Seven - lucky for some ...

On Saturday I went to the movies with my mum and sister to see my seventh movie of the year. My sister chose the movie, and off we all went to see The Last King of Scotland.

Gruelling. Draining. All three of us spent a whole lot of the film with our eyes closed, or our hands over our eyes, struggling to deal with the sheer violence and brutality of Uganda under Idi Amin. Being in the second row probably didn't help either.

For those of you who haven't seen it, or haven't heard much about the film, it covers the time in Uganda of Idi Amin's rise to power, and total takeover of the country and is seen through the eyes of an idealistic young Scottish doctor. The acting is superb, and Forest Whitaker deserved the Oscar he won (Best Actor). I'm not familiar with the work of James McAvoy who played the doctor, but looking him up on IMDB he is in the movie Becoming Jane which I'm seeing in a couple of weeks. Surprising cast members - Gillian Anderson - I haven't seen her since she and Mulder jumped the shark. I'm ashamed to say it took me a while to register, even though her name was in the opening credits.

I don't want to repeat seeing the film - once was definitely enough for me, but at the same time, I'm glad that I did. I was talking about it with my friend yesterday, and she said it was like Hotel Rwanda for her. It is one thing to hear about it on the news, or read about it in history, but to see it in front of you, with the resulting blood, screaming and agony can really bring it home.

We went out for dinner afterwards, although I have to admit that food was the last thing on my mind - I was dry retching on the way from the car to the restaurant. This film really got to me. My sister was all fired up, and wanted to know why people do things like that to each other, and why other people stand by and let it happen. She and my stepfather were discussing it at length - him from his very strong Christian point of view, and her from the feelings that she had after visiting the killing fields of Cambodia, Dachau, and Auschwitz. Unfortunately, I found myself zoning out, and reflecting on the incongruity of listening to their conversation with the background music of November Rain by Guns'n'Roses. Music will always distract me.

I haven't been able to put the film out of my head. I've had nightmares about it for the last few nights, and just keep seeing the scenes repeat over and over again when I go to sleep. I keep mulling over the story and the film, and thinking about the heroism shown by one of the other doctors.