Ghost

Not only is this a great film, Glory takes you to a place and time that is hard for most African Americans to think off. We do not know some of the pain and suffering that those who fought the way before knew. Racial epitaphs be slurred at us every day. It would be double the effect if we were fighting for our country and we were still treated in this manor. Being a veteran in the Unites States Army, I could not even imagine coming home or fighting on the front lines, and being called some of the horrible names that these men care called in the movie. Enough about that lets get talking about the movie.

I guess we are starting to see a pattern here. It has been the precedent to wait a few decades goes by before the Academy allows an African American to receive the award for acting. Could it be cause of the roles that they are given, being only roles that in where they do not have to stretch too far from what they already know. Or is it because those voting on Academy awards do not know how to recognize good acting when they see it? Who knows? All I know is that Whoppie Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey were both passed over in their portrayal of Celie and Sophia (respectively) in the Color Purple, We do not see another winner for acting until the movie Glory. In Glory, the union unit, led by Col. Robert Gould Shaw, played by Matthew Broderick, and other white abolitionists struggle against racial prejudice in many forms. In one seen, the Col goes and tries to get supplies for his troops and is shunned and battered by other white soldiers for commanding an all Black unit. Col Shaw is does not let this shake him.

Another seen depicts him conveying to his troops the important of appearance and having to be better than the other soldiers to be considered equal. The climax depicts the Union's attack on Fort Wagner, which was spearheaded by Col Shaw's troops, who took heavy losses but was hailed for their bravery. Denzel Washington played a misfit who was part of Col. Shaw's unit and went on to be awarded an Academy Award for Acting, the fourth to ever do so in Academy history.

It was a Christmas miracle when we did not have to wait another few decades to see another African American received the Academy Award for acting. Whoopie Goldberg received it for her role as Ode Mae Brown in the movie Ghost.. In this thrilling tale, Sam Wheat, played by Patrick Swayze, and Molly Jensen, played by, Demi Moore, are one of the most loving couples ever. On their way back to their new apartment they run into a roughneck named Willy Lopez, played by Rick Aviles resulting the death of Sam. As ghost, Sam comes to the realization that the robbery was planned by no other than his best friend, Carl Bruner, played by Tony Goldwyn who hired Willy to rob Sam in order to get Sam's wallet, containing the password to Sam's computer, which would allow Carl to conclude a money-laundering deal he was involved in.

In order for Sam to make sure that Carl does not get away with the dastardly deed, he has to warn Molly and ask for her help. The only problem is that only a very few people can speak to ghost so Sam employs the help of Oda Mae Brown, Played by Whoopie Goldberg. Ode Mae is the sunshine to this dark and dreary film, which may be the reason why Whoopie won the Academy Award for her role. With the help of Oda Mae, Sam thwarts Carl and Willy's plans to get huge amounts of money and Carl soon discovers the presence of Sam's ghost. Carl sends Willy to kill Oda Mae and her sisters, but with the interference of Sam, Willy fails and is hit by a truck and dies. Shadow-like devils then appear and take Willy to hell. Molly finally believes in the existence of Sam's ghost, but an outraged Carl storms into her house and threatens Sam to kill Molly and Oda Mae if he does not give him the money. He fails, of course, and by accident, he is killed by a half-broken window crashing down on him. Carl is taken to hell and Sam has fulfilled his mission to save Molly.