Selma

Selma

Starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Wilkinson

Directed by Ava DuVernay

Synopsis:
"Selma" tales the story of Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) as he embarks to Selma, Alabama, to protect the African American right to vote, something that was granted to them earlier but made virtually impossible by Alabama Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth).  After pleading with President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to include federal legislation for African Americans to vote freely, he decides to hold a rally and march through Selma, culminating on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where a violent confrontation with officers ignite a nationwide outrage.

Review:
50 years after the march on the bridge, director Ava DuVernay releases "Selma," and it's a very compelling tale on how African Americans had to fight for every right given to them, including the right to vote.  It shows that we have indeed come a long way, but there's still a way to go for racial equality.

David Oyelowo gives an electric performance and, as most people contend, deserved a Best Actor nomination.  However, it seems that the outcry of the lack of Academy Award nominations for "Selma" has soured people to the film, and I feel it's an important piece of cinema to highlight what was once done in secret.

There's been arguments over the historical accuracy of the film, especially regarding Johnson's reluctance to King's march and passing the voting rights law, but looking beyond that, there's an important tale of American resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to, as King put it in the film, "Our lives are not fully lived if we're not willing to die for those we love, for what we believe."

Summary:
While political and social arguments abound about the film, it shouldn't sour you from seeing it, as it is a brilliant piece of cinema filled with tremendous acting and, at its heart, how we can really overcome anything.

My Rating: A