Wakanda Forever! The fierce enlightenment of Black Panther

Superheroes often have a secret identity, kept hidden from the world at large. But what if an entire country had a secret identity? That's that fantastic notion at the heart of Marvel's absolutely outstanding Black Panther. As far as the other nations of the world are concerned, the tiny African kingdom of Wakanda is just another impoverished third-world country no one gives a second thought to. But the real Wakanda is hidden from the outside world - the real Wakanda is a technologically and culturally superior utopia, maintaining a careful balance for its varied people, its secrets kept just that - secret. 

I keep saying that Marvel continues to find ways to expand and keep the Marvel Universe feeling fresh and novel - but nothing quite prepared me for the vitality and cultural relevance that heaven-sent director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed) brings to bear in this simply phenomenal film. 

After his father's death (as seen back in Captain America: Civil War), T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) must assume the duties of King, contend with challengers for the throne, inhabit the legendary presence of Wakanda's guardian - the Black Panther - and deal with the responsibilities of charting his country's place in a world increasingly beset by injustice and conflict. 

Fortunately he's not alone. T'Challa is surrounded by a trio of incredibly strong Wakandan women who not only have his back, but appear more than capable of running the entire planet without his - or any man's - help. The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira ascends to ferocious heights as Okoye, the leader of the King's Royal Guard, and my pick for one of the coolest characters you'll find in movies anywhere. I didn't think anyone was ever going to top Robin Wright's Amazonian bad-assness in Wonder Woman, but Gurira and her Wakandan warrior women look like they could floss their teeth with the Amazons of Themyscira. 

Lupita Nyong'o is sensational as Nakia, T'Challa's estranged flame who's compelled to take action to protect Wakanda's people. But it's Letitia Wright as T'Challa's sister Shuri who steals the movie. If Black Panther was a James Bond movie - and there are many times when it feels like it is - then Shuri would be T'Challa's Q, making sure he's outfitted with the most agile and reliable tech imaginable. She brings an unbeatable combination of humor and rationality to the role, and I take heart at the idea of how many young girls out there will be inspired to pursue careers in science after seeing Shuri. There are so many breakout characters in Black Panther, it's easy to lose count. But huge mention must go to Winston Duke, as leader of a rival clan, who also pretty much walks off with the picture in his every scene. This cast is so good, and is having so much fun, including the great Forest Whitaker as T'Challa's mentor, Martin Freeman (playing Felix Leiter to T'Challa's Bond) and an unhinged Andy Serkis as demented ne'er-do-well Ulysses Klaue, first glimpsed back in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

But Nobody owns Black Panther like Michael B. Jordan. Without question, Jordan’s Erik Killmonger is the most complex and grounded “villain” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Evoking Shakespearean antagonists such as King Lear's Edmund, Killmonger has grown up in exiled illegitimacy, hardened and spiteful. He wants power, but not for power's sake, or vengeance. Like a Special Forces Nat Turner, Killmonger wants to inflict righteousness. He dares to ask, "If Wakanda's had all this power and technology and harmony, why have we stayed silent as our brothers across the world have suffered ages of oppression and violence? Why haven't we acted to set things right?" That's not like any villain I can remember. He's a social justice avenger. He has one hell of a point.

Black Panther's arrival couldn't be more serendipitous. Coogler (who also co-wrote the script) has managed to do the impossible. Like Wonder Woman before it, Black Panther is not only a wildly satisfying and crowd-pleasing adventure saga, but it's also about something, and resonates powerfully in the times we live in, to the point that it may become an anthem. You care fiercely about every single character, and there are at least a half-dozen sequences where it's impossible to stay in your seat. Huge kudos to Coogler's Fruitvale Station cinematographer Rachel Morrison, currently enjoying the distinction of being the first woman ever to be nominated for a cinematography Academy Award for her work on Mudbound. She makes Wakanda an eye-popping environment that feels real and grounded despite its serene futurism, while delivering kinetic action mayhem across an incredibly dynamic canvas. From the hard streets of Oakland to distant jungle plateaus, Ryan Coogler has asked his fellow superhero directors his own Killmonger question: "Why aren't we doing more?" It may only be February, but Black Panther will be casting a long shadow as one of the year's very best films, and likely far beyond. 

Dusting Off Toy Fair 2018

Send in the clowns! Last weekend was New York’s Toy Fair, the annual trade show that gets collector’s tongue’s wagging and wallets trembling, as we get a vivid glimpse of what’s in store over the months to come. This year we’re focusing on the top three reveals, that from where I’m sitting made eyebrows raise the highest.

First, perennial favorite NECA unveiled not just one, but two different renditions of Pennywise the Clown from It - both the new version, as well as the original Tim Curry iteration. Both are Ultimate Editions with multiple head sculpts and accessories.

NECA’s also giving us what sounds like one last wave of figures from Ash vs Evil Dead. 

The next big hitter was Hasbro, who’ve gone to great lengths to expand and improve on their popular Marvel Legends line of figures. As part of a special “First Ten Years” series, they’re even giving us characters from earlier films we had assumed we’d never be getting - like Guardians of the Galaxy’s Ronan the Accuser...

...and Captain America’s Red Skull.

...and just look at this ultra-expressive sculpt of Ant-Man himself, Paul Rudd...

But without a doubt, the third and most audacious  reveal from all of Toy Fair must also go to Hasbro, who’s launched an ambitious high-end project called HasLab - a crowd-funding enterprise that will offer fans a long-requested Star Wars playset - Jabba the Hutt’s Sail Barge from Return of the Jedi!

The playset will be scaled to 3.75” figures, and is a massive 4-feet long - the biggest Star Wars playset of all time. The catch is, this fanboy dream display requires a commit-to-purchase of $499, and Hasbro must get 5,000 purchasers by April 3rd, in order to move from concept to actual production. That may sound extreme to some, but fans can stimulate the economy along with the best of them, especially when an item’s out of production. The question is, will fans dig deep on the front-end, to guarantee themselves a piece of collector history? I’m betting they will, as we’ve been hearing fans yearning for an item like this for decades. If successful, it could lead to other massive playsets like Deathstar and Cantina environments. If you do the math, it’s a $2,500,000 sum being raised. As of this writing, Hasbro has already got 1,473 backers, after only 4 days. A good start, but still a long way to go. 

It’s really a bold move, and certainly shows Hasbro is listening to their die-hard fans. I should mention that the Sail Barge includes a special commemorative book, an exclusive Jabba figure, as well as free shipping - a good deal considering how big this parcel will be. 

So go check out the HasLab site, watch the video, and see if you’ve got enough display space to make room for a piece of Star Wars history! 

That’s Toy Fair for this year, friends - but the toy collecting year is just getting started!

Oscar Nominations 2018: Quiet Reckonings

Let the dieting commence.

Now we know. It was cool to see Andy Serkis (with Tiffany Haddish) announce the nominations. The field of nine Best Picture nominees consists of Call Me by Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Get Out, Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, The Post, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri. Of those nine, Call Me by Your Name, Darkest Hour, The Post and Three Billboards failed to snag Best Director nominations, leaving Steven Spielberg out, along with Billboard's Martin McDonagh, who was considered a lock after getting both Director's Guild and Golden Globe nominations - he was presumably squeezed out by Paul Thomas Anderson for Phantom Thread. I really thought I, Tonya would get in there somehow, and I was hoping that there'd be some kind of recognition for Wind River, but it was not to be.

I'm pretty thrilled to see the strong acknowledgement for Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, with 13 nominations. Likewise Jordan Peele, for Get Out. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine finale Logan nabbed an Adapted Screenplay nomination for Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green. There was some hope that Wonder Woman might ride the empowerment tide to a Best Picture nod, but it was not to be.

It's clear this year that the Academy was paying much closer attention to acknowledging women in key roles (Greta Gerwig) and people of color (Octavia Spencer, Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya) while likewise distancing themselves from anyone carrying the whiff of harassment, as James Franco discovered.

Cinematography is always my favorite category, and Rachel Morrison made history as the first female cinematographer to get an Oscar nomination for Mudbound, powerfully evoking the Depression era photography of Dorthea Lange and Walker Evans. She is about to reach a much wider audience, as she's also DP on Ryan Coogler's upcoming Black Panther. But as much as I'd love to see her win, my heart's on my sleeve for the legendary Roger Deakins, scoring his 14th nomination for his staggering work in Blade Runner 2049. He's never won, and his work is always just stunning. Their competition includes Dunkirk, The Shape of Water and Darkest Hour.

There you have it - just some initial thoughts. We'll chew the fat and see how things sort out and be back with some predictions a little closer to showtime on March 4th.

Paddington 2: Genuine Charm When We Need It Most

In an age of increasingly unbearable, blaring, uncouth reality that can make you want to hide beneath the blankets, can it be that a sequel with a CGI bear is the breath of joy and hope and kindness that may actually help you cope, while saving thousands in therapy bills? I submit to you, that yes, just maybe, Paddington 2 is here to save us all.

Films aimed at children tend to suffer from increasingly mass-produced installment malaise, but I swear - like Aliens and The Godfather: Part II, this latest adventure of the immigrant bear and his adopted family is a simply marvelous, wholly restorative and superior sequel on every conceivable level. Directed by Paul King (who also helmed the original Paddington), the story of a small bear in London manages to delight both children and adults in equal measure, while also spooning just the right dollop of timely commentary to make us look in the mirror and vow to do what we can to set things right.

Paddington wants nothing more than to find the perfect birthday present for his beloved Aunt Lucy, but (doesn't this always happen?!) it's far more expensive than he can afford. So he decides to get a job. Employment soon leads to mishaps, and mishaps soon lead to misunderstandings, and before you can say "Marmalade Sandwiches," Paddington finds himself sentenced to ten hard years of labor at the pleasure of Her Majesty's prison system.

Without giving anything away, prison doesn't change Paddington - he changes prison. The cast is all back from the original, including the superb Hugh Bonneville and the sublime Sally Hawkins (Oh, what a roll you are on!), but it's Brendan Gleeson who steals the picture as the terror of the prison where Paddington finds himself. You often see actors having a hard time seeming to connect with their "motion-capture" costars, but Gleeson seems so utterly transfixed in his scenes with the diminutive bear, you're in awe when they're together and absolutely in the moment. Okay, I suppose I have to admit that yes, Paddington is largely a digital creation, but I'm pretty sure even Andy Serkis would doff his hat to Ben Whishaw and the legions of effects artisans who conspire to make Paddington so utterly - and soulfully - convincing and compelling.

Hugh Grant also shines as an actor of the grandiose Gilderoy Lockhart stripe, who has the best role he's had in ages - several, in fact. The Hugh Grant persona once loomed so large it's a delight to see him exhibit such craft and diversity of accents along with superb comic timing. He seems to be having the time of his life here, and he's fantastic.

Paddington has always been a heartfelt symbol for the immigrant in all of us, but never more so than he is here. Called often - and accusingly - by his surname of "brown" by the self-appointed neighborhood watch (Peter Capaldi, back from the first film), his heart remains full, and he always manages to see the good in people, even when he's looked at suspiciously or being judged. If there's a theme running through Paddington 2, it's that of Community - of the need we all have for it, and the power it can give us when we choose to see past fear and come together to make it.

There's a truly sensational 3rd act bit of derring-do involving two steam locomotives that manages to give both Bond and Indiana Jones a run for their money. But more than anything else there are equal measures of hilarity and kindness throughout this marvelous film, that if you're dreading the prospect of what the grotesque and sometime cruel world may have in store for us, I urge you to go spend some time with Paddington and his friends, and you may come out feeling you can weather it after all, though you may find yourself in dire need of a marmalade sandwich. Without a doubt a must for anyone with children, Paddington 2 is utterly delightful, and very highly recommended. 

The Ferocious Heart of Wind River

Awards Season is in full flower (Oscar nominations announce on January 23rd), and here's hoping writer-director Taylor Sheridan's very deliberate scouring of all the films' ties to the Weinstein Company allow voters to appreciate this phenomenal drama/thriller sans any association with that fallen pariah.

Sheridan is one of the best screenwriters working today, having penned both Sicario and Hell or High Water, before making his mainstream directing debut here, also from his own script. Sheridan well understands the rhythms of the American West's more remote environments, that the modern world has somehow bypassed.

Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) is a tracker for the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Wyoming high country and the surrounding Wind River reservation. It's a community he knows well - married into it, had children, endured heartache and moved on. Foremost, he's a hunter, whose job is to find the rogue wolf or mountain lion that threatens the community's herds.

It's on one such patrol that he finds the frozen body of a young woman, clearly the victim of sexual violence. Murder on a reservation falls under the jurisdiction of the F.B.I., who sends an earnest but woefully under-prepared agent (Elizabeth Olsen) to learn what happened. She's in desperate need of a guide who knows the land and its people.

To say more would be to rob you of the surprises and ferocity of Sheridan's storytelling, and the work of his superb cast. Renner and Olsen leave their Age of Ultron heroics behind for roles of quiet realism. Sheridan proves to be just as sure of a hand behind the camera as he is on the page, and crafts a gripping, heart-rending story that's part police-procedural, part cowboy-noir, with social commentary that extends far beyond the marginalized people it depicts, and the apathy with which they're treated. Graham Greene is terrific as a local law enforcer, and Gil Birmingham - so memorable as Jeff Bridges' partner in Hell or High Water, shines even brighter here as the father dealing with a tragic loss.

If Wind River has any shortcomings, it's that there's really no reason not to have the protagonist be Native American. Renner is absolutely superb here - but reliance on a name Caucasian star seems a deal born out of demographics that perpetuates the notion of a White Savior - or Costner - necessary to bring any kind of justice.

Given the themes at work in the film, it's easy to see why Sheridan was repulsed by any hint of association with Weinstein and dissolved any connections. The movie is now financed by the Tunica-Biloxi tribe of Louisiana, whose Economic Development Corporation supported the film, with profits going to the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting Native women and children against gender-based violence - a fitting legacy.

Wind River is without a doubt one of the most gripping films of the year and will utterly wreck your emotions. I hope it finds the audience and acclaim it deserves. Overflowing with heart, it will leave tracks you may have a hard time shaking. 

You'll Never Know Just How Much I Love The Shape of Water

If you're different from everyone else, sometimes they fear you. It's worse if they can't understand you. If you're lucky, they dismiss you. If not, then they may call you a monster. But what if those who are different are actually the lucky ones? What if two "monsters" in an uncaring world actually find one another? What if they find a connection?

Guillermo del Toro has long been one of our best filmmakers, and a visionary for whom monsters resonate like nobody else. He's had an incredible career, but with The Shape of Water, del Toro's done something new and moving and given us one his absolute best films. A lush, romantic love story that springs out of the confines of the late-fifties government-labs-gone-wrong pictures he grew up with, rather than have "the creature" break loose of his shackles and go on a killing spree, del Toro let's this monster fall in love.

It's 1962 and as the Cuban Missile Crisis escalates, Elisa Esposito (Blue Jasmine's Sally Hawkins) is a cleaning woman at one of those secret experimental installations - somebody's got to mop up the blood when something goes wrong inside the lab. Because Elisa can't speak - she's been mute since birth - her existence is barely even acknowledged by the lab coats and soldiers scurrying about their business. Her best work friend Zelda is a similar outcast - because she's black. The always superb Octavia Spencer is only too happy to fill the void left by Elisa's silence and does plenty of talking for both of them. Zelda understands Elisa, and so do we. Elisa's use of sign language is punctuated by vivid subtitles that let us keep up with the confidences she shares with Zelda, but Sally Hawkins'
performance here is on its own transcendent, ethereal level. At times it borders on the expressiveness of dance. Never once do we have any doubt about how Elisa's feeling - her face - those eyes - we're with her every step of the way - from her enjoyable visits with her gay neighbor - another outcast (given the time), played by the wonderful Richard Jenkins, to her moments of intimate solitude . Jenkins' Giles, Zelda, and Elisa are all outsiders of one stripe or another - being gay or black in 1962 both held their own potential perils. For Elisa, because she's so easily dismissed, is able to move and explore with the freedom that comes with invisibility - and it isn't long before her curiosity draws her to "The Asset," the thing in the lab, an amphibious being exploited for its cold war space-race potential against the Russians - a webbed captive (Doug Jones) who evokes both del Toro's own Abe Sapien (Hellboy) and the gill-man from the great 1954 Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Elisa and "The Asset" are drawn to one another, and it isn't long before she's sneaking in to bring him food (hard-boiled eggs) and a portable record player to share her favorite music. The Shape of Water does a potent job of showing us that love lives outside of normalcy and convention, its power surpasses speech or surface physical differences. And when love that deep is threatened, you'll do anything you can to save it.

As the starch-shirt straight-arrow running things, Michael Shannon's Richard Strickland is an incredible character to behold. Shannon's played a wide range of villains (Man of Steel), but I've never seen him go where he did here. A slithery, obsessive Don Draper, when he's not torturing his captive, he's ruling the facility from a place of genuine fear - it's all he knows, and so it's his first and only response to others. Don't dismiss this as a stock bad guy role, Shannon's work here - like everyone else in this stellar cast - is simply incomparable. A scene at the urinal with Elisa and Zelda looking on is one of the best scenes you'll find this year.

























Doug Jones has made an impressive career inhabiting strange otherworldly beings (in addition to Abe Sapien, he was both the Faun and the Pale Man in del Toro's own Pan's Labyrinth), and his physicality here and ability to express emotion through movement is phenomenal. They will be studying the use of color in The Shape of Water for years to come. The cinematography by the great Dan Lausten (Crimson Peak, Solomon Kane, Brotherhood of the Wolf) is rich and uses hues of green (and teal...!) to beautiful, subtle effect, marrying colors with emotions. It feels like he and del Toro must have enthusiastically traded notes on hundreds of late-fifties romance pictures, as there are so many little visual grace notes it became impossible to even begin to keep track of them.

Del Toro's range is humbling. After seeing him run amok with the giant kaiju/mecha sandwich of Pacific Rim, The Shape of Water is such an intimate, emotional story on so many levels, it's just remarkable to see a director who can move so...fluidly from one end of that scale to the other. He orchestrates jaw-dropping performances from every actor in this film - all clearly having the time of their lives - while conjuring a visual feast of pure cinema that spans fifty years of visual storytelling, resulting in a tale of pure suspense, poetry and love, that feels fresh and timeless all at once.

The Shape of Water is without a doubt one of the best two or three films of the year, and I can't wait to dive in again and savor even more. It's a story of mythic love, maybe even destiny. If your heart is still beating, and if you've ever felt even just the littlest bit different, miss this one at your peril. Highest possible recommendation. Cinema at its finest.

The Toys That Made Us!

Sorry, I keep sending you to Netflix this week.

You probably know I have a bit of a toy collecting problem. And if you share my addiction, then do not miss the new Netflix docu-series, The Toys That Made Us!

The first (currently of four) episodes focuses on the big kahuna: the birth of the Kenner Star Wars franchise in the seventies! This is priceless stuff! All the original Kenner guys participated, reminiscing with a low-key Tin Men vibe about the heyday of this amazing time in history.

You just have to listen to the guy who was Kenner’ssole attorney – just a modest Cincinnati guy –who ends up going to Hollywood to wrangle the rights deal of the century. Subsequent episodes focus on Barbie, He-Man and G.I. Joe. VERY highly recommended!