POMPEII (2014) – My rating 6.5/10

This was a romantic love story set in Pompeii.  It’s a story most know well.  Like Titanic, a romantic twist make the story more likable and more interesting.  However, it seems no matter how hard Hollywood tries, they cannot produce another Titanic.  Pompeii tells it’s own story about the love of a former slave turned gladiator and a woman of royalty named Cassia (Emily Browning).  The gladiator (Milo) is played by none other than the gorgeous Kit Harington,  who plays John Snow on The Game of Thrones.  Keeping true to form, Milo is a bad ass gladiator who is undefeated.  Like the movie, Gladiators with Russell Crow and Djimon Hounsou , Milo meets another gladiator named Atticus (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) who, in the end, is pitted against him for the kill.  Together they must find a way around this or be killed.  One is facing freedom and the other is facing true love, both facing a volcano.  It’s interesting to see what kind of decisions they make regarding their friendship and future.  In the meanwhile, Mount Vesuvius  is rumbling and threatening everyone’s future.  A slight problem with Cassia is the senator named Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland) who is hell bent on marrying her.  She does not love or like him.  It’s a nice story but sad.  It’s on DVD and is worth your time to watch it.

12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013) – My rating 10/10

You couldn’t ask for a better film depicting Black history.  12 Year’s a slave covered most of what went on during that time.  From prominent Black families to hopelessness as slaves to the hatefulness and defiling of a race.   Chiwetel Ejiofor has been a busy man — I just watched him starring in the mini series (Dancing on the Edge), an HBO production.  All I can say is Chiwetel is brilliant in every film he’s plays.

No one really thinks about how African Americans were kidnapped into slavery or the jealousy displayed by slave owner’s wives when their husbands committed the ultimate insult by raping the enslaved women and even producing children as a result.  There is so much to the ordeal of bringing a race of people to a foreign land and forcing them to become slaves while defining them as nigger animals who were treated worst than dogs.  These actions helped to mode the Black race into what it is today.  People really don’t understand the plight of the African American.  Movies like this, help to clarify some of the problems that are still prevalent today.  I believe 12 Years a Slave deserves best picture and best actor as maybe best actress.  Well Done Steve McQueen, Well Done!