PG-13 | 2h 26m | Period Drama | August 10, 2011 “The Help” (2011), written and directed by Tate Taylor, based on a book by his childhood friend Kathryn Stockett, upon first viewing, appears to be yet another “white savior” film. Like “Glory” (1989), “Dangerous Minds” (1996), “Amistad” (1997), “Finding Forrester” (2000), “The Last Samurai” (2003), and “Half Nelson” (2006). Also, “Freedom Writers” (2007), “Gran Torino” (2008), “Avatar” (2009), and “The Blind Side” (2009) before it. That doesn’t make it a bad film. “The Help” is an excellent film. None of the above films are bad films.  “White savior” is Wikipedia’s term. The wonderful thing about the movies is the medium’s ability to be both educational and entertaining, to inform while simultaneously to inspire. Nobody’s about to go to the movies to get an earful of soapbox, so it’s no small feat to make a movie about virulent, 1960’s era American …