mikeyjroyals Shows real behind the scenes footage and is very suspenseful and enlightening

idlingdove Everyone who believes in the freedom of speech and the protection of individual privacy should make the viewing of this documentary a number one priority. Snowden has shown exceptional courage and foresight in doing what he did, which this footage amply displays. In addition all others involved (journalists etc.) should be commended on their contributions and courage.The conclusions that one is forced to draw about government surveillance after watching this are so chilling that I almost feel guilty writing what I am right now. But, if nothing else, this documentary will make you realise how important it is to stand up for your basic human rights.

lasttimeisaw The timing couldn't be more appropriate to watch this Oscar-winning fact-based documentary about the exclusive coverage of the man behind "PRISM Door", Edward Snowden and the repercussions afterwards, simply because under the present background of rampant terrorist attacks globally, whether or not each individual's privacy can be collectively sacrificed in exchange for a possible safeguard of personal safety?It is really self-evident to see the controversy of the situation, the bare bones of the debate is principle Vs. exigency, which is all based on one presumption that we permit our governments to put surveillance on our daily activities of all the citizens, then all the terrorism can be maximally forestalled. If it is the case, how many of us is willing to do so, to forswear the civil liberty? There is a big question mark for this, since it is glaringly against the canon of democracy where all the Western countries are built upon. If we allow that to happen, it will become a huge setback in human history, more pointedly, surveillance may not be a fail-safe manoeuvre to counter terrorism at all, while its collateral damage would include many unimaginable infringements of each individual's personal interests, if all the data can be easily at a wrongdoer's disposal.So, that's why we should stand on the same page with director Laura Poitras and her allies in the film, particularly at a time when the dark cloud of probable danger is hovering above everyone's head, we cannot lose our ground of the nitty-gritty. Largely intriguing human's innate proclivity of inquisitiveness, CITIZENFOUR cunningly proffers the first-hand exposé of Snowden when he hid in Hong Kong and contacted with journalist Glenn Greenwald and The Guardian reporter Ewen MacAskill to go through the scandalous disclosure, meanwhile simultaneously a camera is recording by Poitras on the spot. Now, since all the sensational hullabaloo has dissipated, one can be in a more poised state to watch this film, not just the big picture, we can get a preview of what's inside a man like Snowden, his entire process of "coming out". Poitras selectively and disinterestedly lays out a quite frank introduction of him, what he did is indisputably courageous, but also, as a whistle-blower, he is not "the chosen one", if it were not him, as a matter of time, sooner or later there would be another conscience-aware insider to speak out, the scheme of NSA (USA National Security Agency) is simply too massive to cover, thus more crucially, we should turn our target to them and fish out how that plan can be engineered through all the bureaucracy, yet, this is far from a perfect world, at least for now, the answer is moot.After Snowden left Hong Kong, Poitras' camera can no longer focus on him but on Greenwald and others, whom she has approach to film, what happens doesn't register the same intensity, since anyone who has a healthy common-sense knows which side we should lean on. There is a final reel of watching Snowden's life with his girlfriend in Moscow, no close-up, but medium-shot, soon the film also brings down its curtain, savours of a tad dissatisfaction.As one interviewee mentions, Snowden's whole adventure sounds like a John le Carré novel, so surreal but it is indeed a cast-iron fact, Poitras' documentary serves best as an awareness- agitating gateway to invite us to inspect our own government and resist the temptation of a pipe dream - there is no deus ex machina in solving a deep-rooted social problem. With regard to cinephiles, this film might as well serve as an inviting amuse-gueule for the upcoming Oliver Stone's adaptation, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, let's wish it will be at least remotely le Carré- esque in light of Stone's recent patchy productions.

visualandwriting Edward Snowden, 29 years old former employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, the man who provided evidence for the existence of "PRISM" program, the National Security Agency contractor, an outlaw, a wanted person. For some, he is a hero, for others a traitor. What guided him, intrigues not only the whole world but also the director. Careful observation of a person with paranoia, who knows the ins and outs of the world's surveillance. CitizenFour with "My Land" and "The Oath" by Laura Poitras may be included in the political trilogy, presenting the US post 9/11 events. The first two films related to the war in Iraq. In a broader aspect, these films are a contribution to a commentary about the trauma of terrorism. Citizenfour is a documentary immortalizing eight Hong Kong's days in Edward Snowden's life. The movie was shot during journalist disclosure from The Guardian: Gleen Greene and Ewen MacAskill from The Washington Post, on US bugging systems. In January 2013 years, Laura Poitras began to receive emails from the user nicknamed"citizen four". Letters contented spokes of possession, evidence for the existence of the NSA surveillance program and were able to demonstrate the relationship between state agencies and private companies. Big Internet corporations like Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Youtube were involved. They depended on the surveillance network and also stretched to a telecommunications company collects information used social networking sites, email accounts, VoIP gateway. What's more, the information also exposed the phone -hacking worldwide cooperation. In a face of those facts, she the director could not pass by. Contact was kept in a secret from the world, the price for recklessly was too high. After five months, Laura and journalists meet in Honk Kong. From that moment on, camera wanders, keeps an eye on them, record everything that happens around Edward, clings to the form. Most of the events take place at the hotel. Claustrophobic, cramped room, which becomes a metaphor for paranoia, in which Edward lives. The creators draw the viewer into a world of internal events. The interview is interrupted several times by telephone from the outside. Someone has information that in the hotel is a whistle blower and he wants to talk to him. Snowden full of suspicion lies the lady from reception drawls information all in defense of his life. In the end, they move to another room, where no one will bother them. We are in the center of events, don't know whom to trust and who not. We know when the characters disappear when hiding from the establishment. There is a threat. You feel the thrill and suspicion. Paranoia effectively granted heroes and spectators. CitizenFour focuses on the activist, what drove him, how he thinks, how behaves? It turns out that in the whirlpool of scandal, shocking information and facts is the man who had the civil courage to sacrifice his well-being, for larger, more important cause. The director creates a very private image of Edward. Locked in a small room, weighing his words, covers the notebook camera, hiding from technology. In the film, Edward is a balanced man, calm and aware of consequences. His common looks are significant, here is the boy who was brought up in the spirit of the American democratic consciousness. The logic of his statements and control what he says, how he thinks attracts the viewer. Will not find in him the desire of fame, the hero himself says explicitly that does not want to conceal the problem, about which informs. It is easy to oppose his character to Julian Assange. The Australian is determined hacktivist, uncompromising and anti-establishment. At all costs, he wants to share gained information. His data leading awareness, on the consequences in human life (disclosure of the names of agents on foreign territory) is distant to the American.Snowden opts for other solutions.Protagonists are accompanied by an aura of mystery and danger. These treatments reflect the circumstances of the world, which we will live in. Always in hiding, paranoia, network eavesdropping and constant uncertainty. There's no denying that the director turns up the atmosphere of threat. Citizenfour is an example of a film touching the interesting topic. This film is interesting not because of the form, but what undertakes.Read more on visualandwriting.com