'Wakanda Forever' examines grief and rage in a powerful way

A stunning tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” begins with the death of his character, T’Challa. Desperate to save her brother from the illness that has consumed him, a frantic Shuri (Letitia Wright) flits around her science lab, attempting to unearth the antidote that might save the Wakandan king. Tragically, her efforts are fruitless. Before the opening credits roll on the film, a despondent Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) tells her last living child, “Your brother is with the ancestors.”

The real-world trauma of Boseman’s shocking death from colon cancer in August 2020 collides with the aftermath of his character’s passing in “Wakanda Forever.” It’s an action-packed film full of grief, rage and the towering burden of legacy. His spirit stands at the film’s center as director Ryan Coogler examines why rage and trauma can be both a determinant and a pillar to communities of color. 

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'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' showcases the triumphs of Black people, not just our burdens

In recent historical features about the Black experience in America — like "12 Years A Slave," "Hidden Figures" and even biopics like "Ray" and "Ali" — racism and oppression are through-lines in the narratives; anti-Blackness becomes a character all its own.

The perils of white supremacy make their way into every plot even though the Black experience is at the core of these films, seeping (as it can in reality) into the characters' everyday lives. While these films are historically accurate, modern-day Black filmgoers then often lament the prevalence of "slave films" and the inherent tragedies at the center of these stories, asking to see more Black joy and less Black sadness.

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'Marshall' is more of a thriller than a biopic (Review)

Superheroes. It's a word that's thrown around lightly these days. We eagerly flock to movie theaters and our television screens to watch metahumans with extraordinary strength and abilities conquer the world. In everyday life and certainly throughout history, there have been real-life figures who've defeated evil and transformed the world. They have been pillars of change who've forced mankind to move forward — whether we were ready for it or not. The late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was one of those leaders. When we receive our primary education, we (hopefully) learn about Justice Marshall and his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement — namely that he was the force behind Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated public schools in the United States. However, Brown v. Board is nestled in the middle of an illustrious career, one that spanned nearly seven decades and helped reshape the world as we know it.

Reginald Hudlin's latest film Marshall follows the lawyer at 30-years-old just as his career was beginning to gain some traction. In 1941, Marshall was the sole lawyer for the NAACP. The United States was on the verge of entering World War II when Marshall was sent to Connecticut to defend Joseph Spell (portrayed by Emmy- winner Sterling K. Brown), a black chauffeur who was accused of raping his white employer (portrayed by Kate Hudson).

Though oddly cast, Chadwick Boseman slides on Marshall's fedora perfectly — capturing his cadence and arresting intellect as soon as the film starts rolling. Though the brown skinned Black Panther actor looks nothing like the 6-foot tan skinned Baltimore native, you believe him from the very minute he opens his mouth, from the way he enraptures the courtroom to his everyday encounters when confronting bigots and racists on the screen.

Despite his massive success and reputation, 1941 still presents its hardships and barriers for Marshall. Upon arriving in Connecticut from Harlem, he is forced to enlist the help of a young Jewish insurance lawyer named Sam Friedman (played by a very convincing Josh Gad) who would be content to simply just exist in the background of the WASP washed suburb where he lives and practices. The fantastic banter between Gad and Boseman is what kept the film elevated when it might otherwise flounder into ordinary.

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Reginald Hudlin & the 'Marshall' cast talk the Supreme Court justice's legacy & why the past is repeating itself

“You don't have Obama without Thurgood Marshall," Marshall director Reginald Hudlin explained to me as we discussed why he was inspired to bring the late Supreme Court Justice’s massive life to the big screen. In the midst of a turbulent fall where the world seems to be spinning out of control each day — Marshall is about to jolt us all awake again. Over the course of his lifetime, Thurgood Marshall worked diligently to bring Civil Rights to all Americans. These days it's more and more evident that this country has done very little to honor his legacy. Still, Thurgood Marshall’s story was one that Hudlin has always wanted to tell. “Thurgood Marshall has always been a giant hero of mine. I almost named my son Thurgood ... I thought that was a little bit too much," he said laughing. For Hudlin, it was Marshall who laid the groundwork for equality under the judicial system. “The Constitution was a tremendous promise of what America could be, but flawed from the beginning because of racism and slavery,” Hudlin articulated. “And the man who did the most to make it a reality is Thurgood Marshall."

Set just as the United States was poised to enter the Second World War, Marshall hones in on a facet of racism not often seen on the big screen. We have grown accustomed to full-fledged bigots, with their white robes and torches in Southern set films—Marshall explores something else entirely. “I liked that it was set in Connecticut because Northern racism kind of gets a pass,” Hudlin revealed. “Everybody is used to the Southern redneck sheriff chewing tobacco, we've seen that. We're all comfortable with condemning those people. ‘Oh, we're better than them.' But when you see Northern racism — which is much more genteel on its face, but it's the same institutional racism that looks more like what exists today. I thought, okay this will be more resonant to the audience because you can't simply write it off as ‘back then.'” The visceral parallels aligning the past to the present are what make the film so eerie to watch. “45 people ... That look like the same,” Hudlin expressed. “The ones that are there today and the ones that were depicted in the movie.”

As a young Civil Rights lawyer — the sole lawyer working for the NAACP in 1941, Marshall crossed the country taking on case after case with the hopes that he could save the lives of his brethren who had been condemned solely because of their race.

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Review: Powerful Character Arcs & Sensational New Avengers Prove That ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Is Marvel at Its Best

I’m a lightweight superhero fan, which means I’ve got no allegiance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe over DC Comics. Like any film lover, I simply enjoy a great story-line packed with even better action. However, screening “Captain America: Civil War” changed everything for me. By the time the film actually started —ten minutes behind schedule — the theater was so rife with anticipation that people were nearly fidgeting out of their seats. It was as if everyone but me knew just what we were about to experience.

So often as viewers, we are relegated to the sidelines when watching superhero films. We sit in our seats, eagerly taking in the spectacle that is laid out before us. However, Joe and Anthony Russo’s latest entry into the Marvel Universe proved that the audience can be active participants in the action. Since “Iron Man” dropped in 2008, all Marvel roads have been leading up to “Captain America: Civil War”; and somehow, the film lives up to every bit of the hype. The Russo brothers invite their audience into the story alongside the Avengers, while eloquently dealing with all of the characters and storylines that are intertwined throughout the film.

The divide between Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), and Tony Stark, aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), starts slowly, with an initial disagreement. Cap’s comrade Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is in grave danger, but The First Avenger’s interest in helping his friend goes directly against Stark’s newly established status quo. As the film continues, the divide between the duo begins to crackle and spread. This split slowly infects every other member of the Avengers team, forcing them to choose sides. By now, the audience knows these characters, their motivations and their ideals. However, the Russo brothers’ story brilliantly requires their viewers to exercise patience. Nothing is rushed in this film, which makes the climatic sequences all the more exquisite. Where “Civil War” succeeds, while DC Comics recent “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” failed, is it’s willingness to allow its characters time to develop. The film digs well below the surface and into the history of the Marvel Universe. Just as we are invested as fans, these characters are steadfast in their beliefs and their particular experiences.

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Image: Marvel