Best movie of this year hands down!

Absolutely Fantastic

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The story is powerful, the writing is creative, and the directing is noteworthy. What more must I say to convince you to watch this movie? Michael B. Jordan & Octavia Spencer hold great performances and the cinematic quality is excellent. If it wasn't for the nonfictional aspect, this film could have been up for a few Oscar nods. Nevertheless, Fruitvale Station is still a must-see.

It's hard to believe eight years after the death of Oscar Grant III at the hands of police on New Year's Day 2009 that things have only gotten worse. At the time of its release in 2013, "Fruitvale Station" colored the trial of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, for which there was no conviction. Then came unrest in Ferguson, Missouri over the fatal shooting of Michael Brown and an ever-growing list of names: Eric Garner, Laquan McDonald, Alton Sterling – "Fruitvale Station" will be a relevant film for a long time.Like Grant, writer and director Ryan Coogler is a black man from Oakland. In fact, they were the same age when Grant was shot and killed while lying face down at the Fruitvale BART station. That's enough information to understand why Coogler made this film, but it's the way he tells Grant's story, among all the available options, that stands out and contributes something meaningful to the conversation of Grant's death – and life.Coogler's film is a dramatic retelling of the day leading up to the incident and its immediate aftermath. Most notably, about 60 of the film's 85 minutes take place before anything bad happens. Coogler does not want to focus on the minutiae of the events that took place at Fruitvale Station, nor the ensuing trial that trivialized every detail. He wants to focus on Grant's humanity and life, and how in a quick moment, it was snatched from him.Just in case any viewer comes in completely unaware, the film begins with actual cell phone footage of the incident. This looms heavy throughout the film, forcing us to constantly reckon with the knowledge that the man we see (played by Michael B. Jordan) will die. This puts a microscope on Coogler's screenplay, not only factually speaking, but why he shows us what he shows us.In that first hour, we meet Grant's girlfriend, Sophina (Melonie Diaz) and 4-year-old daughter, Tatiana, as well as other members of his family gathered to celebrate his mother's (Octavia Spencer) birthday. We watch him talk about the future with Sophina, play with Tatiana, try to get his grocery store job back, help a few strangers, and rendezvous with a drug dealer.Some of the scenes and interactions are a bit overly opportune given Grant's fate, but by and large we get a portrait of a complicated young man. Coogler makes a concerted effort to show us Grant's redeeming qualities and emphasizes accounts from loved ones suggesting he was trying to turn his life around, but at the same time he doesn't exclusively cast him in a favorable light. We get a flashback to his jail time, Sophina confronts him about a past affair, he's clearly still involved with drugs and he has a temper that sometimes leads him to be pushy and confrontational. All this to say, no matter which way the scales tip, when he ends up on the Fruitvale platform, "deserving" has nothing to do with it.The platform sequence, after all that buildup, is a riveting piece of filmmaking. Coogler edits together two perspectives, that of Grant and his friends' and that of the witnesses, in a few frantic, pulse-pounding minutes. Regardless of how Grant and his friends are portrayed and how the BART cops are portrayed, the escalation of events feels unbelievable and unfounded. It should never have happened, and yet so many must suffer the consequences."Fruitvale" profoundly crystallizes some of the reasons these tensions escalate and reminds us of the human, emotional impact these incidents have, regardless of the "character" of those involved and any race-related factors. Although no storyteller can be completely objective in interpreting events and facts around a sensitive case, Coogler's film doesn't make any arguments or attack racial injustice, but it does give all of us a reminder and a reason to make sure no one else has to die under similar circumstances.~Steven CThanks for reading! Visit Movie Muse Reviews for more

Fruitvale StationI got a recommendation to watch this movie. It's about a young man and the events leading up to a certain moment. The beginning part of the movie shows you the real footage that the film is based off of. You can tell that Hollywood picked up a lot of the dialogue and aspects that were second hand.Michael B. Jordan, the young actor who did Fantastic Four and Creed, plays Oscar and cements himself in my library of noteworthy up-and- coming actors. He carries the burden of his life through each scene he's in and is deep down a good person who is left with precious little alternatives.The most recognizable actor in the film is Octavia Spencer, who plays Oscar's mother. Her character is a tad stereotypical but believable. She has a wonderful scene with Michael B. Jordan that she displays her range of emotions.Ryan Coogler is the writer/director for this and Creed. He really plays with plenty of foreshadowing and ominous warnings that only amplify the feeling uneasiness. Also his use of shaky camera isn't over used but makes the film feel more like an experience than a witness. There should be note that how he changed Oscar's character from the real story made it more emotional to watch. He plays with your own expectations in the film. At a few moments he makes you feel it's going in one direction and then swings it the other direction.Verdict: This film made my eyes get watery. That's a hard thing to do and a film hasn't done that since The Last Samurai. I was shaken for a good eighteen minutes. If my wife had seen the film she'd be a mess. Everyone should see this film.

I absolutely love this movie. Honestly, I didn't know anything about Oscar Grant until I saw this movie.Positives:1. Michael B. Jordan plays Oscar Grant with effectiveness2. All of the actors in this movie feel like real people3. The directing in this movie is effective and tremendous4. The cinematography really sets the tone and it sucks you in5. The movie moves kind of slow while feeling fast paced at the same time6. Every scene in this movie feels necessary (absolutely nothing needs to be taking out or changed)7. There's humanity in this movie (example, in life we are the main characters in our own worlds; people come into our lives, they enter, and some exit; some people may change your life and it may effect you forever8. The last 15 minutes or so made me cry (I don't cry very often, especially during movies, but I felt the pain, I felt the heartache, the emotions felt real, the grieving was real, and the loss hits homeNegatives:Honestly, I can't think of any negatives for this movie, and that's very rare for meThe only negative thing is the police. The officer claims to have been reaching for his taser, but he accidentally reached for his gun, and he shot unarmed Oscar Grant in the back. The officer did go to prison, but he only got 11 months. A lot of people in the community claim that there is no justice in the justice system. Some officers get to do what they won't with no real consequences. Some people feel that police are their own gang. Some officers terrorize people and inflict fear. The police are meant to serve and protect their citizens. People are starting to die and the world is noticing that there is a chain happening here. Black communities are suffering because they don't feel safe in their own communities. civilization has evolved and we have access to more things. The accidental shooting of Grant was recorded on numerous cameras. Witnesses were around and apparently the police felt that they could do what they wanted. I don't know much about the current issues happening in the black communities; I am a black male, but I have not experienced any intentional racism myself. I'm glad that this movie was made. This movie can shed some light on the current issues we are facing.Overall, I absolutely fu*king love this movie; this movie is definitely worth checking out.Final Grade: A+