I had the great fortune of seeing an Advanced Screening of Nate Parker's new film The Birth Of A Nation about 12 days ago. In that Time I've been able to sit on my feelings and decide how to describe just what I like about the film and what I dislike. Overall I think that the film is a GOOD film with a lot of great qualities to it but I also feel that the film is not without it's flaws. Birth Of A Nation is a film that lacks a coherent narrative at times. Parker uses flash back sequences to try and bridge a connection between Nat Turner and his African Ancestors but a couple of these scenes I felt slowed the pacing of the film down and made it a little confusing. Also there was no attention payed to the white characters of the film. Most good films are do a great job not only setting up the up the protagonist but also the antagonist. Most great films give us time to explore the antagonist however this is not done particularly well in the film. Parker does however give us a detailed look at Nat Turner through his clever writing and his outstanding performance as Turner. The Sequences of Turner giving sermons to fellow slaves is the type of stuff that gets people Oscar nominations if featured in a better movie. Birth Of A Nation is a good movie and a good directoral debut for Parker but to say that this film is worthy of the best prize that the film industry has to offer is a little bit of a reach to me.