It really is no secret that the best time to crawl into bed with a bowl of popcorn and a good movie is during the summertime. Whether you are escaping the dreadful heat, taking advantage of not being in school, or hanging out with friends, watching a movie can sometimes be the most perfect way to pass the time. Movies can simultaneously be the most perfect way to convey a powerful message. Films that give a voice to those who have been silenced should be celebrated as much as possible. While these kinds of movies may not be your first choice, they are the movies that you will probably never forget, with characters whose lives represent people whose stories are often untold. Here are some of the eye-opening movies that I think everyone should attempt to watch this summer (in no particular order) that allows you to view a variety of different struggles from a unique perspective.
(TW// movies contain abuse, violence, homophobia, racism, transphobia, rape, and ableism)
- A Girl Like Her
A Girl Like Her is a mockumentary film about a high school sophomore that is relentlessly bullied by her ex-best friend and her squad of mean girls. The intensity of the movie is evident from the very beginning: the main character, Jessica Burns, attempts to commit suicide by overdosing on pills. As the story unravels, we get to see how bullying drove Jessica to such a dark place, as the video footage of her being tormented is revealed. Though a bit cliche, this film represents millions of adolescents around the world who are bullied to the point of suicide, and I guarantee it will leave you in tears.
- The Imitation Game
The Imitation Game is a thrilling historical drama based off of the real life hero Alan Turing, a genius cryptanalyst who decrypted German intelligence codes during World War II for the British government, and a man whose legacy and brilliant mind was never properly commemorated due to the fact that he was gay. This moving film captures the untold story of Alan Turing, how his talent was utilized to aid in the victory of the war and how his sexual orientation was used against him in order to discredit his monumental success.
- Stand and Deliver
Stand and Deliver is a film based off of the true story of Jaime Escalante, a new math teacher at an inner-city school in Los Angeles where the students are predominantly Hispanic and are not given the means to succeed due to their ethnicity and economic status. Escalante is the only one who truly sees the potential in the students, who have never applied themselves because of how often they were told that they were worthless to society and bound to be criminals. This movie follows the individual lives of the students as they learn from Escalante and transcend the boundaries that they were confined to.
- I Am Sam
I Am Sam is a tear-jerking movie about a single father with a developmental disability named Sam who has to fight for custody of his seven year-old daughter Lucy. Sam loves Lucy with every fibre of his being, and does not understand why the court would ever want to take Lucy away from him. Lucy is a bright young girl who loves Sam and fully recognizes that he is a disabled man. However, Lucy also refuses to believe that her father is incapable of being a great dad, even when all the children at school mock her for having a disabled father. This beautiful film exemplifies how the bond between people with disabilities and their loved ones is far from inadequate.
- Precious
Precious is a deep film about an obese sixteen year-old girl named Precious, living with her abusive mother. Precious has a disabled son who was conceived by her own father raping her. She is pregnant with her father’s child again, and is sent to an alternative school to deal with her traumatic issues. Living in the ghettos of Harlem, Precious was unable to read and write until attending the alternative school. Through incredibly traumatic events, Precious decided to focus on making her and her son’s life better. This incredible story showcases the strength and endurance of a black woman scorned by those around her and the disturbing truths of growing up with abuse.
- Boys Don’t Cry
Boys Don’t Cry is a film about the true story of a transman named Brandon Teena who attempts to recreate his identity in Nebraska. Brandon soon becomes the victim of discrimination and hatred when his peers discover his biological sex. While telling the compelling tale of a couple unphased by sex or gender, this movie represents the opposition faced by members of the LGBT+ on a daily basis.
- Freedom Writers
In Freedom Writers, a newly racially integrated school of inner city kids find it rather difficult to get along. The students separate into racially segregated gangs and dispute with one another frequently. The new English teacher, Erin Gruwell, must teach the students as well as force them to put their racist opinions aside and learn to trust each other, despite all of the conflict that happens outside of the classroom and in their neighborhoods. This movie is pivotal to the concept of racism within minorities, a topic that is often swept under the rug. This movie also exemplifies the struggle of minorities with immigrant parents and what it takes for a young person of color to be seen as intelligent and not as a “thug” in the eyes of white adults.
- American East
American East is an extremely underrated film about the struggle of an Arab-American family moving to the United States. The plot is centered around three characters and their separate issues: Mustafa, a man attempting to raise his son with the same culture and values as himself, which is made difficult by the pressure placed on immigrants to entirely conform to the typical American way of life. Salwah, Mustafa’s sister, is conflicted between having a traditional arranged marriage and being with a man she has fallen in love with, who is a non-Muslim. Omar, Mustafa’s friend, loves to act and has a dream of becoming a big time movie star. However, he is continuously casted to play the role of a terrorist because of his ethnicity. This movie represents the racism and confliction that Arab and Muslim Americans are forced to deal with on a daily basis.
- Malcolm X
Malcolm X is one of the greatest activists to have ever lived, yet schools often refuse to teach about him because “he promoted violence and intolerance”. This movie is based off of his life story, showing his childhood struggles, his life in prison, and his immersion into the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X is ultimately one of the most iconic leaders of the civil rights movement and one of the most audacious activists of all time, and this film is an excellent way to be introduced to his legendary greatness.
