"Suburbicon"

I "loved" it ... but it's no joy ride; more like going through Dante's hell ... the evil we do unto one another ... all cleverly hidden beneath the surface of our "nice" lives - the image of a 50s suburb.

It's a study in evil, corporate and individual ... lust and hate ... racism and desire ... acting is superb, music, cinematography ... and the little boy, omg, what a fine actor. 

And in spite of a tour through hell, it ends on a hopeful note ... I'll not say more, but this gets my highest rating. 

A bit surreal, as it should be ... sometime metaphorical, and deeply ironic - those who would do evil unto others must pay a price. 

Definitely see in a theater ... and if anyone is part of a discussion group, have at it on this one.

"Selma"

Stunning in all regards. 

The story, in all of its complexity and sorrow, is told and pulled me in. 

I was there, in the moments of planning, anxiety, doubt - the drama on the bridge, the horror of the beatings - I was there watching the likes of George Wallace and the local sheriff gladly wallow in their own hatred ... when LBJ, always the consummate politician, struggles to weigh the options and hold the now-dead Democratic coalition together ... I felt the despair of decades of voting rights denied ... I felt the pain as  Martin and Coretta struggle to figure it all out ... and shocked once again to realize that he was only 39 when white rage finally caught up to him and killed him on a Memphis motel balcony. 

The story ends triumphantly in Montgomery, with only a tag line at the end of his death. Musically, powerful, with a searing rap song woven in at the end mentioning Ferguson. 

The cast, superb ... 

A must-see - for an important chapter in the American Story.

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A FB friend of mine offers the following:

• 

  Constance McIntosh One lyric line in Common's rap portion of "Glory" says "our music is the cuts that we bleed through". For me, that fresh truth sums up why the director did not go with all the old songs from the marches of the 60s.
  
  For those who were disappointed in the soundtrack, a very subtle aspect to notice is that the 'theme song' (from the white perspective) of the civil rights movement was 'We Shall Overcome' and many people may not be aware that it was a Pete Seeger song. The Weavers were THE Justice singers and nobody could have more love for them than this granddaughter of a union organizer. And, yes, they were white allies as I am a white ally...but we are supporting characters in the movement, not the stars. White folks have a problem not being put in front...and this is something that needs to be addressed by all white allies and corrected. 
  
  The music in Selma was all black, from black singer/song writers and performers ..,. Except "Yesterday Was Hard on All of Us", by Brit singer/songwriter, Fink. And that placement was such an olive branch of reconciliation in the film. This is a great film and it will be a classic. It just isn't receiving much recognition now.  
  
  AND I am so grieved that 'American Sniper' has grossed (really) $105 million while this giant film, Selma, has taken in @ $20 mill, barely breaking even so far. What a sad social commentary. 

American Gangster

Awesome!

Two actors (Denzel Washington & Russell Crowe) at the top of their game ... a director (Ridley Scott) who does peerless work ... great filming, music, script, amazing little touches - toward the end, watch for the paper coffee cup being passed back and forth.

A parable of integrity and honesty, their power and their limits.

A great sadness pervades my spirit right now ... Frank Lucas ... African American ... clever, adroit, faithful and honest within the boundaries of his family, yet fated to meet the inevitable end.

How can the African American make it in a system weighted against success?

I know that things have changed since the Vietnam era during which the film occurs, but having lived 16 years in Detroit, I know how sad it is for millions of African Americans doomed to live on the margins, struggling to make it, and often falling into despair and crime. Living now in LA, I sense that opportunities are richer here than Detroit ... but racism still pervades the American consciousness, and may God help us rid our spirit of its many evils.

Frank Lucas goes to jail ... loses everything ... released in 1991 - to what?

The cop ... Richie Roberts ... a resolutely honest cop who earns the mistrust and disdain of his fellow officers because of it ... finally assigned to a special unit investigating drugs.

Two men, fated to meet ... both honest in their own way, ending, in the commentary afterward, as friends. In the end, Richie passes the bar and becomes an attorney. His first client? Frank Lucas.

The film dragged a bit, but time was needed to develop the two characters and the worlds in which they lived and the families and people around them.

A film worth seeing ... and no doubt, Denzel Washington is a towering film presence.

Denzel Washington's chilling portrayal of a man utterly ruthless in achieving his goal and utterly loyal to his family is amazing. His face, without expression, blank and cold, is one of the most incredible moments of acting I've ever seen. An Oscar nomination should surely come his way.

Russell Crowe captured the harried, honest and frumpy cup ... studying on the side to become an attorney, scared to death of public speaking.

All other roles - clean and appropriate. Real estate folks - pay attention to the moment when Frank Lucas buys a Manhattan apartment and offers cash - the expression, the voice, of the agent say it all. A little moment, among many, in this fine film - like discovering a jelly bean in your lunch box!

Worth seeing ... that's for sure ... R rated, for sure!