Remember the Titans (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

I wish I could give this movie six stars instead of five.
Remember the Titans is the true story of a small town in Virginia during the 1970's. The "white" high school and the "black" high school are forced to combine into one as the town explodes in racial havoc. Just as the caucasian football coach Yoast is about to enter the Virginian high school football hall of fame, he is demoted to assistant head coach when the two high schools combine. The new head coach is Coach Boone (Denzel Washington), an experienced African-American football coach that recently moved there. On top of this being between the two coaches, they have to figure out how to bring two teams into one and to end the prejudice between the players.

Though the plot seems rather dark from the above description, the movie does a great job balancing itself so that it is dramatic and you are able to understand what racism was like during that time period, but there is plenty of humor to cause you not to be upset during the entire film.

This has got to...

A memorable movie and DVD....
I first saw "Remember the Titans" in the theater with a group of younger friends, who did not live through the civil rights movement or the uneasy truce that existed through the next 10 years. It was interesting to see their reactions to the chasm that existed on the "battlefield" of the public school system. Although "RtT" doesn't explore the issues of the time in a substantive way, the film makes it easy to believe that the situations were real. The football field action is impressively filmed and the soundtrack is outstanding.

Will Patton and a terrific cast of young actors will entertain you and make you believe for the run of the movie. And although some scenes are corny, (every scene that features Coach Yost's daughter!) you find yourself caught up in not only the game, but in what it represents as a centerpiece for a small town or city.

I confess that there is no movie featuring Denzel Washington that I don't like! His performance here is...

A MOVING STORY OF HEROIC DETERMINATION
Denzel Washington is Coach Boone, a black football coach who finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he is appointed head coach of a high school team in its first year of intergration. When the fomer coach Yoast agrees to be his assistant it seems that turmoil and not determination will rule the squad.

Boone's determination to win is only outmatched by his drive for racial harmony within the team and coaching staff. By forcing his players to interact he creates bonds and friendships. Throughout all of this he knows he must win or his tenure as head coach will be short lived. He must not only battle the racial tension in the team, but in the town as well. Only his sheer will can guide his team to the promised land.

The movie is an outstanding piece of cinema. It adresses a social issue with raw emotional power. It teaches a lesson without screaming it in your face. The acting is without a doubt full of some of the best performances of the year to not have been recognized...

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