Blood Diamond

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly
This was nominated for FIVE Oscars, including DiCaprio’s third Best Actor Nom. The director also made Glory and The Last Samurai, and similarly, this film is a historical epic of real events tied together by fake characters. It’s about child soldiers, in large part, so it’s quite sobering to watch. Check the content advisory. I found out about it in high school and only watched it this year, so don’t feel any pressure.

This is available on Hulu btw. Everything else has been Netflix.

That all said, this film was honestly stellar. I’ve heard about it for years and thought it was the epitome of a scare-‘em-straight violent film, but the violence felt more rooted than most movies; the film itself acknowledged that a violent story will shock you, but won’t teach you. What you need are facts, which form the backdrop of this story. 

As someone who grew up overseas, the thread of Leo’s character — of being born in one place but not being sure what your true home is — really resonated. The imagery was beautiful. Also liked that Djimon Hounsou (the black African in the pic) was the main character - Leonardo DiCaprio drew audiences and was -EXCELLENT- in his role. But it really felt like it was about Djimon’s character in the end, because it was really about trying to be a normal man in a violent country, and Djimon’s character is the normal man, not the gun-toting soldier Leo was.

I’ve worked with a few African refugees in the past, so maybe that’s another reason I liked it. I’m definitely prejudiced by personal experience, but hey, it got nominated for five Oscars, so it ain’t nothing

It’s a bit long - two hours and twenty three minutes - and it takes a little while for the main plot to get going, but once it starts, it’s good. Like I said, maybe don’t watch it with the kids, but if you get a chance, worth it.