Selma (MLK Biopic)

[Spirit Zero]

I mean in a movie that involves massive medieval battles or mobster/mafia shootouts/hits you expect to see changes for whatever reasons, don't pretend you don't know what I mean. Both of those movies were never meant to be deathly serious biopics anyway, they aren't even biopics.

Selma isn't any kind of thriller/action/fisticuffs based movie obviously. Its a straight laced biopic thusly there really shouldn't be any tampering with what actually happened. Especially when its as clearly one sided as it was sheesh! again don't pretend like you don't know what I mean.

I don't even think it deserves a best picture nomination, maybe best leading man but that's it.

[Darth Marcus]

Originally Posted by Spirit Zero

I mean in a movie that involves massive medieval battles or mobster/mafia shootouts/hits you expect to see changes for whatever reasons, don't pretend you don't know what I mean. Both of those movies were never meant to be deathly serious biopics anyway, they aren't even biopics.

Selma isn't any kind of thriller/action/fisticuffs based movie obviously. Its a straight laced biopic thusly there really shouldn't be any tampering with what actually happened. Especially when its as clearly one sided as it was sheesh! again don't pretend like you don't know what I mean.

I don't even think it deserves a best picture nomination, maybe best leading man but that's it.

Many times these embellishments are added to either deepen the drama or perhaps make a certain character arc more readily apparent or, on occasion, reinforce an idea that the filmmaker is trying to get across. To say that one embellishment is okay because it's being employed to enforce spectacle while another embellishment is wrong because it's being used in a true events drama is totally asinine. You can't separate the line that easily. In both cases, if a viewer were to watch both instances and then later read up on what actually happened, it still comes down to the same result: the events depicted in the film do not completely align with what actually happened. And thus is the nature of storytelling. At the end of the day, films based on historical events (whether they be gangster films, war films, biopics, etc.) are meant to spread awareness of said events while also be entertaining and, hopefully, thought-provoking. To my mind I've never seen a film based on true events that got everything historically accurate. And there never will be. Films will always be an interpretation of what happened because it is reinforced by the story that the filmmaker wants to tell.

[Foggy]

Mark Kermode reviews Selma - YouTube

[Edinburghoscar]

Originally Posted by whiteberry

I agree with your entire post. I went in with low expectations but was blown away by the movie. 4.5/5.

+1

I also thought that the supporting cast was superb.

I really enjoyed the scenes between MLK and the President.

[djgeneral]

I'll be generous and give it a 2.5. The worst of the big award films by far this year. Over-rated, boring, and just the same old thing over and over again seen in countless films like this. Seems like something schools would watch for history class. It is a powerful message of course and shows some disgusting times from our history, but the movie was not moving at all. The lead actor was nothing special by any means and was outshined by countless others this year.

[Falaskan]

Next up. Oprah to do a biopic about Ferguson.

[jacobsever]

BOOOOORRRRRING.

I love slow burns. I love dramas. I (usually) enjoy biopics. But this movie was just so mis-paced. Right from the opening scene, that felt like you were randomly dropped into the middle of a film, this film had started rubbing me the wrong way. I caught myself surfing the web on my phone multiple times while watching, because it couldn't hold my attention. More than once, I thought to myself, "I would much rather be watching a documentary about Martin Luther King, Jr."

Also, question

[Show spoiler]What's up with Malcolm X trying to speak with MLK in jail, then a couple scenes later we are told he died 3 weeks ago? Are we to believe that there was a 3-4 week time jump within a few minutes of screen time? That had NO other indication. I'm so confused by that.

Also, after watching all of Lie To Me...seeing Tim Roth play a Southern governor...LOL. Terrible casting. A man who is so incredibly English should not try and have a American South accent.

[sxerunner]

I personally enjoyed it. Amongst the BP nominees I'd say it's in the lower tier.

Though I will say,

[Show spoiler]the beginning scared the shit out of me. I haven't jumped like that thanks to a movie in a long time (and I've seen many horror movies).

[CyberpunkCentral]

Oooo... this is free on digital.