Idiocracy : Luke Wilson
(See online!)

What would happen if an ordinary man traveled to the far future where the average intelligence has fallen to ridiculous levels.

Spoilers below! You've been warned!

This movie is a fairly raunchy in parts, but is a fascinating take on what the future could become if we didn't guide science and limit the reach and influence of corporation creep into goverment. It's a often-referenced movie when discussing government stupidity and dirty marketing of major corporations. Just remember, "it's what plants crave!"

The Island : Ewan McGregor
(See online!)

The best movies in my view are the ones that make you think and expand your mind. This one is about what it means to be human and what you can do to people who "don't count". There's little I can say without giving it away so:

Spoilers below! You've been warned!

I'll try to keep the examples brief, but here are some quick takes from the movie (and the concepts they raise):

Surveillance society

A smart-toilet analyzes a man's morning pee and determines he has been eating too much salt. Later in the lunchroom, he's denied his beloved bacon for breakfast. Another man gets angry and hits a wall and security instantly appears to have a "chat" with him about his outburst. A man and women start to get close, but security steps in to remind them to keep a "proper" distance.

Racial Superiority

The hundreds of employees that run the facility know about the abuse of the residents, but do nothing (supposedly having bought into the "they're not real people" pitch). Trigger warning: there is a scene where they birth a baby then kill the mother because they were just using her for the birth and didn't care about the "lessor human".

In summary

Anyway, it's a good movie with plenty of action and it accurately portrays the horror that could occur if we increase our technology and forget humanity along the way.

V for Vendetta (bonus features) : Natalie Portman
(See online!)

Summary

In the near future, the UK has come under oppressive rule by its own government that put the people of the country under their boot. Undesirables like dissidents, homosexuals, or anyone that would speak openly of dissatisfaction is taken away in the night and never seen again. Meanwhile, a strange masked hero takes on the entire regime by blowing up a public building and threatening to destroy the house of parliament in one year's time.

Lessons

• A society that gives up its privacy and rights can become dark and broken and may never regain them.
• With enough technology and complete media control, a very small number of people can subvert and control an entire nation.

(Image used under: Creative Commons 3.0 [SRC])

Just wanted to cover some recent protests against the cult of Scientology.

Note that the article references one of my recommended movies, "V for Vendetta", which was an excellent movie about resisting an oppressive totalitarian government.