If the title describes your age then you should see ***Hotel Rwanda|http://www.mgm.com/ua/hotelrwanda/intro.html***.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when we walked into the theater. The movie has been receiving good reviews and ***Don Cheadle|http://imdb.com/name/nm0000332/*** and ***Sophie Okonedo|http://imdb.com/name/nm0645683/*** have been nominated for several awards for their performances, but I was still skeptical. I think that I was worried that the film was being revered for its topic instead of its virtues as a movie.
What I discovered, was a movie that held its own. The story of Paul Rusesabagina and his Oskar Schindler-like harboring of Hutu and Tutsi refugees in Kigali, Rwanda in 1994 was more than poignant, it touched me to the core.
I was 15 in 1994 and I remember hearing about the genocide in Rwanda. I remember thinking that it was horrible that no one was interveining in the chaos. I was not however as ashamed to be an American as I was last night watching this movie. The blatent disregard for human life by the West was shocking and shameful. Yet, even while surrounded by hate, Rusesabagina was able to keep a brave face for his family and the 900 guests at his hotel.
I wonder, if faced with the life or death situation that Rusesabagina was in, if I could muster the courage to save so many lives?
The tears flowed several times during this movie, and while I walked though the theater lobby, and during the car ride home… and even after I was tucked into bed. Even now, 24 hours later, thinking about it, tears come to my eyes.
Despite the emotional distress that the movie sparked in me, I wouldn’t hesitate to see it again. This emotional journey should be taken by everyone. Seeing a number of true heros stand up for what they believe in is simply inspiring. If anything was going to inspire you to charity work, public service, or to join the Peace Corps, this is it.
This was about the same feeling I got when I saw “Requiem for a Dream” which is rated NC-17. It has a lot of “gross” stuff… but it’s all for a point. It’s a movie about the realities of addiction and how it tears up lives. I cried after seeing it and my heart went out to all those people who have a gaping hole in their lives caused by addiction to lots of things, not just drugs. Does it justify all the gross stuff in the movie? I don’t know. But it sure made an impression.
I was also moved to tears while watching Hotel Rwanda. I left the theatre truly wishing for an opportunity to personally thank and hug Paul Rusesabagina. I also left with a serious sense of SHAME of my own ignorance and my government’s inaction in the face of such a dire situation. We seem to ignore the many horrors that continue to go on in many African nations. Starvation, the AIDS crisis, warring tribes, other horrors… they all still exist in much of Africa. There are few things that make me ashamed of being an American, but this does. In my mind, it rates right up there with the historical mistreatment of the Native Americans, slavery, and Jim Crow Laws. We have a tendancy to ignore human suffering when it is convenient for us.
I would encourage EVERYONE to see this film. It is an education. We need to send a message to the producers of this film… THESE TYPES OF FILMS ARE VALUED AND THESE TYPES OF STORIES NEED TO BE TOLD.
I am very excited that Paul Rusesabagina will be appearing at a nearby college to speak later this month. Maybe I’ll have that opportunity to Thank him personally!