Screaming Sunday - Ma

Movie rating: 72 /100
Plot: A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.
The heroes: A bunch of teenagers who just want to drink and party.
The antagonists: Ma, played flawlessly by the great Octavia Spencer.
Best scene: It's hard to choose because every single time Ma is on the screen the film is so much fun.
Oh-oh something's not right line: Strip.
What makes it so great? This is trashy, pulpy fun. The script is absolutely atrocious - at various points the teenagers are like "we are not going there anymore" and the very next scene is them partying at Ma's house - but Octavia Spencer's delicious performance makes it worth watching. While the gore is never too crazy and the teenage characters are quite bland, Juliette Lewis, Luke Evans and Allison Janney (in cameo performance) deliver pretty great work. But the movie belongs to Spencer, which is only fitting, since even though she got her Oscar years ago, this is her first leading role.

The Help

94/100 (137 min, 2011)
Plot: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960's decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
Director: Tate Taylor
Writers: Tate Taylor (screenplay), Kathryn Stockett (novel)
Stars: Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer

"Write that down."

“The Help” is perhaps the most uplifting and moving film about civil rights since “Milk”. Unlike that movie, though, it doesn't show politics and big demonstrations – it shows a group of women who just by speaking the truth, with the addition of a lot of bravery and friendship, managed to make a difference. The protagonist is Skeeter, played by delightful Emma Stone – Skeeter is not like her friends – she doesn't care about finding husband and making babies. She wants to become a journalist. After seeing her whole life how badly black people are treated all around her, she decides to write a book showing the perspective of black maids working for rich, white people.

The first maid who helps her find out the truth is Aibileen – she has been raising other people's babies for most of her life, forced to drop out of school to help her family. Those babies loved her and she loved them – they were neglected by their parents – fathers who spent all their days at work and mothers who were too busy hosting parties and gossiping with their friends. Skeeter was practically raised by black maid as well – she was like a mother to her, being for her whenever Skeeter needed her.