Confession time. I seriously dragged my feet to see this film. August Wilson’s play on the big screen running at 133 minutes didn’t hold much interest for me. I’d wait for the DVD. And, here’s the confession, I’m not a huge Denzel fan. Sacrilege, I know. I recognize his skill as an actor and his contributions to the field, but for me personally, eh… He always seems a bit over the top. But I was talked into seeing it in the theater, and I couldn’t have been more wrong about Fences. I LOVED this movie. Like everyone has said, Denzel and Viola turn in amazing performances, but I really think Denzel should be lauded for his direction here. The film could have easily seemed flat, but Washington and cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen’s camera choices create an intense intimacy. (Christensen deserved an Oscar nod for this one, breaking the Academy’s embarrassing record of never nominating a female.) At times you feel like a spirit swirling around the characters, at others it seems you’re the neighbor on the other side of the proverbial fence, privy to uncomfortable details of the family’s private life. The one thing no one has talked about enough is Mykelti Williamson as Uncle Gabe. He absolutely steals every scene he’s in; the performance is transcendental. Fences is worth watching for Williamson alone, but the film deserves your time… All 133 minutes of it.