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BLACK PANTHER

USA • 2018

DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler

GENRE: Action, Comic Book, Adventure, Superhero, Sci-Fi

FEATURING: Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis

MUSIC: Ludwig Göransson, with exclusive tracks by Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA, Khalid

RUNNING TIME: 134 mins

Black Panther starts out as a film with its feet firmly planted in the MCU; there is a dramatic and  mysterious opening set in the past, but it is when we turn to the present day - which is set only a day or two after the death of T’Chaka (played by John Kani) in Captain America: Civil War - that the fun truly begins.

From the offset, we see that T’Challa (Boseman) is a strong character, acting both on his own morals and those he feels like he is compelled to follow as the new king of Wakanda. It is immediately apparent that this is a strong lead character who will be relatable, especially for people of colour. Similarly, the fact that this is a film which introduces us to a strong female character (Nakia, played by Nyong’o) who, is not only more than just a romantic point for the male lead (she is in fact his ex-girlfriend, which adds a fresh new dynamic Marvel have never truly touched upon before), but fulfils the Bechdel Test within the first 10 minutes of the film, makes the audience realise that this will be a film with a completely different tone and feel to all the others in the ever-expanding MCU.

The display of powerful women in a variety of noteworthy and key roles, supporting Boseman, does not stop with Nyong’o. Bassett’s character Ramonda shows how a woman can be powerful as a queen and be capable of making strong and important decisions herself, whilst still maintaining relationships with children and caring for people. The significance of having an all-female, black group of highly trained warriors, headed by Gurira’s character Okoye, is a highly commendable point. Not only does it show how black people can be strong, powerful, brave and inspirational, but also that it is possible for women to achieve these things too, without the aid of a man, when many have been subjugated to being told that they are not physically capable in real life. Black Panther directly challenges and disproves these gender stereotypes with such elegance and beauty. Furthermore, arguably the best character in the entire film is Shuri, played by relative newcomer Letitia Wright. She is witty, asking T’Challa “What are those?” in reference to his shoes, a nod to current pop culture, but also extremely intelligent and creative, as a young inventor in charge of all of Wakanda’s creations involving vibranium. The fact the producers and makers of the film have chosen to incorporate a young back girl into a STEM job, but also give her a likeable and three-dimensional character is especially noteworthy, as it will leave many young girls, but importantly, young girls of colour, feeling inspired that they too can be like this and they can emulate this character. The significance of this decision should not be understated, but rather heavily praised and celebrated.

There must however, be a stand-alone point made for Michael B. Jordan’s acting and portrayal of the main antagonist, Eric Killmonger. His acting skills in this film are especially strong and he does a noteworthy representation of a ‘baddie’ who is actually a very conflicted character. Fans of Loki, and of Adrian Toombs in Spider-Man, should love and be able to sympathise with his character. His accuracy in portraying the anger felt by someone who has always been the victim of systematic racial oppression is on point, and it leaves the audience to question his motives - whether his decisions are made because he wants to be this way, or whether they come from a place of feeling like both he and his people have been mistreated at the hands of white people. His ‘bad desires’ are clearly drawn parallel to the colonialism of the british Empire with the wholly intentionally striking quote “The sun will never set on the Wakandan Empire!”. Subsequently, it means that the audience is not sure whether to dislike him or not, seeing as his anger is from external forces, from those of racism, but also from the anger which stems from the neglect of those around him, yet he clearly is set on making the wrong decisions. This topical, thought-provoking conflict is beautifully culminated and summed up when Killmonger states “Bury me in the ocean, so I can be with the bodies of my people, who knew it was better to die than to be enslaved.” In fact, this line represents a large portion of the film’s tone, about what is the right action to take in order to help fellow people who are suffering because of oppression. The whole film is relevant, political and should be watched simply for those reasons alone, even if one does not enjoy superhero films.  

The plotline too, is just as strong. Coming from such a unique film in the MCU as Thor: Ragnarok, it could come across as reverting back to Marvel’s somewhat overdone and monotonous plotlines of previous films and years. But while still keeping to the tones and general structure of the original movies, it succeeds in having its own unique moments and plot with interesting turns, and a whole, important section that will come as a surprise to many, with Jordan’s character taking on a role that is very different to that of most villains in these film, both literally and figuratively. Similarly, the other key aspects of the film - think the suit, the tech e.t.c. - are all very different to those seen before. Instead of being shown more tech from Stark Industries, we are instead shown what can be done with vibranium (no doubt to tease avid fans for the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War and the possibility of Captain America’s new suit). The results are perhaps the best we have come across in the ten years that the MCU has been around. T’Challa’s suit is, personally, the best one we have ever seen, with its ability to hold and re-harness kinetic energy, making him virtually impossible to take down, exceptional. The tech that Shuri also creates is things which we have never seen before and it only leaves the audience more excited for what else is to come and what more she can create. 

However, if there is to be one criticism of the film, it is in regards to Agent Ross (Freeman). this is a character who adds little to the film, and is somewhat unneeded. He does not add any interesting plotline, or extra dynamic, instead only seeming to be present as a plot point for Boseman to expand on. the film would still be as good as it is now if his character was not in it, and Freeman, and his character, left me feeling underwhelmed and opposed to see him return. Moreover, Freeman’s American accent is not great, and his whole character seems to be an unnecessary thorn in the side of an excellent film.

It would not be unusual for a large corporation to not put that much effort into producing a film which has such a large black cast, instead opting to give it a less-than adequate attempt, but it is evident through watching this film that that has not happened here. Marvel pull no punches when it comes to the fight scenes and the unusual, but no less spectacular, camera angles they employ, along with the shots of stunning scenery which only further celebrate Africa. It is hopefully an example to the rest of Hollywood as how to correctly portray a strong, all-black cast on the silver screen, that it is not necessary to cut corners and rather that an exceptional film can be made regardless of race of characters. The attention to detail in the representation of the backing cast is also extremely commendable, with there being people from many of Africa’s actual tribes in high positions, and overtly showing their heritage and culture. The costumes in all of their kaleidoscopic hues are mesmerising and they do extreme justice to the many different African cultures and styles found there today. In fact, the entirety of Wakanda and its impressiveness is a true image of what the world would be like if it had not been unnecessarily colonised - countries would be powerful and ruled by their own people, not tainted by European ideologies.

Furthermore, the soundtrack, which features stars such as Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA, Khalid and more, is a testament to the skills and talents of black people. Each song perfectly encapsulates each mood it is emulating, only enhancing the scenes and the cinematic experience, as well as being, for lack of better terms, a bop. 

Overall, this is one of the best Marvel films to come out in a long time. It is on par with Thor, despite being a completely different tone. It subtly, and not so subtly, reflects and focuses upon real and pressing issues, notably the end credit scene, and not only leaves people feeling glad that there is a new Marvel film in the style and with the finesse as the old ones, but also questioning the motives of the characters, and therefore their own actions and decisions in regard to race and its implications. By far the most important thing though, is that Marvel has created a stunning film, dripping with black excellence who not only kills it as characters, but as actors will leave a new generation of black children not knowing what it feels like to endure both lack of representation and poor representation of others of their race in the media. Instead, they will be inspired and believe that they too can be kings, or strong independent women, or smart in STEM jobs and still kill it; that they can prosper without the oppression of a white man. The Avengers have a new King indeed.

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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THOR: RAGNAROK

USA • 2017

DIRECTOR: Taika Waititi

GENRE: Superhero, Action, Adventure, Comedy

FEATURING: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Idris Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Hopkins

MUSIC: Mark Mothersbaugh 

RUNNING TIME: 130 mins

Coming after what seems to feel like an onslaught of Marvel films these past few years, it would have been easy for Thor: Ragnarok to fall under the radar as yet another mindless superhero movie. And yet it didn’t. Despite what may be an overdone premise of a plot - good guy gets into a bad situation, bad guy (in this case girl) appears, makes situation worse, good guy teams up with some other cool people and saves the day just in time - it was invigorating and a thoroughly enjoyable film. 

Right from the offset, the dialogue was witty, sharp and humourous. There were moments where many laughed out loud at the sheer comedic genius of certain lines and characteristics, such as the sinde comments between Thor and Loki. A special mention must go to Jeff Goldblum, who brought so much vivacity and thrill to his character, it was a delight to seem him light up the screen. For me though, the stand-out character was Korg, a blue rock-monster forced to be a gladiator by The Grand Master (Goldblum), voiced by none other than Waititi himself. The light-hearted humour he brought to the screen was a delight to watch and ironically he shone as the stand out character in the whole film.

Waititi also excelled himself in casting; it is well-known that Hollywood is not exactly at the forefront of representation when it comes to films, and yet Waititi not only increased the role of long-time Thor cast-member Idris Elba (playing Heimdall, the fugitive guardian of the Bifrost) into a much more crucial role, he also cast Tessa Thompson in the role of Valkryie. Not only did he incorporate the concept of the Valkryie, a legion of kick-ass women warriors, into his film, but he made the only surviving one a black woman, something so important in this current climate. Thomspon excels in this role, showing how a woman can be just as powerful as a man, even someone like Thor, but she also plays against typical gender stereotypes. The first time we see her she falls drunk off her spaceship, already creating the impression that this is no ‘ordinary’ (for lack of better term) woman. But then she single-handedly wipes out a group of scavengers and successfully manages to take a god into capture, hinting at the fact that maybe there is more to her that meets the eye. This is skilfully developed throughout the film, until it culminates in her fulfilling her duty as a female warrior and sets an astonishing example to girls watching that regardless of gender or race, you can still be just as powerful and even just as cool as any man or white person. However, my only issue with her character is the fact that it was hinted there would be a budding romance between her and Thor (played by Hemsworth). It seems unnecessary to add this in, especially after the disaster of Thor’ s relationship with Jane in the first two Thor films (played by Natalie Portman), even if only to create an emotional connection to her character for when she is (inevitably) killed off in Infinity War. The film and her character would have been just as spectacular without this indication, and it fails to add anything to the plot. It seems to be just a simple character development used to fill up screentime, and it would have been better if not included. Another bonus point for Waititi was the fact that he took such a bold move in wiping out all of Asgaard at the end, allegedly because it “looked like quite a privileged place” (Empire Podcast) - many of the extras cast as Asgaardians were white. Ultimately this shows how he is a director aware of inequality, and one who is not afraid to call it out, even if in a made-up realm in a fantasy universe. The message still stands though, and without a doubt, Waititi is a director to watch.

Hemsworth, Ruffalo and Hiddleston all outshine themselves from their previous performances for the MCU in this film. Hemsworth is much more charismatic and the old, bland, dutiful Thor has gone to be replaced with one who is funny and entertaining to watch, especially with his reunion with Hulk (Ruffalo), a scene which in itself was a masterpiece, if not overdrawn slightly. The chemistry between Hemsworth and Ruffalo is a delight to watch as Thor tries and fails to play into the role of caring for Banner and stopping him turning back into Hulk. Similarly, Hulk’s role is so much more enjoyable than in any other film we have seen of him, and it is such a joy to finally be able to watch Ruffalo play with his character and develop him even more. On top of this relationship, the one between Thor and Loki is just as amusing, with both actors bouncing off each other wonderfully. Loki himself is such a unique character, one we all love to hate, and his character arc, even form his very first introduction into the MCU, finally feels complete and Hiddleston exceeds expectations of his character, remaining as acidic in wit and humour throughout. A favourite scene was the ‘Need Help’ scene in which Hemsworth and Hiddleston so perfectly work together and reveal the intertwined childhood’s behind both their characters, even if the ending feels somewhat predictable, showcasing their create chemistry between them.

Cate Blanchett too plays a wonderful villain in Hela, and brings such a wicked sense of evil to the screen it is completely fascinating and enticing to watch. Similarly, the cameos throughout the film, especially Cumberbatch resuming his role as Dr Strange, are a compelling plateau from the drama of the main plot. A special mention must go to Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth and Sam Neill, all of whom are hilarious on screen playing thespian versions of Loki, Thor and Odin at the start. A surprising, but not unwelcome cameo by all three, their humour is charming despite being brief. However, the role of Skurge (played by Karl Urban) fails to add much to the overall plot and seems to be a typical lone-wolf resolution arc where they heroically try and save the day to show how “good” they really are deep down, but ultimately end up dying in a “hero’s sacrifice”. Skurge was a rather cliché and dull character, despite Urban’s best efforts to make him compelling, he fell short of the rest of the film.

An accurate and fantastic way of describing this film would be “Avengers meets Guardians of the Galaxy”. This is helped dramatically by the wonderful soundtrack; a mix of 80s music combined with typical cinematic orchestration creates a sonic masterpiece which only enriches the action of the screen, and it feels like a fantastic bridge between the intense action we have come to expect from the Avengers franchise and the exuberant entertainment from the Guardians of the Galaxy.

All in all, Thor is arguably the best Marvel films in years, and not only helped in finally showing Thor as an interesting character (something which the first two Thor films failed to do, rendering him a dull monotonous character) but in also bringing some life back into a franchise which felt overworked and overdone before this, despite the upcoming release of Black Panther this year and Avengers: Infinity War parts 1 & 2 in the next few years. Hopefully Marvel can take some hints from this masterpiece and continue to inject the comedy and entertainment seen here in these upcoming films too. I certainly hope they do.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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DUSK TILL’ DAWN

ARTIST: ZAYN ft. SIA

Genre: R&B / Pop

Initially, the news of a collab of ZAYN and Sia came as something as a surprise to me. One is an anonymous powerhouse pop sensation whilst the other is an R&B musician with an impressive vocal range and known for his past as a member of One Direction. However, after listening to ZAYN’s new track ‘Dusk Till Dawn’, it seems to be an unprecedented match made in heaven; for what Sia provides in impressive vocal runs, ZAYN matches and harmonises with effortlessly. The effect is a creation of seamless melodies which seems almost undemanding to sing in a way that only Sia and ZAYN can achieve.

Similarly, the opening notes of the song were somewhat unexpected. The opening of the first verse is a soft piano melody under his raspy voice. This is understandably very different to his typical solo work such as PILLOWTALK or BeFour, both of which are fast tempo, sexy and sultry R&B songs. However, it seems his foray into more acoustic songs plays well in his favour as it enables for his vocal talent to shine through and the sentiment of the lyrics ‘Not tryna be indie/ Not tryna be cool/Just tryna be in this/Tell me are you to?’ to become apparent. It harkens back to his days as a member of One Direction, something which he said he was keen to leave behind, yet as the song progresses, it becomes more and more his own style.

The chorus is an emotional, drum and bass driven section, interlaced with impressive harmonies and finishing with a large vocal run that not many artists other than these two can achieve. It echoes ZAYN’s other works, yet it still allows for the talents of Sia to shine through as she gives her own unique touch to the song.

Overall, the song, although different from what we have come to expect from ZAYN, and initially perhaps unusual, is an impressive work which allows for both of the singers’ talents to shine above the well-crafted melodies of the instruments. These instruments heighten the emotion in both of their voices to create a sonic story of heart-felt devotion, with an easy to follow beat that keeps the listener engaged and in time despite the rapid runs, cutting out at the end of the bridge to truly show the capacity of ZAYNs vocal ability in one soaring note, which although unoriginal in this genre, is still worth listening to and admiring.

I hope ZAYN will explore other types of music like he has here, rather than stick to just tracks like PILLOWTALK, which, as much as I love, can become tedious for both listener and artist. This track is a refreshing example of how he can still remain talented and true to himself whilst still dipping his toe into other aspects of Pop and R&B. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[theselectfewblog]

DUNKIRK

UK/France/Netherlands/US • 2017

DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan

GENRE: War Epic, Action, Period Drama

FEATURING: Fionn Whitehead, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Tom Glynn-Carney, Mark Rylance, James D’Arcy, Aneurin Barnard, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh

MUSIC: Hans Zimmer

RUNNING TIME: 146 mins

Perhaps Nolan’s most ambitious film to date, Dunkirk certainly does not disappoint. Based heavily upon the real life Operation Dynamo of 1940, it tells the story of the mass evacuation of almost 400,000 Allied soldiers from Dunkirk’s beaches against the continuous onslaught of the Germans. It is an epic film relentless in its storytelling and grandiose in scale, with Nolan employing real spitfires and French destroyers, as well as using and ruining genuine Nazi aircraft. The way in which Nolan plays with time in terms of the 3 alternate stories (he chooses to focus on land - ‘The Mole’ - for a week, ‘The Sea’ for a day and ‘The Sky’ for an hour) both mirror the amount of time each would have spent in action and show a true testament to his ability as an innovator.

The bulk of the story follows Tommy, played by newcomer Fionn Whitehead, as he arrives at the beach and tries to find any means possible of getting home, despite being constantly pushed back. Whitehead is supported by acting newcomer Harry Styles, who, despite heavy pressure to succeed in his first acting role following his split from the huge boyband One Direction, does not disappoint. Styles provides a much more realistic view of how soldiers would have felt, desperate to get home and happy to do that by any way possible, even if it is morally wrong. Similarly, Gibson, played by Barnard, reinforces Nolan’s plot of the struggles of the simple soldier and it is these performances that truly highlight what Dunkirk must have been like for the majority. It is no coincidence that Nolan chose to focus upon the Privates, rather than the Generals orchestrating the whole operation, as the audience are left fully aware of the psychological and physical torment these soldiers endured, cultivating a deep and personal connection with the characters on screen 

Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard and Fionn Whitehead on the set of Dunkirk © Daily Mirror, 2016

This torment is heightened by Nolan’s long-time partner Hans Zimmer (Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception) who’s minute attention to detail in his score - he uses Nolan’s own pocket-watch throughout, carefully interweaving it within the suspense-filled music - only increases the tension felt by the audiences. The score itself is a masterpiece, mirroring the despair and anxiety felt by the soldiers, soaring into graceful harmonies which echo the pilots in the sky, only to end up in triumphant harmonies of victory as we see the flotilla of civilian boats arrive at Dunkirk.

The rest of the plot shows Mr. Dawson, played by legendary actor Mark Rylance, his son Peter (Glynn-Carney) and young assistant George (Barry Keoghan) go to Dunkirk after their boat is requisitioned by the navy in order to rescue the stranded soldiers. Similarly, Nolan also focuses upon the role of the RAF pilots in protecting the boats’ crossing, with stellar performances from Tom Hardy and Jack Lowden providing true emotion, whilst for the most part acting with just their facial expressions. There are key characters in Branagh’s Commander of the Navy and Murphy’s ‘shivering soldier’ which show the scope of the danger and the extent of the suffering, and both fully play up to what the role demands of them, something expected of such long-time and skilled performers who’s talent truly shines through here.

Movie Poster © Lite Films, 2016/7

Despite the script only being 73 pages long, and there being very few lines in the whole film, the whole cast spectacularly deliver. The acting heavyweights in Rylance, Branagh and Murphy bring a sense of experience to their roles, whilst the newcomers in Whitehead, Glynn-Carney, Keoghan and Lowden all provide the youthful naivety sullied by war found in so many of the actual soldiers. It results in there being no weak link present; all seem to be acutely aware of the epic story which they are telling and yet all seem to hold a deep level of intimacy with the camera and the audience, allowing for us to become fully immersed in all of their characters, praying for their safe return. For some, the constant over-lapping of time periods may be confusing, and the lack of lines create a somewhat slow-moving film with a lack of plot, and instead create a film which feels like a constant onslaught of incident followed by incident. However, in my opinion, that was Nolan’s whole idea: the actual events would not have been a dramatic adrenaline-fueled hero movie, but rather it would have felt draining and continuous. In that aspect therefore, Nolan chooses to focus more upon reality rather than crafting a talkative action movie, and it pays off in his favour.

The way in which Nolan sustains a stress-inducing and uncomfortable atmosphere truly makes the audience question their own bravery and cowardice and we are left in awe both at the true heroism of the soldiers in 1940 and the skill of the cast and crew in creating such an immersive film. His dedication to create such an authentic atmosphere by using genuine planes and destroyers yet again show his determination to make this as real, and subsequently as harrowing, as possible and it is without doubt how well this pays off on the large screen.

Another small discrepancy which I have is the lack of continuity in the background. This is something to be expected when out upon the temperamental seas for 5 months, with weather clearly differing daily. However, it wold have been nice to see some form attempt of continuity, rather than to have one shot in bright sunshine, only to have the same scene or shot shown from another angle against the backdrop of thunderous clouds. Obviously, this is only a minor issue, and only becomes apparent after having seen the film more than twice, so again it is not a major issue for the audience and rather a minor grievance for eagle-eyed and fussy audience members.

Having watched the film 4 times myself, I can safely say that Dunkirk is, in short, a stellar film which carries the necessity of being seen on the silver screen.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐