Movies are NOT just for entertainment

[Adisa]

I enjoy watching movies, but recently I have become aware that it’s more to movies than just being entertained by their magic.

I came across the movie “Instinct” starring Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding Jr., I would have never thought of watching this movie before but I found this movie right in the middle of a very enlightening portion of this movie. Hopkins portrays an anthropologist in a prison for the criminally insane, and Gooding Jr. portrays a psychiatrist attempting to help him.

This scene was about control. There are many more gems in this scene, but I will leave it up to those who chose to explore it on their own. Anyway, Hopkins says to Gooding Jr. “I was one of you, I believed in control.” To which Cuba responds, “Some control is necessary.” After an exchange of more dialogue between the two men, Hopkins attacks Cuba and controls him with a choke hold and places duct tape over his mouth. He then asks, “Who is in control?” He then asks Cuba, to write on a piece of paper what has been taken from him, what he has lost. Cuba writes control, Hopkins responds, “wrong, you never had control, you only thought you had it, an illusion.” Hopkins asks again, “What have you lost, what did I take?” This time Cuba attempts to write, “My freedom.” Hopkins rips the page from the notebook and responds, “You think you were free?” Hopkins gives him one last chance life or death, “What have you lost, what did I take from you?” Cuba writes, “My Illusions.”

What illusion(s) have we accepted giving the false hope of control and/or freedom? What have we given away voluntarily thinking others have our best interest at heart. When it’s all said and done will we finallly come face to face with these illusions and wish we used the instrument provided between our ears or will we snap out of the illusions that are given to us to simply make us go along with the program. What other movies have been provided to reach our minds eye and help us see the illusions of this world?  Sometimes the clues are hidden right in plain sight.

[Clifford Black]

At this moment I am hearing Barry White on the music playlist singing about "Change" listen while you read this post!!!!!!!

B.

[Red Diamond]

My sentiments exactly!!!! Some of the best movies with messages are THe COLOR PURPLE( ..you're a woman, you're nothing at all...), THE LION KING(...you don't even know who you are...), ROOTS( ..everything the white man gives you is good, and he gave you a name,Toby, and now I want to here you say it...), SANKOFA(..say you will not worship no heathen , African God..), THE MATRIX(..take the red pill and see have far the rabbit hole goes..), FOREST GUMP(I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is..) . I didn't realize that I knew so many movie quotes!!! We are also helped to see illusions in society . Google the tavistock institute.

[Adisa]

You are correct on that Brother Al, when it comes down to it, your best interest lies with yourself. 

[Aaron (Al) Lewis]

This movie was loosely based on Ishmael the book by Daniel Quinn. I have his entire series. This scene is representative of the delusion of control I use it often. Thanks The only person with my best interest at heart is myself and I have to question my own intent regularly.