Em-Slice

I watched the movie Bobby this weekend. It was a fictional account of what happened the day Robert Kennedy was assassinated. More than anything it provided an insightful glance at what was happening in the 60’s. The revolution of equality (Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated), Vietnam, and the political turmoil of the Kennedy era were all explicitly documented. This was a defining moment in the history of America.

The acting was very well done and had an all-star cast. The movie even managed to weave in the LSD children and the beginnings of the hippie movement. After watching this movie, I was left with a deep sadness. There are many things that parallel the present moment and I can’t help but hope for a better leader for tomorrow. Perhaps a leader with Bobby’s charisma, intelligence, and vision would lead this country out of its fear. I highly recommend watching this movie if for nothing more than to be reminded that senseless violence can darken the voice of humanity. The voice that comes from the depths of our souls that reminds us that we are in this world together and that it is up to us to make it a better place.

I went to see Babel today. From the preview I assumed it would be intense and from things I heard, I knew it would bring several societal issues to the surface. It was both of these things and more. It spoke of the US and how willing it is to make incidents into terrorist attacks, of the power of communication, and of how different cultures clash. However, it failed to deliver any sort of comic reprieve and turned into a two-hour film about hardcore human suffering. I was also amazed at the underhanded way white Americans were portrayed as ignorant, self absorbed, and downright mean to other races. I find this issue complicated and somewhat disheartening. Nonetheless, the cinematography was amazing. Visually this film is worth seeing as it catches humanity at its lowest, highest, and in all its simplicity. Oh yeah, and the acting was brilliant.