Cindy Prascik's Marvel (Streaming) Double-Feature

My dear reader(s), last week I indulged in a rare Saturday in front of my television, allowing me to catch up on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Ant-Man: Quantumania (2023).

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First on my home-viewing docket: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The people of Wakanda must face new threats even as they mourn the loss of their king.

Chadwick Boseman was a singular talent, and movie fans joined the fictional residents of Wakanda in mourning the man and his alter-ego. The funeral for King T'Challa is as devastating as if it were real, and this sequel suffers greatly for having lost an irreplaceable screen presence. The franchise still has its share of engaging talent in Winston Duke (M'Baku), Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia), and Danai Gurira (Okoye), but it chooses to shift focus to Letitia Wright (Shuri), whose tepid magnetism wilts under the weight of this tentpole.

Wakanda Forever retains many of the things that made the original Black Panther so special: a fantastic score, glorious costumes, and majestic sets/locations. Action sequences are well done, if overlong, and there's enough humor to keep the undercurrent of sadness from overwhelming the movie's mood. Some wonky CGI provides unintentional laughs. In the mix with Gurira, Nyong'o, and Duke, the reliably entertaining Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the magnificent Angela Bassett (chewing it up like mid-90s Gary Oldman) keep the movie mostly watchable, but ultimately it can't surmount a weak lead and an entirely insufferable run time.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever clocks in at a bloated 161 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of strong violence, action, and some language."

Overcoming the loss of Chadwick Boseman probably would be impossible for even a great movie, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is not a great movie. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gets four.

Next on last weekend's agenda: Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. 

Scott Lang and company are dragged into the Quantum Realm, where they face a new super-villain.

Quantumania is the movie equivalent of when it's two days before payday and you have to try making a meal out of whatever's left in the 'fridge. It throws everything at the screen in hopes of making something worth consuming, but you really just wish you had something fresh. 

If Wakanda Forever suffers for the loss of Chadwick Boseman, Quantumania survives almost exclusively because it's impossible to dislike Paul Rudd. I never could imagine that many people were clamoring to bring Ant-Man to the big screen, but Rudd's charisma makes it easy to excuse the low-rent hero. Having Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer along for the ride doesn't hurt, either. Quantumania's story is a jumble, struggling with the same issue as all multi-verse/timeline stories: Why should anyone care what happens, when it's just going to UN-happen the minute it becomes inconvenient to the cinematic universe or detrimental to the studio's bottom line? Much like the Thor movies, the Ant-Man franchise is more like a comedy that's heavy on action than a super hero movie that's funny sometimes, and its humor is its salvation. Like all Marvel product, it fails to earn its runtime, but after Wakanda Forever it seems pretty doggone short. Given that the story's such a mess and the Quantum Realm looks like a high-school production of Star Wars, it's very little on which to hang one's super-hero helmet, but it'll have to do. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania runs 124 minutes and is rated PG13 for "violence/action and language."

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a car crash, watchable only thanks to a terrific lead who keeps things light and entertaining. Credit where credit is due, it also features the most inspirational line I've ever heard in a film: "It's never too late to stop being a dick." Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania gets five.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

 

Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M'Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast:  Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Angela Basset

Release Date: November 11, 2022

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-FiThriller

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action and some language.

Runtime: 2h 41m

Ryan Coogler's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an emotionally charged comic book movie wake that is trying to pay tribute to its fallen star while moving the franchise forward into a new era.  Mourning is the central theme throughout the entire film even amongst the usual comic book action that the film provides in spades.  The film handles it about as well as can be expected even though the film is overstuffed with required checkboxes to mark off for the ongoing Marvel franchise.  If anything, it gives the film a very different feel than most of Marvel's entry but its never entirely removed from it either.  The comic book side of the story is surprisingly straightforward with very little in the way of surprises since it follows a predictable path from start to finish.  The big introduction of Tenoch Huerta's Namor is one of the film's strongest and intriguing story thread by delivering an antagonist with a bit more depth than the usual baddie.  Huerta effectively conveys the character's deep-rooted desire to protect his people at any cost, serving a mirror to the Wakandans.  It’s an engaging performance from start to finish which makes him the most interesting performer whenever he's onscreen. Using the Mesoamerican imagery is a masterstroke to juxtapose both cultures who have been subjugated and create something different enough from DC's Aquaman to avoid comparisons.  Replacing Chadwick Boseman was always going to be a difficult task and we end up getting more of an ensemble than a central lead.  Letitia Wright, Angela Basset, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira all carry portions of the film which is understandable but it doesn't allow for the kind of depth you'd expect.  Letitia Wright gets a larger share of the focus but her character isn't that engaging or interesting with a late act reveal hinting a more nuanced take that might have been left on the cutting room floor.  Its shame since there's clearly some fertile ground that could have been explored as she deals with the death of her brother but the film is simply too big and busy to deliver that type of focus.  Basset, Nyong'o and Gurira all get moments to shine but the characters are surprisingly one note. Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams/Ironheart serves as fun comic relief with her introduction clearly setting up future appearances. It’s an example of the difficult tightrope that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had to walk, eulogizes its fallen star while moving forward a gargantuan franchise.

B

Cindy Prasick's Reviews of Early Man & Black Panther

Dearest Blog: After a two-week hiatus, yesterday it was back to Marquee Cinemas for what I thought was a promising pair: Early Man and Black Panther.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First up: Early Man.

The fate of a pre-historic tribe rests on a soccer game. Yes, you read that right.

Well, dear reader(s), it hurts me to say it, but Early Man just plain stinks. I wanted the wacky premise to be as funny as it sounds. I wanted the voice cast to be as amazing as it looks on paper. I wanted to love this movie, and I had every reason to believe I would, but it didn’t give me a chance.

Early Man is populated with forgettable characters who lack any charm.  The premise is improbable enough that it could have been hilarious, but instead it's just idiotic. The film doesn't even run a full hour and a half, but I lost count of the number of times I nearly nodded off. I can't imagine Early Man holding anyone's attention, nevermind the young audience at which it is directed. The few good laughs don't half make it worth your time.

Early Man clocks in at 89 minutes and is rated PG for "rude humor and some action."

If you were thinking of seeing Early Man, I'd suggest you save your money and watch Wallace & Gromit again instead. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Early Man gets three, including one bonus Weasley for having an actual Weasley (Mark Williams) among the cast.

Fangirl points: Richard Ayoade!

Next on my agenda, Black Panther.

Following the death of his father, new challenges face T'Challa both as king of Wakanda and as the Black Panther.

My usual disclaimer: I'm a DC girl through and through, so generally I find Marvel product enjoyable but forgettable. My notable exception has been Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but now I have two exceptions.

You. Guys. Black Panther is SO good. Other than being just a hair too long, it gets everything right. Chadwick Boseman carries the mammoth blockbuster with all the ease of the best A-lister. He's been so good so often it shouldn't be a surprise, but this is a very, VERY large stage and he owns it. His supporting cast is extraordinary to a person, with special mention to Danai Gurira--often the only watchable thing about the Walking Dead--and the always-remarkable Andy Serkis. The film boasts striking visuals with nifty tech, solid effects, majestic costumes, and glorious scenery. The humor is spot-on, never Iron Man-forced; in fact, one of the best things about Black Panther is the lack of intrusion by the other Avengers. The film reflects and respects African culture without so much as a hint of patronizing, and does an incredible job of planting everyone on equal footing. Characters in Black Panther aren't written to do things just because they're black or white, male or female; they're complicated people with complicated feelings and motives. The film bears important messages about our obligations to one another and those commitments that don't change with circumstances or our feelings. Black Panther has plenty of action, smart performances, layered interpersonal connections, and even a touch of romance, a little something for everyone.

Black Panther runs 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture."

Black Panther is that rare Marvel offering that is truly something special. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Black Panther gets nine.

Fangirl points: Don't wanna spoil anything but STICK AROUND FOR THE SECOND POST-CREDITS SCENE!

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: BLACK PANTHER

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.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis

Release Date: Feb 16, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture

Runtime: 2h 14 min

Review:

Black Panther is a bit of a watershed moment for Marvel films for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost, the cast and director are primarily people of color and it carries over on screen.  The film has a decidedly strong theme of African Heritage running throughout all within the trapping of a superhero story.  Ryan Coogler does an impressive job of giving his film a visual distinctiveness that’s missing from most of Marvel entries.  As such, Black Panther has a strong identity and it uses it to its advantage by telling an emotionally engaging and thoughtful story.  Chadwich Boseman leads the film with an easy charisma that’s hard to resist.  Boseman has an effortless way about himself all the while maintaining a sense of nobility in T’Challa.  The supporting cast is probably one of the best assembled for any of the Marvel movies.  Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and Martin Freeman all leave lasting impressions on the film.  Their characters aren’t simply throwaway supporting players but instead feel like well rounded characters equal to the lead.  Michael B. Jordan makes for a fine villain.  He’s a strong counterpart to Boseman’s T’Challa in every manner of speaking.  The character’s motivations actually make sense and pose some interesting questions.  Unfortunately, the film doesn’t spend nearly the amount of time it should fleshing him out which could have made him iconic.  It’s a minor issue compared to the whole.  Black Panther, much like last year’s Wonder Woman, elevates the super hero genre and forces future entries to raise their game.   

A

MOVIE REVIEW: CREED

Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa. Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) down and asks him to be his trainer. Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend. Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring. With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title...but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Ritchie Coster

Release Date: Nov 25, 2015

Rated PG-13 Violence, Some Sensuality and Language

Runtime: 2 hr. 13 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

Ryan Coogler’s Creed is one of the rare sports films that works for an actual sports fan.  It’s structure is very similar to the past Rocky movies and there isn’t much surprise about what goes down during it’s somewhat extended runtime.  Still it works on various levels because of some excellent direction and strong performances from Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone.  Coogler pulls off an effective redux of the original Rocky story that’s engaging enough to keep everyone engaged throughout.  It’s clear that Coogler is a big fan of the original film and it come through the screen.  Michael B. Jordan is focused and believable as the upcoming boxing trying to make a name for himself.  The real surprise though is Stallone who delivers one of his best performances in years.  It’s been so long since Stallone has fallen into a parody of himself that it’s easy to forget that he was a capable actor at one point.  Stallone’s work is heartfelt and reflective.  He and Jordan share some solid chemistry together making it easy to care about their journey.  Creed isn’t a perfect film though.  The structure is very well worn and characters seem to appear and disappear regularly with Phylicia Rashad left acting alone reacting to a TV.  Its far from a fatal flaw but it does feel like a missed opportunity to expand on certain relationships and characters.  As a boxing fan, nothing takes me out of a film quicker than staged fights that instantly feel inauthentic.  It’s a difficult thing to pull off because of the nature of the sport but Creed does an excellent job of pulling off the illusion for the most part, there’s rarely that much chatting between rounds from the fighters.  As a whole though, Creed finds the essence of the original film which isn’t a small feat considering this is 7^th entry in the long running franchise.  

B