At the Dark End of the Street
Book
Groundbreaking, controversial, and courageous, here is the story of Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor--a...
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Freeheld (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
After more than 20 years of being on the force and highly decorated, Lauren Hester is seeking to give her pension to her domestic partner just like any straight married county employee has been able to do. The Freeholders, are a committee who governs the county, decided that Hester’s pension would not be given to Andree because they are lesbians and the fight begins. They are contacted by a gay rights activist, Steve Goldstein (Steve Carell), who with the help of Hester’s detective partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), try to get the Freeholders to change their opinion. Only with help from the community and police force, who are rallied by Goldstein and Wells,will anything be changed.
Right from the start the movie grabs hold of the viewer, and keeps them engrossed in their struggle to the end. Being so close to being a biography I was surprised at how well it was done and my interest was kept throughout. It is not just an account of a gay couple, more a depiction of a battle for everyone’s civil rights. Freeheld skillfully depicts the struggles of gay professionals to keep their identity a secret from society while still being successful in their field, having a fulfilling relationship and how society discriminated LGBTQ domestic partnerships which became fuel for the Marriage Equality movement.
The actors and director (Peter Sollett) keep the pace fluid and easy to follow without losing any of the important details of their lives or bogging it down with the legalities of the fight. The screenplay could easily have turned this into an exploitation just for the tear-jerking factor, but instead keep it realistic, even adding a bit of humor alleviate the dreariness the story, just like most people will do when facing the death of a loved one. I found Freeheld to be somewhat upbeat, even in the darkest scenes dealing with the misuse of the laws due to bigotry and how close to reality Moore simulates a person dying of cancer, instead turning it into another gloom and doom cancer or civil rights movie. Having been through it myself, I could fully connect with Page’s depiction how it feels to watch loved one dying of cancer and I know so many others will also.
I honestly loved Freeheld, I would suggest to anyone who prefers a matter of fact movie mixed with humor, compassion, and heartbreak that ends with you feeling like you were fully immersed in their life and closure with the finale.
http://sknr.net/2015/10/09/freeheld/
Three Strikes You're Out
Book
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and Earth, and God created men and women of all walks of...
The Right to Food Guidelines, Democracy and Citizen Participation: Country Case Studies
Book
It is now more than a decade since the Right to Food Guidelines were negotiated, agreed and adopted...
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Educated in Books
Apr 5, 2018
Brought up in a survivalist, Mormon family, Westover speaks about a poverty-stricken, difficult childhood where education is seen as secondary and violence is rife. Her relationship with her abusive brother is horrifying, And moreso is her family's acceptance of his behaviour. So gaining scholarships to top universities in the world despite having had no clue about the Holocaust, the civil rights movement, and Napoleon, is no mean feat.
While parts are repetitive, it is engaging and harrowing to hear her inspiring story.
Bostonian916 (449 KP) rated The Best of Enemies (2019) in Movies
Jun 29, 2020 (Updated Jun 29, 2020)
Taraji P. Henson is all but unrecognizable in her adaptation of a civil rights activist who's been drawn to the brink after a local school is damaged in a fire. The fire damage threatens to desegregate the schools as there aren't many options for the students, who are caught in the crossfire. What ensues is a mostly peaceful war of attrition that surprises everybody involved.
Stellar acting throughout. Based on fact. Definitely worth a watch. Without understanding our history, we are doomed to repeat it.
March Trilogy
Book
Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Discover the inside story of the...
Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63
Book
In Parting the Waters, the first volume of his essential America in the King Years series, Pulitzer...
The Law of Agriculture and Farming
Michael Ronayne, Aine Boyle and Edward Walsh
Book
The Law of Agriculture and Farming deals with the law in the way it relates to farming and...
The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition
Book
A groundbreaking history of abolition that recovers the largely forgotten role of African Americans...