“The Help” 

Set in 1963, Tate Taylor’s 2011 “The Help” tells the story of how African-American maids were treated at the time. The film begins with Skeeter Phalam’s return in Jackson, after graduating from the University of Mississippi. Decided to become a writer, she befriends two of the local maids, Minny and Aibilieen and convinces them to tell her their stories about the injustice they suffered during their years of work for white women.  Gradually, more maids decide to join in, despite the danger of being recognized and punished. The book becomes a great success to the dismay of the white women who recognize themselves in the stories.

Due to its fascinating topic, the film sends a powerful message regarding the injustice and discrimination that African-Americans faced particularly in the South. The film tackles such topics such as segregation, false accusations of robbery and violence to show that African American women were helpless in the society. For example, the “Home Help Sanitation Initiative”, which was meant to make it illegal for the maids to share the same toilet with the white families, is used to show how humiliated the maids were.  The film’s message is both painful and filled with hope in the eve of the Civil Rights movement.

“The Help” therefore filled me with both frustration for the unjust fate of the characters, but also joy for each of their small victories. Each friendship that formed between white women and African American characters was delightful to watch, and each painful experience suffered by the maids made me feel annoyed. The film is very inspirational because it reminds viewers to judge others with pen minds and hearts. It also represents a reminder that each person, no matter how young or how old, has the right to be treated respectfully, fairly and kindly.

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 “12 Years a Slave” Film Review

In “12 Years a Slave”, director Steve McQueen retold the dramatic events in the life of Solomon Northup, a violinist from New York, who in 1841, is kidnapped and sold as a fugitive slave. Northup is sold to a Southern plantation owner named Edwin Epps, who treats his slaves extremely badly. Northup also meets more kind-hearted owners, like Ford and Turner, who recognize his qualities, but are still unwilling to help him. The protagonist is finally able to send a message to his friends, through a worker with anti-slavery views named Samuel Bass. He is rescued and reunited with his family, after 12 years.

By proposing this immersion into the past, the director wants the audience to learn about the harsh lives of slaves in 19^th century America, from the eyes of someone who is not familiar with this world. The shocking reality of the slaves’ lives sends a disturbing message regarding the racism and cruelty that these people had to endure. Patsy’s story, filled with rapes, whippings and death wish, is extremely painful and hard to watch. This is a reminder of how easily people can turn into tyrants when they have too much power over other people.

The film has a particularly powerful effect on the viewers because they are able to identify with the main character, him being a person who had not only freedom, but also, a happy and fulfilled life. This sudden and dramatic change of destiny allows viewers to discover slavery together with the protagonist, who witnesses unimaginable cruelty, without having the power to change anything, or even help himself. The film was interesting and touching from the first moment to the end, and made me understand better the horrors of slavery, thus enabling me to appreciate equality even more.

                                                                                 

“Malcolm X” 

A 1992 biographical drama, Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” follows the life story of the famous activist with the same name. Malcolm Little started as a confused young man, who committed crimes to survive. In prison, he becomes a Muslim and learns about the Nation of Islam. Afterwards, he becomes a minister of the organization, and gains great popularity. After a pilgrimage to Mecca, he realizes that he had been wrong to militate for the complete separation of African Americans from Whites. However, he is killed by the Nation of Islam during a speech before being able to spread his views.  

The above summary shows that the most important message of this film is that violence leads to more violence, and no one has to gain from it, including the Whites. This is portrayed in Malcolm X’s speeches, but also in the violent scenes portraying Ku Klux Klan setting his house on fire, or killing his father. Malcolm X, who was lost two times before finally discovering the best path towards equality, is a relevant figure today. This is because racism and discrimination still affects life in the United States.

This film had a powerful effect on me, because of the portrayal of the charismatic leader, Malcolm X. His story is very inspiring because it shows how much a person is able to influence other people if he is motivated. Also, the film illustrates the African American fight for equality, as well as White people’s abuses. I was disturbed in the beginning by the protagonist’s superficial behavior and after that, by his complete rejection of White people.  As such, I could only relate to him later in the film, when he began to change his views. In essence, this film shows that a great man is formed through years of learning and hard work.