Selma
2014
***½
Director: Ava DuVernay
Cast: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Giovanni Ribisi, Alessandro Nivola, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey
In 1965, civil rights activists attempt to stage a non-violent voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery. One of the leaders of the movement, Martin Luther King, struggles with an awful paradox; the more police brutality the demonstrators face, the more likely they are to reach their ultimate goal. Ava DuVernay's conventional but captivating real-life drama depicts one of the key moments in the African American history. David Oyelowo gives a commanding performance as Dr. King, who is portrayed as a vulnerable human being but as a saintly and infallible political leader. The moving Glory by John Legend and Common won an Academy Award for best original song.
