When unexplained happenings and connections started to come into play that affected the actors after they ended production well, someone had to ask.

Power One

When news hit that our beloved Heath Ledger was taken before his time, we were all perturbed. It was so surprising to so many people. How can these people lead such secretive lives when their working lives are so out in the open?

It was terrible to think that Ledger had some sort of disorder or conflict that led him to this point.

As time went on, information started to rear its ugly head. It was said in the news that Heath had gotten so enthralled in his role as the "Dark Knight", that he brought his work home with him. He was unable to sleep, eat, or even think coherently. Ultimately the stress of the situation led to his death. So we believe!

Power Two

Do you remember a movie by the name of "American Psycho"?

Christian Bale just happens to have been the leading role. He was a high power businessman that ruled the industry by day and murdered innocent women by night. He was said to bully the other lead actors out of playing the role because he said he was born to play it. He was sick of others saying Leonardo Dicaprio was a bigger star so he wouldn't get the part.

"I kept saying I was going to play the lead and people wondered if I was losing my mind. It reached the point where the film studio said about me, 'don't mention his name again.'

Christian Bale's acting merits ultimately led to his role in "Batman Begins" in 2005. I loved this movie. It wasn't filmed with an over exaggeration on weapons and gadgets but, the skills of the character.

However, when the second installment of the Batman movies wrapped, Christian was left with a bad taste in his mouth. There was so much attention on the recent demise of Heath Ledger that it took away some of the spotlight for him.

However, the spotlight was not skewed for long. While the movie was destroying box office records, Bale was in London, where his mother and sister reportedly leveled assault allegations against Bale.

Christian spent 4 hours in jail but, he was not charged; at least not yet.

And so the darkness surrounding "The Dark Knight" continued.

Power Three

In the 2005 installment of Batman Begins, Morgan Freeman had actually fashioned the Batman suit in this movie. It was one of his most secret inventions at the Wayne Corporation.

He was a voice of reason and a mentor to Christian while he was on the set.

Every opinion of Morgan Freemen that I have ever had has been an optimistic one. I've never heard of any antics on set or negative press associated with him.

However, after the filming of "The Dark Knight", the Academy Award winner was seriously injured in a car crash.
Freeman was traveling East on Highway 32 when his car skidded off the road and flipped several times.
Freeman was catapulted from the vehicle and then airlifted to a hospital in Memphis where he is still in serious condition.
Undisclosed accidents on the set

There were also unusual circumstances that had occurred during the filming.

A technician on the film died when the truck he was in reportedly struck a tree following a test run. It was also said that one of the actresses was set on fire as well.

I am sure there is one missing that would prove the aspect of Power of 3 but, the press has not released any information.

Another example of the Power of Three

Just the other day, I noticed that my Triond account had an odd amount of funds in it within a few hours. I was excited and skeptical at the same time.

On the same day, I lost my keys on campus and spent 2 hours looking for them. Did I mention my skirt was tucked into my red bikini underwear at the same time?

Not only did I have a humiliating day but, Triond took the money back which is what I expected.

If you put the humorousness aside about my story, you would realize that there were 3 dreadful things that happened to me that day.

This goes to show you that the Power of 3 is alive and affecting others all over the world.

 

Rating: Kids say it's a must-own

Major Players

• James P. Sullivan voiced by John Goodman
• Mike Wazowski voiced by Billy Crystal
• Boo voiced by Mary Gibbs

Monsters, Inc. is the local corporation responsible for providing Monstropolis with power. One of the most coveted jobs in the land is that of best scarer, a title currently held by James P. Sullivan, lovingly known as Sully. His assistant is Mike Wazowski, the best tank and door changer in the business. Mike, however, is not always timely with his paperwork. This forgetfulness leaves Sully alone on the scare floor one night, where he discovers that a door has been left unattended. Sully opens the door to see if anybody is working, only to find himself face to face with a human child, known to be toxic and feared by monsters above all else.

Sully falls victim to the child, which he names Boo, as she makes her way through the land of Monstropolis wreaking havoc and mayhem. With the help of his assistant, he seeks only to return her to the safety of her bedroom and rid himself of the burden. Along the way, Sully finds that humans are not toxic or scary, and this particular human is quite adorable.

Sully and Mike uncover a plot to kidnap children, starting with Boo, in a last ditch effort to save the power grid of Monstropolis by creating a continual supply of screams that will be extracted from the kidnapped children by machine instead of the old fashioned way of scaring them in their beds at night. They also discover that there is a far more powerful source of energy to be had if only knew how.

Sully discovers a love deep within himself that pushes him to fight to protect his precious Boo against all the obstacles and dangers that may befall her. In the end, love and friendship save the day while treachery and deception are uncovered.

Viewers will wonder what will happen next as they sit on the edge of their seat waiting for the next twist. With so much excitement and adventure, even the adults will enjoy watching this movie, which is good because this movie will be watched - over and over and over and over....

Parent's Note: There is some minor to moderate cartoon violence and off-color jokes.

Onboard an overseas flight to London, journalist Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron) and pilot Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson) are caught in the middle of the Rapture when dozens of passengers suddenly disappear including all of the children. Panic ensues as distraught parents and passengers desperately search for love ones.

The whole world has changed in the twinkle of an eye as every single government, company, household and person has lost someone that they knew. The world's economies are tittering on the edge of complete collapse and nervous world leaders are preparing for all out war with the powers that they believe are behind the disappearances.

The disappearances actually marks the beginning “Days of Dire Tribulations” on the Earth as the prophesied Antichrist makes his appearance on the world's stage promising peace, security and solutions to the serious problems that the world now must face. For those that are left behind this is music to their ears and blindly follow this new leader's every word.

For Buck Williams this is the news story of a lifetime and as he begins to investigate the disappearances he is confronted with dangers beyond his own understanding and more importantly he discovers the truth, which profoundly changes young Buck's life.

Pilot Rayford Steele must try to calm his passengers and land the plane without crashing it into the ground in the mist of the chaos both on the ground and in the air. With the assistance of Buck, Rayford returns to the airport and prepares to return to his home to only discover both his wife and young son have both vanished. Fearing that his only daughter has probably vanished too, Rayford sinks into depression as he mourns his loss.

Buck Williams returns back to New York where he works, so to make some sense of the historic events. Ever step of the way danger lurks and his friends begin to be murdered by an unknown shadow government agency. Just when Buck thinks things cannot get any worse, he finds himself being personally invited to the UN by the Antichrist, so to record the closed-door announcement of world leaders as a journalist.

The events that take place after all the world's most powerful leaders has been seated are terrifying in many ways, but probably the most disturbing thing is how no one except for Buck really sees the truth.

Viewers can expect to hear no cursing or no gory violence and no sexual content in this movie. I personally would not recommend this movie to anyone under the age of 13, because the prophesied set of future events that are taught in the Book of Revelation can be scary to children if they are not put into proper context, which requires studying the Word of God to understand.

Left Behind receives a deserving yes, to rent or to buy.

These factors are clearly shown in the novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and the film "Schindler's List" by Stephen Spielberg.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" power is explored through the prominent theme of racial prejudice and injustice.

Set in 1933-35 in the fictional town of Maycomb County, Alabama during the depression, "To Kill a Mockingbird" explores the relationship between white and negro communities and how the power of the whites dominated the negro's.

The film "Schindler's List", based on a true story during WWII, demonstrates the abuse of power which the Germans had over the Jews and how one man heroically stood up against his society to save over 1000 Jewish lives. Oskar Schindler used his authority and power as an individual to make history by saving so many Jews from execution.

During the 1930's in the southern states of America, the white communities looked down at negros as being inferior to themselves which created the conflict throughout "To Kill a Mockingbird"

One of many instances involves a scene outside the courthouse where Tom Robinson a negro was on trial for the rape of Myalla Ewell who was a member of the white society.
A group known as the Old Sarum bunch that were considered influential as they had the power in numbers, arrived outside the court house determined to take matters into their own hands by killing Tom Robinson without a fair trial. Atticus Finch, who was defending Tom Robinson, was on guard outside the courthouse knowing that the tension would bring trouble. A member of the Old Sarum bunch stated "You know what we want." "Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch". This shows that power in numbers can be effective and change the way one individual would think if by himself. By becoming a part of a mob, behaviour and attitudes change as you have others to support your actions.

This scene was interrupted by Atticus' children Jem and Scout along with friend Dill running to Atticus's side. Scout recognised Mr Cunningham, a friend amongst the Old Sarum Bunch and innocently said "Hey, Mr Cunningham, How's your entailment getting along?" As Scout continued talking Mr. Cunningham began to feel embarrassed and called the mob off by saying "Lets clear it out, let's get going boys"
It was the innocence of a child that was able to dissolve the angry, irate mob through sympathy. This shows whilst in a group, power can be effective, but when individuals are singled out situations can change.

Another concept of power displayed in the novel was the trial of Tom Robinson. It was here the power of the whites dominated the court proceedings. This is evident from the start as the blacks filed in last and are seated in the balcony, and the jury consisted of only white people.

As the hearing proceeds all evidence showed Tom Robinson's innocence but the verdict was already decided before the trail began as the majority of the white community were prejudice against blacks and he didn't stand a chance, because he was negro.
During the court hearing the states lawyer, Mr Gilmore asked Tom Robinson why he stopped to help Mayella and for no money. Tom states that he saw Mayella struggling and felt sorry for her. Mr Gilmore acknowledges loudly, "you felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?"

This shows that racism was acceptable in court, with Mr Gilmore saying how ludicrous it is for a black man to feel sorry for a white woman under any circumstance. This clearly shows the power and control the whites had in the courtroom.
In the film "Schindler's List" in 1933 the Nazi Party led by Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany.

Oskar Schindler was part of the Nazi Party, but when he saw first hand the slaughtering of innocent Jews he said "I am now resolved to do everything in my power to defeat the system"

Oskar Schindler ran a factory in which he produced poor quality tank and artillery shells. In the factory, the Jewish people worked hard, and no Jews were killed or mistreated. All the money Schindler made in the factory went towards buying more Jews and bribing SS

Officials. By 1942 he had 500 Jews working for him, and when Schindler diverted Jewish people to the factory from concentration camps he had housed over 1400 Jews. When asked why he was helping the Jews, he simply said " if you saw a dog going to be crushed under a car, wouldn't you help it?"

Schindler was amongst a few of the Nazi people who had the power to intervene against the abuse that German society accepted. He used his power as an individual and risked his own life to save over 1000 lives. Before Schindler made the "shell" factory he ran a pot and pan factory which made him rich. Oskar could have left Germany any time with wealth, but he used his power and money to ensure that many lives of Jews were saved.

As a result of this, after the war Oskar Schindler had no money to his name, but he had saved many Jewish people from execution because he used his power as an individual to stand up against evil.

One of the main techniques used in "Schindler's List" was a young girl wearing a red dress in the black and white film which highlighted the innocence of the Jewish people.

As shown in both texts, power can be depicted individually or in groups. Power sometimes involves standing up against a society to do what is morally right as shown in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Schindlers list".

This list is by no means a complete accounting of all cinematic phallic symbols. If you feel I've missed something major, please leave a comment.

One more thing, just because a movie has a water fountain or a club doesn't necessarily mean it's intended to be phallic. Even Sigmund Freud recognized that “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”

For the entire movie, Jeff is bedridden and powerless, and reliant on the care from women, especially from Lisa. She wants him to be a domestic husband rather than a traveling adventurer, creating tension between the two. In the Thorwald apartment, Jeff sees a reflection of his own situation. Mrs. Thorwald is bedridden and a constant nag to Mr. Thorwald creating tension between the two. There is no sexuality in the relationship, but rather Thorwald is totally stripped of his power because he must take care of his sick wife. She mocks and belittles him to the point where he cannot take it any more. This is why he feels that the only way out of his situation is through murder. In both apartments, the men are desexualized by their circumstances.

This is why Jeff literally wants to see murder. He feels as though he is totally desexualized and powerless and wants to see the murder because it shows that there is a way out of this feeling. As Rushing states, “Jeff identifies with Thorwald who lives out of “the real deal of his desire” - killing the nagging wife who ties him down, freeing the male subject for further adventures” (317). Jeff wants to be free again as he was when he was a traveling photographer. Lisa, though, is taking this opportunity to tie Jeff down to domesticate him into a husband. “The woman represents a trap in this case the trap of domestic status” (Rushing, 316).

In the movie, all that Jeff sees is men who cannot pursue their own sexual wants and needs, amplifying his own fear of women and sexuality and his desire to see murder. In the case of Miss Torso, the scantily clad dancer, many men seem to desire her, but she ultimately holds the control as she thwarts every man's sexual advance. With Miss Torso, however, like murder, the audience and Jeff desires to see her become more than a tease. The husband in the newlyweds is literally sexually controlled by his wife and every time he comes up for air, he is called back for what the audience and Jeff presumes to be more sex. Ms. Lonely Hearts is unable to “trap a man” (Hitchcock, Rear Window) and when a man makes sexual advances on her, she does not like it, but wants to be in control herself. The couple with the dog is totally desexualized and there is no outward show of sexual emotion. When the dog is murdered however, it is interesting to note that the wife says the murder was done “because it loved you” (Hitchcock). This is interesting because in both Thorwald and Jeff's case, their significant others probably love them, and both men desire to be rid of them. In all of these cases, Jeff sees only negatives that go along with love and sexuality, making his own fears even worse. Obviously, the worst case that Jeff sees is Thorwald's and therefore, when Thorwald murders his wife, he sees himself through Thorwald. He does not actually see the murder, but can empathize with Thorwald's situation and can see why Thorwald would want to be rid of his wife.

Through the movie, the viewer can make the assumption that sex is dependent on love, but that love is a source of misery. We see this through the neighbors' various pursuits of sex or love. The people that have love are unhappy because they have become desexualized, either through sex acts, with the newlyweds, or through no sex acts, as is the case with Thorwald. On the other side, however, the people that do not have love (the pianist and Ms. Lonely Hearts) are unhappy because they do not have love and therefore, no sex. Jeff soon realizes subconsciously through what he thinks is murder in the Thorwald household that murder is the only way out of the misery of relationships. He is not sure of what he actually wants- does he want to be with the woman he loves and become like these other married men, or does he want to have no love at all?

Ultimately, the film relates murder and sexuality as the two things that the audience and Jeff presume occurs, but never actually sees. Jeff desires to see both sex and murder through his gaze and “window shopping” because he sees himself in his various neighbors' different situations, both in and out of relationships. He is able to identify the most, however, with Thorwald. Thorwald's wife is the source of his tension, just as Lisa is Jeff's source of tension. He wants to see the murder that he thinks happens because he is also desexualized, powerless, and in a tense relationship just as Thorwald is. Lisa is a trap to Jeff and he realizes this, but does not know how to deal with it and as a result desires to see the murder. This is how the film, Rear Window, relates love and sexuality to murder.

 

The strength of this film is in the juxtaposition of lengthy emotionally-charged scenes which only the best of acting could support. These were violent times and violence and sex were indeed portrayed but in the most effective fashion of an initial striking visual impact - suspended - leaving the imagination to complete the picture.

Contrasts of light and dark and their symbolism permeated gloriously rich or malevolent scenes. Costumes, scenery, lighting, photography and out-of-focus effects all contributed to capturing this unique period of history. Such magnificent scenes rightly featured a magnificent cast: Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Abbie Cornish, Samantha Morton and Jordi Molla. The film was directed by Shekhar Kapur, written by William Nicholson and produced by Working Title Films. The music by A. R. Rahman, was not limited to sounds from that era, but written in a more modern idiom that remained accessible and unobtrusive to reflect and support the emotional energy the scenes inspired.

At the heart of events was the powerful figure of Elizabeth 1, her need for over-riding control and her dedication to her people and her country which contrasted significantly with the turmoil of her womanly inner desires and passions. Her love for Raleigh, their credible relationship - a meeting of powerful and quick-witted people and the undercurrent of strong sexual attraction led to Elizabeth's credible slip from her pedestal and descent into a physical jealous spat with her rival and winner of Raleigh's affections: Bess who eventually bore his child.

There were unforgettable scenes above and below water that brought us inextricably inside the battle with the Spanish Armada so close to English shores. Contrasts of the English and Spanish cultures effectively permeated events. The contrasting personalities of Elizabeth and Mary were also apparent, featuring the volatile humanity of Elizabeth and the calmness and poise of Mary Stuart as she faced her execution. These are but a few effects that fed this feast of magnificently crafted scenes, to make the film one that will be remembered as one of the most spectacular of those dedicated to Elizabeth 1.

From the vantagepoint of most moviegoers, it would seem that African-American actors have made giant leaps in the way that they are represented on film. And they would be right. The contrast of African-American actors in films today, compared to their counterparts in films of the past, is as different as night and day, or black and white. The roles that they are given, the way that they are viewed by the public, and the respect that they receive from their white peers, demonstrates that the African-American actor has become more than just comic relief, or a scene decoration, or even a token. African- Lazy, shiftless, slow-witted. These are just a few of the words used to describe how African-Americans were portrayed in film in the early days of Hollywood, and the one actor who epitomizes that view the most would have to be Stepin Fetchit. Even though he is considered to be a pioneering African-American actor, his negative and stereotypical portrayal of blacks on screen is looked upon with disgust and disdain, even today.

From his very first film, 1927’s, ‘In Old Kentucky,’ through the majority of his career, Stepin Fetchit consistently played the uncle Tom role to a tee. A good example of that would be his role in the 1952 film, ‘Bend of the River.’ What seems to stand out the most about the character that Fetchit plays, is the child like quality he exhibits, innocent and non-threatening, something that was very common in the majority of films that featured African-American characters, especially between the 1920’s and 1940’s. And even though this film was made in the 1950’s, where some changes were just over the horizon, Stepin Fetchit had been playing his signature role for so long, that to see him as anything other than the lazy, shiftless character moviegoers grew to know, would be shocking to say the least.

The fact of the matter is, Stepin Fetchit was cast in this film, as well as all the previous films that he had been in, for one reason, and one reason only, comic relief, and that example is displayed in several scenes, including one scene where he has comical interchange with an African-American actress dressed up like ‘Aunt Jamima.’ The unfortunate truth about all of this is that Stepin Fetchit was a very intelligent and talented actor, as were many of his African-American contemporaries. But none of them were ever able to portray that on film.

Stage Two: The Great Black Hope

As America moved into the 1950’s, changes were slowly being made, as African-Americans started to show that they could be more than just butlers and maids, but were human beings with brains, just like white people. And on the movie screen, the same types of changes were taking place as well, America was introduced to a new image of the African-American, and his name was Sidney Poitier. Proud, articulate, confident,attractive. Sidney Poitier became the first African-American matinee idol. He was a complete 180-degree opposite of the African-American image that had been perpetuated by Stepin Fetchit. Throughout the remainder of the 1950’s, and even into the 1960’s, Poitier showed a type of quiet defiance in all of his roles, including a landmark performance in the 1967 classic, ‘In the Heat of the Night.’ In the film, Poitier plays a Philadelphia homicide detective in Mississippi, helping to solve a murder. From the moment that Poitier’s character steps off the train, he is a stranger in a strange land, a black man with dignity and self-esteem in the racially heated south. His character respects himself and demands just as much respect from others, as he demonstrates when he speaks the classic line, “they call me Mr. Tibbs.”

In another scene, and probably one of the most powerful in film history, Poitier’s character is questioning one of the town’s very important men. Upset with the line of questioning, the man slaps Poitier across the face, and without missing a single beat, Poitier slaps him back. Sidney Poitier showed a side of the black man that had never been seen before. Audiences were not used to a black person being the smartest, coolest, most civilized person in the group, especially when that group included whites. The strides that Sidney Poitier made on screen were very defining and influential, and would pay huge dividends for African-American actors in the decades to come.

Stage Three: From Zero to Hero

For years, there’s always been the joke, that in horror movies, the first person to get killed was always the black dude. But in 1968, a low-budget horror film by director George Romero changed that view by having “the black dude” not only the last to die, but also the hero the film. Borrowing from an image of African-Americans started by Sidney Poitier, the black lead in Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead,’ seems to be the one who is able to keep his cool and stay calm and level-headed, when it seems like the whole world is coming to an end around him.

George Romero himself has said that the reason he put a black actor in the lead role was not because he was trying to make some sort of political statement. It was because he was the best actor that Romero knew among his friends. Whatever the reason, the fact that the hero was African-American was a very significant moment in film history. And it showed that the image of the movie hero could be more than just John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart.

Stage Four: Partners

It’s nice to be the hero, but sometimes saving the world or fighting crime requires a little help, no matter what your skin color, as demonstrated by the popular buddy cop movies. After a while the formula began to grow tired, then along came ‘Lethal Weapon,’ another buddy cop movie with a twist. One partner was black, and the other white, and it changed the face of the buddy cop movie forever. What’s interesting is the juxtaposition of the two cops: on the one hand you have the African-American cop who lives in a nice surburban neighborhood with a stable family, and you have the white cop who lives alone and is portrayed as the oddball or outcast. And as is typical with most buddy cop movies, the initial meeting between the two is less than cordial. But through the course of the film, their relationship grows to the point that the white cop becomes like an adopted member of the family, from having dinner with them to spending Christmas with them. In the end, the movie isn’t about a black cop and a white cop. It’s about two cops who build a friendship.

Stage Five: Black Power

A very well-dressed attractive woman stands before a group of reporters, and announces, “ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.” At this point, out walks a middle-aged African-American man with salt and pepper hair, and a mustache. No, it’s not the latest comedy movie starring Eddie Murphy. In fact, it is a drama, and the African-American man is Morgan Freeman, one of the most respected and acclaimed actors of the past twenty years. And in the1998 film ‘Deep Impact,’ it’s a scene that never would have been imagined, even ten years earlier, but was now being played out on movie screens across the country. At moments Freeman's portrayal of the most powerful man in the world seemed more presidential than some of the real life presidents that have held the office. There was a time when an African-American would have never been thought to possess the characteristics needed to make a good president: strong, decisive, and intelligent. But those times have changed, and it is reflected on the big screen. As a matter of fact, there have been several films over the past ten years, that have had African-Americans as presidents, or presidential candidates, including comedies.

Stage Six: The Best Man

One of the best films ever made was ‘The Manchurian Cndidate,’ a 1960’s political thriller that starred the legendary Frank Sinatra. So who do you get for the 2004 remake? Mel Gibson? Bruce Willis? Brad Pitt? How about Denzel Washington? Well, the fact is, Denzel Washington is who they got, and whether he was the studio’s first choice or their last, they felt that he had enough star power, even as a black man, to carry such a movie. Even in Sidney Poitier’s heyday, it is probably safe to say that he never would have been considered to reprise a classic role originated by a white movie star. But “the times, they are a-changing,” to quote a classic Bob Dylan song. No longer is color an issue when it comes to casting a film: even comic book characters who were white in print, are recast as black on film. More and more, studios are casting based, not on color,but on what the actor can deliver at the box office. What is next? Will Smith as James Bond? Wesley Snipes starring in a remake of On the Waterfront? The possibilities are endless, as long as Hollywood’s mind is open, and their eyes are closed.

Stage Seven: The Last Taboo

For the longest time, one of the biggest taboos in film has been the subject of interracial relationships between the sexes. As other racial barriers in film steadily fell aside, interracial romance seemed to take a little longer. The best example of this taboo would have to be two earlier versions of William Shakespeare’s, ‘Othello’ (1952,1965) a story that deals with the subject of interracial romance. In both cases, white actors in black face were cast to play the famous Moor of Venice. Flash-forward to 1995, and you get a different story. This time around, actor Lawrence Fishburne is cast in the lead role. A black actor playing a black character, what a breakthrough! But that is only part of the story. The most telling thing about the changing climate that has taken place in film concerning the issue of interracial romance, is the graphic lovemaking scene between Fishburn’s ‘Othello,’ and Desdemona. Even something as little as a kiss between a black man and a white woman on screen would have caused a riot during Hollywood’s golden age. The film did not even feel the need to shy away from Othello’s jealous and violent tendencies, something that could be thought to show an African-American in a negative light. Instead the filmmaker showed a man dealing with issues that can affect a man of any color.

In this more enlightened era of filmmaking, an African-American Othello isn’t the only change. The whole racial dynamic has been turned on its head when it comes to relationships between men and women. A very good example of this would be 1999’s ‘The Wild Wild West,’ starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline, one black man and one white man, vying for the affections of the same woman. Another good example is the 1995 movie ‘Money Train.’ In it, Wesley Snipes beats out co-star Woody Harrelson to win the heart of a woman that they are both interested in. What was considered groundbreaking in 1967 with the film, ‘Guess who’s Coming To Dinner,’ has now become commonplace today. And by doing so, it only strengthens the notion that love is color- blind.

This has been just a very brief look at how Hollywood has changed in respect to the African-American actor; the story is much, much bigger than these few pages can tell. The impact that African-Americans have made in the film industry over the past several decades has grown by leaps and bounds, and continues to grow even more. From African-American directors, writers, and producers, to Academy Award winners, the strides that have been made over the years do not just benefit African-Americans, they benefit everyone.