BLACK PANTHER 2 directed by Ryan Coogler (TBD) 8 8

[ExNihilo]

It's a long movie and the first 2/3s is really slow.

Angela Bassett absolutely killed it.  She owned every scene she was in with a lot of gravitas.

I went in with reservations on the changes made to Namor's character, but the end of his back story changed my mind.

Spoiler

Specifically, how they tied it all into how he got the name "Namor"

I wouldn't say it's a great movie, and I don't think it's the kind of movie I would watch over and over.  But it has enough going for it that it's at least good.  It did a good job paying respect to Chadwick and weaving that into a story about dealing with loss.

[TupennyConan]

On 11/11/2022 at 12:28 AM, D84 said:

 

Headtree movie posters are getting weirder & weirder. 

[Bosco685]

On 11/11/2022 at 12:28 AM, D84 said:

"I fell asleep."

"I was bored a lot of the time."

This is disappointing because I tend to agree with him on movies.

That is not the review I expected from Magnus. He was wildly pleased with the first movie. Even recommended everyone should see that movie.

So the excuse must be he is: a) Racist; b) DC fanatic; c) Been replaced by a deep fake.

[Bosco685]

This says a lot as Chris Stuckmann is fairly evenhanded with his reviews.

Angela Bassett keeps coming up as a solid performance. Sounds like the action scenes were good, with the slow motion action that gets called out in other franchises. It comes down to characters dealing with tragic loss. Which is what he liked most in this film. But he didn't feel like it connected like the first film due to Chadwick Boseman missing from the story.

[Bosco685]

Looks like China is still playing movie release games.

Quote

Hollywood’s two biggest superhero movies of late 2022 — Disney’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Warner Bros.’ Dwayne Johnson tentpole Black Adam — are expected to be blocked from release in China, as Beijing regulators continue to crack down on U.S. access to the world’s second-largest theatrical market. 

 

There is less on the line for Hollywood in China than there used to be, thanks to the country’s steady tightening of censorship control and nearly three years of strict COVID-zero policies, but regulators’ consistent snubbing of top-tier superhero titles is still costing the studios tens of millions of lost potential revenue. 

Quote

The first Black Panther film earned $105 million in China in 2018, while Dwayne Johnson’s movies — such as Skyscraper ($98 million in China) and Hobbs & Shaw ($201 million) — have tended to do big business in the country. 

 

[@therealsilvermane]

On 11/11/2022 at 8:12 AM, Bosco685 said:

That is not the review I expected from Magnus. He was wildly pleased with the first movie. Even recommended everyone should see that movie.

So the excuse must be he is: a) Racist; b) DC fanatic; c) Been replaced by a deep fake.

By my analysis, this particularly popular YouTuber is anti-woke and anti-gender swapping of heroes. You get that in his indictment of Captain Marvel. When he criticizes Eternals, his first critique is "It's woke!" and that he didn't want to see a particular scene (two men kissing) because that's not his lifestyle. He ravages She-Hulk for its ravaging of anti-wokeness. The two big takeaways from his "breakdown" of Wakanda Forever, besides he was bored at times, was that Marvel should have recast T'Challa (or not given the mantle to a woman) and  that they should have kept Namor's origins the same as the comics, as in, not swapped for one of Mexican descent. He seems to approach these Marvel Phase Four movies/series from a typical anti-woke point of view.

As for being bored, he said the same of Dune. It seems if he watches any big budget fantasy action movie that dares to be about something other than good guys beating up bad guys with lots of special effects, he starts to check out. I think subtlety and nuance is lost on this guy.

That's my take.

Edited November 11, 2022 by @therealsilvermane

[drotto]

On 11/11/2022 at 8:45 AM, Bosco685 said:

Looks like China is still playing movie release games.

 

Going forward, all movie companies need to assume China is closed to them.  It has become the norm, not the exception, over the last 2 years. They need to stop pandering in the way they write scripts, imagry used, and in casting, because it just does not work.

[drotto]

On 11/11/2022 at 9:14 AM, @therealsilvermane said:

By my analysis, this particularly popular YouTuber is anti-woke and anti-gender swapping of heroes. You get that in his indictment of Captain Marvel. When he criticizes Eternals, his first critique is "It's woke!" and that he didn't want to see a particular scene (two men kissing) because that's not his lifestyle. He ravages She-Hulk for its ravaging of anti-anti-wokeness. The two big takeaways from his "breakdown" of Wakanda Forever, besides he was bored at times, was that Marvel should have recast T'Challa (or not given the mantle to a woman) and  that they should have kept Namor's origins the same as the comics, as in, not swapped for one of Mexican descent. He seems to approach these Marvel Phase Four movies/series from a typical anti-woke point of view.

As for being bored, he said the same of Dune. It seems if he watches any big budget fantasy action movie that dares to be about something other than good guys beating up bad guys with lots of special effects, he starts to check out. I think subtlety and nuance is lost on this guy.

That's my take.

To be fair, feeling like they should have recast Balck Panther is going to become a very common refrain, like it or not. Electing not to recast was a understandable reaction to a tragic situation, but in the broader sense, many popular roles have been recast for similar reasons.  Fans are generally excepting of it, after initial reservations. These are characters that exist in their own sense, they do not belong to one actor/actress, and people understand that.

Edited November 11, 2022 by drotto

[Dr. Balls]

I don’t do the theaters anymore, but I’ll be watching it when it hits streaming. I have tried to shy away from reviews - I’m 49 and I figure whatever younger generations find good or bad doesn’t have a lot of bearing on what I like.

[Jaydogrules]

On 11/10/2022 at 5:51 PM, paperheart said:

nearly pointless exercise, guess the BO: Int'l- last one did $525M ex China/Russia- ticket prices up big but less buzz = $500M; US, no way it matches original, huge opening and the month of clear sailing until Avatar helps = $550M

Will it?

That did nothing for Black Adam, which, is threatening to make LESS than Shazam. 

-J.

[zuckuss2003]

Got tickets to the drive in theatre tomorrow night! Can't wait.

[Bosco685]

On 11/11/2022 at 9:14 AM, @therealsilvermane said:

By my analysis, this particularly popular YouTuber is anti-woke and anti-gender swapping of heroes. You get that in his indictment of Captain Marvel. When he criticizes Eternals, his first critique is "It's woke!" and that he didn't want to see a particular scene (two men kissing) because that's not his lifestyle. He ravages She-Hulk for its ravaging of anti-wokeness. The two big takeaways from his "breakdown" of Wakanda Forever, besides he was bored at times, was that Marvel should have recast T'Challa (or not given the mantle to a woman) and  that they should have kept Namor's origins the same as the comics, as in, not swapped for one of Mexican descent. He seems to approach these Marvel Phase Four movies/series from a typical anti-woke point of view.

As for being bored, he said the same of Dune. It seems if he watches any big budget fantasy action movie that dares to be about something other than good guys beating up bad guys with lots of special effects, he starts to check out. I think subtlety and nuance is lost on this guy.

That's my take.

You sure about that? When I first was watching reviews to gauge the She-Hulk reactions, he noted with Episode 1 it may be woke but he likes it. So anti-woke?

Even with Episode 2, he is having a good time.

 

Edited November 11, 2022 by Bosco685

[paperheart]

On 11/11/2022 at 7:51 AM, Jaydogrules said:

Will it?

That did nothing for Black Adam, which, is threatening to make LESS than Shazam. 

-J.

well, the $28M preview night isn't great and the repeat biz won't be there so if it doesn't take advantage of literally nothing opening for the next 4 weeks then there's no shot it's getting to $1B.  FWIW, BA has already passed Shazam domestic and Int'l if you back out China.

[Mystafo]

On 11/11/2022 at 8:14 AM, @therealsilvermane said:

By my analysis, this particularly popular YouTuber is anti-woke and anti-gender swapping of heroes. You get that in his indictment of Captain Marvel. When he criticizes Eternals, his first critique is "It's woke!" and that he didn't want to see a particular scene (two men kissing) because that's not his lifestyle. He ravages She-Hulk for its ravaging of anti-wokeness. The two big takeaways from his "breakdown" of Wakanda Forever, besides he was bored at times, was that Marvel should have recast T'Challa (or not given the mantle to a woman) and  that they should have kept Namor's origins the same as the comics, as in, not swapped for one of Mexican descent. He seems to approach these Marvel Phase Four movies/series from a typical anti-woke point of view.

As for being bored, he said the same of Dune. It seems if he watches any big budget fantasy action movie that dares to be about something other than good guys beating up bad guys with lots of special effects, he starts to check out. I think subtlety and nuance is lost on this guy.

That's my take.

Subscribed!

[Bosco685]

On 11/11/2022 at 1:41 PM, Mystafo said:

Subscribed!

You had me at "Subscribed!"

[Mystafo]

On 11/11/2022 at 1:04 PM, Bosco685 said:

You had me at "Subscribed!"

Ha! Boy, that was easy get!

[ExNihilo]

On 11/11/2022 at 6:15 AM, drotto said:

Going forward, all movie companies need to assume China is closed to them.  It has become the norm, not the exception, over the last 2 years. They need to stop pandering in the way they write scripts, imagry used, and in casting, because it just does not work.

Which is honestly great to me.  I completely agree that Hollywood has bent the knee to China far too often in the last 10+ years with film sequences or partnerships in China just for the sake of catering to a Chinese audience.  Transformers, The Dark Knight, The Martian, and others all have plots that divert to China/Hong Kong for no reason other than appease the Chinese government into allowing them to do business.  Storytelling shouldn't make such sacrifices.

On 11/11/2022 at 9:44 AM, paperheart said:

well, the $28M preview night isn't great and the repeat biz won't be there so if it doesn't take advantage of literally nothing opening for the next 4 weeks then there's no shot it's getting to $1B.

I think it might just be a change in the movie industry since the pandemic, but I've been going to preview nights for Marvel films since GotG2 (prior to that, I was going on Fridays), and I've noticed theaters are not as packed on preview night as they used to be.  Last nights viewing of Black Panther (granted, I went to a 10:30pm showing for a movie that stretched to 3 hours when you include previews) probably wasn't even half full.  And I don't feel it's a movie that will bear repeat views in theaters, and I don't think you're gonna get a strong word of mouth from the African American community to see it in theaters the way there was that push with the first Black Panther movie.  Adjusted for inflation, I'd be surprised if this passed the original.

[ExNihilo]

On 11/11/2022 at 9:15 AM, Bosco685 said:

You sure about that? When I first was watching reviews to gauge the She-Hulk reactions, he noted with Episode 1 it may be woke but he likes it. So anti-woke?

Even with Episode 2, he is having a good time.

 

If I'm honest, I like that Magnus doesn't just fanboy on all new content.  I remember some early Marvel trailer reactions and he was always super hyped and excited.  I admit, I think I've seen maybe 4 trailer reactions of his, but the most recent one I saw he was more tepid and critical of his opinions.  Yes, we want to see people share our same excitement, but there's something more "real" (I dunno the best way to put it) when people can actually admit when a project didn't meet expectations.

[Bosco685]

On 11/11/2022 at 3:38 PM, ExNihilo said:

If I'm honest, I like that Magnus doesn't just fanboy on all new content.  I remember some early Marvel trailer reactions and he was always super hyped and excited.  I admit, I think I've seen maybe 4 trailer reactions of his, but the most recent one I saw he was more tepid and critical of his opinions.  Yes, we want to see people share our same excitement, but there's something more "real" (I dunno the best way to put it) when people can actually admit when a project didn't meet expectations.

I hear you. You can tell that some just gush all over certain studio content no matter the quality. With Magnus, he's a fanboy that has become more guarded over being perceived that way. One of the few I'll check to see what he is saying about a film or TV show. 

The couple that does Late To The Party seems to be more reasonable as comic book fans and cinemaphiles. They seemed okay with Wakanda Forever, though they appreciated the first Black Panther.

 

[Straw-Man]

grandsons tomorrow; please don't ruin subby.