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Black Lives Matter

Judas and the Black Messiah: The Struggle is Real

February 12, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

“You can murder a freedom fighter but you can’t murder freedom.” – Fred Hammond (Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah)

Set in the midst of the civil rights movement of the late 1960s, Judas and the Black Messiah tells the true story of William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), a young thief arrested for stealing a car. Facing serious prison time, O’Neal is offered a plea deal by the FBI on the condition that he would be willing to operate as an informant in the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther party. Reluctantly accepting the role, O’Neal enlists with the Panthers where he meets their magnetic Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). As he moves higher up in the party’s ranks, O’Neal becomes increasingly torn between supporting a leader for whom he has gained respect and the FBI who continues to press him for information so they can bring Hampton down.

Though over fifty years ago, it goes without saying that the film has never felt more current. Coming at a time where police brutality and racial injustice are daily topics of conversation, the story of Fred Hampton resonates loudly within our current cultural climate. As the first major film from director Shaka King, Black Messiah tells the story of Hampton and O’Neal with focus and heat. Compelling from start to finish, King weaves a story that manages to portray the urgency of an era without being afraid to draw comparisons to today’s struggles for equality as well.

Featuring incredible performances from its entire cast, the film is anchored by its two primary stars. As the nervous outsider O’Neal, Stanfield brings the character to life as a man conflicted by his decisions. Though O’Neal’s actions are questionable at best, Stanfield shows grace to in his performance by portraying him as a man crushed under the weight of his own burdens. However, while Stanfield’s work is particularly solid, the film is stolen by Kaluuya who continues to display his talent and maturity as an actor. As the charismatic Hampton, Kaluuya fully invests his energy and charm into every scene. Whether he’s motivating the crowds or speaking softly to his loved ones, Kaluuya brings an intensity and fire to the role that is positively mesmerizing to watch onscreen and should be recognized as Oscar season draws nearer.

In many ways, it is appropriate that the film uses the title Judas and the Black Messiah. While the film never uses these nicknames throughout the film, Black Messiah absolutely takes on the structure of the Biblical narrative of Jesus and his betrayal at the hands of one of his disciples. Though history has often emphasized the violence of the era, this film portrays Hampton as a loving revolutionary who fights for the rights of all of the oppressed. Though absolutely prepared to engage in the fight where necessary, Black Messiah makes sure to point out that Hampton’s battle against the powers that be stems from a place of love. To him, the struggle for freedom is far larger than himself and he is willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary, even if he must put himself harm’s way in the process. (For example, when his followers attempt to hide him from danger, Hampton defiantly asks “Is the party about me or is it about the people?”)

However, rather than merely deify Hampton and his work, this is a narrative that wants the audience to feel the weight of the story from the perspective of its ‘Judas’, William O’Neal. Caught between the FBI and the Panthers, O’Neal is a man torn between his own well-being and the good of the many. In this way, Black Messiah recognizes the importance of Hampton’s message yet also remains sympathetic to O’Neal’s struggle along the way. Whereas following Hampton may have made the story about one man’s struggle, Black Messiah’s focus on O’Neal’s journey allows for the story to emphasize the struggle itself. In other words, the shift in perspective allows the film to become less about the life of a single person and more about deciding who you will follow in the midst of an ongoing war for justice. 

In light of this, it’s interesting to note that the film ends with footage of the real-life O’Neal who states that he ‘chose a side’. Though clearly worn down by the weight of his decisions, his self-justification instead focuses on the fact that he took a position in the fight rather than simply sitting on the sidelines. In this way, O’Neal’s choice mirrors the message of Black Messiah by calling viewers to understand that they must still make decisions today about where they stand on issues of racial injustice. (After all, a person who chooses to stand with no particular ‘side’ is still making a choice.) While it may be sympathetic towards O’Neal, King’s script contains an urgency that reminds the viewer of the importance of choosing justice in the face of a culture that fights to hold on to the status quo.

With its eyes firmly focused on freedom for all, Judas and the Black Messiah is a film that stays with you long after the credits roll. Featuring stellar work from its cast, the true power of Black Messiah though lies not the story of one man’s sacrifices for the sake of others but by the reality that the same fight still rages on to this day.

Judas and the Black Messiah is available in theaters, on PVOD and on HBOMax on Friday, February 12th, 2021

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Premieres, Reviews Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, Black Panthers, Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah, LaKeith Stanfield

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: The Power of Money and Music

December 18, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020): Viola Davis as Ma Rainey. Cr. David Lee / Netflix

Like creating great music, it’s important that every member of a film’s cast is on the same page.

Thankfully, in the case of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the cast are not only in sync with one another. They’re in perfect harmony.

Set in 1920s Chicago, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom takes place over the course of an afternoon as legendary ‘Mother of the Blues’ Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) and her band gather to record one of her latest hits. As temperatures rise, so too do tensions as Ma attempts to wrestle control of her music away from her white manager and producer. Within the band itself, conversations revolve around the ambitious and impetuous Levee (Chadwick Boseman), a trumpeter with dreams recording his unique style of music with the hopes of claiming fame for himself. However, as Levee’s visions of success cause disruptions amongst his bandmates, he also finds himself reliving some of the traumas that have so far defined his young life.

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (2020) Chadwick Boseman as Levee. Cr. David Lee/NETFLIX

Based on the play of the same name, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a brilliantly and passionate performed film that begins with a song but ends with a power struggle. Directed by Tony award-winning playwright George C. Wolfe (Angels in America: Millenium Approaching), the film’s limited sets and dialogue-heavy scenes help it maintain the intimacy and energy of a Broadway play. Though not all dramatic adaptations adapt well onscreen, Wolfe brings the film to life by rightly letting its characters and their interactions remain the focus of the story. 

Though the entire cast does a remarkable job within the film, Ma Rainey’s quickly becomes an acting masterclass from two truly talented artists in Davis and Boseman. In one of her finest performances in recent years, Davis thunders around the room as the no-nonsense Rainey, taking no prisoners yet also demonstrating a subtle nervousness underneath her hardened exterior. 

Not to be outdone, Boseman’s work here is simply stunning as the confident and cocky Levee. Whether he’s showing off his new shoes or railing against his bandmates on issues of race or faith, Boseman emotionally invests himself into every moment of his performance with enthusiasm and vigor. As his final performance, his work here is truly an incredible send-off that showcases the immense talent that was lost with his passing.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020): Viola Davis as Ma Rainey. Cr. David Lee / Netflix

Though the film is set in 1927, Ma Rainey’s couldn’t feel more relevant. At a time when racial injustice is a daily topic of conversation, this visceral tale about the imbalances of power feels both honest and necessary. In this film, money and race are in constant competition with one another for the seat of dominance. For instance, as their ‘most important artist’, Rainey runs the show, keeping her agent hopping with various needs in order to ensure that she and her band are happy. However, when she’s not around, the studio’s white producer maintains control, haggling over wages and dictating how the band will play their music. This tension is illustrated beautifully through the film’s sets as characters jockey for physical positions of power on staircases and various levels. (Incidentally, it’s also worth noting that the band members are only brought upstairs from the basement when Rainey arrives.)

However, there’s much more at stake here than ice cold coke bottles or dollar signs. This back-and-forth racial conflict points to a battle for the soul of a culture, primarily through its music. As Rainey insists on performing her way, her producer pleads with her to increase the tempo in order to reach a wider (read: whiter) audience. Building like a crescendo, small arguments about musical style and texture build furiously towards larger discussions about ownership that reveal the true issues of power at stake. (In fact, even Rainey knows that her hold over her white producers is tenuous, claiming that they’re only willing to help her because of the financial potential of her voice as opposed to genuine care.)

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (2020) Chadwick Boseman as Levee. Cr. David Lee/NETFLIX

Caught in the middle of this wrestling match is the young and ambitious Levee, who insists that he can create his own music while still appeasing white culture in the process. Believing that he can manipulate the system in his favor, Levee repeatedly attempts to show the value of his work yet is unable to find support from either the white producers who promised him fame or his own African-American bandmates. Unfortunately, with each roadblock that he encounters, the energetic Levee has greater difficulty battling the seething rage that bubbles underneath his smiling and optimistic exterior until he can no longer contain himself. Like the music that he longs to play, Levee’s journey points to a generation of African American youth that want desperately to have a seat at the table but ultimately find themselves at the mercy of a predominantly white culture that fails to appreciate the importance of their story.

Anchored by incredible work from Davis and Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom demands attention. By allowing the performances to take centre stage, Wolfe wisely steps back and gives his cast the freedom they need to make stunning music together onscreen. Playing off of each other like fine jazz, Boseman, Davis and the rest of this cast are note-perfect together in a story that reminds us that the power of music lies in its voice.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is available on Netflix+ on December 18th, 2020.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Netflix, Reviews Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, Chadwick Boseman, George C. Wolfe, jazz music, Ma Rainey, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Viola Davis

TIFF20: Black Bodies

September 20, 2020 by Jason Thai Leave a Comment

Directed by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, Black Bodies is a short film on what it currently means to be black in America. Told through spoken word, the viewer experiences the major issues affecting the black community as a result of centuries of systemic discrimination, including police brutality and the disadvantages they have solely based on the colour of their skin. As a result, Black Bodies is a powerful film with a strong message that could not have been timed better.

Set in what appears to be a small prison complex, surrounded by murdered black bodies, the film immerses the viewer in the uncomfortable feeling of what it’s like to be Black. The spoken words describe the centuries of oppression brought on by their ancestors’ slavery at the hands of their white slave owners. Despite being “freed” not too long ago, it is no secret that black people still feel powerless and are still oppressed due to racist governing powers like the police. The film ends on a strong message, as the poet gets shot and a black woman is left powerless to help.

These intense visuals show not only the lack of power black people feel that they have, as but also how accustomed to pervasive racism and police brutality the community has become. Living in a society embedded with systemic racism, some members of the black community have accepted their place as a lower-class citizen and simply accepted they will be treated, not only less important than white people, but even human garbage due to the color of their skin. Black Bodies also shows the absurd amount of power police officers have in America, with a ‘license to kill, with no repercussions’.

Personally, I enjoyed Black Bodies greatly as it definitely felt much needed at this time. Over the course of this summer, we have seen many riots for police brutality on Black Americans. Highlighting the fear and how unsafe it is to be black in America, the film sums up some of this year’s major events, including Breonna Taylor’s murder in her sleep and Eric Garner’s famous last words, ‘I can’t breathe’. The film’s last scene also brings up how the “Black Lives Matter” movement current feels within the general public. Much like the woman who leaves the poet after mourning, Black Lives Matter feels like it’s lost momentum. After not being able to defund the police, they have accepted the racial system in place and unfortunately lost hope, even from its own communities.

Overall, Black Bodies is able to express the incredible struggle of how it feels to be Black in America. Highlighting the history of systemic racism on the Black community and how it’s still affecting black Americans to this day, Bodies is an effective piece that offers perspective to anyone who doesn’t understand the current Black Lives Matter movement and why it is so necessary.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Black Bodies, Black Lives Matter, Short Cuts Programme, TIFF, TIFF20

Films in Full Colour #4 – MOONLIGHT

June 28, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

We, at ScreenFish, believe that we are all created in God’s image and want to show our support where we can to those in the Black Community who continue to battle against systemic racism. While our team strives for diversity, we can always do better ourselves in giving voice to those who need the chance to speak out and be heard. 

In our new series, ‘Films in Full Colour’, we will be examining films that explore issues specifically within the black community. For each episode, my co-host will be Jordan Thoms, pastor of Warden Underground Church in Toronto and our hope is that, through the lens of film, we might be able to shine light on the issues faced every day by African Americans. This week, Jordan and I welcome back Erico Kabongo to talk about male role models, confidence in our identity and sexual stereotyping in the black community in Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue the conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

Films in Full Colour #4: MoonlightDownload

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Barry Jenkins, Black Lives Matter, Janelle Monáe, LGBTQ, Mahershala Ali, Moonlight, Naomie Harris

BLM Unpacked; RTJ4, Last of Us 2, Christians & R-Rated Media

June 26, 2020 by Matt Hill Leave a Comment

your sunday drive podcast

Picking up from our last episode, we revisit Black Lives Matter, unpacking it as a value statement vs. a political statement, how the situation has developed over the past few weeks with defund the police movements and the death of Rayshard Brooks, and the potential dangers of “woke anti-racism” as a secular religion (a la John McWhorter).

Also: cancel culture, blackface, statues, and finding a way to navigate the symbolic nexus of history, freedom, motivation, love, etc. that this moment represents.

We also look at two popular pieces of current media (that Matt digs) – the album RTJ4 from rap group Run the Jewels and the game The Last of Us Part 2 – and ask questions around Christians and R-rated media: should we engage? How? Why? Dangers? Benefits? (you get it 🙂 )

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: acab, Black Lives Matter, christian podcast, church, defund police, drive, last of us, media, racism, run the jewels

Films in Full Colour #3: WAVES

June 19, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

We, at ScreenFish, believe that we are all created in God’s image and want to show our support where we can to those in the Black Community who continue to battle against systemic racism. While our team strives for diversity, we can always do better ourselves in giving voice to those who need the chance to speak out and be heard. 

In our new series, ‘Films in Full Colour’, we will be examining films that explore issues specifically within the black community. For each episode, my co-host will be Jordan Thoms, pastor of Warden Underground Church in Toronto and our hope is that, through the lens of film, we might be able to shine light on the issues faced every day by African Americans. This week, Jordan and I welcome ThatShelf.com’s Victor Stiff to look at broken fatherhood, racial injustice in the court system and healing through forgiveness in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue the conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

Films in Full Colour #3: WavesDownload

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Lucas Hedges, racial injustice, Trey Edward Shults, Waves

Films in Full Colour #2: JUST MERCY

June 13, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

We, at ScreenFish, believe that we are all created in God’s image and want to show our support where we can to those in the Black Community who continue to battle against systemic racism. While our team strives for diversity, we can always do better ourselves in giving voice to those who need the chance to speak out and be heard. 

In our new series, ‘Films in Full Colour’, we will be examining films that explore issues specifically within the black community. For each episode, my co-host will be Jordan Thoms, pastor of Warden Underground Church in Toronto and our hope is that, through the lens of film, we might be able to shine light on the issues faced every day by African Americans. This week, Jordan and I welcome film analyst Chris Utley to the show to talk about justice and its relationship to hopelessness, and what it means to tell a new story through Destin Daniel Cretton’s Just Mercy.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue the conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

Films in Full Colour 2: Just MercyDownload

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy, Michael B. Jordan, racial justice, racism

Films in Full Colour #1: QUEEN & SLIM

June 5, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

We, at ScreenFish, believe that we are all created in God’s image and want to show our support where we can to those in the Black Community who continue to battle against systemic racism. While our team strives for diversity, we can always do better ourselves in giving voice to those who need the chance to speak out and be heard. 

In our new series, ‘Films in Full Colour’, we will be examining films that explore issues specifically within the black community. For each episode, my co-host will be Jordan Thoms, pastor of Warden Underground Church in Toronto and our hope is that, through the lens of film, we might be able to shine light on the issues faced every day by African Americans. This week, Jordan and I welcome Enrico and Lauren Kabongo on the show to delve into spinning narratives, racial stereotyping and leaving a legacy in Melina Matsoukas’ Queen & Slim.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue the conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

FFC1: Queen & SlimDownload

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, Daniel Kaluuya, Films in Full Colour, Jodie Turner-Smith, Melina Matsoukas, Queen & Slim, racial justice, systemic racism

Black Lives Matter; Remembering Ravi Zacharias

June 3, 2020 by Matt Hill Leave a Comment

your sunday drive podcast

In this new episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we discuss the current unrest following the death of George Floyd, including conversation about Black Lives Matter vs. “All Lives Matter,” protests vs. looting, the role of social media and politics, biblical examples (including Jesus flipping tables) and frameworks for understanding justice, value, etc.

We then take a brief moment to reflect on writer/speaker Ravi Zacharias, who passed away recently, sharing some takeaways and highlights of Ravi speaking.

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, christian podcast, culture, george floyd, Jesus, police brutality, politics, protest, ravi zacharias, riot, Temple, Trump, your sunday drive

Queen & Slim: Running into Love

March 3, 2020 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

I have heard Queen & Slim called a black Bonnie and Clyde (which references a line in the film) and a heterosexual Thelma & Louise. The latter is more apt, but neither really quite captures the way this film fuses the on-the-run trope with today’s cultural affairs.

Daniel Kaluuya as Slim in Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas.

This is the story of a black man (Daniel Kaluuya) and woman (Jodie Turner-Smith) on their first date. It is a nightmare. These two have nothing in common. He is a working man; she is a criminal defense attorney. He is religious—praying before meals, vanity license plate: TRUSTGOD; she doesn’t believe in God. He is looking to create a relationship; she accepted the date because it was a bad day and she didn’t want to be by herself. While driving home after the disastrous date, they are pulled over by a police officer for a minor traffic infraction. The cop is abusive and the situation escalates until the black man ends up shooting and killing the officer in self-defense.

Jodie Turner-Smith as Queen in Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas.

The man wants to confess what he’s done, knowing it was unavoidable, but the woman knows how the justice system treats black people and convinces him that they must go on the run. Before long the dashcam video goes viral and there is a nationwide manhunt. As the days pass, this odd couple is together in a car looking for a plan. They slowly learn more about each other and themselves. The relationship, that seemed so impossible on that date, warms and develops into something precious to them both.

You may have noted that I’ve not used names for these two characters. We don’t know their names until the last few minutes of the film. They are essentially anonymous. Even the names in the title are not used in the film. Those names are also designed to make these two into an every man and woman. Screenwriter Lena Waithe says she used Queen “because I think all Black women are Queens”. Slim, she says, is an affectionate name black men use among themselves.

Along the way, the two encounter other people. Many, but not all, of the black people they meet are supportive. Many even see them as folk heroes or revolutionaries. Slim and Queen seem taken aback by these perceptions. That is a key difference between this film and Bonnie and Clyde and Thelma & Louise. Queen and Slim have no self-understanding that they are anything more than people in trouble. There is a nice coda in the film (in which we learn their real names) that revisits some of those people they met along the way in the aftermath of their journey.

(from left, centered) Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) and Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) in Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas.

Both natures of the film—criminals on the run and growing relationship—are present throughout, but the first half of the film is more heavily focused on the on-the-run theme. At just about the halfway mark, the film shifts the weight of the story to the relationship. It is in this half that we begin to learn more about the characters. Queen has seemed to be cold and detached. She seems strong and capable. But she has a past that has made her hide her vulnerabilities. Slim is trusting, compliant, and fearful. He is filled with guilt over killing a man. As they travel together, he must overcome his fear as he strives to survive.

(from left) Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) and Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) in Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas.

This film cannot be understood without an appreciation of the ways racism forms people’s lives. As we watch that traffic stop unfold and escalate into a lethal encounter, we know that Slim was justified in his action. But should he trust the legal system to treat him fairly? Is Queen right that as soon as he gave himself up he would “become the property of the state”? How a person of color answers those questions will likely differ from how persons of privilege react to them.

Special features include commentary from the writer and director, “A Deeper Meaning” with Kaluuya, Turner-Smith, and the filmmakers; “Melina & Lena” with the writer and director; the “Off the Script” screenplay reading; and “On the Run with Queen & Slim” behind-the-scenes.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Black Lives Matter, Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, love story, Melina Matsoukas, road movie

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