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Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

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Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#71

Post by [deleted] »

Caprinicus wrote: post #48
BookmarkSaver wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm just surprised that they didn't depict one of the most dramatic moments of his life (his death). I mean, suicide by poisoned apple? Maybe they didn't show it because it isn't 100% confirmed, but that event could basically have been ripped from a movie script into real life.

It isn't even confirmed that he killed himself, let alone by apple. He was using potassium cyanide to electroplate spoons and could have died by inhaling the fumes. The apple was not even tested for cyanide. I'm glad that they at least omitted that because we genuinely have no idea what happened.

[deleted]

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#72

Post by cromwellian »

atmosx wrote: post #51
discardorama wrote: post #31

I'm sure the nerds here will find ample opportunities to tear this movie apart, but keep in mind that the "average American" (a) doesn't know much about Snowden, other than "he stole secrets and hid in commie Russia, so he must've been working for them", and (b) just believes what the government says. To counter the powerful voice of the government, you need an equally powerful voice like Hollywood. Maybe this movie…

This movie is made by Oliver Stone right? Judging by prior work like The Doors (Jim Morrison) and Alexander (Alexander the Great) I don't have high hopes. Oliver Stone likes to destroy characters on the big screen paying attention to the flaws rather than the charisma of his charactes. Jesus, I didn't remember a single battle scene from the movie "Alexander" and this guy went from Greece to India on horse battling hi…

Stone directing doesn't give me high hopes for documentary realism and adherence to facts.

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#73

Post by cookiecaper »

jellicle wrote: post #58
cookiecaper wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do the people with that kind of access simply not understand the power they have? If Snowden had access, surely there are at least dozens of other 20-somethings running around able to read the correspondence of almost anyone in the country. Are we to believe that they really are so self-disciplined the only thing they'll look at are nude photos? Why haven't we seen industrial and political fallout from these guys?

Probably because they don't feel like spending the rest of their lives in permanent solitary confinement in ADX Florence.

Yeah, but surely there would be a way to get the ball rolling without outing yourself. NSA analysts are going to be acquainted with at least the basic ways to stay anonymous online. If they found something interesting in the correspondence destined for a prominent politician or corporate officer, they could get the rumor mill started, or even make strategic leaks. Perhaps they already are doing it and we just aren't aware because they're covering their tracks well, but it seems like we'd see more aggressive targeting of interests that offend the likely demographic of NSA analysts, which to my knowledge hasn't happened.

However many people have access to this, I don't know if it's dozens, hundreds, or thousands, have a frightening amount of power. They have to realize it.

I guess they probably can't just type in "My Least Favorite Politician's Emails" into NSA internal search. Maybe this is the practical limitation that provides some nominal check on the power of these people?

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#74

Post by roywiggins »

enraged_camel wrote: post #36
krapp wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where Snowden goes back in time and reveals American military and intelligence secrets to preempt its transformation into a global surveillance and military superpower?

I think he meant in terms of technical accuracy. Primer is one of those rare movies that got time travel right.

It was more that it was consistent about time travel, rather than correct.

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#75

Post by [deleted] »

thangalin wrote: post #68
discardorama wrote: post #31

I'm sure the nerds here will find ample opportunities to tear this movie apart, but keep in mind that the "average American" (a) doesn't know much about Snowden, other than "he stole secrets and hid in commie Russia, so he must've been working for them", and (b) just believes what the government says. To counter the powerful voice of the government, you need an equally powerful voice like Hollywood. Maybe this movie…

https://youtu.be/XEVlyP4_11M?t=1355 Average Americans know nothing about Snowden.

[deleted]

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#76

Post by enneff »

throw88889 wrote: post #63
cookiecaper wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do the people with that kind of access simply not understand the power they have? If Snowden had access, surely there are at least dozens of other 20-somethings running around able to read the correspondence of almost anyone in the country. Are we to believe that they really are so self-disciplined the only thing they'll look at are nude photos? Why haven't we seen industrial and political fallout from these guys?

I worked for a well known computer software company, and one of the close by teams worked on a photo-sharing web-app, which also allowed for private albums. While analyzing the metadata someone discovered that a certain rare and expensive camera model was used almost exclusively to shoot models, including nude ones. Searching the storage for pictures made with that camera model became a popular activity in that team…

It's hard to believe that it would be worth violating your users' trust for some nudes. The internet has enough free racy pictures to last anyone a lifetime.

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#77

Post by jonathankoren »

curiousgal wrote: post #8
cmrx64 wrote: post #7

This movie looks like is has a good chance of doing a better job than even The Imitation Game at ruining and fundamentally misrepresenting a topic I care about and a person I respect.

The Imitation Game was bad?

I think the thing that pissed people off was the was naming the computer Christopher instead of Victory by inventing this idea that Turing had a childhood crush he never got over.

I don't know though. I've never seen it. There's a whole section on Wikipedia if you care.

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#78

Post by atmosx »

toyg wrote: post #57
atmosx wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This movie is made by Oliver Stone right? Judging by prior work like The Doors (Jim Morrison) and Alexander (Alexander the Great) I don't have high hopes. Oliver Stone likes to destroy characters on the big screen paying attention to the flaws rather than the charisma of his charactes. Jesus, I didn't remember a single battle scene from the movie "Alexander" and this guy went from Greece to India on horse battling hi…

No director is perfect. Oliver Stone had a few duds, but he also made some excellent movies: JFK, Any Given Sunday, Platoon, Talk Radio, Wall Street... If you have to criticize him, you could say that his recent movies have not been up to the bar he set in the '90s -- but it definitely was a very high bar. I'm much more worried about Gordon-Levitt playing Snowden, from the trailer he looks pretty bland.

Agreed. Who's choice was Gordon-Levitt if not Stone's?

As another commentator pointed out, it's one of those rare situations where the real-life character is more beautiful, fascinating and tall(!) than the actor. Don't you find this a little funny/awkward?

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#79

Post by atmosx »

proksoup wrote: post #67
toyg wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No director is perfect. Oliver Stone had a few duds, but he also made some excellent movies: JFK, Any Given Sunday, Platoon, Talk Radio, Wall Street... If you have to criticize him, you could say that his recent movies have not been up to the bar he set in the '90s -- but it definitely was a very high bar. I'm much more worried about Gordon-Levitt playing Snowden, from the trailer he looks pretty bland.

I've been impressed with Joseph's other recent work like "hit record". For me personally I can't think of anyone better for the role. Also maybe relevant is his opinion not an opinion after meeting Snowden for research on the role: > "Now, as he would say, it’s not for him to say whether it was right or wrong. That’s really for people to decide on their own, and I would encourage anybody to decide that on their own.…

tbh I don't like the choice but I consider Gordon-Levitt a good actor. I don't have high hopes but I have to say that is unfair to judge an actor by a trailer.

Re: Snowden’s Rubik’s Cube

#80

Post by jonathankoren »

atmosx wrote: post #51
discardorama wrote: post #31

I'm sure the nerds here will find ample opportunities to tear this movie apart, but keep in mind that the "average American" (a) doesn't know much about Snowden, other than "he stole secrets and hid in commie Russia, so he must've been working for them", and (b) just believes what the government says. To counter the powerful voice of the government, you need an equally powerful voice like Hollywood. Maybe this movie…

This movie is made by Oliver Stone right? Judging by prior work like The Doors (Jim Morrison) and Alexander (Alexander the Great) I don't have high hopes. Oliver Stone likes to destroy characters on the big screen paying attention to the flaws rather than the charisma of his charactes. Jesus, I didn't remember a single battle scene from the movie "Alexander" and this guy went from Greece to India on horse battling hi…

Oliver Stone also like to make every movie about Vietnam, and how the government lies and manipulates. Even his movies that apparently aren't about Vietnam reflect his Vietnam experience.
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