Next week we will be wаtching а dystоpiаn film that speaks tо the questiоns raised by Plato's The Republic. The class will decide by their vote here which film we will watch. I will announce the winner on Monday. What follows is brief descriptions of the films. Pleasentville is a 1997 comedy-drama film directed and written by Gary Ross and stars Toby Maguire and Reese Witherspoon. highschool twins David (Maguire) and Jennifer (Witherspoon) could not be any different. Jennifer is one of the most popular girls in school, while David is introverted and nostalgic for a simpler time. When the two fight over what to watch on TV, they find themselves sucked into David's favorite 1950s black and white sitcom. How will they adjust to this world of pleasant illusion? Available for streaming on Kanopy (free with a public library card) and YouTube with ads and for rent elsewhere as of 2/23. The Truman Show is a 1998 comedy directed by Peter Weir and starring Jim Carey, Laura Linney, and Ed Harris. Truman (Carey) is living the perfect life and in a perfect town. There's just one catch: it's all lie. He is actually the star of a reality TV show but has no idea that his life serves as the entertainment for an audience of millions. Available for streaming on Kanopy and Hoopla (free with a public library card) as of 2/23. The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film directed by the Wachowskis and stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss. This is the film that gave us the phrase "red pilling," for better or worse. Neo (Reeves) is a hacker, who is contacted by the mysterious Morpheus (Fishburne), who tells the young hacker that in fact he is in the Matrix, a virtual reality world meant to imprison him. Morpheus gets Neo out, and hopes that he is the one who will lead a rebellion against the machines who have enslaved humanity. Available for free on HBO Max and for rent elsewhere as of 2/23 Josie and the Pussycats is a 2001 comedy film directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, staring Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Parker Posey, and Alan Cumming. Based on the Archie Comics property, Josie and the Pussycats follows the rise of the titular rock trio from small town band to superstardom. There's only one problem: their label is brainwashing their listeners. Available for rent as of 2/23. Idiocracy is a 2006 independent comedy directed by Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Office Space) starring Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolf. United States Army librarian Joe Bauers (Wilson) along with Rita (Rudolf), a prostitute, are subjected to a military experiment in cryogenics. When they wake up in the distant future they find that although they are only of average intelligence in the present, they are now the smartest people alive. How will they manage in this world of idiots? Available for streaming on Hulu for free and for rent elsewhere as of 2/23. Select which film you would want the class to watch and tell me why. In most cases, whichever film gets the most votes will be selected. If the tally is within a single vote, then I will consider the arguments you have made here to make the decision for the class.