Watch this film NOW. Not as a fiction film.
Here is the "review" element of the post:
- The editor of the film had the capacity to make it an 80 minute film. Or less. I wish they had worked a little harder.
- The performances are adequate.
- The story telling is engaging. Not as taut as it could be. But engaging. One doesn't look away that much (at the phone, what else?)
- The background score and cinematography both delight. I loved the AI avatar being put on screen again and again.
- My favourite dialogue in the film (mostly because I keep saying it all the time): Please, please make an informed decision. Aap ek baar proofs dekh lijiye. (Joe's words from his last video).
- The dialogues are not too witty. They are just realistic. A little extra work there would have led to some chuckles.
- Joe is super cute!
This film does not deserve to be watched or reviewed as a fiction film or sci-fi.
Nothing shown in the film is in the realm of sci-fi. It is possible today. And much of it is happening (minus the idiot looking avatar. They don't need the avatar. They have the feed).
Then ask yourself:
1. Can I live my life without social media?
2. Am I aware of how much social media controls my thoughts? What I see in news, What i think about, which friends I get to see, which ones are ignored, what I (think I) choose, even what makes me feel good and what makes me feel bad. Who decides if you are on the side of Russia or Ukraine? Your feed. You never make the effort to read about the other side's perspective.
Think hard. Think very, very, very hard.
And you will realise why this is a very real cautionary tale.
You don't have to believe me, read what the experts said at the last International Dialogues on AI Safety (Venice, Sep 2024):
Now, give this film to your teens.
Someone wrote about Insta putting teen controls in place. Let me add to that story. The CEO of Meta was summoned by the Congress. Behind him were parents whose kids had been severely harmed or died because of Insta. DIED. He did not bother to look at them. Finally, he was asked to turn around and apologise to them. He had to be asked TWICE before he turned.
THAT is the most haunting Big Tech video for me. This CEO, who KNEW his app was killing young people, not only did nothing to stop, but continued to promote the same algo changes. Without a pause.
Sorry to break it to you, folks, but NO One has your back. No one is looking after your kids. There is no liability. Even the US Congress cannot protect our children (or us). Therefore, Watch CTRL, and as Joe says, make an informed decision.
