Black Panther (Ryan Coogler)

[DavidSeven]

I was disappointed to not recognize any of the Kendrick Lamar tracks in this. They were there right??

Apparently, the Black Panther album curated by Kendrick Lamar isn’t actually a soundtrack for the movie. The album is described as merely being “inspired” by the film. A cynic might say that it’s little more than a joint marketing effort to push two completely separate products.

That’s not to say I think the soundtrack should’ve had a bunch of songs from that album. I was just disappointed that they didn’t go further outside the box than they did.

[Henry Gale]

There are three tracks from the soundtrack in the movie: 'Pray For Me' (as they enter the casino), a special score-infused remix of 'Opps' during the car chase after that, and then 'All The Stars' at the beginning of the credits.

But I think the soundtrack is fire so I do wish the film could've incorporated more from it in natural ways, but its existence with any affiliation is a gift in itself so it's all good.

[Ezee E]

There are three tracks from the soundtrack in the movie: 'Pray For Me' (as they enter the casino), a special score-infused remix of 'Opps' during the car chase after that, and then 'All The Stars' at the beginning of the credits.

But I think the soundtrack is fire so I do wish the film could've incorporated more from it in natural ways, but its existence with any affiliation is a gift in itself so it's all good.

Yeah, the "All the Stars" is pretty prominent obviously.

I agree with Seven that I was hoping the same deal with the music. Especially since there were posters of Public Enemy (?) posted on the closet walls.

[Philip J. Fry]

Par the course for Marvel movies. Good, not great.

It was a little more distinctive than the rest, though. I'll give it that.

[Sycophant]

I liked this more than any other Marvel movie I've seen (rankings behind spoiler). Really liked the cast on the whole. Michael B. Jordan is the heart of this. Which means the ideological conflict driving the action (though messy and perhaps problematic) is actually of interest. I wish the action was better choreographed/cut/scripted. Superhero literally being invincible in his suit made basically all of T'Challa's as-Black-Panther action sequences kind of dull.

[

Show Spoiler

1. Black Panther
2. Iron Man 3
3. The Avengers
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
5. Ant Man
6. Iron Man

]

[Grouchy]

What can I say? My new favorite Marvel movie and one of the best live action superhero films I've ever seen.

[MadMan]

That was badass. Jordan stole the entire movie.

[Milky Joe]

Echoing the previous 3 comments. This was awesome. The thing had style.

Easily the best villain in a Marvel movie yet.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Yeah, will post more tomorrow, but this was fun and interesting and frustrating at times but worth it. Go Marvel. Two consecutive films that I enjoy enough that I'd recommend them to others.

Also: two films that climax with a fight on bridge after someone has a telegraphed "Han Solo" come to Jesus eleventh-hour return, both of which are about a quarter as effective as Han Solo coming back.

[

Show Spoiler

Loki in Thor, Gorilla Guy in this one.

]

[Sycophant]

Also: two films that climax with a fight on bridge after someone has a telegraphed "Han Solo" come to Jesus eleventh-hour return, both of which are about a quarter as effective as Han Solo coming back.

This was so foreshadowed in Black Panther that there was essentially no suspense to it. One of the film's sloppiest plot points.

[Dead & Messed Up]

This was so foreshadowed in Black Panther that there was essentially no suspense to it. One of the film's sloppiest plot points.

The Han Solo moment?

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Show Spoiler

Because yeah, not only is it foreshadowed, but it's only foreshadowed. You get no sense from the character that he could change, or that he's carrying doubt. So when he shows up, it's more, "Yeah, I guess that's what these movies do," rather than "I understand why this character made this choice."

]

But it's not like I'm down on the flick. It's very good. I loved that one of my favorite characters could be a young girl who's a whiz with computer shit but also totally a younger sister. One of the best examples of the film giving real utility to its female characters. Angela Bassett fares worst (I don't recall her being present for the climax), Nyongo gets some development (maybe it'll read better on rewatch), and Guirara and Wright feel like more striking, fuller-blooded characters.

[Grouchy]

You should all watch this, it's great fun.

[Dukefrukem]

[Skitch]

I am angered that that is not a weekly show for me to consume.

[Wryan]

The ghost and the potato salad were killer.

[TGM]

I honestly wasn't at all interested in Infinity War until I started seeing people's reactions to it. So based on those reactions, my curiosity was piqued, and I decided I'll check it out this week. And since I'm doing that, may as well see Black Panther beforehand. So I watched that today, and yeah, it was just another really middle of the road mediocre Marvel outing. Like, there wasn't anything necessarily bad about it, but by the exact same token, there was seriously nothing that was even the least bit exceptional about it either. Through and through just another superhero movie that exists.

And just like that, my interest in Infinity War is plummeting all over again. I will say though, at least this one didn't have any of that frustrating and overly obnoxious forced humor as so many other recent Marvel outings...

[Irish]

On second view, I'm glad I never wrote about this one. I would have embarrassed myself, because the movie directly addresses the problems I had with it.

A few things stood out this time around:

- It's as much a coming of age story as anything else, because T'Challa struggles to embrace any one particular path. At one point, Nakia reminds T'Challa that he must decide "what kind of king he wants to be." But she might as well be saying "what kind of man." There's a similar exchange between T'Challa and the spirit of his dead father.

- The way the story meanders for the first hour fits thematically but man oh man it also looks haphazard and amateurish because the second half is so heavily plotted and briskly paced.

- Re-watching this right after "Ragnarok" and "Infinity War" is a downer because "Panther's" set pieces suck by comparison. There isn't one that's visually interesting or dynamic. The fight choreography is bland for a movie with so much money around it. (The two "ritual combat" scenes are a case in point.) The climax is particularly disappointing. Who thought it was a good idea to stage a key fight on a glorified subway platform?

- The costumes and production design are still ace, and I think this movie deserves to win Oscars in these categories, despite the fact that Coogler never establishes Wakanda as a distinct location with meaningful, character driven detail.

- Black Panther is now the third major hero in the MCU with a high tech, nearly magical, supersuit. This is boring; it's an easy out in terms of plot and action. I don't buy movie tix because of fantasy tech. I buy for the story, and the people.

- I'm still ambivalent about the performances. Serkis was all over the place and Jordan's delivery had no nuance. They sorta ran roughshod over their scenes, leaving me with the impression that Coogler isn't a great director.

- After seeing him in "Widows," Daniel Kaluuya might have made a better Killmonger. That dude can nail stone cold menace.

- The first time I saw this, I thought the film's politics were fucked. The second time, they're tricky but on point. That Killmonger is right --- and by extension T'Challa and his family wrong -- is an interesting dynamic and one that I've always wanted and never quite gotten. (Ie: A villain with something to say, with a position I have to grapple with, instead of another bozo lusting after all the gold in Fort Knox or wanting world domination for the sake of it.) Different characters occasionally offer very Western, imperialist attitudes. Even more interesting is the way the film ends: T'Challa takes Killmonger's central position but adapts it to fit his style --- Wakanda will be open but will offer aid instead of conquest.

- I'm starting to really miss action films that could pause for a beat, where you might learn something about a character or two outside the context of the immediate plot.

- That all said: I enjoyed this much more than the first time around. Interesting movie. Could have been better. Wish the action scenes didn't suck.

[Ezee E]

Kaluuya would've made a better Killmonger.

And Serkis in live-action was pretty terrible.

[Wryan]

Jordan is a better actor when he's not delivering lines. He has a good face and can do good work with his eyes.

[Grouchy]

- The first time I saw this, I thought the film's politics were fucked. The second time, they're tricky but on point. That Killmonger is right --- and by extension T'Challa and his family wrong -- is an interesting dynamic and one that I've always wanted and never quite gotten. (Ie: A villain with something to say, with a position I have to grapple with, instead of another bozo lusting after all the gold in Fort Knox or wanting world domination for the sake of it.) Different characters occasionally offer very Western, imperialist attitudes. Even more interesting is the way the film ends: T'Challa takes Killmonger's central position but adapts it to fit his style --- Wakanda will be open but will offer aid instead of conquest.

It would have been even better if they hadn't taken the shortcut of making Killmonger really mean and aggressive towards his own people with no sense of loyalty. His origin story makes you think "he's right, they really fucked him up" and then immediately "oh but he's an asshole, he's the bad guy". I thought that was lazy.

[Dukefrukem]

It would have been even better if they hadn't taken the shortcut of making Killmonger really mean and aggressive towards his own people with no sense of loyalty. His origin story makes you think "he's right, they really fucked him up" and then immediately "oh but he's an asshole, he's the bad guy". I thought that was lazy.

Totally agree here.

[Morris Schæffer]

Good point Grouchy.

[Irish]

Disney announced today that Academy Award®-nominated and SAG® winner Black Panther will return to the big screen to celebrate Black History Month for a one-week engagement, February 1–7, at 250 participating AMC Theatres locations. To ensure that the movie is accessible to all, tickets are free for everyone, and there will be two showings per day at each participating theater.

https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com...ng-february-1/