Walkout (2006)

Wow...This brought back memories

Great movie! It was very well done, I especially like the scene where the teacher is asking the student to read something from the textbook she'll never find - our part in the history of America! (American History! Native American History!)

I'm glad they mentioned the educational tracks. I know about the tracks, kind of like a "glass ceiling" only worse because it can hold a child back for the rest of their life. In my case, six years before this took place in east LA, they discouraged me from going to college for vocational school instead. (I am Pueblo & American-Mexican Indian)

This movie reminded me of the fear I felt back then of what the police would do and it brought back the tears of pride at what they accomplished. It was great to see the students at the end and what they are doing today.

When HBO releases movies on topics like this, respectfully done, it give me hope. Thank you HBO and Amazon.
July 8, 2007

Inspiring and necessary!

With so many negative role models in the media and real life for minority children, this film exposes society to a truly inspiring idea--the disenfranchised CAN succeed in mainstream America! "Walkout" is an amazing piece of history that should be required viewing for everyone, from Congress trying to legislate immigration reform to impoverished high school students who have never thought of a way up and out in life. Thank you, HBO, for championing this project and giving our society this authentic and moving testament to the power of education. May 31, 2007

Powerful lesson

I began showing this to my Spanish classes as soon as it came out. In fact, one of my Mexican-American students told me about it (gracias Ian!). I teach in an urban school with a diverse population. Social justice is a huge issue in our building and community. I have been amazed at how much this film has impacted my students. They connected deeply with the students in the film. There are so many discussion topics that came out of the film: inequality, poverty, heritage languages, student activism, cultural chasms, the connection to the civil rights movement, I could go on. I urge everyone to watch this film. I encourage my fellow teachers to incorporate this film into their curriculum. And you don't have to be from an urban area to feel the power of the inequalities in the film or be Latino to feel the pride of these students. It gives me chills everytime I hear a student call "Walkout!" or "Viva la Raza" or "Chicano Power!" May 10, 2007

Almost a documentary

Good intentions doesn't make a good movie, that's what I felt when I saw Walkout, the tale of a group of mexican americans (or chicanos as they are proud to be called) LA students in the late 60's, who fight, among other things, for the right of history recognition, respect of their heritage and equal treatment. So far so good, the fight for civil rights (Costa Gavras, Spike Lee, to name two directors who have acomplished great movies dealing political issues) can be material for the kind of films that stick in your soul for a lifetime, but Walkout falls short of achieving that goal, even though the ambientation is great, the movie is episodic and not very interesting. Its like a cable tv political panflet. I like Edward James Olmos and his passion for the latino cause, I hope his next project will be less obvious, that's what art and movies are about. April 29, 2007

"Simplemente me encanto"

La pelicula me encanto. Me esperaba algo muy bueno porque me encanta como trabaja Edward James Olmos y no me senti defraudada para nada, todo lo contrario.
Yo tengo apenas 5 años que llegue a vivir a este pais y debo reconocer que no conocia esta historia. Asi que me senti muy orgullosa al ver lo que hicieron.
El guion, las actuaciones, las caracterizaciones, la direccion, todo excelente. Felicidades a todos los que pariciparon haciendola.
Me encanto ver al final de la pelicula a los participantes de las manifestaciones contando su experincia. Sobre todo el ultimo, debo reconocer que me ganaron las lagrimas cuando vi al profesor decir que se sintio orgulloso de ser chicano.
Tengo hijos que llegaron aqui muy chiquitos y uno que nacio aqui, asi que quiero que ellos se sientan orgullosos de ser chicanos tambien.
Gracias a todos las personas que pusieron su granito de arena para que niños como ellos tengan acceso a la universidad, no sean golpeados por hablar español y gracias tambien por todas las demas cosas por las que lucharon.
Felicidades. March 12, 2007

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