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mofjord
Reviews
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
superb acting from Cicely Tyson makes this movie unforgettable
To be honest, I haven't seen this film for years but it is among the most moving I have ever seen. Most of all, it was a tour de force of acting by Cicely Tyson, giving the performance of a lifetime, in my view. This is the woman who had seen it all from civil war days to the beginning of the civil rights era. The grace, wisdom and integrity that comes through the character is phenomenal. The scene where Cicely Tyson describes the tree she loves would move even the most jaded cynic.... Though I am no historian by trade, it seems to me that this film takes us through some of the most important eras in the history of America, as seen through the eyes of the character Miss Jane Pittman. I remember I was only 20 when I saw it, but I have no doubt that this film will retain its vigor and relevancy for decades to come....
Rocks with Wings (2001)
this is a special not to be forgotten film
Rick Derby has made a very special film, one that can be analyzed in many ways. I was very very moved by the film and Mr. Derby was able to capture the essence of all the people involved in this story of a team of Native American Girls coached by a young African American male that goes on to capture the girls State Championship. One of the things Derby does so well is to make it personal and sociocultural at the same time. So you can feel it or analyze it on many levels, which is always what good art does, in my view. For me, I felt as though I knew the girls on the team and I feel I knew where the coach was coming from. The actual footage of the games was fantastic and showed how exciting and close the games were. Most interesting and fascinating to me was that both cultures had something to learn from the other, a major important lesson we all can and need to learn in order to appreciate ours and other's cultures. It is my understanding that Mr. Derby had more footage to make this into a series before his money ran out. PBS would do well to make this into a series-it is in line with what they do best and Mr. Derby obviously has the talent and passion to make great movies.