Last week at the movies vol. 7
A variety of movies were seen last week at my local theater. Let’s get into what I saw :
The Social Reckoning was one of my most anticipated movies of the Fall. I love The Social Network. It was 2007 when I first got a Facebook account, at the age of 36. I stopped using Facebook the day I retired, which was in May of this year. What I believe this movie highlights, among many things, is how we as a society are manipulated by Social Media. At my former employer, I was ostracized and outcast for not having the same beliefs as the owners and many of my co-workers. They truly thought I was a cancer to democracy. I have lost friends and family due to their Social Media algorithm telling them I, and my beliefs, were the enemy. Many may not see this due to this movie pointing out those very same strategies. No one wants to admit they have been deceived, but at the same time, people want to be reassured that what they are thinking is the truth.
“Do you remember the first time your thoughts were turned to evil things?”
I had never heard of Ken Russell’s The Devils before last week. I took a chance on this movie, and as I sat solo in the theater, I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing onscreen. Afterwards, I did quite a bit of research on this film. Originally released in 1971, it had an NC 17 rating and the studio forced the director to cut out many scenes that they felt were far to objectionable. 55 years later, independent film critics finally convinced Warner Bros. to finally release the uncut version, which is what I saw. Set in early 17th century France, and based on a true story (which makes it all the most frightening), it is a story of political power, corruption, sexual desire and repression. It was fascinating, disturbing, and a movie I will not forget for a long time.
I think that one must have an idea of what a “Whalefall” actually is to understand this movie.
A whale fall occurs when the carcass of a dead whale sinks to the ocean floor (usually the deep, dark abyss). Instead of just decomposing quietly, this massive influx of organic matter creates a localized, nutrient-rich ecosystem that can sustain deep-sea scavengers, fish, and specialized bacteria for decades.
Whales and plankton are tied together in a continuous, mutually beneficial cycle:
- Whales feed on creatures like krill, which eat phytoplankton.
- Whales fertilize the surface waters via their nutrient-rich waste, providing the iron and nitrogen that phytoplankton need to bloom and multiply.
- Plankton thrive, capturing atmospheric carbon, producing oxygen, and feeding the web of life that sustains the whales.
When whales are healthy and abundant, the entire marine ecosystem booms, turning the oceans into a powerful, natural tool to fight global warming.
I think the movie assumes that one understands this entire process, as it is not clearly explained in the movie, but knowing this beforehand will help, in my opinion. It focuses more on the strained relationship between a Father and son, something that many (myself included) can relate to. Sadly, my theater sound went out in the last 10-15 minutes, so I will need to see this again, but I did enjoy this movie for it’s thrills as well as the heartfelt moments between the Father and son.
Ready? Fight!
I needed a fun movie that didn’t require much thought after seeing the three earlier movies. Street Fighter was perfect in that regard. I played this video game and in my local arcade growing up. I had way more fun that I probably should have watching this, but my audience of all guys were having fun as well. If you want to just enjoy some popcorn, corny jokes, 80’s nostalgia and some fun fights and do not really care about plot or a movie that doesn’t makes a whole lot of sense, you can’t go wrong with Street Fighter.
