Movies

As a 37 year old white South African, who never really saw, felt or experienced Apartheid and the way SA was back then as I was too young, I now have a much better appreciation for all the suffering, discrimination and pain that was caused.Nelson Madela gave up most of his adult life for a cause which has now come full circle and SA is now better off for it, mostly.A powerful movie, that shows a man more passionate about equality and human rights than his own well being, and sadly at the detriment of his own family.I strongly recommend every single South African to watch this movie, especially our current government!

Mr. Mandela's story wold be better celebrated in a mini series spanning several episodes if one is to try to examine the real effect of his life and struggle. From his beginning in the legal pursuit to the incredible resolutions his endeavor and great strength delivered to the world, a glancing look is not sufficient to either dissect or fully understand the scope of this man's achievement on all of us and our existence.There are simply too many elements to the story line of this man's life that cannot be appreciated when so much material is covered in such short order. The early rise of his group, the man's personal confliction, the nature of the apartheid movement and the incredible will of the man to transcend it all is touched upon but never really explored to a level where the impact of his triumph is delivered to the audience.

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (2013) *** Idris Elba, Naomi Harris. Biopic about the life and times of South Africa's most vocal opponent of apartheid Nelson Mandela (embodied fully by Elba in a low-key yet powerful turn) whose arduous trek to freedom suffers many pitfalls including his lengthy prison sentence, loss of family members and the perilous marriage to his equally stoic proponent of protest Winnie (Harris acquits herself nicely). Based on Mandela's own autobiography screenwriter William Nicholson seems to skim a bit over the decades yet Justin Chadwick's surefooted and subtle moments of direction show its subject in repose.