There is no denying that a true story is a lot more interesting to watch because it really happened even though sometimes it seems like the most unthinkable thing. That is why I started the Based On A Truesday Story (a play on the words True and Tuesday). This week’s film is the compelling tale of tragedy in Africa in the country of Rwanda called Hotel Rwanda. Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) was a manager of a hotel called the Hôtel des Mille Collines when war all of a sudden breaks out in the country of Rwanda between a militant group known as Hutu Militia. The Hutu are hunting down a group of Africans known as Tutsi and they are slaughtering them in an act of genocide. So, Paul will do his best to protect thousands of Tutsi from falling victim to the genocide by hiding them in his hotel in hopes that they can escape. The film also stars Hakeem Kae-Kazim (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) as George Rutaganda, Nick Nolte (48 HRS) as Colonel Oliver, Fana Mokoena (World War Z) as General Bizimungu, Sophie Okonedo (After Earth) as Tatiana Rusesabagina, Antonio David Lyons (American History X) as Thomas Mirana, Joaquin Phoenix (Her) as Jack Daglish, David O’Hara (Braveheart) as David, and the film was directed by Terry George (In The Name Of The Father).
George Santayana once said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” and quite sadly the man is correct. We have seen it time and time again throughout history and it’s very sad. In the 1940’s Adolf Hitler blamed all of Germany’s troubles on the Jewish Community and in Rwanda the Hutu’s did the same when they sought out to massacre millions of Tutsi’s which they did in 1994. The film has often been compared to 1994’s Schindler’s List due to the fact that Oscar Schindler protected hundreds of Jewish people from massacre like Paul Rusesabagina did in Rwanda with the Tutsi’s. One of the things that struck me as sad is that this was happening all over Africa whether it be in Liberia, Rwanda, or even Darfur. You see the struggle within the film that Paul goes through along with his family as they struggle to protect so many while trying to protect themselves. They risked their lives and basically were able to bribe their way to freedom. It’s sad when you see all the abandoned children due to the causality of the madness that ensued. The acting is superb and the movie is gripping, it is definitely worth checking out if you’re interested in real life stories. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade.
Moshpits And Movies 