Movies

I knew nothing about the true story behind this film before I saw it but Ryan Coogler did an impressive job of telling this controversial story. Coogler takes us to the last day in 2008, and introduces us to Oscar Grant's life. A young, troubled father that is trying to do the right thing by his family. This was his debut at Sundance and he didn't disappoint. The audience laughed when the actors laughed and shed tears when the actors shed tears...it was a very moving film. By the end of the film I felt as though I knew these people personally. The whole cast did an excellent job! I'm looking forward to hearing more about Ryan Coogler in the future.

FRUITVALE STATION (2013) ***1/2 Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Ariana Neal. Absorbing account of the last day in the life of ex-con Oscar Grant (riveting Jordan), an Oakland, California family man attempting to go straight in spite of his past and inner turmoil to do the right thing which inevitably lead to his killing by a transit police after an altercation on a train post New Year's Eve celebrations. Newcomer Ryan Coogler - who wrote and directed - manages to convey a young man's plight when the deck is so stacked against his best intentions in sadly a tale too often proved to be true in this day and age. An indie gem to seek out to see.

This film tells the story of the last hours of the life of a young man in San Francisco.Most of the film is a pretty ordinary portrayal of the day off this young man who had a girlfriend and a daughter, who lost his job and has a delinquent past. He tries to be rehabilitated, tries hard to be a good person, but circumstances of the New Year's eve did not allow his life to be ordinary. The final moments of the film is powerful, especially the mother's tears which is profoundly touching. She would have been under so much self blame. It would have been nice to see more of the citizens angry outcry towards such abuse of power, but this film does the job in raising awareness in this issue.