New Consciousness Review Spring, 2017 | Page 34

CONSCIOUS CINEMA

perils of conceding our power in an unrepentantly self-serving world .
The dangers of abrogating our power is also apparent in the gripping , Oscar-nominated foreign language film , “ Timbuktu ” ( 2014 ). When the fabled Malian city is overrun by political and religious extremists , life changes drastically for the locals when they ’ re coerced into adopting new lifestyles and practices , many of which run counter to their own long-established traditions . The picture examines their responses , the majority of which involve acts of capitulation or quiet defiance , measures that portray the range of power management options available to each of us .
( Sensitive viewers should be advised , however , that “ Watchmen ” is probably not for them , given its often graphic , frequently violent nature . Some might take issue with the value in this , but , considering the movie ’ s message concerning personal power management and the responsibility associated therewith , this approach is appropriate in the context . Still , if this troubles you , steer clear !)
As valuable as claiming our power is , the opposite is true when we give it away , as is evidenced in the haunting drama , “ Never Let Me Go ” ( 2010 ). Revealing too much about the film ’ s story would constitute a spoiler , but suffice it to say that it follows the lives of three orphans from the time they ’ re children ( Isobel Meikle-Small , Charlie Rowe , Ella Purnell ) to adulthood ( Carey Mulligan , Andrew Garfield , Keira Knightley ) while growing up in a special school overseen by a steely head mistress ( Charlotte Rampling ). With elements of a science fiction thriller and a bittersweet romance , this profoundly sad cautionary tale tragically reveals the
As “ Timbuktu ” also reveals , it ’ s quite possible to abuse our power , with wide-ranging impacts . This is a conscious creation theme common to many cinematic releases , such as “ The Social Network ” ( 2010 ), an often-scathing docudrama chronicling the rise of Facebook through the sometimes-ques-
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