Sam Jackson and Leslie Odom Jr. Lead the Way in Oscar Nominations
“One Night in Vegas” is one of the great boxing matches in history. On the night of February 25, 1964, Cassius Clay joined Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Al Pacino, and they collectively discuss the racial inequality of being successful black people during the civil rights era. Cassius Clay defeats Joe Frazier in one of the most lopsided matches in sports history, garnering the biggest win of his career. The match solidified the integration of the races in sports. As usual, this is a great boxing movie.
In the late sixties, Miami was a hub of political activity. Organized white supremacy groups roamed the streets, carrying the banner of “stand up for black Americans” and intimidating minorities. One night, they had a meeting at a recreation center, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a powerful speech to a crowd of nearly 5 million people. His speech for one night changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement.
On that same night, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play professional baseball for the New York Yankees. He played second base and outfield for the Bombers and later became a popular player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was a big moment in black history. It marked the first time a black person could play baseball professionally. As Jackie Robinson brought home the first major league trophy for the New York Yankees, it seemed that one night might mark the pinnacle of black success in America.
A few months later, Sam Jackson came to Miami. He was a star in the Hollywood film industry, known for his hard hitting performance as a war hero in the movie civil unrest movie “Lincoln” and his memorable work as a rapper. He had just won an Academy Award for his role as Thurgood Marshall in “Lincoln.” But he was just getting started.
He has since become one of the best actors and actresses of his generation. In addition to playing a legendary singer in the musical “Dancing with the Stars,” Sam Ashworth has landed some good roles in movies such as “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” But what film critics and fellow Miami residents are really going gaga over is his role in the Universal Studios film “The Blind Side.” The film’s cast and crew did a fantastic job casting Sam Jackson.
The Blind Side isn’t even the best film of its year. That honor goes to the much buzzed about sequel of Finding Nemo. The second movie in the series stars Ellen DeGeneres as the unforgettable mother of a cub. She brings the character of Marlin a whole new dimension. The writers and producers of the Blind Side screenplay certainly have done a wonderful job of recreating the spirit of the original, but they also managed to create a modern-day family for audiences to enjoy.
The Blind Side is certainly not a disappointment, especially when you take into consideration that director Gore Verbner and writer Darcy Pickens had a clear vision of what direction the film would take. They are both deserving of an Oscar nomination for Best Director. One can only hope that the award will be brought back due to the star power of Keanu Reeves, thanks to the critically acclaimed role he took on in the film.
Other films nominated for this year’s Oscar includes The Desolate Area, Rain Dogs, The Secret Life of Bees, World Without End, The Informant! and Boyfriend. A few other films that should have been nominated but didn’t make the cut include The Informant! and The Perfect Score.
