Re: What movies have you seen recently?
See, that's not where I go with this. I take movies for what they are as movies, not for their source material. I didn't read these comics and frankly don't care to do so.
And I'm definitely not a film snob. I just bought Ambulance and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on UHD. I can have fun with or enjoy anything. I didn't hate BP2 either, though I'll definitely say that I went into it hoping it would improve on the things I didn't like about the first one.
I watched a bunch of promotional material during the time, including that wonderful YouTube video where Chadwick Boseman was behind a poster of himself as people would walk up to it and sing the inspirational praises the movie gave for them, all which were very well deserved and I am so very happy for the box office draw that film had (and hopefully this film). Its critical acclaim and accolades has opened so many doors for people of color and Hollywood, and for that I can be forever grateful. I think it's really cool when I can connect with people's connection to the film, if that makes sense.
All that being said, I didn't connect to the film itself the same way they did. I wish I had, and maybe my theater experience was hampered by two teenage girls sitting next to me who would text on their phones until Michael B. Jordan would appear on screen and they gawked at him the entire time. Beyond that, something just didn't click. I even rewatched it again after C.B.'s death, trying to gain a new perspective on it. I think I shut it off before the final battle, which doesn't do it any favors in my book.
And I think it matters for me to say that I am half black, for those who didn't know.
Nominations are definitely funny, and I always hated hearing things for a movie coming out like "This one is supposed to get a bunch of awards." I get if there are higher up circles or film festivals that have seen the movie beforehand and spread the word about it, but when I hear that I can't help but think that sometimes movies are made purely for the intent of attempting to achieve an award, especially when they "check the boxes."
Note that I don't think this what Coogler did for either of his films. He went out to make a good movie, and for many people he exceeded those expectations. I think I feel funny sometimes when I say that BP didn't work for me, but I think people are supposed to respect my opinion as well.
I have Regal Unlimited and do not mind seeing movies more than once, even on a whim. I will need to allocate the time for such a thing though, and pick and choose which films I want to go see.
That being said, if some folks wanted to watch Wakanda Forever and drag me along, I would happily accept their offer. There is enough in there for me to grasp onto in the right environment. I might be able to set some of the negatives aside or see them differently on a second viewing, but I think some of those things would still be there that make it harder to justify the runtime.
I mean hell, I saw Top Gun: Maverick eight times in theaters. I have now seen it at least seven times since getting it on UHD on October 30th. Clearly I have a problem with loving that movie so much. Sometimes it just takes the right flavor is all, I guess.
See, that's not where I go with this. I take movies for what they are as movies, not for their source material. I didn't read these comics and frankly don't care to do so.
And I'm definitely not a film snob. I just bought Ambulance and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on UHD. I can have fun with or enjoy anything. I didn't hate BP2 either, though I'll definitely say that I went into it hoping it would improve on the things I didn't like about the first one.
Like I feel like for most people and myself included, there’s a reason(s) why the first one was so acclaimed and got the accolades/hype that it got:
-Released during BHM
-Majority Black Cast
-Wasn’t your stereotypical “Struggling Youth makes it out of the Ghetto and is successful” film
-Or your typical “Action Cop/Drug Dealer
-A Black Superhero Film that EVERYONE could actually enjoy and watch as a Family.
-A dope soundtrack
-Released during BHM
-Majority Black Cast
-Wasn’t your stereotypical “Struggling Youth makes it out of the Ghetto and is successful” film
-Or your typical “Action Cop/Drug Dealer
-A Black Superhero Film that EVERYONE could actually enjoy and watch as a Family.
-A dope soundtrack
All that being said, I didn't connect to the film itself the same way they did. I wish I had, and maybe my theater experience was hampered by two teenage girls sitting next to me who would text on their phones until Michael B. Jordan would appear on screen and they gawked at him the entire time. Beyond that, something just didn't click. I even rewatched it again after C.B.'s death, trying to gain a new perspective on it. I think I shut it off before the final battle, which doesn't do it any favors in my book.
And I think it matters for me to say that I am half black, for those who didn't know.
I don’t think it was best one that year(I go with Infinity War. Didn’t care for Spiderverse at all)but when I see people act like the first one didn’t deserve the attention it received at the time, I look at them funny. But like you said, nominations are weird because we’ve seen way worse BS get nominated and win awards when the movie was about two pieces of bread just floating in the wind and dassit(obviously not that extreme but you get my point)
Note that I don't think this what Coogler did for either of his films. He went out to make a good movie, and for many people he exceeded those expectations. I think I feel funny sometimes when I say that BP didn't work for me, but I think people are supposed to respect my opinion as well.
I’ll probably go see it again just because my first viewing of a new movie is just being in the moment and just enjoying it, so the 2nd viewing I can actually watch and have more “thorough” review of it but I’d rank it similar to you.
That being said, if some folks wanted to watch Wakanda Forever and drag me along, I would happily accept their offer. There is enough in there for me to grasp onto in the right environment. I might be able to set some of the negatives aside or see them differently on a second viewing, but I think some of those things would still be there that make it harder to justify the runtime.
I mean hell, I saw Top Gun: Maverick eight times in theaters. I have now seen it at least seven times since getting it on UHD on October 30th. Clearly I have a problem with loving that movie so much. Sometimes it just takes the right flavor is all, I guess.
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