What Happened, Miss Simone?

This Oscar nominated documentary tells the tragic story of Nina Simone. She wanted to be a classical pianist, but prejudice thwarted that goal, so she ended up being the most famous soul singer of her time. Why don’t more people know about her today? Because her uncompromising civil rights activism crushed her career, along with her abusive husband and accompanying mental health issues. Tragic, but we should not forget her.

Box Office Bottom Line: I’ll admit it’s tough to get through, because it’s so tragic to watch. But it is a story worth remembering.

Spotlight

Spotlight is riveting and heartbreaking from start to finish. It tells the story of the Boston Globe investigative reporters who exposed the Catholic Church’s unfathomable and reprehensible protection of pedophile priests.  The film focuses on the process of their investigative journalism and their commitment to disclosing the truth in order to stop the abuse.

Box Office Bottom Line: This is a very well made film from the acting to the dialogue and direction. Every scene is tight and spot on. This film is emotionally draining, but very important. Highly recommended.