We Steal Secrets: The Wikileaks Story

This week's movie "We Steal Secrets: The Wikileaks Documentary" was definitely hard to review without significant bias. Wikileaks is a nonprofit organization which seeks to expose unethical behavior in government. Whether this exposure is ethical in itself is for others to judge. Both supporters and opposers of the wikileaks organization can however agree that in the world’s current state; information is key.

In the film, differing opinions were provided from Julian Assange (Wikileaks Founder) and Robert Gates (U.S Secretary of Defense) over a controversial Afghan war shooting. Assange made the video available to the public of the United States Air Force firing upon helpless reporters and Afghans. In reality, this accident was resolved between the government and the news agency afflicted, but seeing the video stirred public action. In reality, this information was public but video of the event was classified.

This shows the importance of information and how it can affect one’s opinion on what actually happened. The Wikileaks documentary did just what the organization tried to do in their advertising, it colored the idea of wikileaks in a good light. Essentially presenting the establishment as a whistle-blowing firm rather than a place where many have betrayed their country. Take Edward Snowden, a previous intelligence operative in the CIA and NSA. Snowden revealed that the NSA had been intercepting messages over telephone and internet to a newspaper called the government. These actions were highly illegal, but the way Snowden presented the information is what has him seeking asylum in Russia in an undisclosed location.
Watching the documentary gave me insight to the concept of “whistle-blowing” and led me to question it’s very nature. Is the idea of snitching on one’s government ethical? Is it even practical? Is marketing classified information the right thing to be doing? Are the wikileaks really as harmful as the American Government wants me to believe?

These are all questions that were brought into my mind upon watching the film. While the entertainment value of the film was arguably low, I would say that the documentary was eyeopening and informational leading me to rate it a 7 out of 10.

Robot & Frank: Your Ideal Retirement

Few modern day movies can create an original premise that captures your attention beyond your the superficial nature of a hollywood movie trailer. Robot and Frank is one of those movies that doesn’t lose it’s originality beyond first viewing. The film follows Frank, a former jewel thief begrudgingly adapting to life as a senior citizen.

Robot and Frank was received well by the public thanks to the outstanding performance Peter Sarsgaard and Frank Sangella (Robot and Frank), whose chemistry set the stage by establishing Frank’s crabby human nature which in turn played off of Robot’s originally unfeeling persona. As the film progresses and Frank begins to adjust to Robot’s persistency the viewer grows more attached to the pair. Robot is given the illusion of affection by the creativity of his programming, allowing Frank to make deals, jokes and even tell stories with him.

This appeals to many audiences as viewers as Frank’s criminal tendencies and Robot’s lack of a moral structure create several themes. Themes as thought provoking as ethical robotic design to ones as simple as how Frank should deal with his family.

The film casts it’s net far and wide successfully interweaving a bevy of smaller plots to keep watch for and just enough quirkiness to keep one's interest. Though other movies such as I-Robot poke the idea of human-robot coexistence better, Robot and Frank do a family friendly job of introducing the idea.

Although this movie lacked the kind of excitement you’d be expect from a heist story, it was as much you could realistically expect from a plot revolving around a senior citizen. Robot and Frank therefore receives a 7 out of 10. A solid perfomance.