Today's Film: The Island

Check out some information about this film at IMDB.

The Island stars Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson as clones kept in a secure facility where they one day hope to escape to 'the island'--the last uncontaminated place on Earth. In reality, their fate is sealed when their real-world counterparts need an organ or even baby--unless they can escape!

The Island
Starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Djimon Hounsou and Michael Clarke Duncan
Directed by Michael Bay

Trailer


Synopsis (from IMDB):

Lincoln Six-Echo is a resident of a seemingly Utopian but contained facility in the year 2019. Like all of the inhabitants of this carefully controlled environment, Lincoln hopes to be chosen to go to the "The Island" - reportedly the last uncontaminated spot on the planet. But Lincoln soon discovers that everything about his existence is a lie. He and all of the other inhabitants of the facility are actually human clones. Lincoln makes a daring escape with a beautiful fellow resident named Jordan Two-Delta. Relentlessly pursued by the forces of the sinister institute that once housed them, Lincoln and Jordan engage in a race for their lives to literally meet their makers.

Today's Film: Equilibrium

Check out some information about this film at IMDB.

Equilibrium was the breakout role for Christian Bale, who would later become Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. 'Equilibrium' is maintained via brainwashing and a ubiquitous drug called Prozium--the result? Emotions have been outlawed and obliterated. Preston (Bale) is the long-arm of the law, tasked with the destruction of the last vestiges of the 'feeling'.

Equilibrium
Starring Christian Bale, Taye Diggs, Sean Bean, William Ficthner, Emily Watson and Angus Macfadyen
Directed by Kurt Wimmer

Trailer


Featurette


Synopsis (from IMDB):

Reading Question: Where Winston and Julia Meet

"Winston was in Victory Square before the appointed time. He wandered round the base of the enormous fluted column, at the top of which Big Brother's statue gazed southward toward the skies where he had vanquished the Eurasian aeroplanes (the Eastasian aeroplanes, it had been a few years ago) in the Battle of Airstrip One. In the street in front of it there was a statue of a man on horseback which was supposed to represent Oliver Cromwell. At five minutes past the hour the girl had still not appeared. Again the terrible fear seized upon Winston. She was not coming, she had changed her mind! He walked slowly up to the north side of the square and got a sort of pale-coloured pleasure from identifying St. Martin's Church, whose bells, when it had bells, had chimed 'You owe me three farthings.'" (Orwell, 1984)

This passage is describing a famous landmark in London called Trafalgar Square. Read about it! This is an important example of literary symbolism!

For your reading question, please answer the following questions in short paragraph form: What is Trafalgar square famous for? Why does Winston see a prisoner there in 1984? Who was Oliver Cromwell? What does Oliver Cromwell represent to Winston and Julia's 'rebellion'?