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Monday, February 19, 2007

Note to self: don't cheat on a dictator

In an attempt to use my President's Day holiday wisely I chose to seek out a movie with good Oscar buzz. Forrest Whittaker has won almost every award possible for the movie The Last King of Scotland so I figured it was best to see it before Oscar night.

I will admit that the idea of a movie chronicling the oh-so-stellar and upbeat life of Idi Amin wasn't high on my list, but I was and am giving the tpGal official thumbs up. General Amin - was not someone that you would invite to dinner and I don't think anyone will be building shrines in his honor anytime soon. The film did a good job of slowly exposing the truth and brutality of a man who was rumored to be 'charming'. Rather than hitting the audience over the head with the horrific crimes of this man, we are slowly drawn into a frightening scenario of seduction and power. Waiting for the other shoe to drop is almost as bad as the moment that it does.

Obviously not a film for kids, but I will say that it was excellent.

If you do much reading on the topic (try the Guardian's Obit for Amin) you'll find that Amin had a flexible moral compass and dealt with his problems in a permanent and memorable way. You should pay attention in case you ever find yourself about to cross the line from fidelity to not. Glenn Close ain't got nothin' on Idi Amin.

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