FILM REVIEW: 'Selma'

"Selma" is a triumphant testament to the power of conviction. Director Ava DuVernay recreates the events which led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in this passionate and momentous piece of filmmaking.

In 1965, shortly after having won the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (majestically portrayed by David Oyelowo) embarks upon a campaign to secure voting rights for Negroes. He rallies disenfranchised, heroic blacks "motivated by dignity" to march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., against formidable odds.

President Lyndon Johnson (the remarkable Tom Wilkinson) lets Dr. King know that he's not on board with the plan. He has "other fish to fry," i.e. the War on Poverty. And racist Alabama Gov. George Wallace (a sinister Tim Roth) vows to stop the march by employing any means possible.

And that he does. Police, acting like Nazi Stormtroopers, beat and bloodied the peaceful protesters on their first attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Although the initial attempt failed, hundreds of thousands (including LBJ) watched the brutality play out on television. It unexpectedly inspired people across America to join forces and unite in the cause. King delivered his "How Long, Not Long" speech on the Montgomery capitol steps, and the rest is history.

DuVernay has chosen to emphasize the role that ordinary people played in the success of the movement rather than the politics. From that perspective we are witness to how grassroots beginnings can evolve into changing history. She exposes King's weaknesses as well as his strong points, lending vast insight into one of the greatest humanitarians in American history.

Oyelowo captures the charismatic King with jaw-dropping precision. His oratory skills are so powerful, it's as though you're reliving history. The humanity that he exhibits through failures and successes is evident in his body language as well as the spoken word. His performance is larger than life.

Breathtaking cinematography (by Bradford Young), soulful scoring and perfect casting puts "Selma" at the top of the list for best film of the year. But, most importantly, it depicts one of the most important chapters in American history with the respectful attention it deserves. The Voting Rights Act was supposed to end voting discrimination. It's disturbing that so many sacrificed so much in 1965 and yet in 2014 some still seek to keep certain people from casting their ballots.