment
