Last week, I was home for spring break, and since I had no vacation plans, I ended up spending my week catching up on movies that I missed in theaters. These movies were just recently released On Demand, and I highly recommend checking them out if you get the chance.
Boy Erased (2018)
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Boy Erased, directed by Joel Edgerton, follows the story of a college student, Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges), who was sent to a gay conversion camp in 2004. Based on a true story, the movie was adapted from a memoir entitled Boy Erased written by Garrard Conley 2016, where he details the difficulties of coming out to conservative Christian parents, and the horrific experiences of conversion camp.
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Russell Crowe plays the role of Jared’s father, who is a pastor that struggles to accept his son’s identity. His mother, played by Nicole Kidman is an interesting character, as she is faced with the decision to either support her husband and her religion, or accept her son. Actors such as Joel Edgerton and Troye Sivan also have important supporting roles in the film.
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I suggest watching this movie because it has a lot to say about the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community or adolescent identity in general, tackling topics such as sexual assault and suicide. Boy Erased is important for people to see, as it highlights the disgusting truths of conversion therapy, and sheds light on the necessity for acceptance, which our culture is often lacking.
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The Hate U Give (2018)
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The Hate U Give, starring Amandla Stenberg, tells the story of a young girl living a double life in a high-crime, lower socioeconomic town while also attending a rich private school. When her childhood friend is shot and killed by a white police officer, her hometown ignites a protest. The movie traces the story of the protest against police, while also highlighting the main character’s battle with her identity and the violence that plagues her city.
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I think that every person should watch this movie at some point. The Hate U Give hosts an extremely important message that is currently prevalent in our society. The painfully realistic style of the film opens the eyes of the audience to see the racism that is constantly taking place around us. The creators of the film also put a lot of emphasis on the violence and hate as an epidemic in America, while also illustrating other problems such as black identity and police brutality.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
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With an amazing performance by Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody celebrates the band, Queen, while tracing the life and career of Freddie Mercury. The movie follows a powerful story of not only how the band was formed, but also some of the hardships that were faced in Freddie’s personal life, such as a difficult relationship with his family, and the confusing discovery of his sexual identity.
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I originally thought that in order to enjoy the movie, I would have to be a giant Queen fan, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! The songs in the movie are all extremely well-known, and the story of the band and the members’ lives is fascinating, whether you consider yourself a Queen fan or not.
I highly recommend any of these movies if you’re looking for a recent movie but you’re not quite in the mood to make it to the theaters. These movies all have extremely powerful messages and if you get a chance to watch any of them, I highly suggest it!