Succession-S1

Season 1 Ep. 1-4 Characters Introduced, Plot begins to develop, Plot starts to thicken. 

I am barely getting introduced to the main characters of this series. The seemingly insensitive father. The son who makes quite a number of gaffs with his varied interests, the second son who aims at nothing more that leasing his father and stepping into his shoes, the sister who enjoys her position as her favorite and the last born son who is in it for the thrills and has a tendency to throw all caution to the wind. Then there is another level of relationships. Here is where the trusted second wife stands. Then there are members of staff at the office all very professional and in a way closer to the Rich father than the children. Members of the board and several others including a lawyer who has secrets and a close friend whose relationship with the nasty head of the firm. 

There is the son of the founder’s brother who whose insignificance is the key to his important role in the series. The listless errand boy makes his path in this complex story by creating alliances of his own and manipulating his way to the top but we are too early in the story to decide what role he will play. He is keen to please and we are not sure if he has a heart of his own. In the meantime, he goes back and forth with the funny condescending husband to Mr. Roy’s daughter who takes unfettered pleasure in playing with his emotions. There is a poignant scene at the start of season 1 when he is shown in full gear portraying a fox-like creature as children in a fair chase him down both to cuddle and beat him up. 

He manages to have you in a hold of both disgust and concern as he navigates his way through the show. At several key moments you are left with no doubt that he will play a pivotal role as he seems to appear and catch some of the major players in strange situations. 

The show in my view struggles with a little too many profanities but these seem to relay the emotions of the show and the subject it wishes to tackle. While stating the obvious about the use of ‘French’ I must admit that if you catch be at a bad time you will hear a word or two in a ‘foreign’ language.

Class of ‘09

Was looking for something great to post and then came across this gem. I watched it…no binged it a few weeks or months ago and enjoyed every bit of it…okay not so much the romance between the two ladies. Anyhow. 

Going with the theme of AI and Data, this is an appropriate series for watch. 

It is done in an interesting way featuring the cast in three major timelines past, present and future. 

Anyone who loves to see what it takes to become a Federal Agent will appreciate this show. There is a slight obsession with power for those who like these types of shows. Maybe it is the feeling you get when you walk into onto a crime scene and the cops have to make room: for you because it is a case that transcends borders and the local sheriff no longer has jurisdiction (at least the movies tell us this much). 

There is a story about how one person’s amazing attempt to stop crime through profiling and prediction goes all wrong. Maybe this is a look into the future with all the data that we are collecting and all the records that our systems have about people in our world. Maybe this is a conversations about the three strike rule (a law that punishes offenders if they commit crimes repeatedly and sets a limit to three-seemingly turning crime into a baseball game). 

The cast director was spot on in the choice of characters as were the actors in all the moral dilemmas they portray. 

My favorite and most troubling scene comes a little later in the show when a car is disabled remotely after some kind of violation. I guess it is not too sci-if given that this is possible with many cars today but transition from control to self-driving and then remote control is quite troubling. 

There are ways in which this show takes from some of the ideas in Eagle Eye at least in part with the immense power that is surrendered to the system when it takes over all operations and after some form of consciousness begins to make use of all devices with chips in them. 

Fifteen Million Merits

Netflix is experimenting with a trend that seems to have began in the entertainemtn world quite a while back. There is a ‘series’ running for about 6 seasons featuring several major actors and actresses. We say series in quotes because the shows are not necessarily related at all. They are independent running for about an hour each with a star studded cast and acomplex story. 

This one with Daniel Kaluya is no different. 

It is about a time in the future when people are housed in small rooms with virtual screens from where they access entertainment of all forms after which they participate in a life where they generate revenue through various activities such as exercise and games. This revenue is then used to purchase various online virtual tools through an interface. 

The ultimate prize for each of the participants is to get access to an America’s Got Talent like show where they can become famous. 

The protagonist uses his had earned money to make room for a young lady who he likes but later finds out that the judges have nefarious intentions. He springs into action and attempts to save his friend. 

Everything starts off well and at some point there is excitement as one begins to hope for a redemptive moment in the film. 

The man who he is confronting as well as the whole system that he questions is at the verge of collapse when the judge turns things around. 

The hero is then distracted into accepting the moment of fame which then becomes enshrined into a clip he uses regularly with his followers in his new comfortable life. 

This is such a telling moment revealing the curse of social media attention and the problem that may arise when we devote our energies into viral moments.

Also notable in this show is the cruelty that is meted out on those who are slightly overweight and who are tasked with the cleaning of the facilities while the higher ups exercise. 

Atlas

In the Christian faith and specifically what is referred to as the born again spirit filled life, there is a belief in what is called a walk in the spirit. The encounter with the maker through salvation is followed by an embrace of the Sprirt of God who serves as a comforter and whose role it is to guide the new believer and to provide strength as well as access and protection in the supernatural world. 

The person who walks in the faith believes and has a knowledge of power to perform miracles but this is not an end in itself. He is also ‘connected’ through this same Spirit to the Vine (Jesus Christ) who enables him to walk in the Spirit. This is an ability to show forth fruits that reflect his new life. These are summed up in love which exoresses itself in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfullness and self control. 

This belief in the Triune God is what makes the Christian Faith Unique and forms part of his faith confession. 

So why this discussion in a movie review? 

Well, there are three major movie trends that i will address in the future which are at the heart of the Faith but that those who have had limited exposure will have little or no knowldege of. 

They are reflected or mentioned in about three movie presentations: The Twilight Series, The Dracula Story, The Walking Dead, The Thriller Music Video, The Trend Around Reality Television and the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Push. 

Today i will mention just one. 

The Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Push

I think Jeniffer Lopez’s character does an amazing job depicting a smart lady in a complex world trying to make her presence felt while being despised by a predominantly male dominated work force. In an age where an interface between men and machines has been created, a bug arises that pushes these super-machines into a rebellion that causes them to launch an attack against their creator (sounds like war in heaven)? Also reminds you of the problem that scripture talks about when man is ‘asked’ to leave the garden. Later on in the book of Daniel, the prophet sees an image of a statue made up of a combination of metals. At its bottom is a mix of clay and metal (my interpretation of this is a combination of man (made of clay) and metal (robots). The end of this prophecy though is told about how rock crushes the mixture and heaven triumphs. There is an interesting story about Joshua (often seen as a reference to Christ-the anointed one) and how he leads his people in s battle against AI! Hmm

Could this historical conversation also have an effect on the future. 

Anyhow, Ms. Lopez’s character finds herself having a conversation with a machine as she attempts to find the rebel chief (now taking refuge on another planet). The thing that makes this Android so powerful is the idea that it has managed to download all the best that men have in terms of information and weaponry as well as intelligence. 

To battle this being she has to make a choice about how to approach the attack. She has a machine assigned to her but has hurts and memories in the past that are hindering her from making the connection. 

She is fine with working alongside the robot but not okay with syncing with it and becoming one with it. 

This feels a lot like what happens when we accept the Son of God as a personal savior. Before that, we fight and engage the world with all sorts of weapons. We game the system, use everything within our power to ward off the adversary until His love overcomes all. My suggestion is that you fight with what you hwve until He overcomes you. 

Like the character in the movie, her connection with the powerful device was impossible until she accepted the pain that she had gone through. Then Creator and Creature become on and ultimately too powerful to defeat.

I imagine those want to see the agenda of Humanoids succeed have funds as do those who do not think it is viable. I notice one thing though, the use of the word ‘neural link’. 

Better than Us

I like the idea that different countires can contribute to the entertainment culture of the world by providing their takes on subjects such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The first film i watched regarding this subject was with Will Smith-I Robot. It was on that fateful flight back from the US of A. In the show, there is a slight glitch in the system of an already well integrated Robot culture where these machines have taken their place in the hierarchy of developing as active assistance and companions. The glitch causes them to rebel and thw character of Will Smith is forced to go on the offensive. 

There have been quite a number of writers who have been responsible for the pursuit of these forms of development and good number of them are Russian…but many of you are more equipped to identify them than i am. 

Let me show you a few books from a champion of science education in Uganda and Africa (soon)-Solomon Benge of Fundibots. 

We have the same idea in areas such as space and the pursuit of new territories. For that we have Star Trek and Star Wars to thank. 

Whether those who have developed technologies after watching these shows are guilty of some sort of “theft” is an idea for another day. But the questions they raise and the ideas presented are worth exploring. 

This show is set in Russia in a time when it is profitable to create robots which help humans. Everything does not go as planned when this lucrative industry is overtaken by a new automaton with unexpected abilities. 

On one side you have activists who wish to restore order on another you have a company that wants to keep things as they are. Then you have a family caught in between and the robot they are starting to like (which is also dealing with complex questions of its own). There laws that are supposed to govern all robots-as created by Isaac Asimov (A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law) also come into play as the ‘device’ begins to ask troubling questions about its own reality and being. 

There is an interesting conversation is the show when the lady of the owners of the robot try to convince it to dress in a more appropriate manner. The robot is designed to please those whom it is programed to meet and those with whom it makes first contact (which reminds me of what happens when some animals such as ducks and spiders are hatched and immediately ‘bond’ with humans or whatever creature they come across. The lady is slightly intimidated by the robot because it appears more attractive and has many more skills and abilities than she has. She is not really trying to help the robot but using its willingness to learn as a trap to confuse it. 

The Robot called Arisa then approaches the man (Georgy) and asks a very poignant quesiton What must a woman dress like to be loved? 

Do you know how many people are stuck and struggling with this question? How many so called humans depend on the words and affections of others? Do you know hoe many men are in gyms doing weights and women in Salons having their hair done out of a hope that they can be loved a little more. 

Even if the path towards the creation of humanoids is still fraught with a number of difficulties, how many of us are living in this robotic reality? I think this show explores this and many other subjects. But that’s just me. 

Here is a review of two other interesting shows you might enjoy 

https://intersectionawards.blogspot.com/2024/05/dune-i-and-ii.html

https://intersectionawards.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-peripheral.html

Dune I and II

To be fair, I watched the first part of Dune quite a while ago and was not keen to rewatch it. There was so much hype about the second part that I was afraid I would have to watch the first part again to make sense of the second part. The film is essentially about 6 things. 

A vast desert territory, a spice trade, an oppressive ruling class, a resistance and a set of mysterious underground creatures. 

If you want to appreciate the architecture in the movie I suggest that you follow (damileearch) on Instagram for her masterful reviews of the structures that have made their way into our films. 

You could describe it as a coming of age tale about a young prince who must make his way into the desert as he learns about himself and those around him with the hope of finally making his way back home. Did we mention the lack of water which makes this landscape so inhabitable? 

The spices we mentioned earlier seem to relate back to an age in the past where the spice trade dominated a certain stage in world history while the lack of water seems somewhat prophetic as many have predicted a time when nations will go to war for this precious resource. 

I suppose I was a little less interested in the two parts until I realized that Zendaya of Spider-Man fame was part of the cast. Her role in the Euphoria Series though, is what captured my attention as have some portrayals of her with lead character and their unmatched chemistry. 

The second part is therefore in my view a little more attention getting at least if you are interested in the complexities of romance interwoven with interesting takes on religion with mention of The Mahdi. In this regard the film seems to point to certain parts of Islam and the struggle to find redemption in one person on one hand and that to find unity or belief in the whole. It is here that the protagonist splits with his love interest and this is what makes the second part so captivating. Ah I fear I have revealed a little too much. There are several moments in the two parts of this film that tackle the topic of acceptance and the struggle to fit in. I think on the whole there was a lot to learn. 

The Gentlemen

Guy Ritchie is a master at his game. If there is anyone who has revived British Cinema, I think he single-handedly has. His choice of characters (at least the casting director’s choice of the same), location, use of language (scriptwriter), score, and the additional touch of notes in yellow comic like font to serve as an explainer for the cockney accent is inspiring. There are a few parts in the limited series that felt like a reference to Peaky Blinders. The use of different class systems to varying kinds of crime families especially the cultural ones. Russians, American, Filipinos, South Americans, Romani and the very captivating God fearing group that see themselves as a sort of representation of the God head! 

This show is an exploration of the inheritance and family dynamics’s history that come into play. It is a look into generational wealth and its management and the complex ethical questions that many face with regards to legacy. It is also about leadership and strategy and respect. It is about honor and transition and the value of a lived life. It demonstrates the challenges that people face when they make decisions out of anger and half truths. 

Here is a selection of Guy Ritchie’s work.