The Little Lights Oscars

Very few LLUM staff members have seen more than two of the ten films nominated for Best Picture this year, but we nevertheless conducted our own vote.  And the winner is. . .

::Drum Roll::

Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.

In the voting for Best Picture of 2009 by the Academy of Little Lights Staff and Motion Picture Experts, Precious received four votes, followed by Avatar (three), The Blind Side (two), Up (two), and The Hurt Locker (one).  Two members of the Academy abstained from voting. 

A group of our teen interns also enjoyed Precious, the story of a Harlem teen who overcomes adversity to find a better path, and here Cierra Peterson shares her review of the film:

The movie Precious was very interesting. Although it was sad and depressing, I really enjoyed the experience. Precious had her points where life may have gotten her down, but the movie inspired me to keep moving forward and focus on my dream. In the movie the star Claireece Precious Jones faced many trials and tribulations. She also had to rely on the government to help her succeed in life. I am thankful that I have people around me that help me to succeed when the government only sees me as a number.

[Plot spoilers and PG-13 content after the jump!]

Precious was beaten viciously by her mother and was raped repeatedly by her father, but she still pressed on. Her own biological father fathered both of her two children and she was kicked out of school, but she did not give up. She held her head up high and continued on in an alternative school. In this alternative school she not only gained the love for writing but gained a friend in her teacher. After her second child was born she had to flee from her mother’s wrath. She leaned on the love and support of her teacher to help her through.

The end of the movie was not only very sad but a cliff hanger. Precious was diagnosed with HIV AIDS and was left to raise her two children, one being autistic. I loved this movie and I want everyone to watch it. It is an inspirational and very moving movie. I think everyone from every background will not enjoy it, but they can and will learn from it.

Thank you, Cierra, our film critic in the making!