MindzleAn Amateur as Couch Potato
Working at home has given me the opportunity to enjoy movies I failed to watch during their theater run. This past week I was lucky enough to catch two movies shown on cable.
The first is “Shattered Glass”, based on the true story of disgraced journalist Stephen Glass (played by Hayden Christensen of the Star Wars prequel fame). Glass was a young hotshot writer for the well-renowned “The New Republic”, a magazine specializing in political and social subjects. He also wrote articles for other publications such as Harper’s, George and Rollingstone magazine. His dozens of high profile pieces generated a lot of interests. In 1998, he was earning more than a $100,000. However, unknown to his editors, publishers and the public, most of his articles were fabricated.
Before being published, every magazine article undergoes a fact-check to weed out any inconsistencies and/or inaccuracies. Glass realized how fact checking fails when the only source of verification is through notes supplied by the writer. He knew how to exploit the system without raising a red flag.
He made up people, quotes, places and organizations to support his stories. He created fake notes, calling cards, faxes, voice mails, etc. and even went as far as to create a fake website. He made up events and wrote fictional stories and presented them as truth.
His deception began to unravel, when an online version of Forbes magazine did a follow up story on one of his articles. The article was about a 15 year old teenager who hacked into a major computer software company called Jukt Micronics. The article alleged that the company had to negotiate with the teenager in exchange for thousands of dollars.
The editors of Forbes magazine were puzzled why the facts and events contained in the article cannot be independently confirmed by their own staff. The magazine brought this matter to Charles Lane (played by Peter Saarsgard), the New Republics’ executive editor. Ultimately, Lane discovered that the article, including dozens more written by Glass, were complete fabrications.
The second movie is “Shawshank Redemption”, the fictional story of Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins), a successful banker wrongly convicted and sent to jail in the murder of his wife and her lover. In Shawshank prison he is befriended by Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman). It is through the eyes of Red that the movie unfolds.
In Shawshank, Dufresne was introduced to the “realities” of prison life. He was forced to endure exploitation at the hands of sex predators, abusive jail guards and a corrupt warden. In spite of this (or maybe because of it), Dufresne managed to make friends, rebuild the prison library and help in educating his fellow inmates.
The movies’ climax is Dufresne’s dramatic escape from prison without anyone, including his friend Red, being the wiser. As a result, he gets back at those who exploited him without resorting to violence. The movie ends with Red being reunited with his friend Dufresne.
Both movies struck me because of the way it presents human nature at its extremes. Glass crossed the line from fame to infamy in his desire to be recognized as a great and successful writer. Glass thought of only his own needs without considering the harm his actions may cause others. He exhibited the weakness of his own character with his need for validation.
On the other hand, Dufresne refused to stoop down to the same level that others have treated him. He knew exactly who he was and nothing could ever take it away from him (even from behind prison walls). Although the story is fiction, Dufresne displays how the strength of human character can triumph even when everything seems to be stacked against you.
What movies have you seen lately?
The first is “Shattered Glass”, based on the true story of disgraced journalist Stephen Glass (played by Hayden Christensen of the Star Wars prequel fame). Glass was a young hotshot writer for the well-renowned “The New Republic”, a magazine specializing in political and social subjects. He also wrote articles for other publications such as Harper’s, George and Rollingstone magazine. His dozens of high profile pieces generated a lot of interests. In 1998, he was earning more than a $100,000. However, unknown to his editors, publishers and the public, most of his articles were fabricated.
Before being published, every magazine article undergoes a fact-check to weed out any inconsistencies and/or inaccuracies. Glass realized how fact checking fails when the only source of verification is through notes supplied by the writer. He knew how to exploit the system without raising a red flag.
He made up people, quotes, places and organizations to support his stories. He created fake notes, calling cards, faxes, voice mails, etc. and even went as far as to create a fake website. He made up events and wrote fictional stories and presented them as truth.
His deception began to unravel, when an online version of Forbes magazine did a follow up story on one of his articles. The article was about a 15 year old teenager who hacked into a major computer software company called Jukt Micronics. The article alleged that the company had to negotiate with the teenager in exchange for thousands of dollars.
The editors of Forbes magazine were puzzled why the facts and events contained in the article cannot be independently confirmed by their own staff. The magazine brought this matter to Charles Lane (played by Peter Saarsgard), the New Republics’ executive editor. Ultimately, Lane discovered that the article, including dozens more written by Glass, were complete fabrications.
The second movie is “Shawshank Redemption”, the fictional story of Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins), a successful banker wrongly convicted and sent to jail in the murder of his wife and her lover. In Shawshank prison he is befriended by Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman). It is through the eyes of Red that the movie unfolds.
In Shawshank, Dufresne was introduced to the “realities” of prison life. He was forced to endure exploitation at the hands of sex predators, abusive jail guards and a corrupt warden. In spite of this (or maybe because of it), Dufresne managed to make friends, rebuild the prison library and help in educating his fellow inmates.
The movies’ climax is Dufresne’s dramatic escape from prison without anyone, including his friend Red, being the wiser. As a result, he gets back at those who exploited him without resorting to violence. The movie ends with Red being reunited with his friend Dufresne.
Both movies struck me because of the way it presents human nature at its extremes. Glass crossed the line from fame to infamy in his desire to be recognized as a great and successful writer. Glass thought of only his own needs without considering the harm his actions may cause others. He exhibited the weakness of his own character with his need for validation.
On the other hand, Dufresne refused to stoop down to the same level that others have treated him. He knew exactly who he was and nothing could ever take it away from him (even from behind prison walls). Although the story is fiction, Dufresne displays how the strength of human character can triumph even when everything seems to be stacked against you.
What movies have you seen lately?
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katyzzz
How about anything in TV that peeked your interests? Whatever lets you escape from your normal routine....
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Freelance For Life
I don't rent anymore Hope. Its more practical here to buy a DVD copy than watch the movie in the theater. Sigh!