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Black Panther

Not-So-Random Thoughts after 2 Screenings of BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

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EPIC SPOILERS IN THIS COMMENTARY. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE FILM

They wrote his death into the story! 

Not a casual mention. Or a start with the all white funeral scene and tribute. Ryan Coogler added T’Challa/Chadwick’s Into. The. Movie – specifically stating that he died of a disease.

I wept. 

Grief. 

We theatre audiences walked into our seats with popcorn in hand and Chadwick in our hearts to the tune of $330 million worldwide and counting to watch a master class on GRIEF! Stunning! The impact of Thanos’s snap has NOTHING on this, IMO. 

Angela Bassett as Ramonda in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

The ladies now at the helm of Wakanda all experience it in heavy duty ways:

Shuri lost her father AND her brother.  

Queen Ramonda lost her husband and her beloved son. Halfway through this epic story, she would lose her life – propelling Shuri into ANOTHER wave of grief. 

Fierce and mighty Dora Milaje General Okoye experiences it. She lost her king – and, eventually, her title as the result of the surface level attack by Namor’s army. 

Nakia lost more than a king and ruler. She lost the love of her life. But instead of sitting in her grief and allowing it to consume her, she took that grief and moved forward. We discover in this story that she becomes headmistress of a Haitian school. We ALSO discover that King T’Challa had prepared her for what was to come…and left the ultimate gift to preserve his memory and legacy!

Grief is at the heart of Namor’s story, story. Witnessing the slaughter of his people on the surface land, his grief turns into fury. The fury consumed his heart and war ensues. 

Shaking my head as I type this as I think about this narrative. What happens when grief consumes the heart of mankind. When you watch Shuri take center stage in this story, you’re watching that fight take place in her soul. The consummation reaches its apex when, in the worst kept secret in 2022 cinema, she takes her place as the new Black Panther by creating a synthetic version of The Heart Shaped Herb and journeys to the Ancestral Plane. But it’s not her newly deceased mom, dad or CGI holographic version of her brother who meets her there. It’s her cousin – THE COUSIN whose own consumed grief was the catalyst of the first adventure! 

Killmonger offers her a choice: To be noble like her brother, or to handle business (TRANSLATION, give into the grief and burn the world down). To watch her in anguish make that choice left me utterly speechless. 

Watching her in grief made me think of my own losses. Like her, I have lost a parent and a sibling in my own life. For years the anger consumed me. The smile I used to have as a little boy developed into a scowl by the time I was 40. I spent the last 10 years of my life walking my own journey away from grief and back to joy. God offers us beauty for ashes, joy for our pain and a garment of praise for our spirit of heaviness. But, to embrace the new garment that God offers us, we must do what Shuri is reluctant to do: Burn that old heavy garment of mourning in order to walk in that spirit of praise and new hope. 

Those 2 hours 41 minutes are a lot. A whole lot. Ryan Coogler absolutely wrecks us in the best way possible. In terms of scope, depth, grandeur, performance and texture, it’s the biggest film a Black director has ever made. Hands down. I didn’t expect Coogler to make a movie at least 5 times bigger than the original. But he did it. And I’m still trying to pry my jaw off the floor!

It’s cliche to claim a film to be critic proof. But, for the target audience, in which I absolutely declare that I and my African/African American kinsmen were INDEED the target audience, this film absolutely is critic proof. As I said up top, we carried Chadwick in our hearts. He is ours. That movie was for us. As the dedication card declares, he was and is our friend. 

And our friend is smiling from the heavenlies as his legacy lives on.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now available in theatres.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Grief is Not the End

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It was never going to be an easy task.

After death after the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, the return to the Black Panther franchise became frought with controversy and challenges. Whether it was the rallying cry to recast T’Challa, or simply attempting to create a project that honours the legacy of one of Marvel‘s greatest heroes, the sequel to Black Panther felt like a doomed project from the start. Although the cast was committed to creating something of the highest possible quality, this is almost an impossible expectation to meet under the circumstance. However, against all odds, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an undeniably touching tribute to the life of Boseman, while still managing to deliver the Marvel goods in an epic way. 

Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follows the nation of Wakanda as they are left in collective grief over the tragic death of King T’Challa. As reinstated leader, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) informs the world council that, despite the loss of T’Challa, they are very much a nation of power and pride who are willing to embrace the next chapter of leadership. However, when the mysterious aquatic nation of Talokan—led by the powerful Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejia)—asserts their claim to Wakanda’s resources, Shuri (Letitia Write), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje must fight to preserve their home.

Almost strangely, Wakanda Forever feels more internally-focused than other recent entries into the uber-franchise. For example, Coogler has created a film that features all the epic battle sequences that one would expect from traditional Marvel fare. (The battle within Wakanda itself is particularly impressive.) However, at the same time, Wakanda Forever is a film that feels quite content to grapple with its own issues, with no Thanos or Kang-like threat lying in the wings. Marvel is always at its best when character is emphasized over spectacle and Wakanda Forever is surprisingly willing to sit in the quieter moments. As a result, this easily becomes one of the best films in the current phase of storytelling as it allows the characters space to grieve.

A scene from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

In a lot of ways, Wakanda Forever is a surprisingly appropriate film to end Marvel’s Phase 4. From Black Widow to WandaVision to even Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel‘s theme for much of their content during this current phase of the Marvel Universe has dealt with how to recover from grief and trauma. This theme absolutely extends into Wakanda Forever as Boseman‘s death weighs heavily upon the film. Unlike other Marvel deaths, Boseman’s actual passing has left a mark upon both the fictional world and the real-world fanbase, causing difficult decisions for those behind the scenes. Do you recast the character? Change the identity of the Panther? All of these options have been hotly debated in recent years but, thankfully, the film treats his passing with honour and respect. In this vision of Wakanda, the nation mourns the death of their king and desperately searches for a way forward. As such, like other Marvel content in recent years, Wakanda Forever becomes a tribute to the power of legacy, and what it means to heal after a tragic loss. 

(Center): Danai Gurira as Okoye in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

Although Boseman’s passing weighs heavily on this latest chapter of the story of Wakanda, it is the women who step forward with strength and fury. From Letitia Wright and Lupita Nyong’o to Dani Gurira and the Dora Milaje, the women of Wakanda are determined to protect their home and lead into the future. This is especially true in Wright’s performance as she brings a maturity to her character that was missing in the first film. While the first adventure portrayed her as the ‘kid sister of the king’, Wakanda Forever allows her to grow into a more complex character. (“Someone who has seen as much tragedy as you can no longer be called a child,” M’Baku informs her.) 

However, standing tallest amongst these Wakandan warriors is Bassett. As T’Challa’s grieving mother and the reinstated Queen of Wakanda, she is positively fierce. Broken by grief yet fueled by determination, there’s a passion and fury within Bassett’s work here that feels authentic. Although Wright may be the film’s focus, Bassett remains its heart and soul.

Angela Bassett as Ramonda in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

And soul is an appropriate term for Wakanda Forever.

Left with an anger created by their suffering and hurt, this is a country (and a franchise) that is looking to rediscover its soul. Determined to soldier on, Wakanda struggles to know what the future looks like, leaving them with a sense of uncertainty. Here, each character lies determined to carry on the legacy of their fallen king, yet remain unsure about how to do so. This is particularly exemplified in the journey of Shuri, who remains broken by the loss of her departed brother. Wrought with anger, there is a recklessness of her character in this film that tempts her to lean into her darker impulses. Without giving any spoilers, Shuri’s emotional journey is the focal point of much of the film as she grapples with the tension between holding on and letting go. 

Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

This is not to say that Marvel isn’t up to its old tricks in terms of thinking towards the future of the franchise. New characters such as Riri Williams, Namor the Submariner and the inclusion of Talokan are introduced as more foes/allies for Wakanda—and, potentially, the Avengers—in future entries. (What’s more, one can’t help but feel bad for James Cameron as he primes himself to reintroduce another group of blue-skinned, water-based warriors in only a few weeks’ time.) However, what’s most important is that these new characters are not the aspect of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that resonate after the (post)credits roll. Instead, Coogler has managed to create a proper farewell for one of Marvel’s most beloved heroes while still offering hope for the future.

And, in times of grief, that is always what’s needed most.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is available in theatres on Friday, November 11th, 2022.

Summer of Soul – A Revolution Resurrected

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1969. It is the year humankind set foot on the moon. The US is heavily involved in Vietnam. Men were being drafted, but there were growing protests. It is only a year after the murders of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. It was also the year of Woodstock, the amazing music festival that got out of hand. But Woodstock isn’t the whole story of music in 1969. A few hundred miles away that summer the Harlem Music Festival took place over six weekends. Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), winner of the Grand Prize and an Audience Award at Sundance, gives us a wonderful taste of that event that has long gone unnoticed.

Sly Stone performing at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

For six Sundays through the summer, the biggest names in Black music held court in Mt. Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem. Performers included Stevie Wonder, The Staple Singers, Mahalia Jackson, The Fifth Dimension, Nina Simone, Hugh Masekela, B.B. King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Sly and the Family Stone, among many others. Admission was free and there were estimated 50,000 people each week. And, it was all filmed! (So, then, why haven’t we seen it before? More on that later.)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has brought together some of those wonderful performances and included some interviews with people who were there—performers and audience—to give us a hint of what that cultural experience was, and why it was important at that time in the Black community. This is more than just a celebration of the music. It brings forward the issues that were facing the community and the nation at that time—many of which continue.

Nina Simone performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

One of the issues that played a part in the festival was racial unrest. The year before, after the King and Kennedy assassinations, many cities experienced civil unrest. The city helped to sponsor these concerts, possibly in part to head off violence. When the police were slow to commit to the festival, the Black Panthers provided security. At one of the events, Rev. Jesse Jackson was part of the program to promote Operation Breadbasket.

That political setting is an important part of understanding the event (as is reflected in the film’s subtitle). The very concept that the culture of Black America was of value was a part of the larger racial revolution that was underway. But more than anything, this was about community. One of those who remembers attending as a child called it “the ultimate Black barbeque”. This was an opportunity for the people of Harlem to gather and find affirmation of their music and their culture.

The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

There is a spiritual aspect to that affirmation. Some of the acts performing were in the gospel tradition. We see during some of these performances how gospel serves as a bit of therapy to the harshness of the world. The height of this understanding comes as we watch an amazing version of “Precious Lord” with Mavis Staple and Mahalia Jackson.

Getting back to the question of why it’s taken over fifty years for this to come to light. Even though it was all filmed, no one really thought Black music was a market that would make it profitable. There was a pair of local broadcasts, but nothing beyond that. There is also a sense that those who made those decisions did not recognize the revolutionary nature of such an event. (Or maybe they did.) So it’s been hidden away all these years.

The festival is sometimes referred to as “Black Woodstock”, but I find that a bit off base. While both were amazing music festivals, Woodstock became famous more for the event itself. It was a countercultural happening. It was a crashed party that overwhelmed the promoters and the authorities. The Harlem Cultural Festival was extremely well organized and its sense of community was far more organic than the seeming community of the flooded fields of Woodstock.

Hugh Masekela performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

All these years in the future, we still struggle with racial inequality in our society. Summer of Love allows us to consider what progress has and has not been made in the decades since the Harlem Cultural Festival. It is a blessing that it has been brought out after all this time. Not just for the music, but for the revolution that we are still ready for.

Summer of Soul (…or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is in select theaters and will soon be available on Hulu.

Photos courtesy of Seachlight Pictures.

Academy Awards 2021: Boseman Loss Shows Why We Still Do (and Don’t) Need the Oscars

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It wasn’t supposed to go like that.

After unexpectedly re-arranging the schedule to push Best Picture up and let the acting categories shine, the Academy clearly wanted to send a message. With the foregone conclusion that Chadwick Boseman would posthumously take Best Actor for his work in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, it was going to definitively celebrate a young man who was taken from us far too soon after losing his battle with cancer last year. 

An African-American man. 

Black Panther.

The significance of the moment was going to be a victory to end that night that would be both emotional and satisfying. After all, at a moment when Black culture is looking for heroes, a Chadwick victory would have been a symbolic statement in honour of a young man who had become a beacon of hope for many, sending viewers home with a truly feel-good moment.

Well, we all know how that went.

After Phoenix announced Anthony Hopkins as Best Actor to close out the show, the shock was palpable. The room was fairly quiet. Phoenix had to fumble through an awkward acceptance on Hopkins behalf as he was the only nominee not available. Of course, Twitter erupted. (In some ways, you almost feel bad for Hopkins. At home in Wales, even HE didn’t think he was going to win. If I were him, I likely would have slept through the ceremony as well.)

In a moment that felt like the reverse of the La La Land/Moonlight fiasco of a few years ago, the ‘feel-good’ finale completely backfired.

Within seconds, people took to their social media and responded accordingly. Outrage! Fury! Cancel! The response was completely understandable—and expected. After all, around this time, it’s almost tradition for people to take to the inter-webs to complain about the Oscars and the choices that they proclaim are ‘Best’. People decry from the rooftops that the films the Academy selects show their irrelevancy (and, sometimes, that’s a totally fair complaint). Comments like ‘this is why I don’t care about the Oscars’ flood social media with tsunami-like force.

But the irony is that same blow-up on the Twitter-verse shows that people still do care.

While people may either be happy or furious, the fact that the reactions to these awards are so strong suggests that there’s still an interest in the results. For over 90 years, the Academy Awards have been the ‘standard’ by which success in the industry has been measured. To win an Oscar is considered one of the highest honours in the industry and, even though culture has changed a lot in recent years (and continues to do so), there remains a respect for that golden statue that continues to endure. To win an Oscar still says something. 

They matter because they matter to us.

The reason people were upset about Chadwick losing the award is not because Hopkins didn’t deserve it but rather that it meant something to them. Hopkins turned in the performance of the lifetime in the role but a Chadwick victory would have felt not only poignant but powerful. With his career still reaching his potential before his death, Chadwick still felt like someone that people could relate to, especially amongst the Black community. A win for him seemed like it would have felt like another win for them.

And it might have.

But, if the awards truly didn’t matter to anyone outside the industry, no one would have cared. There would have been no outcry or frustration. It would have simply passed on from the cultural zeitgeist and landed on the entertainment pages… not the front page… 

The problem may be that we’ve given too much credibility to the Academy. Though filled with over 1000 industry professionals, with this responsibility comes the expectation that it will represent the values of the people and the time. The truth is that they don’t always. Yes, they strive for representation and want to speak the voice of a culture. That’s why these films matter as much as Marvel films or alien invasions. They connect with a heartbeat that speaks the cries of our world.

But they don’t always speak for you and I. How could they?

With this in mind, the loss by Chadwick shows that, maybe, we don’t need the Oscars to play the same role in our culture. The truth is that, while considered the highest heights of the industry, the loss to Hopkins does not take away from his performance (or career) in any way. So many of history’s best films and performances were never recognized by the Academy. Citizen Kane, Raging Bull, Do The Right Thing, Pulp Fiction and innumerable others were robbed of ‘Oscar glory’ yet remain the most influential films of the last century. (And let’s not forget Delroy Lindo from the list of snubs this year…)

Regardless of who the Academy chooses to take home the gold, Chadwick Boseman will be remembered.

He matters. And he’s as important as he was yesterday.

I admit it. I love the Oscars. I love the pageantry, the music and the speeches. Unlike many, I love the fact that winners use the platform to speak their hearts about issues that matter to them. (I mean, they’ve been given a voice. They should use it.) I even love my Oscar pool with friends.

Ultimately though, they don’t determine which films or performances matter most. Only the ones that mattered to these people. That’s why it doesn’t really matter in the end if Boseman posthumously took home the gold. His performance in Ma Rainey’s was a thing of brilliance and it will be remembered. (In fact, it should be remembered.) This year’s Oscars may have been the most diverse in the Academy’s history. Chloe Zhao. Daniel Kaluuya. Yuh-Jung Yoon. H.E.R. Soul. Jon Batiste. All of these winners from last night show that things are changing. This was not #OscarsSoWhite, even if it did feel like #OscarsSoWrong.

The loss by Boseman doesn’t change any of this… but it’s all anyone’s talking about.

Yes, it would have made an amazing story to see him cap off his young but incredible career with a win. It would have been an emotional moment for us all. But there’s a reason that they announce the winner by saying ‘the Oscar goes to…’ They don’t want the other nominees to feel as though they are someone lesser than the others.

Because they aren’t. Not Riz Ahmed. Not Boseman. None of them, regardless of category. They all achieved something great with their cinematic achievements. And, like Chadwick’s performance, their work lives on. 

The Academy knows that. We may have forgotten it.

Message received.

4.17 Mercy, Madness and Everything Else in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

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As one of the biggest films in box office history, Avengers: Infinity War has definitely left its mark on pop culture but the real story of the film is its surprisingly engaging villain. In Thanos, Marvel has created one of its most compelling characters, maintaining intelligence with equal levels of insanity. As his power grows, so too does his brutality as creates disasters of Biblical proportions with a snap of his fingers. But, is there a method to the Mad Titan? Does he really believe himself to be God-like in power or is his legacy more noble than we realize? This week, Greg Banik stops by to speak with Steve about mercy, madness and everything in between.

Want to continue to 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.

4.17 Avengers Infinity War

Thanks Greg for joining us!

GIVEAWAY: Black Panther 4K/Blu-Ray Combo!

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Before the Infinity War was the battle for Wakanda!

After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

                       

The winner will receive a copy of the Black Panther 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo.

To enter, simply like or share our post on Facebook and answer the following question in the comment section: What was the name of T’Challa’s father, who was killed during the events of Captain America: Civil War?

For a bonus entry, like or share the post on Twitter and Instagram.

All entries must be completed by 11:59pm on Friday, May 18th, 2018.

 

Black Panther will be unleashed on Blu-Ray on Tuesday, May 15th, 2018

Avengers Infinity War: The Hype is Real! (Spoiler Free)

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It’s hard to believe when you look back at it that it has been 10 years since Marvel Studios–then on its own–embarked on a bold strategy to change cinematic storytelling as we knew it. What started in 2008 with Iron Man has evolved into what can arguably be called the standard of superhero film-making. Of course, during that time, many of the films have fallen between OK to amazing in terms of quality. Lately, the box office tallies have been record breaking (Wakanda Forever!). So, after 10 years, and the much anticipated Thanos showdown with the entire MCU, it is of no surprise that this weekend Marvel will shatter even more records. Still, the question remains whether or not the film actually lives up to the hype?

Ever since the first Avengers film, Thanos has been a lingering threat. Slowly, Marvel has moved towards the inevitable collision with the Mad Titan and we had to wait until now for, as Bobby Bouche’s mom tells him, “The chickens [to finally]come to home to roost.” I can say that, for the second film in a row, Marvel has knocked it out of the park with their villain (something they haven’t been able to do since Loki). Like Killmonger, Thanos comes off as a villain whose motive actually makes sense though in the mind of a mad man, it is insane. Josh Brolin is exceptional in this role, and we are given a character in Thanos who is not just menacing and powerful, but even almost relatable. In the midst of a high pace edge of your seat film, The Russo brothers were able to inject just enough of Thanos’ background to give us a glimpse into what makes this madman tick. If not for the fact that he wants to wipe out half the universe without remorse, one might almost feel bad for him. When Infinity War was over, I was left speechless and in awe and Thanos was a big reason as to why.

One of the questions many had going into the film is how managing all these characters in one film would work. There are some things that I question, but overall the Russo brothers did a great job in putting together a film that balanced the characters extremely well. Not an easy task, that’s for sure! There was balance between character screen time, pace, seriousness, and humor. Like most Marvel films, you find your self laughing out loud at parts, edge of your seat for some, and even tears for others. All emotions are tapped and some for the most unexpected of characters. From the ego filled banter of Tony and Dr. Strange; the camaraderie of Thor and Rocket; the respect of T’Challa and Captain America; to the relationships that take center stage of the film, each character gets a moment to shine like we know they can (even teenage Groot). My only gripe in relation to the characters has to do with a missing person, and what I consider a cop out near the end of the film. Outside of that, the film handled the balancing act very well.

From the start, this film was intense with a splash of fun added in for good measure. It truly brought the past 10 years of Marvel films together while showing us what heroism is. From the start, the heroes were over-matched and outgunned, as it should be. The children of Thanos (Black Dwarf, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, and Corvis Claive) were a handful for our heroes on their own. From the beginning, we witnessed the power of Thanos. Still, similar to the scene in Captain America: The First Avenger, where a puny Steve Rogers is getting beat up and continues to get up, the heroes stood up to fight. We see that no matter what the enemy throws at us, we need to stand firm and fight. In the end, although we may be broken, battered, shattered, and feel like the world as we know it is ending, we can look to the horizon and realize there is still hope.

Avengers: Infinity War not only lives up to the hype, but I believe it may even shatter some expectations. There are story points that not even the cast knew would happen until they actually watched the film. The ending will leave the audience speechless, and some bold decisions might make some fans unhappy. However, in the end, this is what makes the film work. It stayed on point, never drifted away from what it wanted to do, and delivered what may one day be considered one of the best superhero films of all time. Avengers 4 comes out next year, and it has a lot to live up to.

Personally, I hope the Russo brothers can deliver again.

P.S. The film has no mid-credit scene. Though, there is a post-credit scene that really Marvels…

 

4.12 The Power of the BLACK PANTHER

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As Marvel unleashed BLACK PANTHER, even they could not have foreseen the incredible impact that the film has had on both the box office and the culture at large! With its lush visuals and healthy portrayal of African-Americans, PANTHER has sparked positive conversations about race and depictions of culture on the big screen. This week, Steve welcomes back Chris Utley and Arnaldo Reyes to talk about the film’s impact and the power telling one’s own story.

Want to continue to 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.

4.12 Black Panther

Thanks Chris and Arnaldo for joining us!

For those of you in Canada who are interested, you can donate to ScreenFish by clicking the link below and simply selecting ‘ScreenFish’ from the ‘Apply Your Donation…’ area. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/connect-city/

Black Panther: I STAY WOKE!

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SPOILERS FROM THE FILM WILL BE DISCUSSED AND DISSECTED.  DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN THE FILM

My former Grambling State University Theatre Department classmate turned prolific R&B artist Erykah Badu has a song on one of her albums called “Master Teacher.”  The hook goes, “What if there were no N*****s, only Master Teachers?  I STAY WOKE.”   If you substitute the phrase Master Teachers for the word WAKANDANS, then you’ll get the vibe of where I’m going in light of this cinematic event that has been given to us this Presidents Day Weekend 2018.

I will leave the MCU fanboying to the experts here at THE FISH to ponder BLACK PANTHER’s place in the pantheon of Marvel films, analyze its connection towards the road leading to Avengers: Infinity War, etc.  I’ve got bigger fish to fry.  As does this movie.

Instead, I will build off of my thesis statement from my classmate – paraphrased and reappropriated for this movie.  Of course I know that Wakanda is not an actual place.  It’s birthed from the imagination of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.  But, in my own mind, I see Wakanda as what might have been for my ancestors and I.  What would my motherland of Africa and my kinsmen be if the natural minerals and resources had not been fleeced and its people oppressed by apartheid and their ancestral offspring not led away in slaveships to the Carribean, South and North America to endure 400 years of violent, dignity robbing, identity snatching hardship by real life “colonizers?”  I look at those 5 tribes which form the fictional Wakanda and I see the true essence and spirit of who God has graced the African man and woman to be – regardless of whether the designation American appears afterwards.

I see honor and dignity. I see fierce devotion to ideals.  I see great technological and scientific advances.

I see PRIDE.

I desperately wanted my 12-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter to see and feel the same thing as I did when I watched the movie.  Their response was definitely more muted than mine.  I get it.  Because in our home – with God’s help – we have continually taught them to see honor and dignity in themselves; to have a fierce devotion to the biggest ideal of all: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD; and that technology, science, and all areas of greatness are available to them via education.

As I thank God for my kids, I also have to think about the other kids out there; the real life Erik Killmongers of the world.  The ones whose hearts have grown numb to the images of Strange Fruits in trees hung, maimed and slaughtered by more evil “colonizers.”  The ones who have attempted to take the derogatory ‘N-word’ label and soften it up by slicing 2 letters and adding an A on the end.  The ones who wish to continue the work of the real life Black Panthers.  I don’t think director Ryan Coogler set this film in Oakland by accident…especially when you consider that:

  1. The Panthers were born in Oakland
  2. Erik Killmonger’s plan of action – inherited to him by his father Wakandan Prince N’Jobu – is straight out of their playbook.

Call the real life Black Panthers a hate group if you want.  You’re missing the point.  These were a group of men and women who got tired of seeing the unjust oppression of their kinsmen by the ruling class and were ready to defend them even if it meant overthrowing the current systems of power.  Disagree with them and Killmonger all you wish. But before you judge, look at their point of view in the light of those dead Black men and women of the past…and present.

Killmonger, rightful heir to the Wakandan throne, wants to take the resources from his homeland and equip warlords across the world to free his kinsmen.  But T’Challa – our hero – knows there is a better way.  A way, as spoken in Post Credits Sequence #1, that does not involve creating division and using his homeland’s resource to foster oppression. T’Challa wants to use his kingdom to be a LIGHT to the world.  There was a time when Wakanda hid itself in fear of what MIGHT happen should their greatness got into the wrong hands.  But T’Challa recognizes that it’s time to come out of the darkness and into the light.

But that light only shines when we, as humanity, come TOGETHER.

That’s the one area in the real world where all of mankind needs to stay woke.  It’s not about White Supremacy or Black Pride reigning on the throne of society.  There is only one Throne and only one Kingdom in which every knee will bow to. And that King will be glorified when He sees all of His creation – all races, creeds and colors – united together to shine His light on our broken world.

Black Panther gets 2 fists up from me! ✊🏿✊🏿 May its record breaking success cause studio execs to GET WOKE about the abilities of Black filmmakers handling big budget blockbuster material.  I’ll say it loud!  BLACK PANTHER MADE ME PROUD!

 

 

 

Black Panther Giveaway!

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As the world prepares for the unleashing of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, ScreenFish wants to help you to get ready!

After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

                       

The winner will receive a copy of the Black Panther soundtrack, a T’Challa pop figure, and a Black Panther poster.

To enter, simply like or share our post on Facebook and answer the following question in the comment section: Name another film in which director Ryan Coogler has worked with actor Michael B. Jordan.

For a bonus entry, like or share the post on Twitter.

All entries must be completed by 11:59pm on Thursday, February 15th, 2018.

 

Black Panther will be unleashed in theatres on February 16th, 2018