Fruitvale Station

[MacGuffin]

Release date: November 21, 2013

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand

Directed by: Ryan Coogler

Premise: The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.

[xerxes]

Thought this was really well done. Loved the structure and the restraint. Saw it a few days back and it's still lingering in my mind. Full disclosure, I was living in Oakland at the time and this was a really big fucking deal in the city, so I've been looking forward to the movie for a while. Really glad this story was made by someone from the area. Michael B. Jordan was also really damn good. Go see it, people.

[Pubrick]

I hate trailers and synopses that are so fucking vague they do nothing to give you a reason to watch the movie. What's so hard about "pitching" the film, grab my attention, don't just describe some things that happen. At some point in the making of this someone must've been excited about it, or known the reason it had to be made, what is it?

I realise it's based on a true story but are they just trying to appeal to the ten people who remember this happened? That's the thing, I still have no idea what the "event" actually was. Sure I could look it up but that would be out of annoyance not out of interest. All I'm getting is a black dude gets (wrongly?) roughed up a bit. As far as I thought that was hardly news in America.

Compare the new Greengrass movie Captain Phillips which has the most vague and boring title. The poster immediately informs you of the context that this story is taking place, even if it was an international incident.

Can someone provide some context to this or sell it better than the filmmakers have done?

[Jeremy Blackman]

I honestly had no idea the "event" was a spoiler. I've only heard the movie framed by that event, as it probably should be.

SPOILERS?

The reason this is getting so much attention now (beyond the fact that it's probably good) is that it's similar to the Trayvon Martin story. Essentially a cop fatally shoots him for no apparent reason, later claiming it was an accident and he meant to use his taser instead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_Grant

[jenkins]

SPOILERS?
The reason this is getting so much attention now (beyond the fact that it's probably good) is that it's similar to the Trayvon Martin story.

sad truth. sadder still because i'd call the probably a miss

[xerxes]

SPOILERS?
The reason this is getting so much attention now (beyond the fact that it's probably good) is that it's similar to the Trayvon Martin story.

sad truth. sadder still because i'd call the probably a miss

You mind clarifying that? Are you saying it's sad that it's only getting attention because of the Trayvon Martin case, but that it's sadder because it probably not good and doesn't deserve the attention anyway? I'm a little confused.

Anyway, as far as P's issues with the trailer go, I feel like that might have something to do with this being a "black" film and as such it is pretty much only advertised before other "black" movies. And within that community there is definitely a lot more awareness of this story (and all the others like it). It does seem to take for granted that the events are known. I don't know, just throwing some things out there. I'm with you that the trailer is pretty shitty though.

[jenkins]

it's sad that two terrible things happened and one became a movie and that movie wasn't a good enough movie to fix movies. complicated

[pete]

whhhhhaaa? your answer to your original riddle begat more riddles. that's some LOST level shit.

[jenkins]

oh stop it