From Skeptic to Tree Hugger: An Avatar Review

*SPOILER ALERT*

Skepticism at first

I must say, that when I heard that James Cameron was creating a movie that looked like a slick CG video game, I was not impressed. Although I'm no video game aficionado, other gamers told me that they weren't impressed with previews either.
As a Trekker, even after NPR featured a story with the linguist who created Avatar's alien language Na'vi, I was rather disgusted by the thought of how much money went into a blockbuster that may flop. However, I did keep listening since they paired him with the creator of Klingon.


WWFBS? (What Would FaceBook Say?)

I started to see Facebook posts about how amazing this movie was, and got curious. One comment read, "I can't imagine seeing Avatar on anything but 3D IMAX."
So I decided to get tickets and see for myself. "Going to see Avatar on 3D IMAX. Hope it's good," my Facebook post read. I received a barrage of positive comments assuring me that I'd love it, and one that was too scared of backlash to respond to them negatively.
She posted, "It's terribad! It's the colonization of America, with a different ending. Not to mention it's blatantly racist *and* sexist - ugh. Pretty, though!"

The Verdict

I went into the movie with all of these "walls" up and Avatar was brilliant enough to shine through!
It's very 'Dances with Wolves' as the outsider becomes a part of the tribe and discovers reverence for nature on a spiritual level or 'Pocahontas' as the beautiful daughter of the Chief teaches the outsider only to be betrayed.
And it's also like 'The Matrix'-- jumping into a virtual self. The Na'vi even have USB-cord tails that allow them to literally connect with nature. Imagine plugging into your horse, so that he/she will understand where you want to go, why you're in a hurry, etc.
I left the movie wanting to hug a tree! OK, so I did lovingly pet my ficus, and I posted a Facebook status update that read, "Just watched Avatar on IMAX 3D. I wish I had a USB cord to plug into a tree."

In Response to "Terribad"

So yes, it is very allegorical to the colonization of America, and yes the ending is VERY different. It is the ending that Tecumseh tried to achieve: the collaboration of efforts of all tribes to fight off a common enemy. I don't see what's wrong with teaching that lesson. Why can't we use a fictional alien story with awesome effects?

Next, what's so racist and sexist about it?
About Racism: It's Earthlings vs. Na'vi, so maybe it's "Bluist?". That's like saying Star Trek was racist. I think not.

About Sexism: The women in the movie are strong, intelligent, and independent. On Pandora, even God is a she, and her name is Eywa.

But let's start with the "Earth Girls" (who are by no means are "easy")
1. Sigorney Weaver plays a scientist who has done research on Pandora for years. The only reason why she is ever belittled by the money-hungry warlords is because she "geeks out" trying to explain to delicate relationship of the Na'vi and nature. She's never chastised for being a woman.

2. Michelle Rodriguez plays a rogue Marine, who realizes how ridiculous it is to annihilate a race of people to take what isn't yours. Just like Resident Evil or S.W.A.T., she is tough, brave, and will risk everything to protect what she believes.

3. Zoe Saldana provides the voice for Neytiri, the Chief's daughter who teaches the outsider the ways of their people (and in Hollywood style falls in love with him.) From the very beginning she is a strong and courageous warrior and is groomed to replace her mother as the spiritual leader of her people.

4. The role of Na'vi females is just as strong as the males: the Chief's partner and spiritual leader is his wife; they are of equal status in their tribal leadership.

Perhaps my friend didn't watch the movie. I don't know. Maybe she read Avatar-chastising blogs? There's enough bloggers in the world to claim that this movie is about neo-Nazi propaganda. Who knows?

What I do know is that I don't particularly like is the fact that the movie is anti-moneygrubbing warmonger, but relies on McDonald's and other moneygrubbing corporate-conglomerates to promote it.

My recommendation

Go see it. Yes, it's more expensive in IMAX 3D. Yes, you may get a little motion sickness. But see it for yourself. Don't support McDonald's, if you don't want to. And if you're compelled to hug a tree afterward, hug your Christmas tree if it's still up.

Leaving a Lasting Impression

My Internship at the California State Capitol

“The only way to know the future is to invent it yourself.”

Ernest J. Wilson, III
Walter Annenberg Chair in Communication
Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication
University of Southern California

As a Communication studies major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing (1) the past two months during my internship, many mentors have given me a very clear picture as to what it takes to handle a high profile communications career.

When I chose to return to college after a seven-year “break”, I envisioned myself taking basic courses to fulfill graduation requirements as quickly as possible. Having experienced such a privilege, my attitude towards school has shifted. Rather than reluctantly attending classes, I luxuriate in my educational journey at Sacramento State.

Working in Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi’s office during his campaign for United States Congress has been hectic, but very rewarding. There is no other way to understand the value of transparency in communication, ethics in political communication, intercultural relations, group dynamics, or public relations with high profile individuals like working at the California State Capitol (2).

From my very first day in the Lieutenant Governor’s office, I was treated as someone who had already made a difference. I was entrusted with researching ways to honor the Tuskegee Airmen, crafting the words that would commend the Asian Pacific Public Affairs Association, and assisting constituents in finding the right elected official to contact to resolve various issues.

During the campaign, it was the mission of the staff to compile archival materials. Most of the time, we reformatted documents and gathered any significant memorabilia. To others this would seem tedious and mundane, but for me I got to know what kind of legislator John Garamendi truly is (3).


As a past Peace Corps volunteer, insurance commissioner, a legislator with over 30 years of experience and a grandfather of nine, he has made it a mission to serve. With his wife by his side, the two of them have championed causes to protect the environment and higher education in California.

The very best part of this internship was assisting Ms. Mona Pasquil in her keynote address of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National Conference in San Diego. I had the pleasure of being present as Ms. Pasquil gave her first public appearance as the acting Lieutenant Governor. It was such a blessing to get to know her story; she shared about who she was, where she came from, and how she got to be the second person in command of California (4).

Ms. Pasquil was the eldest of five children, born to parents of Filipino immigrants.She was an English literature buff and had no clue that her love of Chaucer would end up in a career in politics!  Ms. Pasquil also shared about her experiences working with the Clinton campaign. The room was filled with awe for her tenacity to stand up to ethical dilemmas, in the face of the highest profile situations.

At the PRSSA Conference, there were several break-out sessions featuring public relations professionals speaking on various topics. The most common themes in all of these sessions were three topics: media technology, ethics, and globalization.

In terms of media technology, the older speakers almost all admitted that the younger generation has an advantage in terms of Internet familiarity. A speaker joked, “I have an accent when I speak digital. You young folks can speak fluently—without an accent.”

The most senior public relations professionals were flattered when I asked them how they handled ethical dilemmas. Naturally, different people gave different responses. One said that there is always a “happy medium”; one can always find win-win situation. Another advised us to always “stand your ground”.
My professor John Williams discussed ethics in the Introduction to Public Relations class (COMS 118), and implored that we take a “moral” inventory before entering the profession (5).

After learning more about the public relations profession, I was glad to have explored my morals and ethics already.  In terms of globalization, one speaker enumerated the benefits of being multilingual and having a global perspective of the media. There are two options: immerse yourself in a language (and culture) that is in demand and guarantee that there will be a demand for your services or immerse yourself in a language (and culture) that is exotic and commonly unknown and guarantee that there won’t be much competition.

Luckily for me, the Intercultural Communication class (COMS 116) made it clear to me that relating to the public requires an understanding of various cultures. What could be offensive to one group could be a blessing to another (6).

I would absolutely recommend this internship to other students (9). Any opportunity to learn more about what power citizens have in the government is valuable for anyone. Just learning that writing a letter or making a phone call can greatly improve an issue that one may have thought to be futile has already enriched my experience of being American.

Unfortunately, it would be impossible for every student to have the experiences I had. It is the nature of internships that everyone has a unique experience. There was no syllabus that clearly forewarned that I would be a part of a winning congressional campaign, or that my mentor would become the highest female official in California during my internship. During the celebration farewell for the newly sworn-in Congressman Garamendi, the staffers and interns were presented with official proclamations for our service.

It would have been a treat to have met with the others interning in our department to share experiences (8). Perhaps in the future, there could be a way for the students enrolled in communications studies internships to share experiences. Even if this opportunity to communicate were online (i.e.: via Facebook group or Twitter), I think it would have a positive effect on the program itself.

After graduating in December 2010, I would like to attend graduate school at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California in 2011. (Hopefully with my stellar grades at Sacramento State and letter of recommendation from the former Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, I will be accepted).

In November, my trip to Southern California also allowed me an opportunity to attend a graduate school orientation for Annenberg’s Strategic Public Relations program. Among 300 attendees, I was in awe of the forward-thinkers at the helm. From the moment the dean spoke, I knew that Annenberg’s graduate program was for trailblazers and groundbreakers of media.

Annenberg’s Dean Ernest J. Wilson, III spoke of convergence in media in a way that I hadn’t heard before. He challenged each prospective student to take the future in our own hands, rather than approach graduate school as an educational vacuum. Dean Wilson also made it clear that Annenberg’s graduate programs are for “doers”, rather than “thinkers”. And as a result, I am inspired to blaze a trail of my own (10).

My goal is to take the skill, forward-thinking tenacity, (and not to mention the connections) that a USC Annenberg graduate degree has to offer and launch my own boutique public relations firm. With the autonomy of my own firm, I may take on corporate as well as nonprofit clients.  I have always been interested in the entertainment industry. With a boutique firm, I would like to focus on bridging entertainment and charitable causes by creating opportunities for cross marketing.

In addition, it is a new dream of mine to become an adjunct professor in a college of public relations. Teaching is said to be the best way to learn, as well as a great way to scout for talent.

It is no coincidence that I have been inspired by my journalism and public relations professors this year. Both Professors Timothy Howard and Michael Fitzgerald have made writing skills a priority (11). Both Writing for Public Information (COMS 123) and News Writing (JOUR 30) focused on writing with accuracy, brevity, and clarity. Professor Fitzgerald’s News Writing course taught me the valuable lesson of understanding the way journalists think. The relationship between journalists and public relations professionals doesn’t need to be adversarial, by any means.

Both professors also encouraged me to go beyond the classroom to learn. Professor Howard’s persistent invitation to the PRSSA Conference in San Diego paid off; attending the conference allowed me to take an in-depth look at public relations as a profession and realize that it is my passion. Professors Howard and Fitzgerald applauded my involvement with the State Capitol and reassured me that my enthusiasm would open doors. This semester has blessed me with many mentors.

___________________________________________________________
Notes

Answers questions: What’s your major/concentration? In what ways did this internship relate
directly to your major and/or concentration?
Elaborates on the value of this internship as an educational experience
Answers question: What were the most important things you learned?
Answers question: What were the most important things you learned?
Answers questions: How has your coursework in the Department prepared you for this
internship experience?
Answers question: What courses were particularly useful and why?
Answers question: Would you recommend this internship to other students? Why or why not?
Answers question: How could this internship be improved for students in future semesters?
Answers question: How does your internship fit in your plans?
Elaborates on career plans and goals
Answers questions: How successful do you feel your academic program was helping you
develop the oral and written communication skills and reasoning skills you needed for this
internship?

I <3 Annenberg Grad School

My world was rocked today.

I had the honor of attending Annual Prospective Graduate Student Visit Day program at USC Annenberg.

Here's why I am going:

1. I <3 PR, but I'm not sure which area would be my focus.

2. Dean Ernest Wilson III.  He set the tone for the entire program: He said that if you'd like to know the future, you should invent it--Annenberg is all about the convergence of communication media... http://annenberg.usc.edu/Faculty/Communication/WilsonE.aspx

3. The Strategic PR Program.  They encourage that we take classes in anything we're interested in... USC has premiere schools of pretty much everything.

4. Annenberg is diverse:  age-wise, ethnicity-wise, gender-wise, and interest-wise.  They have groundbreaking programs for broadcast journalism, foreign policy public communication, entertainment PR, corporate PR, etc...

5. It's in LA... home of my church, Agape International.

6. I'd get a good deal on season tickets to the Trojan games!

Capitol-izing on an Opportunity

       As someone who is committed to serving the community, I was clear that the best way for me to do so was in the Public Relations field.  I had always admired individuals in the community who were able to put a “gift of gab” to good use.  I figured I’d start at a nonprofit organization.  

        Without a bachelor’s degree, I was only qualified to take on the administrative assistant position at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV).  However, working at a state-wide coalition allowed me to meet so many dynamic people who make a difference.

        Among the most dynamic, exuberant, and influential was Ms. Mona Pasquil. From Domestic Violence Advocacy for Asian-Pacific Americans to campaigning for political leaders who champion issues for the underserved and underrepresented Ms. Pasquil stood in the forefront.  It was always a pleasure to collaborate with her at rallies, fundraisers, and planning meetings for community events. 

 

        When CPEDV lost its California state budget, I was laid off. After the initial shock wore off, I realized that I could take this lay-off as an opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree in public relations at California State University Sacramento (CSUS).  

        After considering various internship options, I was most honored by the opportunity of working at Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi's office at the California State Capitol in downtown Sacramento.  My supervisor is Chief of Staff Mona Pasquil, Vice President of MSHC Partners, Inc.[1]

 

        Daily activities include assisting with receptionist duties, shadowing Ms. Pasquil while she performs public relations duties, assisting in the drafting of press releases, constituent letters, and commendations, and archiving the Lieutenant Governor’s speeches and legislative records.[2]

        I am directly supervised by Administrative Assistant & Small Business/The Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Coordinator Larry Vasquez.[3]  With Ms. Pasquil handling many projects at a time, Mr. Vasquez is able to ensure that I have various projects of my own.  Mr. Vasquez is a great supervisor; it is clear what is expected of me and I receive immediate feedback on anything I have done.  Questions, initiative and input are always welcomed.  Not to mention, he humor is very disarming.  I was so concer

ned about performing on a professional level and knowing all State Capitol protocol, but he ensures that I learn without stress or excessive pomp and circumstance.

        Learning about the political process in California from an active standpoint rather than within a passive political science classroom has been very educational.[4]  Many of the activities provide opportunities to go beyond studying public relations and actually performing vital public relations duties.

        My very first day on the job, I researched a request to have a memorial for the Tuskegee Airmen on the State Capitol grounds.  Upon moderate research on the Internet, I was able to find that the Mexican-American Veteran’s Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds would be an appropriate model.  Then, I found a state senator who may be interested in heading the efforts to have the Tuskegee Memorial approved.  Los Angeles Senator Rod Strickland honored two young aviators and a Tuskegee Airman by introducing them to the Senate floor.

        On October 9, I accompanied three of the staffers in a tour of the California State Archives at the Secretary of State’s office.  There I learned about the history of California through the artifacts and historical documents displayed.  Later that afternoon, I attended Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s discussion at the Latino Water Coalition Rally.  I was able to observe different speech styles of the various players:  the Governor, the emcee (comedian Paul Rodriguez), career politicians, and public relations professionals for special interest groups.[5]

        Public relations courses have been helpful in broadening my understanding of "publics" and "stakeholders".  Knowing this allowed me to be conscious of the various communities, publics, and stakeholders are affected by any given situation.  Learning ethics for public relations in class also allowed me to prepare for a public relations career rooted in integrity, empathy, and transparent communication.[6]

 

However, most of my preparedness was not a direct result of my education.  Having worked closely with the public relations coordinator for a statewide coalition to end domestic violence prepared me for the nature of the California State Capitol.  There I also learned the etiquette appropriate for a political organization. 

 

        The bare bones of "how a bill becomes a law" may have been taught in high school political science classes; however it is difficult to walk in an expert.

        Much of the subject matter of each issue tends to be rather broad; often staffers are exposed to every sort of issue.  The various issues are broken up by categories such as Public Invitations, Commendations, UC Regents, Policy Issues, Labor and Outreach, Press/Media, Education, Economic Development, Fiscal Policy.

        My only notable error was when I took the helm at the phones for the first time.  Mr. Vasquez, who normally takes the reception desk, had to attend a meeting.  When the phone rang, I struggled to get out all of the words, "Good morning--Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi's office.  This is Kyla, how may I help you?"

        I managed to get it right, but I wasn't prepared for the caller:  He introduced himself as "Jack Garamendi", so I thought to myself, this must be his brother.  Little did I know it was the Lieutenant Governor himself!  Thankfully he let me know that he would prefer for me to find his assistant, Ms. Deb, than to be placed on voicemail.[7]

        Thankfully, I learned that our Lieutenant Governor is not a petty person and that an earnest attempt to help is always appreciated.[8]  I made sure that Mr. Vasquez thoroughly briefed me on how do deal with various situations in the future.

        The next time, I’ll know that when the Lieutenant Governor calls, we just make sure he gets the right person as soon as possible.[9]

The time requirements are appropriate for the nature of my internship.[10]  Thankfully, my other classes are conducted Monday through Friday, leaving me with a full 8-hour day at the office every Friday.[11]

        As a Friday staffer, I'm at the Capitol when many government employees in Sacramento are on furlough.  I may not experience the phones ringing too often, but I do feel the stress of completing projects before the weekend.

         The unfortunate part about being only at the office on Fridays is that I am unable to take on projects that can take more than a day.  For example, if I were to receive a letter from a constituent, I could handle the issue in the letter and respond as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, when issues are brought forth to the Lieutenant Governor, they tend to be issues that may require a longer investment than just one day.

        Just as the Internship Guidelines specify, I’m on track to work 150 hours by December 10^th.[12]  The only way my internship experience could be improved, is if I had more time than just once a week to contribute to the office.  In the midst of Lieutenant Governor Garamendi’s run for U. S. Congress, Ms. Pasquil (understandably) very busy and is not as available to shadow as I had hoped.[13]  Fortunately, there will be more opportunities at in the coming months.   

If my classes weren’t in the middle of the day, I would be able to ramp up my internship schedule to 20 hours per week.  At that point, a stipend or salary would be appreciated as well.

        My intention is to focus on utilizing my experience as a pedagogical opportunity; I want to learn everything I can that may contribute to a career in public relations.  I feared that I may be expected to perform stereotypical “gopher” intern type duties.  

Thankfully, this internship is exceeding my expectations.[14] I am welcomed as a member of the staff and encouraged to go beyond a stereotypical intern.  Any task or event that interests me is always available. I am honored to represent CSUS and know that it will only get better.

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[1] Answers question:  Where is your internship and who is your supervisor?

[2]Answers question: What are your daily activities? 

[3] Describes the supervision at this internship. Answers question:  Are you comfortable with your supervisor(s)?

[4] Answers question:  What aspects of your daily activities have educational value for you? 

[5] Answers question:  What activities are related to Communications Studies?

[6] Answers question:  were you academically prepared for this internship?  If not, what preparation did you need?

[7] Describes any problems you encountered on this internship.

[8] Answers question:  What did you learn from the experience?

[9] Answers question: What would you differently next time?

[10] Answers question:  Are the time requirements for this internship reasonable? Are they in line with your expectations?

[11] Answers question:  Do they interfere with your classes?

[12] Answers question:  Was our listing accurate in its description of the duties or time requirements of this internship?

[13] Answers question:  In what ways might this internship be improved for you?

[14] Answers question:  To what extent did your internship meet your expectations?

Mentored by a Filipina Community Leader AND Attending a PR Conference in San Diego!

After talking about it for a couple of years, I finally am getting internship credits for shadowing someone I admire in the community! This semester I will be shadowing Lt. Gov. Garamendi's Chief of Staff, Mona Pasquil.

Ms. Mona is keynoting the National PR Conference for students in the field and I will be assisting her in prep and planning for the event. (That means I get to go to San Diego in November!)

I have the good fortune of knowing her from many Filipino community functions, one of them being the Asian/Pacific domestic violence shelter, My Sister's House.

Best American Spy Action (1990-present)

I love action movies.  Moreover, I love action movies with espionage-infused plots.   Since there are so many films that entail espionage and action, I had to split hairs when it came to narrowing down my choices.  First, I eliminated any films that weren’t in English, didn’t have American past/present secret agents, and films that were made before 1990.

I’d like to address the unfortunate byproduct of my rigidity: an absence of female protagonists.   Neither Anne Parillaud of “La Femme Nikita” nor Greta Garbo of “Mata Hari” made the cut.  “La Femme Nikita” is a French film and like its American counterpart “Point of No Return” are more assassin movies; “Mata Hari” was released in 1931, much too early.

The five Best American Spy Action movies from 1990 were then ranked, using the criteria: “Heart-Pounding Action”, “Wonderstated Hero”, and “Plot Cleverness with a Twist”.  “Heart-Pounding Action” entails the creativity, suspense, and intensity of the chase and fight scenes.  An excellent spy drama, “The Good Shepherd” missed the list by a hair in this department. A “Wonderstated Hero” would be someone understated in their ass-kicking spy talents, and yet wonderfully witty when necessary.  “Plot Cleverness with a Twist” can only be described as predictably unpredictable: American audiences expect to be surprised by twists and turns in any good spy movie plot, even the “Spy Kids” Series addresses this.

“Enemy of the State” (1998) and “Spy Game” (2001) tied for fourth and fifth place on the list.  Both movies are directed by Tony Scott and follow what I call the “Guru and Greenhorn” formula.  This is the cliché wherein an old veteran of the spy game teaches a young (preferably handsome) operative how to survive.  “Enemy of the State” scores the lowest in “Plot Cleverness with a Twist” and “Wonderstated Hero” categories.  It is expected that confident Will Smith will save the day, even if he’s a greenhorn at the game of espionage.  Paired with Gene Hackman as the subversive, reclusive ex-NSA guru, the two make an entertaining odd couple, but not as entertaining as heartthrobs Robert Redford and Brad Pitt in the training sequence of “Spy Game”.  “Enemy of the State” excels is in its “Heart-Pounding Action”:  explosions, a chase scene has Smith jumping from building to building in his underwear and the film ends in a Mexican standoff.

One is more action-packed, whereas the other has better character development.

“Spy Game” scored the lowest in the “Heart-Pounding Action” quotient; its suspenseful scenes were more tactical than visual.  But whatever “Spy Game” lacks in action, is compensated by cleverness.  “’Operation Dinner Out’ is a go” and it’s funded by Agent Muir (Redford).   There are no clear adversaries in this film—it’s a much more complicated game than the archetypal “good versus evil”. 

“Ronin” (1998) ranked third place on the list, scoring the highest in the “Wonderstated Hero” department because of the wonderfully understated ensemble cast of bad-asses. 

“Have you ever killed anybody?” asks Spence (Sean Bean).

“I hurt someone’s feelings once,” replies Sam (Robert De Niro).

Whenever the subject of good car chases comes up, “Ronin” is always mentioned.  Thanks to its intricate Parisian Audi S8 chase and Sam’s coffee cup ambush, “Ronin” scored fourth place in the “Heart-Pounding Action” quotient.  However, the car chases don’t drive this movie, the plot does.  “Ronin” scored third place in the “Plot Cleverness with a Twist” department.  Gregor (Stellan Skarsgård) betrays the team and “the girl [Natascha McElhone] sells them out”.

Normally, a cliché “James Bond” movie would never make my list.  However “Casino Royale” is an outlier.  This movie ranks second on the list.  “Casino Royale” is the second- best in terms of my “Plot Cleverness with a Twist” quotient.  Although the archetypical creepy-looking bad guy Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) makes this movie look like other Bond film clichés, “Casino Royale” has much more complexity.   

In terms of a “Wonderstated Hero” this movie ranks third.  Unlike other Bonds, this one (Daniel Craig) is the only vulnerable one; he’s almost always on the verge of death and this playboy actually gets “played” by the savvy and sophisticated love interest Vesper (Eva Green).  He is the only Bond to give up his “double-O” status for love.  Some noteworthy scenes that brought “Casino Royale” to the second place in my “Heart-Pounding Action” category:  Bond’s excruciating, yet defiant torture scene, his near death by poisoning, and his pursuit of and fight with an international bomb-maker Mollaka (Sébastien Foucan) on a precarious construction site. 

“Bourne Identity” (2002) tops my list of Best American Spy Action Movie.  The entire “Bourne” trilogy could have been first, second, and third on the list, but that would be too easy.  The first of this series stands on its own anyway; it scores Number One in both the “Heart-Pounding Action” and “Plot Cleverness with a Twist” category.  Thanks to amnesia, Agent Bourne (Matt Damon) is both greenhorn and guru.  Second only to the cast of “Ronin”, Damon’s “Wonder-stated Hero” Bourne beats Bond.   He speaks multiple languages and fights with expert economy of movement without knowing why.  Love interest Marie (Franka Potente) is not the typical “Bond girl” by any stretch; she is a damsel dragged into distress by Bourne.  The ultimate plot twist is the discovery of Jason Bourne as the “bad guy”.  

These five movies, “Bourne Identity”, “Casino Royale”, “Ronin”, “Enemy of the State” , and “Spy Game” exemplify the Best American Spy Action by my standards as of today: “Heart-Pounding Action”, “Wonderstated Hero”, and “Plot Cleverness with a Twist”.  I am fully willing for this list to change and evolve as I am exposed to more spy movies that leave me on the edge of my seat, “shaken, not stirred” from plot twists.