Mississippi Burning: I'm Still Shook, Y'all

Okay, so I just finished watching Mississippi Burning. Whew. I need to talk about this because I'm still feeling all kinds of messed up. Like, I knew going in it would be intense, dealing with the Civil Rights era and all, but...wow. Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe are incredible as the FBI agents, right? But honestly, it's the portrayal of the black community in Mississippi that just gutted me. The fear, the resilience...it was just so palpable. That scene where the KKK are burning crosses and terrorizing the black families? I had to pause it. I literally couldn't watch for a minute. How people could treat each other like that...it makes me sick. And the worst part is, you KNOW that kinda stuff happened, and probably still does in different ways. I think that's what hit me hardest, the underlying reality of the hate. I'll admit, I'm not usually one for movies that deal with heavy topics like this. I prefer escapism! But this one...it felt important. It made me think, it made me angry, and it made me grateful for the progress we've made (even though we still have miles to go). I kinda wish they had dug a little deeper into the victims' stories, though. I felt like we saw more of the FBI's experience than anything else. Overall, I'm glad I watched it. It's definitely not a feel-good movie, but it's a powerful one. Be prepared to feel things, though. Big things. And maybe have some tissues handy. I'm still processing it all, tbh. Let me know if you've seen it and what you thought! (And please, keep the discussion respectful, yeah?)