By Kali Hammon // Contributing Writer
Correction: Selma will be shown in the Student Union Building at the Student Union Theater. The midnight showing of Friday will require an MTSU student ID, and patrons are allowed to bring one guest.
To celebrate Black History Month, several movies will be shown on MTSU’s campus at varying times and locations. These movies were chosen to represent the theme of this year’s Black History Month, “Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories.” See the full list of movies below:
Selma, which is based on a true story, shares the story of the dangerous campaign that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) led in order for African Americans to secure equal voting rights in 1965. The film centers on one special protest, the iconic march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama. Despite facing harsh opposition, some of the most legendary Civil Right leaders and members of the civil rights movement come together to make the march. As a result, one of the most significant victories of the entire civil rights movement took place.
Selma will be playing in the Student Union Building at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. from Feb 4-6 in the Student Union Movie Theater.
Straight Outta Compton, which is also based on a true story, takes place during the late 1980s in Compton, one of the most dangerous suburban areas of Los Angeles, California. Five young men, including Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E, who are all facing personal struggles of their own, combine their musical talents to form the rap group N.W.A. As N.W.A becomes more successful, the men become involved with the darker side of fame. They begin facing issues with government agencies because of their controversial music, as well as having conflicts amongst each other.
Straight Outta Compton will be playing at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the Student Union Movie Theater from Feb. 18-20.
In Friday, Craig Jones (Ice Cube) hates his over-bearing girlfriend, he owes rent money, and now he has just been fired from his job for stealing cardboard boxes. But, it’s Friday, and he decides to go home and sit on his front porch with his best friend Smokey (Chris Tucker), a pothead who helps sell drugs for the neighborhood supplier. The film focuses on events that Craig and Smokey witness going on in their neighborhood during the day. Whether it’s a shoot-out, run-ins with crackheads, disputes with Big Worm (the insane neighborhood drug supplier), or dealing with the annoying neighborhood girl, Felicia, their Friday proves to be full of unexpected excitement.
Friday will be showing on Friday, Feb. 19, at midnight in the Student Union Movie Theatre. Doors will open at 11:30 p.m. An MTSU student ID is required for the showing, and patrons will be allowed to bring one guest.
In the sports classic Remember the Titans, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), an African American, accepts the head football position at T.C Williams, a high school that was a result from two schools being forced to integrate. Strong racial tensions arise when black and white boys are forced to play together on the school’s football team, the Titans. The film, based on a true story, focuses on the trials and tribulations of not only a team, but a community, being forced to accept change but ultimately allowing them to reach racial harmony and become closer than they every anticipated.
Remember the Titans will be playing in the Student Union Movie Theater Feb. 25-27 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Read the full list of Black History Month events on and off campus here.
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Although I commend the student union for putting on movies for black history month, I believe that all the movies shown should display the reasons we celebrate the month. Friday is a great movie, but it stereotypes the black community more than shows the reason we celebrate this month. All the other movies show exactly why we celebrate black history month so I feel that it should be consistent throughout the whole month. Black history month is a time to celebrate how far black people have came through the struggles of segregation and dehumanization. Friday shows exactly what most people think “being black” is which is smoking weed, selling drugs, fighting, and gang banding. “Straight Outta Compton” displayed some hard truths to what being black was like after segregation was over. Police harassment and brutality still existed which is why the group N.W.A. became so famous. Remember the titans, which happens to be my favorite movie, shows how a team came together despite their differences and became a better football team and a family. Selma is the movie that should be shown more than any of these movies. This takes you back to the hard times when there was no equality in America. Movies like Selma, Malcolm X, Ali, 12 years a slave, and the butler should be shown every black history month.