The Marvels

 

Based on the Marvel Comics series, The Marvels is the story of Captain Marvel who finds herself dealing a new conflict but also a wormhole that allows to swap places with two others through using their powers in both Monica Rambeau and Ms. Marvel as the trio team up. Directed by Nia DaCosta and screenplay by DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik, the film is a sequel to the 2018 film in which Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers not only teams up with her late best friend’s daughter but also a young teenager who also has powers of her own to deal with a major threat that wants to destroy the universe over something that Danvers did as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers is once again played by Brie Larson with Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. Also starring Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Gary Lewis, Lashana Lynch and Samuel L. Jackson returning as Nick Fury. The Marvels is an exhilarating and extremely fun film from Nia DaCosta.

Set years after an event on the planet of Hala in which Carol Danvers destroyed the Supreme Intelligence, the film revolves around a new Kree extremist who has found a bangle that can allow her to create wormholes in the hope of gaining resources from other planets to save Hala after a civil war had left the planet barren while also hoping to destroy Danvers. It is a film that has Danvers deal with not just the consequences of her actions against the Kree but also having to team up with two others in stopping this person from destroying the universe. Even as it also forces her to deal with other things in her life while also making discoveries that would allow her to make some serious changes. The film’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it opens with the new Kree leader Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) who had found a Quantum Band as she is confronted by Danvers only for something to happen in which she gets entangled with both Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan who all switch places for due to Danvers’ encounter with Dar-Benn.

Throughout the script, there is tension hinted between Carol and Monica as it relates to the fact that they hadn’t seen each other in years as well as the fact that Monica is still dealing with the loss of her mother Maria (Lashana Lynch). Yet, it is Kamala that would help them sort their issues out as both Carol and Monica would meet Kamala’s family as does Nick Fury who would take them to the S.A.B.E.R. space station as it would add some humorous moments between Fury and the Khans. For a film that does have some serious stakes as it plays into Dar-Benn’s quest, the script does manage to not take itself seriously as it plays into some of Danvers’ other lives in other planets including one called Aladna where its citizens talk through singing as Carol is very famous in the planet. It is among some of the odd and hilarious moments in the film as the script does try to balance the tone of seriousness and humor though some of it isn’t perfect but there is still a lot of weight into the story.

Nia DaCosta’s direction is stylish as it does blend into many genres such as comedies, drama, action, suspense, hand-drawn animation in a brief sequence by senior animator Josh Janousky and lead animator Nicholas St. Clair, and Bollywood-inspired musicals as it plays into these different worlds that Danvers, Rambeau, and Khan would encounter. Shot largely on various studios in the U.K. as well as additional locations in Tropea, Italy and Los Angeles, DaCosta does create something that feels loose in its presentation as well as otherworldly considering the many places the characters go to. There are some wide and medium shots that play into the scope of the different planets and places these characters go to yet DaCosta grounds the film with its emphasis on family as well as playing to what is at stake. Notably as it involves a flashback in which Dar-Benn witnessed Danvers destroying the building where the Supreme Intelligence is held as it plays into her own legit grudge as it lead to Hala in a barren state with a civil war emerging. Danvers’ actions towards Hala do lead to consequences as well as why she and Monica became estranged where the two and Kamala would go to a Skrull colony where things go wrong due to Danvers’ involvement.

While the film is uneven in its approach to its different genres, DaCosta does however keep things exciting as well as knowing when to be serious as well as not to be serious. Most notably a subplot in which Fury takes the Khans to his space station where something serious does happen as it relates to Goose and the many people at the space station when it gets threatened by Dar-Benn. Its third act does take place around Earth as it relates to what Dar-Benn wants and what she can get with the quantum band that Kamala has gotten from her grandmother. Yet, the eventual confrontation between Dar-Benn and the Marvels has a lot at stake but it comes with an aftermath which forces Carol to confront her mistakes as well as realize what is more important. Even as it would also play for a couple of key events in one post-credits scene and an ending that would involve something big. Overall, DaCosta crafts a compelling and exciting film about a trio of women with superpowers who team up to save the universe from a Kree extremist who wants to save her home planet by any means necessary.

Cinematographer Sean Bobbitt does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its vibrant usage of colors in the way scenes on Earth and Aladna are shot along with low-level lighting for the scenes in Hala and parts of outer space. Editors Catrin Hedstrom and Evan Schiff do excellent work with the editing with the usage of split-screens, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the humor, action, and suspense. Production designer Cara Brower, along with set decorators Jille Azis, Fergus Clegg, and Naomi Moore plus supervising art directors Andrew Bennett, Ben Collins, and Andrew Palmer, does amazing work with the look of the film from the different planets the characters go to as well as the interiors of the S.A.B.E.R. space station, as well as the home of the Khan family. Costume designer Lindsay Pugh does incredible work with the film’s costumes from the suits that the Marvels wear as well as many clothes that the citizens of Aladna wear including a special dress Danvers wears as well as the uniforms the people at S.A.B.E.R. wear.

Hair/makeup designers Sian Wilson and Wakana Yoshihara, along with special makeup effects designer David White, do fantastic work with the many different looks of the alien creatures including the Kree and Skrulls as well as Carol’s own different hairstyle during her time at Aladna. Special effects supervisor David Watkins, along with visual effects supervisor Tara DeMarco and Sarah Eim, does terrific work with the special effects in the way some of the powers from the Marvels are displayed as well as the look of outer space in other parts of the film along with the design of some of the Flerkens that would appear in one of the most hilarious sequences ever on film. Sound designer Tim Nielsen, along with sound editors Addison Teague and Katy Wood, does superb work with the sound in the way Dar-Benn’s weapon sounds when it lands on the ground as well as other sound effects to play into the action and suspense along with some natural sounds for some of the humorous moments in the film.

The film’s music by Laura Karpman is phenomenal for its mixture of orchestral flourishes with Bollywood-inspired pieces as well as themes that are full of bombast along with some somber pieces and choir pieces in which is a key factor for the scenes in Aladna as it is one of the standout cuts in the film’s music score. Music supervisor Dave Jordan creates a fun music soundtrack as it features a diverse array of music from M.I.A., Skrillex with Missy Elliott and Mr. Oizo, the Beastie Boys, James Murphy, a couple of score pieces by John Ottman, and a hilarious usage of Memory sung by Barbra Streisand.

The casting by Sarah Halley Finn is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Leila Farzad and Abraham Popoola as a couple of S.A.B.E.R. officers working directly with Fury, Daniel Ings as the Kree scientist Ty-Rone, Gary Lewis as the Skrull leader Emperor Dro’ge who runs a Skrull colony until he is threatened by Dar-Benn, the cats Nemo and Tango as Carol’s pet Flerken Goose, Lashana Lynch in a flashback scene as Monica’s mother Maria during a memory entanglement with Carol, and Tessa Thompson in a special appearance as Valkyrie who helps Carol out after a serious event involving the Skrulls. The trio of Saagar Shaikh, Mohan Kapur, and Zenobia Shroff as Kamala’s family in their respective roles as her older brother Aamir, father Yusuf, and mother Muneeba are a joy to watch as a family who would have their own dangerous encounter with a couple of Kree soldiers while traveling to space where they help Fury as they add a lot of humor to some of the chaos that occurs in the film. Park Seo-joon is superb in a small role as the Prince of Aladna in Yan as a leader whom Carol knows as he helps out as he provides a lot of charm and humor though it is a very small role that is fun to watch as it needed more of him.

Samuel L. Jackson is great as Nick Fury as the head of S.A.B.E.R. who works closely with Monica while he deals with this new threat to the universe as he also has some funny moments in his encounter with the Khan family as well as Goose where he gets more than he bargains for with what is happening with Goose. Zawe Ashton is excellent as Dar-Benn as the new Kree revolutionary who has a legitimate grudge towards Danvers after witnessing the event that lead to Hala into a civil war as she is determined to save her planet with the help of the Accuser hammer. While it is a character that isn’t fully-fledge in the writing, Ashton does bring in a lot of emotional weight to her performance as someone who is desperate to save her world by destroying other planets.

Finally, there’s the trio of Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. Vellani’s performance as the 16-year old Pakistani high school student from Jersey City is full of delight and charisma as someone who is a total fangirl of Danvers while also is aware of the seriousness of what is happening as she brings in a sense of joy but also someone who knows how to keep everyone together. Parris’ performance as Rambeau, whose late mother was Danvers’ wing-woman in the air force as Danvers was also considered to be her aunt, is full of complexities as someone that isn’t eager to deal with Danvers over some personal issues while is also still trying to figure out her own powers.

Larson’s performance as Danvers is fascinating as someone still trying to regain lost memories but also has become distant in some ways where she also deals with her actions from the past. Larson also displays some humor and wit into the performance as well as facing revelations of her own faults as it relates to Dar-Benn. Larson, Parris, and Vellani together make this tremendous trio that all bring in the best of each other as they are the highlight of the film.

The Marvels is a marvelous film from Nia DaCosta that features a trio of great performances from Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani as the titular group. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, colorful visuals, high stakes, its humor, and an exhilarating music soundtrack. It is a film that knows when to not take itself seriously and know when to be serious though the overall results aren’t perfect yet DaCosta does manage to craft an entertaining and engaging film about three ladies saving the universe. In the end, The Marvels is a remarkable film from Nia DaCosta.

Nia DaCosta Films: (Little Woods) – (Candyman (2021 film))

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man and the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Thor: Love and Thunder - Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

© thevoid99 2023

The Big Sick

Directed by Michael Showalter and written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick is the story of a Pakistani-American who falls for an American girl as their relationship is tested when the latter falls ill as he meets her parents. The film is based on the real-life relationship between Gordon and Nanjiani in which the latter stars as an aspiring comedian who is torn in his love for this young woman and being true to his own family. Also starring Zoe Kazan, Anupam Kher, Ray Romano, and Holly Hunter. The Big Sick is a charming and riveting film from Michael Showalter.

The film follows a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian trying to make it as he falls for a young American graduate student as they endure a relationship only for things to get complicated until a rare illness occurs where the comedian meets the young woman’s parents. It’s a film that explore a man who is dealing with expectations from his family in finding a Pakistani wife to marry as well as become an attorney yet he is more interested in becoming a comedian while being a driver for Uber to pay the bills. Upon meeting this young woman whom he embarks on a relationship with until they break up over things he hasn’t been able to tell her where he later gets a call from one of her friends that she’s in the hospital as her parents would arrive to watch over her as she’s in a coma. The film’s screenplay by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon that is based on their real life relationship on how they met and such does play into the many ups and downs expected in an interracial relationship between this Pakistani-American man and white woman as they live in Chicago.

Among the obstacles they face has to do with parents and how they would react as it’s something the character of Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) is dealing with as he’s unsure what his parents would think of Emily (Zoe Kazan) as he chooses not to tell them about her as he’s also reluctant in meeting her parents over what they would think of him. When Emily becomes ill, he would meet her parents in Beth (Holly Hunter) and Terry (Ray Romano) who know about Kumail and appreciate the fact that he called them. Though they initially don’t want anything to do with him, they eventually get to know him as well as more about how Kumail and Emily broke up. Kumail’s time with Beth and Terry during the film’s second act is key to not just about Kumail dealing with the fear of having to tell his parents about Emily but also the realization that, despite their best interests for him, times are changing and he has to follow his heart but do it truthfully.

Michael Showalter’s direction is largely straightforward as it doesn’t really go for any kind of stylistic shots nor does it play into the conventions that is often expected in a romantic comedy. Shot largely on location in Chicago with bits of the film shot in New York City, the film does play into the world of comedy clubs where comedians try to get laughs as well as figure out what they should say and what routine they should go for. Even if it doesn’t work as Kumail would see a few of his peers try out ideas that is still in development as he is also working on a one-man show that is about himself and being Pakistani-American. While there are a few wide shots, Showalter would emphasize more on close-ups and medium shots to play into the developing relationship as well as some low-key comical moments of Kumail’s moments with his family where he would eat lunch/dinner with them as the recurring gag would include a prospective bride being invited by his mother Sharmeen (Zenobia Shroff).

The comedy is light-hearted as the funnier moments are based through dialogue but there are also some dramatic moments as it relates to the seriousness of Emily’s illness and Kumail eventually telling his parents about her. Yet, Showalter knows that the film is a love story of the unconventional kind in how a man is willing to stand by his love one no matter how close to death she is. Even as it would prove for all of Kumail’s mistakes and hesitation in telling Emily about his devotion for his family only to see that he wants her to be part of it. Overall, Showalter crafts a touching yet witty film about an unlikely romance and devotion between a Pakistani-American comedian and a white graduate student.

Cinematographer Brian Burgoyne does excellent work with the cinematography as it’s largely straightforward in terms of the exterior/interior scenes in the day as well as how clubs are lit at night. Editor Robert Nassau does terrific work with the editing as it does have bits of style in a few jump-cuts in a montage as well as some rhythmic cuts for some of the film’s humor. Production designer Brandon Tonner-Connolly and art director Andy Eklund do fantastic work with the look of Kumail and Emily’s different apartments as well as the home of Kumail’s family.

Costume designer Sarah Mae Burton does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of the traditional Pakistani clothing Kumail’s mother, sister-in-law, and some of the women he’s being forced to meet wear. Sound editor Tom Paul does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the comedy clubs as well as the sounds of the hospital in the waiting room. The film’s music by Michael Andrews is wonderful for its low-key score that mixes elements of ambient music with some traditional Pakistani music to play into the two worlds that Kumail and Emily live in while music supervisor Joe Rudge provides a fun soundtrack that mixes elements of pop, indie rock, and country music as it would help provide moments where Kumail finds himself connecting with Emily’s parents.

The casting by Gayle Keller is great as it feature some notable small roles from Linda Edmond as one of several doctors watching over Emily, Vella Lovell as a prospective bride for Kumail that he would meet during the film’s second act after accidentally snubbing her during a meeting he was supposed to have, Rebecca Naomi Jones as Emily’s friend Jessie, Kurt Braunohler as Kumail’s aspiring-comedian flatmate Chris, Shenaz Treasury as Naveed’s wife Fatima, Aidy Bryant as a fellow comedian in Mary who is trying to develop her own routines about herself, and David Alan Grier in a small role as the comedy club emcee/owner who organizes the line-up for all of the performances. Adeel Akhtar is terrific as Kumail’s brother Naveed as the only person in Kumail’s family that tells him about Emily as he knows that Kumail isn’t trying to hurt anyone but reveals that the relationship with Emily could still have severe consequences. Bo Burnham is superb as the comedian CJ who is also trying to get his break but often has criticisms about others over routines he feel that are tired.

Anupam Kher and Zenobia Shroff are excellent as Kumail’s parents with Kher as the father who is more lenient about Kumail’s choices while Shroff’s role as the mother is a more traditionalist woman who just wants her son to find a nice Pakistani woman to marry. Holly Hunter and Ray Romano are brilliant as Emily’s parents with Hunter as the mother in Beth as someone who is more practical as she is concerned with making sure Emily is getting the best treatment while Romano is more reserved with some funny lines as well as giving Kumail advice on love as well as what he has to face as it relates to his parents. Zoe Kazan is amazing as Emily as a psychology grad student who heckles Kumail at a comedy club as she befriends and later falls for him while eventually falling ill as she later copes with the illness and the things that forced her to break-up with Kumail. Finally, there’s Kumail Nanjiani in an incredible performance in a semi-fictionalized version of himself as a stand-up comedian trying to get a break as he deals with Emily’s illness and his own fears of telling his parents about her as it’s a performance of great wit as well as humility when he learns about the seriousness of Emily’s illness.

The Big Sick is a sensational film from Michael Showalter. Featuring a great cast and a touching yet witty story about an interracial relationship that would grow stronger through a life-threatening event. It’s a film that definitely bring some new ideas to a genre that is in need of going into other directions as well as be a film that explore the idea of family and cultural traditions as well as how one person wants to follow his heart and not stray from traditional values. In the end, The Big Sick is a spectacular film from Michael Showalter.

Michael Showalter Films: (The Baxter) - Hello, My Name is Doris - (The Lovebirds (2020 film)) - The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021 film) - (Spoiler Alert)

© thevoid99 2018