(Movie) The Long Hard Road....A look at Selma

Have you ever stepped outside yourself to observe your reaction to something?

Selma takes a look at the famous march from Selma, Alabama, to the Alabama capital, Montgomery in a non-violent protest against African Americans being unable to vote.

In this 2 hour long film, I've never seen something more jarring than the recreation of violence against non-violent protestors. The march was lead by Martin Luther King Jr.

Story/Dialogue: As this is a recount of the events that transpired during 1964, a lot of the script would have derived from conversations actually had by the persons involved. With that said, the story itself felt like a character. It was simple and straight forward and thus, was enjoyable in that respect. The dialogue of the characters was to the point and their motivations clear. The story arc fit well, going from a negative place to a more positive one.

Cinematography: This movie made great use of the golden glow for symbolism, as if Doctor King was being guided by God. Conversely, it was interesting that George Wallace had more of a silver, sinister light to show his intent. Interestingly, President Johnson's lighting in the oval office was a subdued golden light. As though he had the capacity for good, but it was dispersed by his seemingly stronger need to quell the rising tension in the South. The film itself felt like stepping back in time, with its velvet edged frames and giving it an almost soft look despite the content.

Audio: This is where the movie hit me the most. The god damned soundtrack. The song titled, 'Walk with Me,' during the first attempt at the bridge crossing was one of the most jarring and unnerving things I've ever witnessed.
And 'Glory,' by John Legend and Common at the end really gave the film that sense of triumph. As though watching it made you feel as though you were marching with them.

Overall: This movie was brutal, honest and fiercely inspiring. It's a fascinating insight into American history and reminds us that Doctor King was human. The fallibility of this man who was inspired by God to march on behalf of the people he represented is a powerful story and definitely one that the world deserves to know.
This movie was both enlightening in its observation of human history and terrifying in its ability to show the atrocity that humans are capable of.

5 stars and frankly, this movie should have won more Oscars than it did.