"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Review: This Feels Personal
You can hear a pin drop in the first five minutes of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s intense and doesn’t let go of wrestling with loss, the cycle of violence and how we respond to it all throughout its running time. Even with that, this film is a vibe! It pays tribute, takes you in directions that you expect and does an intentional job of curving your expectations at the right time. This is one of the best MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) installments in a while!
The loss of Chadwick Boseman shook the world. It was a death we didn’t expect. He was a talented actor and better human being to all who knew him. He endured in silence, proving his quiet strength and giving us a lot to think about in hindsight. Whether it was not to make fun of a celebrity’s (or anyone for that matter) weight loss because you don’t know what they’re dealing with or his words in interviews, we all had to wrestle with his death. Writer/director Ryan Coogler and the rest of the cast had to do this as well. The original sequel script had to be re-written. It’s in the spaces of deep pain as a reflection of deep love that you can get a focused script like Wakanda Forever. It’s not a perfect script/story, but it’s deeply personal in every frame.
This is a spoiler free review, so I’ll only speak based off of what you can gather from the trailer. The world of Wakanda is familiar yet matured here after the Blip. Her people are dealing with the loss of their leader. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is mourning as a mother would, with maturity and grace, while keeping the outside world at bay from using vibranium in a way that would harm others. Shuri (Letitia Wright) is going through it! Her grief is manifested in overworking and anger.
In the outside world’s zest to find vibranium, a new underwater nation called Talokan is awoken. With a desire to stay hidden, its’ leader Namor (Tenoch Huerta), will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Even if it means taking down Wakanda to do it. So Wakanda calls on her heroes Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke) and new comer Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne).
Ruth Carter’s wardrobe in the film is once again Oscar worthy. Part of the reason the film is a vibe is because of how cool the cast looks throughout the film. Whether they are wearing street clothes or traditional garb, Carter nailed it! The production and art design is incredible grounded in a tangible future. The music from Ludwig Goransson is haunting, inspired and sets the right tone for the film. Listen to the music playing in the lab while Shuri is working. It fits seamlessly to the point you might miss it because so much thought has been put into this world from head to toe.
There is an element of this film that we have to deal with. While the story does a great job of giving us Afro and Latino Futurism visions, the fact remains that the majority of the film is about two brown communities fighting each other. While the Talokan people are blue on land, they’re brown under water. They’re of Mayan origin. So it’s easy to forget this point. At a micro level, two brown nations are willing to go at each other in order to save themselves from colonizers out of fear of colonization. It’s not even guaranteed. It’s strategy for a possibility. Yet, it’s evident that they are two of the strongest nations in this world. There’s an invisible chain at play that just feels a little all too familiar for me.
That said, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a serious character drama with super hero action in the background. Their are noteworthy performances from Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright as the women take the stage in a way that feels lived in from my black experience! Equal to the performances are the character arcs of the protagonists and antagonist. Just as Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was a great idealogical foil to T’Challa, Namor is another villain who could be considered a hero depending on the side of the coin you align with. It’s an entertaining film that will be remembered in the MCU due to the loss of Chadwick Boseman and the universal themes it deals with. There’s only one post credit scene, so you don’t have to wait until the credits finishing rolling this time!
Rating: B+
P.S.
Look for the male extra on the left side of the screen dancing in white in the beginning of the film. Someone should have been watching the dailies to remind him to stay in character! He was having too much fun I guess. If it wasn’t such a serious moment…I would have been laughin’!
"Avengers: Infinity War" Review: It's All Led Up To this!
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Let me catch my breath! We’ve been leading up to this battle for ten years, and I don’t think anyone who sees Avengers: Infinity War can say that they are disappointed. For the few people who inevitably may, at minimum you have to respect the gargantuan charge that Marvel had in bringing everything and everyone together.
You’ll know the film’s tone and stakes from the opening scene. Things are grim. The villains (Thanos and his cronies) are extremely powerful. They have a power that feels like we haven’t seen before. It’s exercised in such a way that it feels like they can’t be taken on one on one or even two on one at times. The main bad guy in this film is Thanos (Josh Brolin), the purple giant that we’ve only caught glimpses of up until now. He’s bent on collecting all of the Infinity Stones now that he has the gauntlet that can wield their power. Marvel gives us a complex villain in Thanos in that through his twisted logic, he believes he can bring balance to the universe by wiping out half of it.
Doing the math on the number of stones, and where to find them, the Avengers quickly spring into action on taking a stand. Throughout the film, different heroes are in different place across space but they’re all working towards the same goal: stopping Thanos. It’s a desperate situation that literally has the fate of the universe in the balance.
Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely had an extremely large task on their hands in weaving a tapestry of different characters together while creating one cohesive story. For the most part, everyone gets some time to shine. Characters like Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) are more than just eye candy in this film. They have a heft to their story that makes them feel more apart of the story than they have in the past. It’s great to see the continued evolution of characters like Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Shuri (Letitia Wright) in their power or intelligence. The writing suggests that in between films thing happened rather than spelling it out for us.
The Russo brothers did a great job in making sure that they respected the directors work that has come before them. So Thor (Chris Hemsworth) feels like Taika Waititi’s Thor (thank God). Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Wakanda feels like Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther and his vision of Wakanda. The pacing of the film is on the money as well. The 156 minute run time is earned in such a way that you want to see more.
The biggest issue I had with the film is that at times it did feel like you could see the stitches in the segments being put together for the overall story and to give each character some screen time. While there were plenty of emotional moments throughout the film, some of them felt hollow due to either the writing not setting up the weight of its importance or the power of the Infinity Gauntlet.
With that said, I haven’t seen a movie where the audience was one in experiencing it together in a while. Funny moments receive uproarious laughter, grim moments received pen-drop silence as we all held our breath, and awesome fight scenes and choreography got us all cheering. This was a daunting task. It’s the type of task that you say shoot for the moon and if you miss you’ll be among the stars! Well Marvel shot for the moon, and in my opinon, planted their flag as Titans in movie magic. The ending will send you reeling!
Rating: A-
"Black Panther" Review: Why Representation Is Key!
Any thoughtful critic would tell you that there are some films that you just don’t know where to start in writing your review. You may need to see the film more than once. You may need the time to live with the film in your mind to find the words to describe it eloquently in written form. Black Panther is one of those movies for me. It’s a cinematic experience that, having seen it twice before penning this, is equally powerful on repeat viewings.
Following T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the film picks up with him returning to Wakanda as king. So in short, the film is about a young man ascending to the throne and dealing with the weight of that. Yet, writers Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, give us something more. It’s a movie that analyzes what a person is made of. What really makes a king, a leader, or a person great? Similarly, what makes us bad, evil, or the villain?
Wakanda is the most technologically advanced nation on Earth. Hidden in plain sight, it’s main resource, vibranium, has allowed the nation to evolve leap years ahead of the rest of society. Yet, there are those who want to get their hands on the precious metal. As an old and new enemy comes on the Wakandan radar, T’Challa fights to make the best decision for his people and the world as a whole.
The casting in this film is absolutely perfect. Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue is a man you wouldn’t even let your kids say hello to. Danai Gurira’s General Okoye is fierce, intelligent, strong, and has a beautiful spirit that pops out at just the right times between upholding her duties to the throne that she takes seriously. Lupita Nyong’o is another stand out as Nakia, T’Challa’s love interest and friend. Nakia is not diminished to just a romantic interest in this film. She’s a fighter for justice who would prefer to live outside of Wakanda, making a difference with people who are impoverished, over enjoying the spoils of her royal bloodline. Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger is the first villain we’ve seen that we could get behind, at least understand and earnestly believe his motives. His calm, intellect and patience in execution of the long game is what makes him so dangerous. It creates an equally powerful enemy that T’Challa has to go up against and sets the stage for serious stakes! But is he really a villain? The Martin versus Malcolm of T'Challa versus Killmonger metaphor is there. T’Challa’s sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), brings the humor in some scene stealing moments. The chemistry between Boseman and Wright is totally believable as a family unit!
That was just the main characters in the film. You’ll certainly enjoy Winston Duke’s M’Baku as the funny but beast of a leader of the Jabari tribe. Everywhere you look, there’s black star power in Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Sterling K. Brown, John Kani and more. Writer/director Ryan Coogler was the right person for the job. His use of the camera is masterful. His angles stress the magnitude of the environment when necessary, and singles in on intimate moments appropriately. Knowing what to put in the frame and equally what not to show is a skill not all directors have. Watching his set ups and reveals after an additional viewing proves that he’s one of the great directors working today! (I may have to write a separate analysis review as to avoid spoilers here, but Coogler doesn’t play.)
The score of this film is absolutely beautiful. Ludwig Goransson blends in tribal shouts and African drums in such a way that it very subtly pays homage to Africa, while accenting and supplementing the action or drama on screen. The combination only helps you sink further into the world of Wakanda.
The costume design from Ruth Carter is exquisite! Black Panther is a film in which it’s costume and wardrobe is like wallpaper, done well you won’t notice it but tacky wallpaper sticks out like a sore thumb. The colors, designs for different tribes, and materials are incredible. The production design is a beautiful imagining of an advanced civilization in Africa. Everyone came to WORK on Marvel’s first black superhero film in the MCU.
Black Panther represents Marvel’s showcasing of a lesser known character, who after this film will be a global favorite (for those who didn’t know the comic character). It also represents the showcasing of a predominately black cast and afro-futuristic story. It represents! In some ways, the importance of this film with the cinematic representation of a black superhero is on par with Barack Obama becoming president. Whoa! Did I say that? I did. Until this film, we haven’t had a black superhero who is as intelligent, rich, and powerful as his white counterparts. We haven’t seen a King and a hero like this. We haven’t seen black women who are equally elegant, poised, and intelligent as they are strong, skilled in combat, independent yet team players. Can movie characters be role models? They may not be the type you can talk to in the flesh, but they certainly are displayed as examples that little black boys and girls can be inspired by.
Who are you? It’s a question that is asked multiple times throughout the film and in various ways. Knowing yourself and who you are is huge. This film subtly pushes the importance of knowing who you are, where you come from, and charting your path to greatness. Sometimes that takes seeing someone like you do something that you want to do but never thought possible. (Don’t read this next portion if you don’t want a spoiler, but this example doesn’t have any importance to the overall plot of the film.) Those possibilities and the beauty of sparking a young mind is encapsulated in the closing scene of the film when a young inner city kid is exposed to a Wakandan aircraft. As he looks at the aircraft he takes a moment and connects the dots of T’Challa being its owner. For anyone who doesn’t understand why this film is so important from a cultural level, that’s why. When a barrier can be broken, or a glass ceiling shattered, that means everything to the person who has been held back. Everyone should have the opportunity to dream and strive to see their dreams realized!
There is no wasted space in this film...except maybe the ubiquitous Stan Lee appearance. The film hits a perfect pace and tone, and has a great balance of suspense, humor and action. It’s Marvel’s best at-bat in my opinion, and how it represents is just icing on that cake. Ok. You’re finished reading, get to the theater ASAP! Talk to me in the comments section if you’ve seen it!
Rating: A
"Captain America: Civil War" Review
The world entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with 2008’s Ironman. Eight years later the MCU enters phase three with its latest installment, Captain America: Civil War. Believe me, the eight years you’ve devoted to following the MCU is well worth the culmination and seamless integration of characters, emotion, and action in this film!
Over the years some people have criticized the explosions and destruction in these films. Captain America: Civil War addresses the issue head on. It raises the ethical and moral questions of “what innocent collateral cost comes with superhero protection?” and “who watches the watchers?” in a way that Batman vs. Superman attempted to, but does a far superior job. After a mission with the Avengers stopping mercenaries from executing a terrorist plot ends with the loss of innocent lives, the United Nations steps in to put the team in check.
The UN draws up a huge document called the Accords that will stand as a law for super humans and those with powers to abide by. This sparks a rift between the Avengers in which they are forced to choose sides. While Captain America (Chris Evans) thinks there has to be another way, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) thinks that being governed and held accountable makes sense. While this perspective seems unnatural for these characters (you might think it should be switched) it works well and makes for great conflict both internally and externally with our heroes!
While the team takes sides, a mysterious enemy named Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) creates problems that they must deal with. But with a rift in the team on how to handle situations, it becomes a squabble on numerous levels! The squabbling is awesome to watch! The action sequences are phenomenal. We get to see each character’s power used in ways that highlight their skill and supplement the team fights. There are so many scenes in which directors Andrew and Joe Russo let the action happen in front of the camera (don’t worry, you can follow the action on this, unlike the Avengers: Age of Ultron) in beautiful choreography between the two. One chase scene through a market feels like a verite documentary as the camera tries to keep up.
This installment introduces us to T’Challa aka Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland). Both characters are introduced effortlessly and are showcased well! Holland may be the best Spider-Man to date (including Toby Macquire) in my opinion. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely nailed Spidey’s trade humor, verboseness, and youthful energy. I can’t wait to see Boseman in his solo film in 2018! Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) made his entry into the MCU last year with Ant-Man, and we finally get to see him interact with the Avengers on a larger scale!
Captain America: Civil War fires on all cylinders, and is certainly the film to see this weekend! Save your money though, and see it in 2D. I saw it in IMAX 3D and it did nothing to enhance the film. Nonetheless, once again, Marvel reigns supreme!
Rating: A-
"Get On Up" Review
In an era where there was no Youtube, Twitter, DVR, or Facebook, James Brown became a household name. Not to mention the rest of the issues that the Godfather of Soul music had to deal with during the 1960’s and 70’s, it’ s understandable why this towering figure would get the biopic treatment. While the movie as a whole may not have been memorable, Chadwick Boseman’s embodiment of Brown creates a clear picture of how special he was and why he should be remembered.
Director Tate Taylor gives a non-linear look at Brown’s life, jumping from post fame to childhood and everything in between. In some ways it serves the film well because the style allows us to see the fractured character of Brown. It shows who he was as an entertainer and what created him almost simultaneously. At the same time, the style cuts the film’s foot off. At times it jumps around at warp speed, cutting to the next scene without bringing closure to the one it just left. Taylor has Brown break the fourth wall, which was unnecessary for most of the film. The one time it does work well is when the usually verbose and confident Brown hits his wife DeeDee (Jill Scott) and can barely bring himself to look at the audience.
The history lesson is there, but the movie could have benefited from better storytelling. We’ve seen the poor boy does good against all odds before. Perhaps the non-linear style would have been fresh if not for the overt melodrama in his childhood scenes that were clearly pushing points home.
It’s undeniable that anytime triple threat Chadwick Boseman is on the screen he steals the show. I was afraid that he may be pigeonholed in the biopic lead after this film, but I think it does just the opposite. Boseman has proven with this film that his range stretches from the humble, silent strength of Jackie Robinson to the loud, egotistical showmanship of James Brown. Boseman’s footwork as the man who laid the groundwork for Prince, Michael Jackson, Chris Brown (the list goes on) is incredible! I’ll be surprised if an Oscar nomination isn’t given for his performance this year.
In truth, the film is all about Boseman (which makes sense it is James Brown’s biopic) but it doesn’t allow supporting characters to show their skills. The familiar faces of Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jill Scott, Dan Akroyd and Fred Melamed are stars in the shadow of Boseman in this film, only used to get him through time. Perhaps Nelsan Ellis’s performance as Brown’s long time friend Bobby Byrd is the one performance that gets fully realized. Byrd’s loyalty to the talented but self-absorbed Brown gives a real glimpse into a character study of a dream deferred that’s heart felt.
Overall “Get On Up” is a decent depiction of an American icon. Boseman’s performance is the best thing to come out of the film, and because of it the generation who sees this film that grew up with/watching James Brown will enjoy it and those who came after should find a new found respect for him. You can see the influence of Brown in music and entertainers from his time to the present. Get on up and go see the film if you haven’t already!
Rating: B
"Draft Day" Review
When you bring up greatest sports movies, “Draft Day” will certainly not be one of them. The fact that writers Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph managed to find conflict and keep the story of the hours leading up to an imaginary NFL draft interesting is a feat in itself. That being said, self-contained, the movie managed to keep me interested, and I’m not a sports guy.
Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner) is the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns. With a loosing record and their beloved coach Sonny Weaver recently passing, Brown nation has Sonny Jr. under a microscope. So it’s no wonder that Sonny is distracted and out of touch with his feelings when his under the table girlfriend and co-worker, Ali (Jennifer Garner), tells him she’s pregnant. This opening scene sets the table for the rest of the film. A mixture of Sonny’s personal life constantly conflicts with his need to focus on his professional duty in picking the right players for the Draft. Yet, that’s real life right? Our personal lives always mix with our professional decisions. That’s a part of what makes the film believable.
The cast of “Draft Day” does a good job of turning the film in to something that feels real. Again, I’m no sports guy, and I’m not sure if teams really call each other to make last minute deals for draft spots but it was intriguing in the film. While this may not be his best sports film by far, Costner brings the weight to the role that we’d expect. Garner is underdeveloped and underused as Costner’s football loving baby momma. Chadwick Boseman plays a side that we haven’t seen in prior films as Vontae Mack, a prospect who wants to play for the Browns. Although his character is very reminiscent of Cuba Gooding’s Rod Tidwell (“Jerry Maquire”).
Director Ivan Reitman uses split screens, and triptychs to help keep the pace moving in a time sensitive movie. (Although sometimes it looks like cartoonish like 2003’s “Hulk”.) The film has a decent payoff by the time it gets to the actual draft that you may not have seen coming. “Draft Day” is fun for the moment you’re in the huddle around the screen but forgettable once you break the huddle.
Rating: C
42
I was hesitant in going to see “42” because I thought it would be another super sappy “Disneyed” bio pic. I wasn’t looking forward to sitting through that. After all, my first memory of doing a report on a character in history was Jackie Robinson. I still have the Dodgers jersey I wore that day (it was big at the time). Writer-Director Brian Helgeland delivers a solid homerun in the film that covers Jackie Robinson’s heroic tale of breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier.
Part of the problem that I have with films that show African American’s struggle in history is that it generally plays out as a victory blessed by a white person. Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) was undoubtedly the one who made the decision to bring Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the Major Leagues. Yet the film admits that a part of Rickey’s decision was based on money. It’s honest moments like that in the depiction that makes the movie.
The film covers from Rickey’s search for a negro player to the Dodgers win of the National League Penant in 1949. Ford seems to have fun in his old age playing the gravel voiced Rickey. He brings an enjoyable campy style to the character who pulled a gutsy move in bringing the first African American into the Majors.
Although a 128 minute running time could never cover the totality of everything the real Jackie Robinson endured, one of the most powerful scenes in the film is when Philadelphia Philies Manager played by Alan Tudyk uses everything in the racial slur handbook against Robinson. The scene is uncomfortable, but authentic and Boseman does a great job of showing the weight of racial prejudice and restraint that many African American pioneers had to possess in order to successfully open doors for others. Ultimately drawing back on a quote from Harrison Ford’s Branch Rickey the movie gives its audience the reason Jackie Robinson’s legacy should be respected.
Symbolism is big in this film. Robinson’s number 42 jersey becomes a symbol of change. A baseball thrown to a young boy by Robinson becomes a symbol of hope. Another memorable scene in the film is when Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) famously puts his arm around Robinson to show the world he too is accepting change.
Some of the writing is on the nose, it’s the characters that really go beyond what the script calls for to make this film great. Boseman’ depiction of Robinson is a magnificent performance due to his natural reserve. He nails the air of self confidence, wit, and charm that Robinson had to have in order to endure. They say behind every great man is a great woman, and Nicole Beharie as Rachel Robinson was another great choice with just as much innate restraint to bring a refreshing embodiment of the hero’s better half to the screen. The film becomes as much about telling Rachel’s story due to Beharie’s contribution.
I enjoyed the film, and so did the audience I saw it with. Jackie Robinson’s story is one that should be told, especially to new generations that live in a totally different world from the 1940’s. It’s worth remembering and celebrating. It’s a good choice in paying your hard earned money to see a film on the big screen. “42” in theaters now.
B
