Grade: A+ | Genre: Drama Summary: Hotel Rwanda is a hugely important film. Rarely, do you come across a film that can change your life and give you a new set of lenses to see the world through. This film has that power.

Hotel Rwanda tells the story of one man's struggle to save his country from the overwhelming hatred that had taken it hostage. In 2004, Rwanda faced a massive genocide that took the lives of a million people over an extremely short period of time. The world community stood around, uselessly wringing their hands, while thousands of innocent people died by the day. This film chronicles those turbulent times focusing on the cunning, bravery and enormous sacrifice that one man took in an effort to save his family and the ones he loved. In the process, he saved the lives of 1268 people, changing the world. This is the heroic story of Paul Rusesabagina.

As the film begins, we are cast into the middle of a country sitting on a powder keg. A sharp divide exists between the Hutu and the Tutsi people that has been festering for years. The designation that separates these two peoples is a fairly arbitrary one. The Belgians picked out those with lighter skin and thinner noses and labeled them Tutsi. At one point in the film, a British journalist points out that the differences are so non-existent that the two young ladies he's talking to (a Hutu and a Tutsi) could be sisters. The Belgium's originally rested power over the country to the Tutsi and the Hutu became an oppressed people under their rule. Somewhere along the line, power transferred over to the Hutu. The UN has stepped between them to attempt to broker a peace agreement, yet while the ink was still fresh the Rwandan President is murdered, supposedly at the hands of Tutsi rebels, causing the Hutu to explode. They take to the streets indiscriminately taking machetes to Tutsi men, women and especially children in an attempt to decimate the people from the face of the Earth.

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The refugee masses stream into the Mille Collines. The weakly manned UN security detail are simply peacekeeping troops and are ordered not to intervene in the atrocities that are taking place around them. Nick Nolte is perfect as Col. Oliver, the head officer of the UN deployment, attempting to negotiate the harried situation as his failures outclass his successes ten to one. Paul tightly clutches for hope. "How can the world witness these gross atrocities and not step in to help them?", he thinks. A British cameraman, Jack (Joaquin Phoenix), casts the long shadow of doubt on Paul. "If they see the footage they'll say, 'Oh my God, that's horrible' and go on eating their dinners." As the days march on and the Hutu get bolder at poking through the non-existent hotel defenses, it becomes increasingly clear to Paul that no help is coming. All the while the refugees continue to flood in by the day as he attempts to maintain the order and dignity of the Mille Collines he's been charged with protecting.

Don Cheadle is inspiring in the role of his distinguished career. He displays strength continuously in face of insurmountable fear. He uses his sharp business cunning to play mind games on the soldiers. He has the Tutsi refugees call influential friends abroad to impart their heartfelt goodbyes, knowing these outsiders are the only ones who can apply the pressure to their governments to send help. He never loses his hard-nosed style as he pushes all the correct buttons like an expert poker player. He isn't afraid to throw himself on the fire for his family and those charged in his care. Cheadle is a rock. He is an impenetrable force to those who try to break through him and he crumbles like every human would when it's safe to fall apart. No one else could have embodied this character as Cheadle does. In any normal year, Cheadle should have been a lock for best actor for his work in this role. I feel the same way about him that I did about Naomi Watts' brilliance in 21 Grams last year. Both stepped in front of runaway trains that no one could stop.

Hotel Rwanda is very interesting in that it doesn't wade knee deep in bodies and bloodshed like Schindler's List did. The Mille Collines really shelters us from the carnage that is unfolding just outside the hotel's front gates. Occasionally, we'll see Paul venture out for supplies then we witness the scope of the tragedy. The river road scene is a harrowing picture to stomach. What it does really well is create an air of tension that pervades everything they do inside the confines of the Mille Collines. They are always seconds away from the chaos spilling over the wall and consuming them like a mass of hungry locusts. This incredible build-up wears you out as so much is invested in these characters and their fate. It also creates interesting moments of humor as a by-product, which are extremely welcomed to relax and catch your breath.

Hotel Rwanda is a hugely important film. Rarely, do you come across a film that can change your life and give you a new set of lenses to see the world through. This film has that power. You can't walk away from this unaffected. You can't just resume your life and say to yourself, "God that's horrible, but it's somebody else's problem". It shows us that the mass genocide that gripped Hitler's Nazi Germany wasn't a painful blip in the history of mankind. It can happen again and it is happening -- over and over again like a nightmare you can't wake up from. This film chronicles the tragedy of Rwanda in 1994. Today, a similar situation continues to rage on in the Sudan, leaving 70,000 people dead over the past two years. Please take the two hours out of your life to see this film, then educate yourself on what is happening in the world around you. Unfortunately, the news media's neglect of these critical situations is quite shameful. Lastly, find out how you can help by visiting charitable organizations like Amnesty International. Although donations are always appreciated, there are other non-monetary actions that can be taken to make sure that your voice is heard on these important matters. There is no need for these senseless tragedies to happen under our watch.