Shake Hands With the Devil is a movie based on Roméo Dallaire’s novel Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, and is about Dallaire’s experience in 1994 during the Rwandan genocide. Dallaire was a part of a peacekeeping force that was in Rwanda and during his time there he had a hard time getting done what he thought needed to get done.

The trailer for the film looks pretty good, I like that there are no huge celebritities in it, sometimes I find that this really allows you to think about the reality of a situation.   And the story sounds simple amazing. Read the rest of this entry >>

I am so horrified by the story of the 15 year-old murder suspect accused of killing nine year-old Elizabeth Olten. The accused is an acquaintance of Elizabeth and has been charged with first-degree murder. Last week a judge ordered that the teen remain in juvenile custody as they decide if she will be tried in an adult court.

I don’t understand what drives anyone to murder another human being, especially what drives a kid to kill another kid! Here’s a brief video about this tragic story:

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Just a note that one of my all time favorite inspirational movies (and one of TakePart’s 81 for 81) is now available for viewing on Hulu!

Stanley Kubrick’s marvelous SPARTACUS, starring Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier, is an epic story of overcoming oppression and standing up for one’s rights as a human being.  I feel stronger every time I watch it. Even more awesome, the Hulu presentation of the movie even features the overture (music over black), allowing you the entire experience of the film.

So, if you find yourself with a few free hours and want to be both entertained and inspired just go below to watch!

andrewturner's Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

Urban gardening is one of our favorite topics here on TakePart, but we haven’t yet explored urban forests like the amazing Tenderloin National Forest (TNF) in San Francisco.  What was once an alleyway where trash piles and drug abuse were common, has since been transformed by people from the Tenderloin neighborhood into a thriving green community space where the public can enjoy art exhibitions, performances, classes, as well as edible and non-edible gardens. Read the rest of this entry >>

Green Zone is a film about two men and their search for weapons of mass destruction. The film is based on the 2006 book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran which is based in Green Zone, Bagdad. It is directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93 , The Bourne Ultimatum , Bloody Sunday ) and stars the always amazing Matt Damon.

In the trailer below it looks to be intense and a pretty brutal exploration of the corruption behind wars and the need for people who seek out the truth.  I can already feel my heart racing.  Read the rest of this entry >>

I’ve definitely had a conflicted relationship with the recent work of Clint Eastwood.  I really really disliked Changeling but surprisingly totally dug Gran Torino.  However, I have to say his latest film, Invictus, looks unquestioningly awesome. It tells the true story of how Nelson Mandela worked with the captain of the South African rugby team to try and bring unity to South Africa through the universal power of sports.

In the trailer below, Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman’s performances look great and I can’t tell you how excited I am for a sports movie that is also a political movie–two of my favorite genres united! Read the rest of this entry >>

U2 rocked my world last night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and if you weren’t one of fortunate 90,000 people in attendance you can watch a rebroadcast of the live streaming performance on YouTube now, and also get involved with the groups efforts to help fight poverty, AIDS, and injustice throughout the world.   I’ve been a huge fan of U2 since my brother introduced me to The Joshua Tree album when I was about 6, and as I grew older I began to fully appreciate the political movements that the group has given voice to over the years, and this tour is no exception.

One of the featured organizations on U2’s 360° tour is the RED campaign, which seeks to generate funding from the private sector to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  Last night’s show also included a video message from Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu who spoke about the importance of the One campaign, which aims to fight extreme poverty and preventable diseases, particularly in Africa.  Read the rest of this entry >>

As this Halloween season’s crop of horror movies is released, I recommend skipping the sensational and the torturous and staying in with one of the films below.  Not only will they scare you but you’ll also get a little commentary about the world we live in to make you think.

Some of the films are more subtle with their messages and some are more obvious but they’re all chockfull of insights about how we can make the world a better place or how we’ve gone wrong in the past and can learn from our mistakes.

Let me know if I missed your favorite. If you want more movie recommendations, check out my list from last year of the Top Ten Films for Halloween Fun and Fear.

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10. Carrie - This film has a lot of underlying commentary about religion but I put it on the list mostly because of the film’s basic message to be nice and treat other people–even those you don’t like–with respect and decency.  All too often we treat others rudely (as my friend Elizabeth recently pointed out) and I think this is something we can all work on. It may not be the same as protesting a war, but I think that the world would genuinely be a better place if people worked a little harder on this end.

Also, the following trailer’s references to Psycho make me kind of happy as it’s my favorite film of all time! Read the rest of this entry >>