Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Cinema Clips: Whose Streets?

Posted By on Wed, Aug 23, 2017 at 12:00 PM


This is a strong documentary from directors Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis about the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement after the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

The film utilizes stock footage of protesters and their standoffs against militarized cops, and shows you how things got mightily out of hand. It also replays the interview with Darren Wilson, the officer who riddled Brown with bullets after he had raised his hands into the air to surrender.

It’s still chilling to hear the man recount how Brown had “a demon’s eyes” when he was coming at him. Yeah pal, maybe that’s because you were putting bullets into a kid who was trying to surrender. I’d imagine an unarmed man getting repeatedly shot would have some ungodly expressions upon his face.

The film also focusses on protester Brittany Ferrell and her obsessive pursuit of justice for her hometown. This documentary does what it should do. It fuels arguments, it doesn’t fully take sides, and it makes you think long and hard about the ramifications of Brown’s death. The kid stole a bunch of cigars, and walked in the middle of the street when a cop ordered him to the side of the road. His behavior may’ve earned him a trip to the police station and a couple of fines, not a body full of bullets.

This is a movie that will piss you off, and I’m thinking that would be appropriate.