Photo: The Circle (2017) featuring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. Directed by James Ponsoldt, Sheldon Schwartz.
Technology has become a part of our daily lives and has led us to a compulsive over sharing of one’s privacy. People race for likes on social medias; they share their life to impress the world and get recognition. The Circle, directed by James Ponsoldt, is an adaptation of Dave Eggers’s 2013 novel. Between 1984 and the Truman Show, The Circle depicts a nightmare vision of what digital culture is turning all of us into. The movie imagines a future where technology has a place of its own, and even a role to play in society. But how much of this future is already here?
Emma Watson is staring the main character, Mae, a twentysomething living with her parents and working at a job that does not stimulates here intelligence or creativity. After receiving a call from a friend, Mae passes the interview and gets a job in the Google-meets-Facebook-kind of company. Hard working and focused, Mae soon becomes essential to the team. She begins sharing that “secrets are lies”, that people act better when they are being watched and that she is willing to wear a camera 24/7.
Eamon Bailey, played by Tom Hanks, says the following during the film: “Knowing is good but knowing everything is better”. The film raises the question of privacy and to what extend sharing everything about one’s life can affect society. The movie is disturbing as it shows how humans could be enslaved by social media and questions whether people’s behavior would improve had they been watched.
What sort of society do you really want?
Granada Theatre, 1311 Adams Ave, La Grande, OR (541) 963-3866
Ticket Pricing: Bef. 5pm $7.50 (+$2 3D)
Aft. 5pm $7.50 (Children and Seniors) $9.50 (Adults) +$2 3D
Special Price $5.50 on Tuesday
Movies showing this coming week: King Arthur, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, The Zookeeper’s Wife
La Grande Drive-In, 404 20th St, La Grande, OR (541) 963-3866
Ticket Pricing: One single Car $15
One car (up to 4 people) $21 (+$5 for each additional person)
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