CRY FREEDOM

CRY FREEDOM - 1987

RATED - PG for mild language and violence. Violence is not graphic except one mob scene where innocent women & children are shown being shot in back as fleeing. Not overly graphic by today's standards but not for younger children.

RATINGS - 47 Amazon (4.5/5), 110,533 Netflix (3.9/5), 4,187 IMDB (7.3/10).

STARRING - Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline, Penelope Wilson, directed by Richard Attenborough.

AWARDS - 1988 OSCAR nominations for BEST MUSICAL SONG, BEST MUSICAL SCORE, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Washington), 1988 BAFTA nominations for BEST FILM, BEST DIRECTION, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST EDITING, BEST SCORE, 1988 GOLDEN GLOBE nominations for BEST MOTION PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ACTOR BEST ORIGINAL SCORE.

THEMES - Justice, friendship, racial discrimination, racial reconciliation.

STORY - Based on a true story and book by the same name the film starts out in 1975 in South Africa with the police raiding a black township and destroying almost the entire village along with killing and wounding many residents. Donald Woods, a liberal newspaper editor, captures some of the photos of the raid and publishes them along with a piece about Steve Biko, the black activist leader, accusing him of reverse racism. A black woman medical doctor manages to get thru to Woods and challenges him to personally meet Biko and see if he is really racist. Woods accepts the challenge and begins a friendship between two unlikely people in apartheid South Africa. Both men eventually must put their lives and families' lives at risk in the cause of overturning apartheid. Another one of several outstanding films portraying the struggle of blacks in South Africa for the freedom and dignity so many of us took for granted. The cinematography and music are outstanding along with Denzel Washington. Can be viewed by the whole family except younger children. Enjoy! Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 03/14/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB & TRAILER

THE COLOR OF FREEDOM

THE COLOR OF FREEDOM - 2007

RATED - R for language. Several brief outbursts of obscenities including some sexual references. Some violence, although not graphic.

RATINGS - 3 Amazon (3.5/5), 30,967 Netflix (3.8/5), 2,413 IMDB (7.1/10).

AWARDS - 2007 Peace Film Award

STARRING - Joseph Fiennes as James Gregory and Dennis Haysbert as Nelson Mandela.

THEMES - Justice, forgiveness, racial reconciliation.

STORY - Based on the true story of James Gregory's life as a prison guard in the South African prison system. Because he speaks the language of Mandela, he is assigned to Robben Island where Mandela has been a political prisoner for 10 years already in 1968. Gregory's assignment is to monitor Mandela's mail and visitors and report any important information to his superiors. Initially, a racist in his views like other South Africans, Gregory slowly begins to see the human side of Mandela, especially when Mandela's son is killed in a car accident (murder), which may have been set up because of information Gregory provided his superiors. It's a fascinating story and a very well done movie. The acting and the script are top notch. It reminds me of the words of U.S. Olympic Champion Jesse Owens: "Let's go for a walk. If we walk long enough and talk long enough, we may begin to understand each other." That's what Gregory and Mandela did for almost 20 years. Forgiveness and reconciliation are possible. This story proves it. As relevant today as it was twenty years ago. Enjoy. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 02/28/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB

WE ARE TOGETHER

WE ARE TOGETHER - 2006

RATED - PG for some thematic elements.

RATINGS - 2 Amazon (5/5), 453 Netflix (2.6/5), 121 IMDB (8.6/10).

STARRING - The children of the Agape Choir as themselves, Alicia Keys, Paul Simon.

AWARDS - 12 Wins at various film festivals.

THEMES - Relationships, spirituality, racial reconciliation.

STORY - Paul Taylor, writer and director, opens this beautiful documentary with a group of African children being awakened in the morning like kids anywhere, the difference being that these children live in The Agape Orphanage in South Africa. Their parents were the victims of AIDS. It is estimated there are 1.2 million AIDS orphans in Africa. Agape serves about 50 of these children. Music is a big part of the life of Agape as it is all throughout South Africa. As we enter the story, the children are rehearsing for a trip to England where they will perform to help raise money for the home. The story takes several turns as the trip to England is cancelled and two tragedies strike the home and the children during the three years of filming. Along the journey we get to meet and know 12 year old Slindile and her siblings along with many other children and get to know a culture so much different from our own. The music will inspire and uplift you as well as the infectious personalities of the children. The film is worth watching just to see the recording session in the studio of 'O Happy Day'. If you somehow feel we are suffering in our country because of the economy, etc., watch this movie. It will make your day. I believe you will realize how much we have in comparison to the rest of the world, even with our challenges. Highly recommend. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/22/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TRAILER, SOUNDTRACK, WEBSITE