Movies that Incite Rebellion

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Ah, the 5th of November. It sparks an uneasy sense of rebellion in my chest... not to be confused with the rebellion I've felt since being old enough to have a shaky grasp on history. Or maybe it's the same rebellion. At this point, with the state of the world as it is, sometimes it's hard to tell where the rage comes from.

I usually blog about writing, or yoga, or meditation. I generally hope to invite a sense of empowerment and peace. Please check out some of my other blog posts if you need something calming after this, because my mood today calls for something different...


V for Vendetta


Before I wax philosophic on the parallels that can be drawn between filmmaking and our collective reality, let's do the day justice and start with the famous speech from V for Vendetta, directed by James McTeigue and written by the Wachowskis, based on DC Comics by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.



Revolutionary Filmmaking


I'm not here to talk about inventive techniques in film, breakthrough technology, or even brilliant writing.

I want to focus on movies that invite us to wake up from our collective slumber as humanity. Films that use fiction to parallel current events, inspiring everyone to take a look around and realize there might be more truth to some of these movies than authorities would have you believe.

What authorities? The ones who pretend to have our best interests in mind while creating more and more oppressive rules so the rich get richer and the powerful become almost god-like in their delusional minds.

Though I'm a rebel through and through, I do value personal peace, so I'll avoid politics in this post. However, no matter what your views, if you take a good look at the world right now, there is no shortage of oppression being carried out. Enough that people have taken to the streets all over the planet to fight for freedoms that are being stripped away.

Back to movies...


Wag the Dog


Let's look at Wag the Dog, directed by Barry Levinson, with a screenplay by Hilary Henkin and David Mamet, adapted from Larry Beinhart's novel, American Hero.

Admittedly, it's been a long time since I've watched this movie, but the concept behind it is as relevant as ever.

The manipulation of the media, using propaganda and psychological warfare like fear, is rampant today. As it always has been. Consider this 2012 article from Forbes about media manipulation, written by Ryan Holiday.

Media manipulation exploits the difference between perception and reality. The media was long a trusted source of information for the public. Today, all the barriers that made it reliable have broken down.

That quote is from 2012. Nearly a decade later, I think it's safe to say trust in the media has dropped to an all-time low.

I'll let this excerpt from Wag the Dog speak for itself.



Terminator 2


As we plunge into the age of Artificial Intelligence and Facebook algorithms that record everything we do, down to how long we look at a certain post (see the documentary Social Dilemma for a deep dive into how invasive social media really is), I think it's time to go back to a movie that sparked my interest in filmmaking.

Terminator 2, directed by James Cameron, written by James Cameron and William Wisher, is a classic warning of a dystopian future. Now, I'm not saying we're headed to that dystopian future, but... well, even Elon Musk is afraid of what AI could become. I'm not a big fan of Elon, but he makes some good points in this video:



Do I think it's too late?

No. I'm an eternal optimist.

That said, I think we're fools if we don't heed these warnings.

In Terminator 2, the creation of AI wasn't intended to be destructive. In theory, it was an invention to help humanity, but it went bad. Very bad. And the possibility of something similar happening in our reality is more relevant now than ever.

Here's a clip from Terminator 2 talking about how one event leads to another.



The Matrix


This dive into movies that call to the rebels inside us wouldn't be complete without The Matrix.

Directed and written by the Wachowskis, it's possible that The Matrix has eclipsed every other film in showing a dystopia where nearly every human being is under control.

We're plugged into the Matrix now, addicted to the Internet. How many people spend more time on their phones and computers than with loved ones? How much of your attention is directed outward, rather than inward?

Censorship. Mandates. Social Credit Systems. The world we live in is overflowing with rules made by those who wish to control every person on the planet. No matter how you look at the world, it's clear that freedoms are being lost at an unprecedented level. Globally.

The Matrix is an extreme example of a population exploited, deceived into believing they are free.

Artificial Intelligence is behind the destruction and enslavement of people in The Matrix, however, I think there are more current threats in the real world that want an obedient population.

We need to take the red pill, and wake up.

Instead of a clip from the original movie, here's the trailer for the upcoming feature, The Matrix Resurrections.



Star Wars


I'll leave you with one more.

Star Wars is perhaps the ultimate example of oppression and rebellion. And since Rogue One is my favorite of the lot, here's the trailer.

I'll let you draw the lines between fiction and reality.



Your thoughts?


I've chosen movies that nearly everyone has seen, but there are countless more out there. We've watched these movies for entertainment, but aren't they all a warning?

Aren't they all meant to be a wake-up call?

That's my take, anyway. What about you? What movies stand out in your mind as revolutionary, or warnings about what we might face if we don't make different choices?

Thanks for reading!


Whatever happens, keep singing your song!
Peace @Katrina-Ariel / @LeiaTalon


Books and music by Katrina Ariel


Author bio: Katrina Ariel is an old-soul rebel, musician, mama bear to twins, and author of Yoga for Dragon Riders (non-fiction) and Wild Horse Heart (romance). She’s also written two books as Leia Talon: Shelta's Songbook and Falling Through the Weaving. Visit her website at www.KatrinaAriel.com



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16 comments
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I love the Matrix.
A reminder that freedoms are being lost so quick.
A wake up call indeed!

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Yes indeed! The Matrix is one of the best. Really looking forward to seeing the reboot.

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You know their plans have always been there, right in front of our eyes, in movies to try and desensitize us and for so many it has worked, but not for us all. Today is a powerful day, also my middle daughters birthday which makes it even extra powerful xxxxx

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Oh wow! Happy birthday to your daughter.

Yes, it's obvious when you look and make the correlations. I grew up distrustful of pretty much all authority, which helped me stay skeptical to the stories we were taught in school and sold ever since, but I've always enjoyed a good story about rebellion.

Glad to share this powerful time with you, sister. 💖

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You and I are so alike in the way we view things. Maybe that's why we get along so well 😍 and honestly, I am very impressed with how Disney did the new Star Wars movies. All of them. Maybe I'm just a die hard fan and will watch it regardless, or maybe they actually put effort into the storyline. Maybe it's that ideas can't be killed. My fear is the 'live in the now' attitude it seems these greedy fucks have. That's hard to conquer. Much love and awesome write up Princess.

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Thank you! 💖 I knew you'd love these flicks. I think the latest Star Wars are great, but refuse to watch the prequels. Rogue One and Mandalorian are my faves.

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Nice movie reviews and analysis...Sometimes I feel like the directors were sending a message consciously other times I feel it is subconsciously and the I feel they were just trying to entertain in the way they knew best...

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I think you're right, that it's a combination of the two. Apparently, the choice to set V for Vendetta in 2020 was pure coincidence. It was released in 2005, but the message is as relevant as ever. Thanks for stopping by!

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Yeah...youre welcome...have a lovely week

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V for vendetta is my favorite from the list.

Also terminator... And remember when skynet change name to meta, ops Genesis...

Matrix is great. And i love Animatrix. Have you watched?!

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V for Vendetta is a great movie. And I never made the connection between Meta and the Terminator franchise! Nice one pointing that out.

I have not seen Animatrix. Another from the Wachowskis. Thanks for the recommendation!

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If you like matrix you going to like. It tells how the war
started and matrix was created, fist versions and bugs.

Also, the first episode is a link from movie, how they got that letter.

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Saludos Katrina me gustó tu post, sobre todo lo que comentaste sobre la película que trata de los medios de "incomunicación" que no comunican nada, y lo que puede ocurrir en el futuro con la inteligencia artificial. Gracias al traductor te pude leer, un aspecto positivo de la tecnología. jejeje

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