#GAfilm Review: "Selma" (****½)

A pivotal scene on the Pettus Bridge in Ava DuVernay's "Selma."

"Selma," at least for me, came out of nowhere. With so many great movies having come out of 2014—many of which helmed by respected auteurs—"Selma" just simply wasn’t on my radar. That is, until it began to make itself known. The film has been a contender in just about every awards race this season. The film is currently boasting a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, received nominations from the Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and received the Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema from our very own Georgia Film Critics Association. Even with all of this praise and hype, I was a bit reluctant to see what appeared to be another somewhat by-the-numbers, feel-good, Oprah-endorsed biopic.

Review: "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (***)

Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker star in "Lee Daniels' The Butler"

“Lee Daniels' The Butler” has a lot going for it. Its sheer ambition is almost overwhelming. Added to that is a cast that includes, but is not limited to, Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Robin Williams, James Marsden, John Cusack, and Jane Fonda. Directed by—you guessed it—Lee Daniels ("Precious," "The Paper Boy"), the film is a fictionalized telling of the real-life White House butler, Cecil Gaines. It’s a much more mainstream movie than the director’s previous works but is still able to pack a few punches. The film is a bit uneven and sometimes feels rushed. Its scope is huge and often scarifies exposition for a quick history lesson.