Be Careful With These Movies, Mane

So I was watching a movie a couple of weeks ago, because like many other people, I use it as a way to decompress and take a break from real life. My movie for the afternoon happened to be "London Has Fallen". It's the sequel to that other 'Has Fallen" movie with the man who speaks out of the side of his mouth (literally, no shade) and Black Father Time himself, Morgan Freeman. Upon starting the movie and realizing that it was, indeed, a sequel there was also another interesting thing that occurred in the beginning of the flick. They're going through the motions, establishing the backstory of the villains, showing them speaking of villain-y things at a family function, when the order was given to drop a bomb on the function. By the United States. Of Amurica. On villains and non-villains.

That was it. For the rest of the movie, I was on “their” side. It didn’t matter how hard the movie tried to portray them as evil, I still rooted for them to have their revenge. And when the villains told the Americans that they’re not much different than themselves, I was “Amen”ing on the sidelines.

Aside from the empathy I developed for the “enemy” characters, I also peeped propaganda up close and personal. Propaganda is one of those things that you know exists, you know it’s out there, but it still surprises you to see it sometimes. Like a crazy ex. Sometimes you know where to expect it, other times it jump out of a bush on yo ass. And as I’m sitting there listening to the character give his speech about the greatness of Amurica, I’m thinking to myself “this is how they train people. Prime example…” Movies, music, "news" publications, all of it.

So I girded my loins and fortified my mind, so as not to catch mindless patriotism propaganda. Because I only know a little of the figurative and literal destruction Amurica has caused other nations for its own benefit while portraying them as the villains. To think, the power of perception lies within a screen. Be careful with these movies, mane.