I was so unsettled that I had to stop eating during the movie. I kept thinking that it was based on a true story, which kept me going through vicious cycles of awe, fury, pity and disgust.
The performances were powerful and the scenes chilling and unforgettable. Down to the sheer discomfort during the scenes where whites become sickeningly inhumane and psychotic in their treatment of slaves. It is mind-blowing that there were people who actually thought this was normal and idealistic. When I watch movies like this or read books like this ... I am reminded of why I will never be okay with using the "N-word." Yes, words have power. And this one carries behind it one of the worst faces of mankind in its history. Of course black people have the right to own it and do what they want with it. Yes, I like songs that happen to contain the word. But no one else should be messing with that word today. No one. It just feels innately wrong! I remember once being around a Filipina and a white girl who used the N-word as a term of endearment with black athletes (yes, they were groupies) and I cringed so bad I wanted to erase the memory forever (fail). Plus I was especially (and instantly) embarrassed because of the Filipina girl. Ugh I'm cringing right now.
But I digress.
There is no one big theme or message in the film. There is no Hollywood emotional manipulation. Instead you get a sense of the comings and goings of days, nights, hours, minutes ... in this mundane nightmare that is a slave's life. One female slave in particular - Patsey - broke my heart (Just googled and it was captivating actress Lupita Nyong’o). She was in the worst lose-lose situation. There is no safe haven when the master wants you and hates himself and you for it. And then of course his wife just plain hates you.
So difficult to understand and believe that this evil existed not that long ago on this continent. But it did, and this movie makes it so real it's scary. Steve McQueen did an amazing job directing this. The lead part, a free man who got kidnapped into slavery, was played by Chiwetel Eljiofor and he definitely mesmerized. I smell Oscars :)
Again, I broke my rule and I didn't read the book before the movie, but I do plan to read Solomon Northup's memoir now.
And I just discovered that the memoir is available for free online :)
Mind Farts
-Canada now fast tracking visa applications to help out Haiyan victims :)
-i remember racist white kids calling me "[N-word] Lips" in elementary (yes, kids were that racist even in elementary school. thankfully Edmonton's more diverse and multicultural now). as an immigrant kid, that was my sad introduction to this stupid word. so yeah, white people using it = not cool
-having full lips is not a problem nowadays
-another kid's parents called me a derogatory word for Aboriginal people. seriously, what was wrong with the neighbourhood I grew up in? it's bad enough that people didn't care enough to get my ethnicity right ... but even adults slamming a 10-year old with racial slurs - really?
-my kids will definitely be going to a ethnically diverse elementary school. mandatory! as you can tell, this movie got me all fired up
The performances were powerful and the scenes chilling and unforgettable. Down to the sheer discomfort during the scenes where whites become sickeningly inhumane and psychotic in their treatment of slaves. It is mind-blowing that there were people who actually thought this was normal and idealistic. When I watch movies like this or read books like this ... I am reminded of why I will never be okay with using the "N-word." Yes, words have power. And this one carries behind it one of the worst faces of mankind in its history. Of course black people have the right to own it and do what they want with it. Yes, I like songs that happen to contain the word. But no one else should be messing with that word today. No one. It just feels innately wrong! I remember once being around a Filipina and a white girl who used the N-word as a term of endearment with black athletes (yes, they were groupies) and I cringed so bad I wanted to erase the memory forever (fail). Plus I was especially (and instantly) embarrassed because of the Filipina girl. Ugh I'm cringing right now.
But I digress.
There is no one big theme or message in the film. There is no Hollywood emotional manipulation. Instead you get a sense of the comings and goings of days, nights, hours, minutes ... in this mundane nightmare that is a slave's life. One female slave in particular - Patsey - broke my heart (Just googled and it was captivating actress Lupita Nyong’o). She was in the worst lose-lose situation. There is no safe haven when the master wants you and hates himself and you for it. And then of course his wife just plain hates you.
So difficult to understand and believe that this evil existed not that long ago on this continent. But it did, and this movie makes it so real it's scary. Steve McQueen did an amazing job directing this. The lead part, a free man who got kidnapped into slavery, was played by Chiwetel Eljiofor and he definitely mesmerized. I smell Oscars :)
Again, I broke my rule and I didn't read the book before the movie, but I do plan to read Solomon Northup's memoir now.
And I just discovered that the memoir is available for free online :)
Mind Farts
-Canada now fast tracking visa applications to help out Haiyan victims :)
-i remember racist white kids calling me "[N-word] Lips" in elementary (yes, kids were that racist even in elementary school. thankfully Edmonton's more diverse and multicultural now). as an immigrant kid, that was my sad introduction to this stupid word. so yeah, white people using it = not cool
-having full lips is not a problem nowadays
-another kid's parents called me a derogatory word for Aboriginal people. seriously, what was wrong with the neighbourhood I grew up in? it's bad enough that people didn't care enough to get my ethnicity right ... but even adults slamming a 10-year old with racial slurs - really?
No comments:
Post a Comment