Tag: Chadwick Boseman

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Film Review

Directed by George C. Wolfe

Starring: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo

Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a new Netflix directed by George C. Wolfe. Based on the play by August Wilson, the film centers legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and a recording session. Tensions boil over with Ma’s diva attitude and disagreements with trumpeter Levee (played by Chadwick Boseman) on how songs should be sung.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a film that heavily relies on dialogue. The film itself feels like it is a play being filmed with excellent sets. As the film is based on the play by August Wilson, it does not make any secret this is a dialogue driven film. A good majority of the film is dialogue driven and it does it very well. The film doesn’t drag down a bit with the dialogue heavy scenes and actually keeps the audience engaged. The conversations are realistic and sometimes feature intriguing stories that give some context on where characters come from.

While Viola Davis is the top billing and her character being the name of the film, this film actually belongs to the late Chadwick Boseman. In his final role, Boseman plays a trumpeter who is wanting to start his own band and make his own music. But for now he has to play a backup role to the legendary singer Ma Rainey. Boseman steals every scene he is in, which is almost all of them, and commands his presence. At first, he is child like and likes to joke around. But as the film progresses, we learn more about the character. We learn about his childhood and his beliefs. As the film gets closer to the end, we see a man who is somehow broken inside. Boseman not only gives his final performance but also his best. It’s very unfortunate his sudden passing this past summer means we will no longer see Boseman in future roles.

However, Viola Davis is also fantastic as Ma Rainey. Ma Rainey acts as a diva as she is on her own time and gets whatever she wants. In the beginning of the film, we seem a bit indifferent towards Ma Rainey’s attitude. But towards the middle of the film, we understand why she acts the way she does. She knows she is being used for her voice and will take advantage of any opportunity that is presented to her. Davis brilliantly portrays Ma Rainey and makes us sympathetic for her character, despite how she acts. While Ma Rainey’s name is on the title of the film, she is not the main star of the film. She is not properly introduced until thirty minutes into the film. When she is in the film, she takes the backseat to the film and is not featured prominently. If Davis was less of a supporting role and was featured as much as Boseman was, then she would easily be the best performance in the film.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is an interesting look at the legendary blues singer. While not a biopic and only highlights a few hours in a recording studio, the film does a tremendous task of showcasing Ma Rainey and her actions and why her she does what she does. Boseman is the star of the show and steals every scene he is present in. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a film with powerhouse performances from all actors who bring August Wilson’s brilliant words to the big screen.

3.5/4

Black Panther Film Review

Directed by Ryan Coogler

Directed by Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o

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

After hearing the shocking news of actor Chadwick Boseman’s unfortunate passing, I decided to revisit the film that arguably made him a household name, Black Panther. Black Panther is a Marvel superhero film directed by Ryan Coogler. In this film, T’Challa (played by Boseman) is the new king of Wakanda, a country that lives in secret and also harbors the world’s supply of vibranium. After becoming the king, T’Challa is challenged for the throne from Kilmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan), T’Challa’s cousin who was an orphan after an incident.

Black Panther is probably Marvel’s finest film. To start off, the film feels isolated in its own universe, mostly due to its setting. As where other Marvel films have easter eggs to previous films and sometimes even rely on the audience to view the other films, Black Panther does not have this feature. Anyone can jump into this film without having to view the other films and the audience would not miss anything. Also, this is the first film where it actually feels like the director wants to stand out from the other Marvel films. With the notable exception of the Russo Brothers and Taika Waititi, this is one of the few times where the director is memorable and leaves his mark on the film. Director Ryan Coogler brings Michael B. Jordan, an actor who has appeared in all of Coogler’s films. This film also features a wonderful costume design and production design. I cannot count the multiple times I was in awe of the sets or the costumes the characters were wearing. This is all due to the excellent work of customer designer Ruth E. Carter and set designers Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart. All there individuals were awarded Oscars for their fantastic work.

The film also features a stellar cast who is impeccable. From the likes of Boseman to Martin Freeman, there is not one false note in the casting. The standouts in the film are actually the villains, Michael B. Jordan and Andy Serkis. While Serkis only appears for the first half of the film, Jordan appears throughout the film. They both work excellent together when they are on screen together. And when Jordan is the only remaining villain in the film, he still makes his presence known. Killmonger doesn’t come across a typical cliche villain, but a misunderstood man who is actually going about his mission the wrong way. Killmonger is one of Marvel’s best villains because his motivations are understandable. While Wakanda has sat on the sideline for centuries and has let the world fight their own battles, Killmonger has the idea that Wakanda should not be silent anymore. He is on a mission to stop Wakanda’s isolationism and help people fight their oppressors by giving them weapons. While Killmonger has the right idea, he is going about it the wrong way. This is what makes Killmonger standout from the rest of the other Marvel villains.

In addition to Serkis and Jordan, Boseman is also a standout. He takes the character of Black Panther and makes it his own. His character is a humble man who is also willing to fight others to protect his ideals and values. He has a deep affection for friends and family and they define who he is. He interacts well with his sister Shuri (played by Letitia Wright). These two naturally work well off each other and I always get the impression they are truly siblings. While viewing the film, I never got the impression these two were just actors, but I felt the sibling connection most siblings have. In regards to characters connecting well, there is one flaw and that is T’Challa and Nakia’s (played by Lupita Nyong’o) relationship. I never got the impression these two used to have a romantic relationship, only having a professional relationship. It is mentioned once that Nakia is T’Challa’s ex, but besides that, there was not much connection between these two. I don’t blame the actors here, I place blame on the writing that missed an opportunity.

Speaking of the writing, the film has a great screenplay all due to Coogler and Joe Robert Cole. The film never drags and the film keeps moving forward at a steady pace. The screenplay brilliantly sets up the exposition by having it being told by a character as a bed time story. Also, as mentioned before, the film is written so anyone can jump into this film without having to view any of the other Marvel films. It educates the viewers on what happened in the previous film by showing flashbacks. Furthermore, I got the impression that I was watching a James Bond film. I am not sure if Coogler and Cole were influenced by those films, but the film does have the same set up of a Bond film. By having T’Challa be given a mission to go to a foreign country, visiting Shuri to get his gadgets, to having a villain who is set on world domination, it does have the same elements a Bond film would have.

Black Panther is one of those films that is pleasant and satisfying to view. Coogler brings his best work to the director’s chair by making a standout Marvel film. All the actors in the film bring their A game and are clearly having fun with their roles. Upon revisiting Black Panther, it is no surprise why this is the best Marvel film. Not only does it propel black culture forward, but is has one of the best superhero performances. Even if one Black Panther film is made, Boseman’s legacy is left on this film. His role as the titular character is one that will not be forgotten throughout the years.

4/4