ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

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Films in Full Colour #2: JUST MERCY

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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

Comfort Films #2 – HURRICANE [CREED]

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When times are tough, what stories do you turn to? Our new series, Comfort Films, is designed to look at the films that are important to us and why they help bring us up with everything feels down. This week, In the Seats’ Dave Voigt and That Shelf’s Victor Stiff stop by to chat about the fist-pumping beauty of Ryan Coogler’s Creed and the wanton (and joyous) chaos of Rob Cohen’s Hurricane Heist.

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!

Just Mercy: Never Too Late for Justice

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Image result for just mercy movie

Based on true events, Just Mercy tells the story of Walter “Johnny D” McMillian (Jamie Foxx), a man who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Ronda Morrison and sentenced to death in Alabama. Adapted from the book by Johnny D’s attorney, Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), Just Mercy is a hard-hitting look at racism in Alabama in recent decades, and the reality of a corrupt justice system.

Set in Monroeville, Alabama, the birthplace of author Harper Lee, the film makes multiple references to Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, a fictional yet soberingly accurate comparison to some of the events that took place in Just Mercy. If you’ve seen To Kill a Mockingbird, the scene in Just Mercy where all people of colour are standing at the back of the courtroom will give you a chilling flashback.

Bryan Stevenson moved to Alabama to begin the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization providing legal services to prisoners who could not afford a proper representative, who were not granted a fair trial, or who were likely wrongly convicted.

Image result for just mercy movie

The case against Johnny D was based on very little evidence, including a fabricated testimony of a fellow inmate. It was clear that he was targeted based on race and class. Johnny D had also been unfaithful to his wife with a Caucasian woman, and this news had travelled around town.

When Bryan first met with Johnny D to reopen his case, it was clear that Johnny D was broken and had lost hope. He didn’t want to feel the pain or put his family through it again. With every turn, it seemed as though there were more road blocks that they had to face. People were intentionally trying to sabotage the appeal despite knowing that there was no real case against Johnny D.

Just Mercy is yet another look into how the justice system does not always provide justice, and how people who serve time in prison often come out worse then when they went in. Johnny D developed dementia later in his life which was thought to be the result of his time in prison and the trauma of what he went through. In addition, the film also brings up the moral debate about the death penalty. On a human level it was very difficult to watch the emotional trauma these men experienced as they sat and waited to be killed.

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This film is real and powerful. 

Special features on the Blu-ray include “Making Mercy,” “The Equal Justice Initiative,” “This Moment Deserves,” and deleted scenes. The film is now available for digital purchase and download from Warner Bros.

TIFF ’19: Just Mercy

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Image result for just mercy movie

Based on true events, Just Mercy tells the story of Walter “Johnny D” McMillian (Jamie Foxx), a man who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Ronda Morrison and sentenced to death in Alabama. Adapted from the book by Johnny D’s attorney, Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), Just Mercy is a hard-hitting look at racism in Alabama in recent decades, and the reality of a corrupt justice system.

Bryan Stevenson moved to Alabama to begin the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization providing legal services to prisoners who could not afford a proper representative, who were not granted a fair trial, or who were likely wrongly convicted. When Bryan first met with Johnny D to reopen his case, it was clear that Johnny D was broken and had lost hope. He didn’t want to feel the pain or put his family through it again. With every turn, it seemed as though there were more road blocks that they had to face. People were intentionally trying to sabotage the appeal despite knowing that there was no real case against Johnny D.

I have never heard so many sniffles or deep breathes in a theatre as I did during Just Mercy.  This film is real and powerful.  What’s more, knockout performances by stars Jamie Foxx, Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, Rob Morgan, and Tim Blake Nelson, do not be surprised if you hear some–if not all–of these names as award season approaches.

Just Mercy recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will begin its wide release on December 25th, 2019.

5.06 Fighting our Fathers in CREED II

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When Adonis Creed returns to the ring in CREED II, he has all he’s ever fought for: a new wife, stable family and, of course, the heavyweight championship on his shoulders. However, when the shadows of his past resurface to confront him, Creed must ask himself what he’s fighting for and what he’s prepared to do to achieve it. This week, Steve welcomes Colin McCartney (Connect Ministries) and Jordan Thoms to the show in order to talk about fighting for (and against) our fathers, owning our identity and the stigma of dealing with mental health issues.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic or on Spotify! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or more!

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.

5.06 Creed II

Thanks Colin and Jordan for joining us!

Creed II – Still in Rocky’s Shadow

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The Rocky saga continues with Creed II. It would be nice for the Creed films to have their own identity. It’s not just that they still have Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in a key role; they both rely heavily on plot from the earlier Rocky films rather than looking for their own paths.

In Creed, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), illegitimate son of Rocky’s foe/friend Apollo Creed, embarks on a boxing career under the Balboa’s tutelage. That film was in part a search by Adonis for a connection to the father he never knew. In the present film, Adonis becomes champion, but soon he is publicly challenged by Victor Drago (Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu), son if Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the fighter who (in the 1985 Rocky IV) killed Apollo in the ring, and was later beaten and disgraced by Rocky. Rocky still carries guilt about not stopping the fight before Apollo was killed. The elder Drago still carries a grudge against Rocky.

Sylvester Stallone stars as Rocky Balboa and Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed and in CREED II, a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures film. Credit: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures
© 2018 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Rocky refuses to train Adonis for the fight, but Adonis goes on with Tony Burke, son of Apollo’s trainer.  After taking a terrible beating, Adonis retains his title on a disqualification. But his life is facing many changes. Not least of which is that his fiancée Bianca (Tessa Thompson) is having a baby. Is Adonis willing to risk everything in a rematch with so many new responsibilities? (Well, it’s a Rocky movie, isn’t it? Of course there will be a rematch.) In terms of plot, this story develops very like Rocky IV, except than rather that getting killed, Adonis is only almost killed.

Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis Creed and Tessa Thompson as Bianca in CREED II, a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film.Credit: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

The film seems to want to talk about family, and especially fatherhood. It seems fitting that after the search for a father-figure in Creed, the sequel might want to look at what it will mean to Adonis to become a father. The film certainly offers that opportunity. A subplot deals with Rocky wanting to call his estranged son, but not having the courage to seek a reconciliation. The ingredients for Adonis and Rocky to struggle with what it means to be a father are there, but that theme gets overwhelmed by the boxing. Adonis seems pretty cavalier about the possibility of leaving his child fatherless as his father left him.

This film brings all the familiar emotions of the other Rocky Saga films. I suppose that’s why people like sequels—getting to see the same story again. Like the other films in the series, it relies on many brutal fight scenes. These are more brutal than real boxing, which is brutal in itself. What makes the difference (at least in my mind) between a good and lesser boxing film is if the fighting adds something to the human story being lived out by the characters or if the story is just the mechanism to get to the next fight scene. Creed II gives priority to the boxing. When we walk out of the film, what we remember is the bone-crushing body blows, not the soul-rending doubts that Rocky, Adonis, and Bianca all face. (And because of the father/son relationship of Ivan and Victor, there is a whole other perspective that could have been considered.)

(Right) Florian Munteanu stars as Viktor Drago in CREED II, a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures film. Credit: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures
© 2018 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This is why I think the Creed films need to find a new direction out of the Rocky paradigm. They could offer us some depth to justify making us watch the bloody gladiatorial spectacles of overdone boxing.

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

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