Tag: movie review

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Black Panther (It’s Not Just a Superhero Movie) #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe

Black Panther

Black Panther is not just a superhero movie.

It’s an anthem to women, a proclamation that black lives matter, and a statement about how power can be manipulated for good or for evil (okay, so some of the usual superhero themes).

One of the ways I keep my ear to the ground on the collective black voice (if there’s such a thing) is through Twitter. And since the trailer for Black Panther dropped last summer, black Twitter has been abuzz with anticipation. So far, less than two weeks after it’s release, it has already broken all kinds of records at the box office.

And it seems viewers (of all races) have not been disappointed. So why all the hype?

The hashtag #WhatBlackPantherMeanstoMe  on Twitter holds open a door to take a peek inside and see what all the excitement’s about. Here are some of the Tweets I’ve noticed over the past few days that are from people of color:

 

Seventeen years ago I sat eating popcorn in a movie theater in Kampala, Uganda, with my Ugandan friends. Tom Cruise scaled a wall in Mission Impossible and for two hours, we were absorbed into the mainly white world of the film. When the movie ended, we exited the front of the theater and I was startled when we stepped into what looked, to me, like another movie set with all black faces, Luganda spoken on the streets, and women wrapped in colorful skirts. For a short time, I was thankful for a movie with people who looked like me and shared my culture. That six months was the first time in my life I experienced being a minority. But what if most of my life was spent watching, reading about, listening to, and seeing representations of people who looked nothing like me?

Black Panther is important. Writer friend Yabome Gilpin-Jackson wrote for a previous post, called “Why Black Panther Matters,”  on Scraping Raisins: “Black children of African descent living off the continent need this. They need these moments of relatable role models, real and iconic, that they can look up to and hear stories from, so that they too can believe in their ability to reach higher.”

If you haven’t seen the film yet, I’ll try and spare you the spoilers, but in my opinion, this is #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe. As a person who loves other cultures and traveling, I personally loved the depiction of the country of Wakanda. The costumes and scenery were stunning. The customs of Wakanda and the mutual submission and respect they showed one another were fascinating. And yet I also appreciated that even good kings had dark secrets, an aspect that felt more reminiscent of Myazaki and Japanamation than of typical western films. Even good characters are capable of evil; evil characters are capable of good.

Though I’m no sci-fi expert, the gadgets and technology used on Wakanda were intriguing. I especially loved that the sister was the pro at this, and not the stereotypical nerdy tech man of most Hollywood films. What? Girls can be scientists, too?

Which brings me to my favorite part of the movie: the women.

I went into the film with zero knowledge of the comic book the movie was based on, so when the king’s army turned out to be all female, I leaned over to my husband and whispered loudly, “His army is all women!” He nodded, amused by my enthusiasm. Though women have come a long way in gaining rights in society, something primal rose up in me when I saw women portrayed as strong protectors with equal standing as men.

The cast of this movie is incredible and I was happy to see familiar faces, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) from This is Us, Alex (Michael B. Jordan), the boyfriend of Haddie from Parenthood, and Daniel Kaluuya from Get Out.

A few aspects of the movie did surprise me. Though I knew the movie had a mainly all black cast, I’m embarrassed to admit I wasn’t expecting race to be discussed in the film. I feel like this assumption is indicative of lingering ignorance and implicit bias on my part–that deep down, I still believe we live in a post-racial society where race does not need to be touched-on in a film with a nearly all-black cast.

My first thought in the opening scenes of the film were, Why are they perpetuating stereotypes about African Americans by beginning the film in the ghetto, over an illegal deal? I was jarred by the anger and bitterness of the anti-hero, Erick Killmonger, and felt the familiar bristling that whites feel when we’re are accused of our privilege and supremacy. (As an aside, to more acutely feel these feelings, watch the movie Get Out–it’s the good kind of uncomfortable).

I also wondered why the casting directors chose to go with British actor, Martin Freeman from Lord of the Rings, rather than an American actor. Perhaps this was intentional? Maybe the makers did not want to give a white American a lead role in this legendary film? Fair enough.

Of course race needed to be discussed. And this honesty only added another layer of depth to the movie, preventing audiences from skidding across the shallow surface of a “just another superhero film,” forcing them past the wading pool to the deeps of the human psyche.

This movie confronts gender, race, politics, isolationism, impoverished countries, hidden wealth and resources, identity, love, equality, and the trauma and scars of history. If you see any movie this year, you should see Black Panther. It’s not just a superhero movie.

***

Read my film expert friend’s review of Black Panther here.

Read African, Yabome Gilpin-Jackson, Ph. D’s review here.

Sign up for the Scraping Raisins newsletter by February 28th and be entered to win a copy of Beyond Colorblind! (U.S. residents only)

Sign up for the Mid-month Digest and Secret Newsletter Here:

How is God calling you to enter the race conversation? 

This month we’re discussing racism, privilege and bridge building. If you’d like to guest post on this topic, please email me at scrapingraisins(dot)gmail(dot)com. Yes, this is awkward and fraught with the potential for missteps, blunders and embarrassing moments, but it’s necessary. Join me?

I’ll go first.

(Consider joining the Facebook group Be the Bridge to Racial Unity to learn more about how God is moving in this sphere.)

If you are a writer, consider using the hashtag #WOCwithpens to showcase the writing of our black and brown sisters of faith every Wednesday specifically, but anytime as well! You can find the explanation for the hashtag here.

If you’re a white person who’s new to all of this, I compiled some resources to start you on your journey (because I’m not much farther ahead):

70+ Race Resources for White People

80+ MORE Race Resources for White people

* image from here.

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Before You See Black Panther, Read This (Spoiler-free Review by Jake VanKersen)

I asked my friend, Jake, movie buff and comic book and Star Wars expert, to share his intitial thoughts after seeing the much-anticipated Black Panther film. This article is helpful pre-viewing preparation for people like me who know very little about comic books or superheroes, but still enjoy a good superhero film (though I’d argue this is more than “just a superhero film”).

A review of Black Panther

By Jake VanKersen

On every level Black Panther is completely unapologetic about what it is and what it is trying to do. Yes, it is a Marvel movie and it unapologetically embraces every bit of that successful brand (it is the 18th film in the series). Yes, it is a superhero movie so it unapologetically gives us well-crafted action scenes. At the same time given that Black Panther, aka T’Challa, is the king of a fictional African country called Wakanda, it fully embraces African imagery and customs. In the hands of director Ryan Coogler, Black Panther also unapologetically touches upon race relations in the United States.

Black Panther opens with T’Challa preparing to take the role of King of Wakanda following the death of his father T’Chaka in Captain America: Civil War. Wakanda was never colonized by the Europeans. They built their country on a precious resource called verbranium which has allowed them to become an advanced technological state. While Wakanda has never been touched by the European Slave Trade, the effects of it are felt all around them. Wakanda’s decision to remain isolated from the rest of the world and ignore the problems around them are now starting to reach their borders.

It is under these circumstances that T’Challa begins his reign as king. While heavy is the head that wears the crown, he is anything but alone. He has the help of his sister Shuri, a technological genius that equips her brother with all his gadgets and upgrades his Black Panther armor. He is protected by warrior women known as the Dora Milaje that serve as royal bodyguards. The chief of the Dora Milaje, Okoye, is one of his closest confidants. He also recruits Wakandan spy and former girlfriend, Nakia, to help him.

The egalitarian role of men and women in Black Panther is another profound and effortless statement made by the film.

The cast is an obvious strength. As T’Challa/Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman is a strong and empathetic king. Boseman plays the character as a man who simultaneously feels the weight of his country on his shoulders, but has the resolve to hold it. Michael B. Jordan is the villain, Erik Killmonger, and plays him as a man consumed by rage but with a discipline to focus it on achieving his objective. I simultaneously empathized with why he was so angry and yet was shocked by his wickedness. As T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, Letitia Wright tells us everything we need to know about both her character and the great relationship she has with her brother from her very first scene.

Look, the bench is deep with this cast. You have Lupito Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Andy Serkis, Sterling K. Brown, Martin Freeman, and current Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya (the lead from Get Out). Frankly, I could spend time going through the entire cast and pointing out the strengths of each performance, so let me just say that the charisma and talent of this cast is stunning.

Of course, it is impossible to miss the statement this film is making with its cast and director. This is a major Hollywood Disney movie written and directed by an African American filmmaker, starring an African American actor, and featuring a cast of African descent.

Director of Black Panther, Ryan Coogler
Director of Black Panther, Ryan Coogler

Making a statement is nothing new for comic books. The early comic book creators had strong social justice points of view. Comic books came of age as Hitler unleashed fascism and anti-semitism on the world and comic book creators responded by having their characters take him on. The very first issue of Captain America featured the character punching Hitler in the face on the cover.

It is from this tradition of social justice that Black Panther was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966. The legendary comic book duo intentionally wanted to make a statement by not only creating the first mainstream black superhero, but by also making him, strong, smart, wealthy, and the king of a country.

A day after watching Black Panther I was still unpacking the layers of social and political commentary. The film does not hit you over the head with these themes, but it also doesn’t flinch from them either. In Ryan Coogler’s hands all these threads are effortlessly woven together for a deeply entertaining and exceptional film.

About Jake:

Jake VanKersenJake VanKersen is a Chicago-based Video Producer and graduate of Columbia College Chicago. He also has an encyclopedic knowledge of movie, Star Wars, and comic book trivia. Visit him at www.jakevankersen.com.

 

Sign up for my newsletter by February 28th and be entered to win a copy of Beyond Colorblind! (U.S. residents only)

Sign up for the Mid-month Digest and Secret Newsletter Here:

How is God calling you to enter the race conversation? 

This month we’re discussing racism, privilege and bridge building. If you’d like to guest post on this topic, please email me at scrapingraisins(dot)gmail(dot)com. Yes, this is awkward and fraught with the potential for missteps, blunders and embarrassing moments, but it’s necessary. Join me?

I’ll go first.

(Consider joining the Facebook group Be the Bridge to Racial Unity to learn more about how God is moving in this sphere.)

If you are a writer, consider using the hashtag #WOCwithpens to showcase the writing of our black and brown sisters of faith every Wednesday specifically, but anytime as well! You can find the explanation for the hashtag here.

If you’re a white person who’s new to all of this, I compiled some resources to start you on your journey (because I’m not much farther ahead):

70+ Race Resources for White People

80+ MORE Race Resources for White people

**Contains Amazon affiliate links

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