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40<br />
Film<br />
Reviews<br />
by Bill Robinson<br />
Black Lives Matter<br />
The current global, social and political upheaval<br />
has made ever clearer the injustice and unfairness<br />
that is shown to people of colour in all aspects<br />
of life. This injustice extends to the film industry<br />
where, depending where you do your research,<br />
black directors make up only 10-15% of all directors<br />
of the top grossing films. This is undeniably down<br />
to major production companies’ total lack of faith<br />
in films made by/about people of colour to be<br />
critically and commercially successful, and so I want<br />
to cover some of the best films that fall into the<br />
underappreciated category.<br />
Hidden<br />
Figures (2016)<br />
“Hidden Figures” tells the true<br />
story of the unknown black,<br />
female mathematicians that<br />
were instrumental in the success of the NASA space<br />
programme in the early 60s, particularly the famous<br />
launch of astronaut John Glen into orbit. I still think<br />
“Hidden Figures” is one of the most clever and descriptive<br />
names ever given to a film, and the movie itself is just as<br />
clever. It manages to highlight institutionalised racism<br />
within STEM fields as a serious issue that is holding back<br />
some of the world’s greatest minds from showing or<br />
discovering their abilities, without creating a film that is<br />
totally depressing in its tone. The dialogue can be witty<br />
and light-hearted, whilst also being serious when it needs<br />
to be. The performances also find this balance, with<br />
the three main characters able to deliver humour and<br />
sincerity in equal, effective measure. This is totally worth<br />
a watch.<br />
Available on Blue Ray<br />
Uppity: The<br />
Willy T. Ribbs<br />
<strong>St</strong>ory (<strong>2020</strong>)<br />
The most recent film of these<br />
three is perhaps my favourite,<br />
and as a big F1 fan, it’s certainly the closest to my heart.<br />
“Uppity” is the story of Willy T. Ribbs, the first prominent<br />
black racing driver in the world. Decades before Lewis<br />
Hamilton made a name for himself as the only black<br />
F1 driver, Willy T. Ribbs’ story is one of insurmountable<br />
odds and an absolutely steadfast dedication of the craft<br />
of motor racing. The documentary charts Ribbs’ rise<br />
through the ranks of the sport, from lower Formula cars<br />
to top level NASCAR and even the fastest race on the<br />
planet, the Indianapolis 500. Shamefully, motor racing<br />
sorely lacks healthy numbers of black drivers even today,<br />
making Willy’s struggle four decades ago, even more of<br />
an incredible feat and a must watch documentary.<br />
Available on Netflix<br />
Get Out (2017)<br />
I just absolutely love this film.<br />
Its brilliant in so many ways. On<br />
the surface, “Get Out” is about<br />
young African American Chris<br />
Washington being taken to visit is girlfriend’s parents for<br />
the first time. Nothing sounds particularly untoward at<br />
first, until Washington notices some strange things about<br />
the all-white, wealthy property he has been taken to. “Get<br />
Out” then descends into being one of the most effective<br />
and powerful psychological horror films of the 2010s. The<br />
film is a potent metaphor for the way echoes of the slavery<br />
era still linger in modern, western society, held up by<br />
iconic performances and writing that won director Jordan<br />
Peele the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Focusing on<br />
suspense rather than outright terror, “Get Out” is another<br />
film that perfectly fuses the conventions of its genre, with<br />
its important and powerful meaning. It is amazing.<br />
Available on Blue Ray
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