jaredlemin

When a new teacher discovers some local boys with some talent for the game of golf, he works to overcome racial tension in the community and give the boys a chance to compete with their white peers. The part of this movie that I found unique was the attention paid to how important it was for the coach to teach the boys how to "perform" for their audience - how to "act" like they belong. It is easy to look at this and think that shouldn't be the message, they should be able to be themselves. However, we all know from experience that the bar is higher when there is prejudice, so this was a very real way to show how difficult it can be for those first men and women who paved the way for people of color in spaces where they were once unwelcome. It can be uncomfortable, and it won't always work, but we have to keep trying. That is the message this movie delivers effectively.

It took me way too long to watch this one. At my age, new Disney movies aren't something high on my list so I normally wait until I hear a lot of hype about a movie before I see it. Surprisingly, I didn't hear a lot of hype about this one and after watching it I couldn't be more shocked. If I had to guess as to why that is I would say that is likely speaks to adults more than children when it comes to its message, but it is one that children do need to hear. It is a movie about what it means to find your calling, and what it means to help someone else discover theirs. It is a story about inspiration, and an inspiring one at that. There are plenty of laughs along the way and two truly incredible characters.

The Titanic has been gone a long time, but it still carries on as an obsession in the minds and the hearts of so many. Even before James Cameron's epic film about the disaster it captivated people all over the world. There are some incredible stories about the ship and those who dedicate their lives just to getting 2 miles down into the ocean to see it. More than anything, though, this story is about a man who was driven by something far different than this old ship. He was driven by a destination and let it cloud his judgement throughout the entire journey. It is a shame this documentary couldn't have been made before his passengers lost their lives, because exposes it as a foregone conclusion. It was a story that needed to be told, and as sad as it was Netflix did a great job telling it.