American History X (1998)

Everyone knows this as the "curb stomp" movie...and with good reason. Whoever thought of that sick shit deserves an Oscar for "Most Brutal Way to Kill a Bitch."

But this is just a great dramatic movie. Its exploration of race relations near the end of the 90's, a time of great racial conflict (especially in Los Angeles), is nearly unparalleled on the silver screen. This movie isn't superb because it answers any questions or provides any insight into race relations. No, it's superb because it does something far more important: It asks some very interesting questions.

The movie is basically a character study into why individuals become consumed by hate. When we first meet Derek Vinyard, all we see is a stereotypical Nazi skinhead. But then, through bits and pieces of flashbacks, we learn why...we learn why he hates.

This movie sugarcoats nothing. It doesn't condemn the skinheads for being intolerant because of some close-minded philosophy. No, they have a reason to hate. Most of the blacks in this movie are low-life pieces of shit. They make it easy to hate. A black drug dealer is responsible for the death of Derek's father. A group of blacks try to steal Derek's truck. The black kid at the end murders Derek's brother in cold blood. They're easy to hate, and you find yourself hating them, too. And you have to stop and say, "Wait a minute...am I just as intolerant as these skinheads because I hate these people, too?"

But the movie does a nice job of pulling you right back in the other direction because, in counter-point to the scum blacks, you've got positive black characters like Bob Sweeney (the principal) and Lamont, who keeps Derek safe in prison. So right when you're justifying Derek's hate-filled philosophy you have to stop and say, "But wait...here are some blacks who are good people. Is it right to hate them, too?"

The moral of the movie (as far as I'm concerned) is simple: Assholes come in all colors. You should never hate an entire race, gender, or religion. You should hate stupid people...because they're everywhere and there's a lot more of them than there is of us.

And, on a side-note, Edward Norton is CLUTCH in this movie...

Why It's Awesome: One of the most thought-provoking discussions on race relations ever to grace the cinema.

Best Quote People Think is in the Movie But Really Isn't:

Derek: Bite the curb, bitch...