Theater: Hotel Rwanda
Okay, so we all know that Hotel Rwanda is up for several Academy Awards, so I had to see it - especially as they were actually playing it at our theater! (shock upon shock at the theater that seems to pride itself in playing the trashiest of trashy movies)
And we all know that Hotel Rwanda stars Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina, a Rwandan man that saves some people by letting them stay at his hotel in 1994.
That's about all I knew about it, though I did guess it wouldn't be the sort of movie that would have me rolling on the floor laughing.
And, oh my, I would probably say that this was the most gut-wrenching movie I've seen since... I don't even know. Schindler's List comes to mind. But Schindler's List took place so long ago - before even my parents were born. The happenings in Hotel Rwanda - the battles between the Hutu and the Tutsi, the genocide that killed over 1 million people - happened when I was 16. And I didn't even know about it.
I remember hearing the word "Tutsi" and thinking that it was a funny word. That's it. This is the kind of movie that makes me feel extremely guilty for the life I've had. Never fear, though. I'll get over it, and no doubt much more quickly than I should.
Don Cheadle is excellent in his portrayal of a most amazing man, who early in the movie says he only has the resources to save his family, but ultimately saves - repeatedly - the lives of 1268 Hutu and Tutsi refugees.
I most definitely recommend this movie, but please don't be feeling at all depressed or unstable when you do. I found myself almost non-functional after seeing this, and I had been in a terribly great mood beforehand!
Two quotes today:
Colonel Oliver: [explaining why the world will not intervene] You're not even a nigger. You're African.
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Jack: We'll watch it on TV, say 'that it's terrible,' and go right on eating our dinner.
posted by Brenna @ 8:03 PM
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