The Desperation Play

Conditions: Tumbling Dice

What is America Going To Do?

After President Obama said that the use of chemical weapons in Syria would constitute a red line, now that chemical weapons have been used the big question is, what’s next?

If the claims that Syria used chemical weapons are true, a speedy response will be needed to prevent another such attack, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday.

The defense chief said the American military was positioning assets to provide Obama with options, but did not specify what those options might include.

The Navy destroyer USS Ramage has arrived in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, a defense official said late Friday. It joins the USS Mahan, the USS Gravelly and the USS Barry.

- edition.cnn.com/

Now you and I know that there is no way in hell America can afford to invade Syria right now. So what kind of threat can America really make here, assuming of course it knows, for a fact, which side fired those weapons?



Film Review: Elysium

Director Neill Blomkamp follows up his first big movie District 9, a sci-fi action movie set in a dystopian future, with Elysium, also a sci-fi action movie set in a dystopian future. I guess he’s playing to what he knows, and if there’s one thing Neill knows its futuristic dystopian sci fi action. Elysium tells the tale of Max, played by Matt Damon, a struggling construction line worker, trying to toe the line, who gets accidentally irradiated and only has five days to live. In this future there is no recourse or justice for something like this, and his only chance is the super-advanced medical facilities on Elysium: a giant space station built to house the rich one percenters who live in paradise above the shitty, overcrowded, starving Earth. Max can only get there with the help of revolutionaries who happen to have a plan to hack into the computer system and take over the station. Also thrown into the mix is Freya, a childhood friend of Max, whose daughter has cancer and needs to get to Elysium as well. So what begins as a fairly selfish plot to get cured along with a side order of revenge turns gradually into a big quest to take over and shut down the system and restore order to the planet below.

This is a really strong movie, assured in it’s dusty splendour, and we get swept along in the rush as the story gains momentum. Sharlto Copely plays a mercenary who is controlled by Jodie Foster in order to suppress any resistance on Earth, his speciality is blowing up refugee spaceships before they reach Elysium. However he also decides to stop taking orders and start taking control, which puts him into direct conflict with Max. You know I feel the heart of this movie is resentment. Resentment against the people above you who are keeping you down, both literally and metaphorically. Resentment against shitty fates and the vagaries of mis fortune. A resentment that eventually leads to bloody revolution, and sacrifice. It is damn good fodder, that proves really carthartic, and it’s a theme that applies to a number of characters in the film, and how they clash or reinforce with each other. As with District 9 the finale is a giant battle sequence involving robots, advanced weaponry, and violent death. Max is assisted by a mech suit wired into his nervous system that gives him super-strength.

The only real problem I have with this film is that Neill insists on shaking the camera around during crucial sequences. I’ve never been a fan of this technique, and it’s a surprise that such an accomplished filmmaker has embraced it. It speaks to how strong the film is that the technique does not ruin the story, but there is some damage done. So what is it? It’s a visceral tale about desperation amid chaos. It’s an action movie with lots of cool guns and action sequences. It’s a sci fi flick that presents a horrible possible future for mankind. It’s just a good time at the movies. Three and a half railguns out of five.



- Peace out