Selma - A

Rated R, 122 minutes
Wes's Grade: A

Stirring, riveting Civil Rights drama "Selma" one of the year's best

The compelling Civil Rights drama "Selma" co-produced by Brad Pitt and Oprah Winfrey (who also appears in a supporting role) is a moving, unshakeable portrait of what it took to gain the right for all to vote in the United States. More than just a sweeping history lesson and literally starting off with a bang in the film's first few frames (and it comes quite unexpectedly, you'll be jolted), the superbly acted "Selma" is also a stirring reminder that many made sacrifices for others. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma, Alabama to Alabama's capital, Montgomery, culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Masterfully directed by Ana DuVernay and written by Paul Webb, "Selma" is a fascinating, powerful behind-the-scenes look at the Civil Rights Movement in the South. DuVernay is part emotional history lesson and part insightful character study, though it leans toward the former instead of the latter, but all of it is rounded by excellent performances. The large cast is led by Oyelowo's sublimely pitch-perfect, impassioned performance as King, one of the strongest performances this year and one that's sure to garner him an Oscar nomination. Of the varied, strong supporting cast Wilkinson and Roth are most memorable, as LBJ and George Wallace, respectively, while Oprah herself gets in a few good scenes as Annie Lee Cooper, the woman who wasn't afraid to deck Selma's racist sheriff. There are a handful of gripping scenes that DuVernay skillfully handles, including the showdown at the Selma courthouse and the Bloody Sunday crossing of the Pettus Bridge in Montgomery, which is both stunning and electrifying; "Selma" doesn't shy away from the violence of the day, and while difficult to watch, provides help in understanding the movement. However, "Selma's" most moving scene is an intimate scene involving King and the father of a murdered protestor that will leave you considerably moved. As a character study, it doesn't shed much light into the complexity of King the man; we see some of his flaws and imperfections though the movie doesn't expound on them; the film is content with weaving King's personal story into the larger one at hand, and for what it is, works fine. Energetically scored by jazz musician Jason Moran and handsomely photographed by Bradford Young, it perfectly conveys the mood and the sights and sounds of the time frame. Uplifting, riveting and expertly crafted, the deeply satisfying "Selma" is a must-see and is one of the best films of the year.

Opens in limited release on Christmas Day and wide release in early January.