The Cannibal Warlords of Liberia (Doc. Review)

So, when I was assigned this... assignment... to watch a documentary, and share my thoughts through a review, I knew just where to go.

Vice is a channel on youtube filled with interesting and compelling documentaries. On their page, they have several categories of documentaries. The largest one, and the one with most views, and by far the most interesting topics, is the one labeled "Danger".

From dog shows on acid, to Japanese suicide forests, the horrifying yet enticing stories are enough to spend hours watching. I had already seen a few, but today I chose one titled "The Cannibal Warlords of Liberia", an hourlong documentary about civil disputes in Liberia.

The fine folks over at vice were interested in what was going on in Liberia, and had been in contact with a Canadian journalist living there. A man named Shane flew to Liberia with a camera man to check things out.

Right away it was apparent that Liberia was in a pretty effed up state.

Through archival footage, Vice explained Liberia's history. Originally created by the United States for freed slaves to go to if they decided to return to Africa. However, once there, the newly instated Africans enslaved the native people and instated the same plantain methods and systems used in America. Eventually, through revolution and war, a African born man, Samuel K. Doe was elected president and the slavery ceased.

Samuel K. Doe

Shortly after the election, however, American educated rebel Charles Taylor, and his companion Prince Johnson began calling for a revolution and an end to the leadership of Doe.

Johnson

Taylor

Through civil war and rampage they reached the presidential house where they tortured and killed Doe, all on camera, and it is said that afterwords they cut him up, and ate him.

Gruesome, I know.

Once Taylor was in power, Liberia began to see the rise of dozens of self appointed warlords, resulting in long, horrible civil war that would devastate the country. Which leads us to today.

Liberia is a post apocalyptic wasteland with a feel and appearance of hell on earth. Shane and his Journalist contact, spoke with several ex-warlords who are now community leaders, either through self change of the conversion to christ, these mass murderers have become leaders in their societies. They work on trying to rebuild and revitalize the villages, even with the presence of the United Nations, not much is getting done at all.

The U.N officials and soldiers instated there are actually making things worse. Besides being inactive in rebuilding efforts, they often abuse drugs and prostitutes in red light districts.

And not only that, but a large threat waits at bay in the dense jungles. Rebels are amassing forces, with child soldiers and powerful weapons. The only thing keeping them at bay is the U.N, but they plan on leaving Liberia in under a year, allowing the rebels to wage war on the poor Liberians and take complete control.

This whole thing really made me think.

A while ago, I was thinking what a great idea it would be to have a worldwide governing force to work for the good of the earth, only to realize we already have one. Or, the shell of one at least.

As we progress as a race, as a species, we need to come together on this small planet we were given. Our technologies and advancements have made it nearly impossible to coexist with all of our conflicting cultures and ways of life.

It will soon be time to face these worldwide problems as a species, as Earthlings, not as divided countries or states.

Think of how much further along to being a whole people if we had a successful and active world court and governing force to deal with conflicts of the utmost importance. We would be all that much closer to being equal. Until then, I think its time we started thinking of ourselves as one people and one planet. Otherwise, we might as well accept the end of all things.

Also here are the film aspects:

Filmed with a single handheld tape camera. The only lighting was from the one mounted on the camera. Mos questions were not scripted, and there were no sets or acting or anything like that. Lots of voiceover and interview.

An Evening Jaunt (Capture the Fall)

Our latest assignment, Capture the Fall! The above is me going on an evening jaunt

Archive Footage Search

This time lapse of dark rolling clouds is the perfect mood setter for either the beginning or end of our dystopian trailer. With ominous music in the background it is a quite unsettling sight, evoking fear through the danger of a coming storm. "There's a storm coming Mr. Wayne"-Catwoman

King of the Jungle

So, this is our latest project, the five by five, cinco by cinco, and also 5x5 in other languages. Anywho, here goes.

1st shot: A little clip from the song featured in Disney's "The Lion King". I used it because recently, one of my cat's got a haircut that makes him look like a lion.
2nd shot: My lion-esque cat, Simon, awaking from a deep slumber, and startled to see an unwanted animal in its kingdom.
3rd shot: My more panthery cat, Garfunkel, cries for me to let him out on the hunt, so for he can get us food, as we have not eaten in many moons.
4th shot: The King inspecting a strange piece of human machinery. "What is this abomination", he says.
5th shot: The hunter laments over a failed hunt. The flatlands have gone dry, and some of the young will starve.

For this project I used a typical point and shoot camera. To edit, I used iMovie. Overall, smooth sailing.

In all, I am very pleased with the video, it portrays the majestic lifestyle of the feline monarchy in a way I never thought possible before.

I think for our next project, we should do a short project like this one, but instead, an abstract 25-30 second music video.

Dystopian Trailer Analysis

Dystopian Trailer.

The Island . Michael Bay . PG-13 . 2005

Lincoln (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan (Scarlett Johanson) are supposed apocalypse survivors living in a protected facility, cut off from the world. When they learn that they are only clones, used for human organ harvesting, they must escaped the fake utopia they live in. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR9JPy00Ojk&feature=related

The trailer for Michael Bay's "The Island", shows a good example of a dystopia because the world the main characters live in is a supposed Utopia, and the citizens living their fear the world outside where they live and the island itself. The catalyst, Lincoln discovering that "the island" does not exist and that their is a real world outside the facility where he lives, sends him and Joran, a female citizen, on a journey to escape the slaughterhouse in which they live. 

The trailer is fast paced and includes many flashing images that do not necessarily pertain to the plot, but do make the viewer more intrigued in the film. Quick snippits of voice saying things such as "the island isn't real!" or, "don't you want to live?" Make you sit at the edge of your seat.

Overall, the trailer presents a great example of a dystopian world.

World Without Walls Annotated Link

http://diigo.com/0sy3s

Self Structured Learning

In a world, where walls are a thing of the past, an entire complex, digital matrix, is at our Cheeto dusted fingertips. Not physical walls, of course, that would probably be the single worst thing that ever has happened to humanity. Luckily, the walls I speak of, are walls which limit communication. Ever since scientists created a magical thing called, "the internet", new forms of communication, and learning, have arisen across the globe.
I can't even imagine how my parents got through school without google or Sparknotes or high functioning calculators. Today instead of just using the web as a way to slack off, I can also use it as a opportunity to "turbo-enhance" my learning. Previously, students only had their opinions, and the opinions of their teachers and peers, however, now, one can access the opinions of humans worldwide. Even without the ability to access online encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other information sources, we even have the opportunity to share ideas with "Real People!" Yes, real, live people with real ideas that they are willing to share, and are willing to here yours. This is great because it allows you to get a real global perspective and get a less biased brainstorming session with people other than your peers. Over all, the internet allows for great for structuring ones own learning. Magical really, just magical.

Batman's Greatest Foe (Its not who you think)

For my first real assignment in my media class this year, I was told to annotate a current movie review, and then review the review and post said review on this blog. Earlier in the summer I had the fortune of being able to attend a Batman Marathon at my local movie theater, at which they would play the newest  Batman film at midnight. My first thought when the film was over, was: that was the best movie I have ever seen. Now, this might just be because Batman has been my favorite Super Hero, or rather, Hero, for a long long time. Everything Batman stands for is so different from other super heroes. Or at least how super hero's are portrayed in films and most of the mainstream comics. I was overjoyed with Christopher Nolan's portrayal of my long-time role model. Showing him as an outcast, all alone, and yet still protecting those who have discarded him, showing the ultimate example of good and nobility. I can't think of a single other super hero movie that exemplifies more moral conflict, sadness, pain, struggle, fight, and triumph as does the new Batman Trilogy.

I was shocked after reading the reviews for The Avengers, and seeing that they were extremely positive. What I saw was a brightly colored, shallow, family flick chock full of bad jokes not worth more than a couple dollars. Batman is not a comedy, unlike many of the super hero films they play in theaters today.

So, for my assignment, I of course wanted to review a review of The Dark Knight Rises. And what has better reviews that the Newyorker Magazine? Let me tell you one thing, and I am directing this at those with control at the Newyorker, what on earth where you thinking letting Anthony Lane's review of The Dark Knight Rises appear in print. I have never read a more ignorant, or ill informed article of any sort in my entire life, and I have read many ignorant articles. First off, the review contains absolutely no comment on aspects of the film other than criticizing Batman Himself. There is no mention of cinematography, acting (other than batman's), set, or costumes. I was in awe of the immaturity of the writers comments, almost directly asking director Christopher Nolan to make shallower movies Among complaints of Batman not getting "wasted with Iron Man" (who, by the way, is in a completely different universe) and the paralyzing stupidity of word combinations such as calling fear and anger "large abstract nouns", perhaps the most appalling sentence of all resides in the last paragraph. Let me remind you, this is a real review printed in the world famous Newyorker Magazine, this is not a joke. And I quote "Over three films we have waited for him to have Bat-Core sex, hanging upside down from a rafter and emitting cries of sonar."

What you've just said, is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling incoherent review, were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought everyone who read it is now dumber for having done so. I give you no sympathy, and may god have mercy on your soul. (Adapted from Billy Madison)
The annotated review: http://diigo.com/0sudu

Gettin to know me.

Hello internet! My name is Conor, and I hail from old Mary's Land. I have been alive for 15 revolutions about the sun. 15 winters, 15 Summers, and all the hopscotch and all the shenanigans in between. My hobbies include, but are not limited to, shenaniganing, adventuring, exploring, rabble-rousing, questioning the man, bucking the system, rocking and or rolling, and of course, film production and media. This Blog, named ConorCorp. will be a collection of my film and media work throughout the school year.