Why did you give "Selma" a rating of 1?

Dear blackalaureate, Thanks for writing. Can you use a euphemism for the one word? Or use several words to describe your thoughts? This isn't a game to me. However, I'm not sure what you mean by feeling threatened. I'm Caucasian, but I've been in civil rights actions where I did feel physically threatened. Is that what you meant? Or, did you mean threatened in a societal sense? Red-125

Red, the easiest answer is probably the one you had in your head when you posted this question. Racism.

Dear cruzeh2002, Thanks for writing. You thought the acting was terrible, and I thought it was great. No sense following along that road. No problem--our opinions differ. However, I'd like to know more specifics about misrepresentation of facts and lack of authenticity. I was in the Civil Rights March in 1963. I didn't participate in the Selma walk, but I think the newspapers and TV stations showed events that were accurately portrayed on screen. However, I'm not an expert, so I'd be interested to learn what aspects of facts and authenticity you found incorrect. Red-125

lol u actually believe in youre own *beep*

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cruzeh2002, You named five things but really it's actually two things. Terrible casting does account for bad acting. Misrepresentation of facts would also fall into lack of authenticity and denigration of Lyndon Johnson.

Now if you don't like the film, fine. But to give it a 1 is simply ludicrous.

Dear Truce, Thanks for asking the question before I did. It never occurred to me that people would give a movie a rating without seeing it. I find that bizarre, and, also, unfair to others of us who haven't seen the movie, and are using IMDb ratings to decide. Luckily, this film is so good that it's riding above the rating of 1's that some people gave it. Red-125

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Dear dfinde, Thanks for writing. I think you meant that zero wasn't offered as an option, but I get the point. The problem with an answer like that is that it's not very helpful to the rest of us. OK--why would you have liked to give the film a zero? Red-125

Why is "unbiased", to you, mean that it's a hit job on his personal life? And, what makes you say that it's film glorifying King if you haven't seen it? MLK having affairs is well, well documented and discussed. It's not really that important to his accomplishments, nor particularly unique among powerful men. Not in the least. His thesis was shown to have issues with poor citations of material used from other sources, but his university determined that it was a solid contribution to academic thought to refrain from revoking his degree (Nor was King hiding his use of other sources.). Again, this situation hasn't exactly been swept under the rug, either.

The truth is that his accomplishments and contributions are exceptionally large and influential in a positive way for our country. If you really want, I can tear down most any American "hero, if you like, as they are all flawed individuals. King gets the credit he does because he deserved it, no question.

Please direct me to the other feature films about MLK. There aren't any... so I'm not sure what other films that have seen the light of day in theaters you're talking about. Also, if you'd seen the film, you'd know that his womanizing was very much touched upon.

But they did talk about his affairs in the movie. In what sense is it glorified?

If IMDB serves any purpose, it is to helpless identity these oxygen stealing idiots

Whining about oppression or celebrating the accomplishments of a just struggle with the telling of fascinating story? The only tiresome comments are the whining ones like yours. If you bothered to read a book on the subject, you might realize that Hollywood actually sanitizes the struggles in the movement. It was much more difficult and worse than depicted in the movies and television.

And, what groups had it "much worse" than African-Americans? And, you don't see the various movies about other groups that suffered, either? Holocaust movies? Movies about Native Americans? Japanese internment? WW II prison camps? Etc., etc. Why only complain about black people telling their stories?

Dear Vorspiel, Thanks for writing. Your letter speaks for itself. Red-125

I am none of the things you listed, but I'd give this movie 8/10.
I do not see how this movie is cliche. An African-American woman directing a film about one of the most important events for her demographic in that place and time? Not cliche.

But I am very curious, who has had it worse than African Americans in your opinion?

Almost every oppressed group has had films covering their struggles, which is a great thing. These stories deserve to be told. These stories deserve to affect those of us who were not around to witness them. And these stories deserve to make us realize that in a lot of ways, things have not changed.

Is the Holocaust also cliche? *rolls eyes*

Dear tmcmurra, Thanks for writing. No other comment. Red-125

Yes, it was boring and slow at times. But boring enough to be considered one of the worst movies ever made?