In the years after defeating Thanos and saving the universe, the film follows Thor Odinson going on a journey for inner peace as he learns that gods are being killed by a madman where he returns to New Asgard and learns this new foe’s intentions prompting Thor to seek help including his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster who has become the Mighty Thor. It is a film that explore a man who is still dealing with the loss of loved ones as he spends some time trying to help others until he learns about the death of a god where he found one of his old friends in Lady Sif (Jaime Alexander) wounded from her fight as he brings her home to New Asgard where things are already problematic involving shadow creatures trying to destroy New Asgard where Thor and the rock-like creature Korg (Taika Waititi) helps King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) as they’re aided by a new ally in the Mighty Thor who is revealed to be Jane Foster.
The film’s screenplay by Taika Waititi and Jennifer Katyin Robinson is messy in terms of the many genres they try to put in as well as some backstory and exposition. Still, Waititi and Robinson do create a compelling narrative that do play into this element of comedy and tragedy as the opening scene play into the latter as it relates to the origin of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) who was an ordinary man with a daughter (India Rose Hemsworth) where he prayed to the Gods for water in a desolate desert only for his daughter to die. Seeing that the god Rapu (Jonathan Brugh) treats him with indifference, Gorr finds the god-killing weapon known as Necrosword where makes a vow to kill all gods as the script does succeed in justifying some of Gorr’s actions which also forces Thor to see that some of the gods he idolized including Zeus are living in a bubble who prefer to not be involved in war and just do nothing. By kidnapping the children of New Asgard that includes Heimdall’s son Axl (Keiron L. Dyer) whom Thor can communicate with through Axl’s powers. Thor, Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane go on a journey to find the kids while there’s also something else happening as it relates to Jane wielding the newly-fixed Mjolnir as she is also dying from stage 4 cancer which adds a lot more emotional weight for Thor.
Waititi’s direction does bear a lot of style in terms of the different worlds that Thor and all of the principle characters go to but it is also grounded in this idea of what a god should be as it play into Thor’s own personal journey. Shot largely on locations at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney as well as some locations in and around Sydney, Waititi definitely creates different worlds that Thor, Jane, Korg, and Valkyrie go into with New Asgard being a character in the film as a world that isn’t just a tourist destination but also a home that allow Asgardians and other alien refugees a place where they can belong. While Waititi does create some unique wide and medium shots to capture a scope of these locations as well as a few scenes inside the Guardians of the Galaxy ship known as The Milano where Thor gains a couple of goats as they would accompany him and his team to an adventure. Still, Waititi does ground things as the first act does reveal what Jane was up to before as she is trying to find a way to stop her illness while some of Korg’s flashback montages do showcase how Mjolnir was in the hands of Jane.
The direction does also play into the stakes where Waititi do play into why Gorr has a point in wanting to kill all gods as it does relate to Thor pleading to Zeus and other gods to join him to stop Gorr. It is a commentary on why it is wrong to worship false idols with Thor being an idol that not only wants to help people and keep the universe safe but is also someone trying to understand who and what he needs to fight for based on advice from Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) early in the film. Though the presentation of the script is uneven in its attempt to balance comedy and tragedy that is part of Waititi’s own exploration of existential meaning in these two subjects. It does have stakes where it would play into this confrontation between Thor and Gorr with the latter wanting to reach this mysterious being with Thor knowing what he will do with Jane taking a major step of her own knowing that it might cost her own life as she and Thor both have to realize what it means to fight for love at all cost. Overall, Waititi crafts an adventurous and heartfelt film about a god trying to find peace of mind while having to fight a man that wants to kill all gods.
Cinematographer Barry Idoine does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes set in New Asgard as well as some stylish lighting including some black-and-white lighting for a scene set in Gorr’s home that is the Shadow Realm. Editors Matthew Schmidt, Peter S. Elliot, Tom Roche, and Jennifer Vecchiarello do terrific work with the editing as it is stylish in terms of some of the fast-cuts for the action and humor while also keeping things straightforward in some of the dramatic and suspenseful moments. Production designer Nigel Phelps, with set decorator Katie Sharrock and supervising art director Charlie Revai, does incredible work with the set design from the look of New Asgard in its houses and such as well as the look of Omnipotence City where all of the gods including Zeus live in. Costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo does fantastic work with the costumes that includes new armor for Thor as well as a new leather jacket as well as the armor for Jane and Valkyrie plus the ridiculous clothing that Zeus wears.
Makeup designer Matteo Silvi and creature/prosthetics designer Adam Johansen do brilliant work with the look of Gorr as well as some of the looks for the Olympians including Zeus. Special effects supervisor Dan Oliver, with visual effects supervisors Mathieu Assemat and Dominic Drane, does nice work with the look of some of the planets and space scenery as well as the look of the goats Thor gained in saving a planet as they would become his pets. Sound designers David C. Hughes, Samson Neslund, and Steve Orlando, with sound editor Quianbaihui Yang, do superb work with the sound as it play into some of the sound effects including the comical sounds from the goats as well as other sounds that play into the action and suspense. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad is phenomenal for its rock-based orchestral score that feature metal-inspired guitars and bombastic string arrangements to play into the scope of the film while music supervisor Dave Jordan creates a fun music soundtrack that features an original song by Waititi as Korg plus music from ABBA, Ciara with Petey Pablo, Enya, Michael Raphael, Mary J. Blige, Dio, and four songs by Guns N’ Roses.
The casting by Sarah Halley Finn is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and cameos from Stephen Curry as a God in King Yakan whom Thor and the Guardians help early in the film, Carly Rees in a motion-capture performance as Valkyrie’s assistant Miek, Jonathan Brugh as the god Gorr worshipped in Rapu, Zia Kelly as a former girlfriend of Thor in a pirate girl, Elsa Pataky as another former flame of Thor in the Wolf Woman, Tristan Hemsworth as a young Thor, Samson Alston as the teenage Thor, Eliza Matengu as Axl’s mother Grace, Ava Caryofyllis as a young Jane, Simon Russell Beale as the god Dionysus, Akosia Sabet as the Wakandan goddess Bast, Jenny Morris as an New Asgardian resident, India Rose Hemsworth as Gorr’s daughter, and in the various roles of the Asgardian children kidnapped include Aleph and Amalia Millipied, Te Kainga O’Te Hinekahu Waititi, Sasha Hemsworth, and Rex Bale. Other notable cameos in the role of the Asgardian theatre troupe include Matt Damon as the actor playing Loki, Luke Hemsworth as the actor playing Thor, Sam Neill as the actor playing Odin, Melissa McCarthy as the actress playing Hela, and Ben Falcone as the stage manager.
Other noteworthy small roles include Kieron L. Dyer as Heimdall’s son Axl who is among one of the Asgardian children kidnapped as he has inherited his father’s powers while Daley Pearson is funny in his small role as Thor’s former roommate Darryl who is now a tour guide. Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard are terrific in their brief appearances as Dr. Darcy Lewis and Dr. Erik Selvig as two of Jane’s longtime colleagues who are there for her early in the film as they’re concerned with her ailing health. Jaime Alexander is superb in her own brief appearance as Thor’s childhood friend Lady Sif who is severely wounded from her own fight with Gorr as Thor would get her home to safety. In the roles of the Guardians of the Galaxy, the performances of Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, the voice of Bradley Cooper as Rocket, the voice of Vin Diesel as Groot, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax, and Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord are fun to watch as they get to kill bad guys while dealing with Thor’s own issues with Pratt being the person to give Thor some needed advice on fulfillment and love.
Taika Waititi is excellent in his motion-capture performance as the rock-monster Korg who is a fun comic relief that is always helpful and provide some comical insight into Thor’s own existential issues. Russell Crowe is hilarious in his performance as the god Zeus where he has this larger-than-life persona while doing one of the worst accents ever presented on film that just adds to how ridiculous the character is. Tessa Thompson is amazing as King Valkyrie as a former warrior turned King of Asgard who is hoping to have another adventure as a distraction from bureaucratic duties while finding a sense of sisterhood with Jane that she never thought she would have again. Christian Bale is incredible as Gorr the God Butcher as a man who is dismissed by a god only to take up the Necrosword that would make him into a man that has justified reasons to kill gods while is also a character filled with some unique humor as well as be an imposing and intimidating foe.
Natalie Portman is phenomenal as Jane Foster/the Mighty Thor as the astrophysicist who is dying from cancer until she learns that the damaged Mjolnir calls to her where she becomes the Mighty Thor as she adjust to her newfound powers where Portman brings a lot of complexity but also humor in trying to find a catchphrase that is suited to her character. Finally, there’s Chris Hemsworth in a sensational performance as Thor Odinson as the God of Thunder who is embarking on a journey for peace of mind following loss and grief where he deals with not just Gorr but also Jane becoming worthy of the Mjolnir where he does what he can to save the children of New Asgard. Hemsworth brings a lot of humor to his performance but also a lot of humility as his scenes with Portman definitely showcase a lot of chemistry in which both characters grow with Hemsworth learning what he needs to do and why he needs to be the God that people can count on.
Thor: Love and Thunder is a remarkable film from Taika Waititi that features great performances from Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Waititi, and Russell Crowe. Along with the rest of its ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, study on idol worship, and a killer music soundtrack with the rocking music of Guns N’ Roses. It is a film that doesn’t just deliver in high-stake action and suspense but is also filled with humor but also some commentary on fulfillment through love despite some tonal issues with the film’s script. In the end, Thor: Love and Thunder is a marvelous film from Taika Waititi.
Taika Waititi Films: Two Cars, One Night - Eagle vs. Shark - Boy (2010 film) - What We Do in the Shadows - Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Jojo Rabbit - Next Goal Wins (2023 film) - (Klara and the Sun) – The Auteurs #64: Taika Waititi
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 - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 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 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)
Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)
© thevoid99 2022
Based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation is the story of a group of military scientists who enter a mysterious zone where landscapes change as they also encounter creatures that transform. Written for the screen and directed by Alex Garland, the film is a sci-fi horror film that follow a group of women who travel to this quarantined zone as one of them tries to understand what her husband had encountered. Starring Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Annihilation is an eerie yet evocative film from Alex Garland.
The film revolves a biologist who volunteers to join a group of military scientists into a mysterious zone where its surroundings change as it include mysterious creatures and things that are indescribable with the biologist wondering why her husband was the only one to return from that area. It’s a film that has a compelling premise yet it is largely told in a reflective manner by its protagonist Lena (Natalie Portman) to a scientist in quarantine as Alex Garland’s script uses Lena to explain what she and her team saw in the zone with questions about what happened to her husband Kane (Oscar Isaac) who had returned from the zone but isn’t the same person. Even as the army has taken him and Lena believing that there is something wrong with them yet it is Kane that is ill with Lena wondering what really did happen to him.
The screenplay has Lena tell her story to this scientist as she also thinks about her life with Kane but also the anguish she faced when he wasn’t around. While she was approached by army psychologist Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who revealed what Kane and his team were at the zone known as the Shimmer. Lena eventually decides to volunteer with Dr. Ventress and a team that includes two military scientists in Josie (Tessa Thompson), Cassie (Tuva Novotny), and the paramedic Anya (Gina Rodriguez). Much of the film’s second and third act occur in the Shimmer as it is a world that is unlike anything where mutation is common while there’s a lot of complexities into the environment that these women are all trying to understand as they all try to reach the lighthouse where the source of everything that happened is.
Garland’s direction is definitely intoxicating for the way he creates a world that is strange and surreal but also filled with wonders that play into the complexities of humanity and nature. Shot largely on location at Windsor Great Park as well as Holkham Pines in North Norfolk in Britain, the film does play into this strange mix of sci-fi and horror as Garland does maintain this air of suspense. While the film does have conventional elements relating to horror in what these women encounter, there is this conflict about what these women want to do with their mission as it intensifies during its second half. The scenes set at the Shimmer definitely echoes a lot of the visual compositions of Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky in terms of the attention to detail in the images as well as in some of the surreal elements. The usage of wide and medium shots play into that sense of wonderment that include some of the creatures that Lena and her team would encounter throughout the course of the film.
Garland would also use surrealism to play into the landscape and things that the characters would find at the Shimmer. Even as it play into idea of science where Lena, Dr. Ventress, Cassie, Josie, and Anya each give their own take of what they find. The third act isn’t just about going into the lighthouse which is where the source of the Shimmer comes from but also what happened to those who went to the Shimmer and never came back. The land surrounding the lighthouse is just as unique where there is something that is beautiful and enchanting but also filled with a sense of terror into what is the source of all of these things. Even as Lena has to deal with what she discovered and cope with what happened to her husband and how he was able to return home. Overall, Garland crafts a ravishing yet haunting film about a group of scientists entering into a mysterious world where the laws of nature is different and ever-changing.
Cinematographer Rob Hardy does brilliant work with the cinematography to play into the low-key yet stylish lighting for the scenes at the lab and military compound as well as a more natural look at Lena’s home with something dream-like in the scenes set at the Shimmer. Editor Barney Pilling does excellent work with the editing as it does have some style in a few flashback montages of Lena thinking about her life with Kane as well as some rhythmic cuts that play into the suspense. Production designer Mark Digby, with set decorator Michelle Day and supervising art director Denis Schnegg, does amazing work with the look of the military bases as well as some of the places inside the Shimmer including the lighthouse. Costume designer Sammy Sheldon does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual including the army uniforms that almost everyone wears in the film.
Hair/makeup designer Sian Grigg does terrific work with the look of the characters to play into their personalities including how Kane looked before his mission and what he looked like afterwards. Visual effects supervisor Andrew Whitehurst does incredible work with the visual effects in the design of the creatures as well as the landscapes and such inside the Shimmer. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does fantastic work with the sound as it is a highlight of the film as it play into the atmosphere of the Shimmer as well as sound textures into what the creatures sound like. The film’s music by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow is superb for its mixture of ambient and folk in the music as it help play into the drama and suspense while the soundtrack mainly features a song from Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
The casting by Francine Maisler is wonderful as it include a few notable small roles from Sonoya Mizuno in a dual role as a student of Lena in Katie and a mysterious being at the Shimmer, David Gyasi as a colleague of Lena in Daniel who also works at the university where she’s a professor, and Benedict Wong as the scientist Lomax who interrogates Lena following the events of what she encountered at the Shimmer. Oscar Isaac is terrific in his role as Kane as Lena’s husband who returns from the Shimmer a different man where he is restrained and uncertain of where he is in comparison to who he is in the flashbacks as someone lively and animated. Tuva Novotny is fantastic as Cass as a military scientist who takes part in the mission as she is tough but also friendly as she befriends Lena as they both share stories of loss. Gina Rodriguez is excellent as Anya as a military paramedic who is a tough woman that is baffled by what she discovers as well as coping with the harsh environment of the Shimmer that allows her to act out.
Tessa Thompson is brilliant as Josie as a scientist who would make some discoveries about the landscapes and organisms at the Shimmer as well as provide some ideas of what is happening. Jennifer Jason Leigh is amazing as Dr. Ventress as military psychiatrist who leads the team as she wants to know what is out there while knowing why Lena chose to volunteer as she is also dealing with a secret of her own. Finally, there’s Natalie Portman in an incredible performance as Lena as a biologist who is trying to understand what happened to her husband while carrying elements of guilt as a way to redeem herself for him where she would make some unsettling discoveries but also make sense of the world that she is in as it’s one of Portman’s finest performances.
Annihilation is a phenomenal film from Alex Garland that features great performances from Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Tessa Thompson. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, compelling story of nature, and an eerie music score. It’s a film that blends all sorts of genres while exploring the ideas of people dealing with surroundings that are complex and breaking the laws of nature. In the end, Annihilation is a sensational film from Alex Garland.
Related: Ex-Machina
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the comic series by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber, Thor: Ragnarok is the story of the godly figure who finds himself in danger when a mysterious figure has returned to Asgard to wreak havoc forcing Thor to seek help from an ally and other figures. Directed by Taika Waititi and screenplay by Eric Pearson Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost, the film is an exploration of a man trying to fulfill his role but also rectify the mistakes of the past as Chris Hemsworth reprises the role of Thor. Also starring Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Jeff Goldblum, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin. Thor: Ragnarok is a sprawling yet witty film from Taika Waititi.
Two years after the events in Sokovia where Thor helped the Avengers saved its people, the film follows the godly figure trying to get answers about the Infinity Stones where he learns that a mysterious figure named Hela (Cate Blanchett) is returning to Asgard to make her claim to its throne and its people. It’s a film that has Thor not only try to find out the whereabouts of his father but also deal with the sins that Odin had been carrying as it include Hela who is revealed to be Thor’s older sister that was cast out of Asgard due to her dark ambitions. With the help of his adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor tries to stop Hela only for things to go wrong as she takes control of Asgard while Thor finds himself in the planet of Sakaar. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the sins that Odin has laid upon for his sons who are forced to work together and deal with themselves but also realize the role that Thor is destined to carry as he is Asgard’s true heir.
The script also has this unique structure that doesn’t just play into the development of the story but also the characters as Thor is first seen imprisoned by the fire demon Surtur (voice of Clancy Brown) in his search for the Infinity Stones where he also learns of the prophecy known as Ragnarok that will deal with the end of Asgard which had been in Thor’s mind for some time. Upon his return to Asgard where he learns that his father had been away, he turns to Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help where he and Loki find Odin’s whereabouts who reveal his own sins and the return of Hela. The second act isn’t just about Hela taking over Asgard as well as deal with a resistance led by Heimdall (Idris Elba) who had taken the sword that controls the Bridge to all nine realms. It’s also about Thor in the planet of Sakaar where he’s captured by a woman named Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) where he’s forced to become a gladiator for amusement of the planet’s leader in the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) where its champion is none other than the Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). Thor has to convince the Hulk to join him in saving Asgard as well as Valkyrie who was once part of an army of warriors that tried to stop Hela years ago.
Taika Waititi’s direction is very offbeat not just for the fact that it’s a film with grand visuals and set in a large universe but it’s also approached with a sense of humor mixed in with bits of tragedy. Though shot mainly on soundstages at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, the film also shoots on location in New York City and parts of Australia with the latter as the forest and mountains in Asgard. Waititi does create something that is grounded but also maintain the importance of the different lands and galaxies where it is very diverse as well as filled with all sorts of ideas of the world that Thor is encountering. Waititi would use some wide shots for those locations but also in some of the battle scenes and in the gladiator showdown between Thor and Hulk as the latter is this mixture of humor and drama. He would also use some close-ups and medium shots as it play into the situations that Thor is in whether it’s being imprisoned at Sakaar where he would befriend other gladiators including a rock-like creature named Korg (Taika Waititi) or coping with the sins of his father.
The direction doesn’t showcase the motivations of Hela in the need to claim her place in the throne as Asgard’s sole ruler but also infuse with some dark humor where Hela is someone that is just hell-bent on wreaking havoc. Waititi would also showcase Asgard when Odin isn’t available as it include this play of Thor and Loki’s adventures where Thor is watching with befuddlement. It’s among these offbeat moments in the film that add a lighter touch to the action and drama as well as the scenes in Sakaar where the Grandmaster is this oddball man that is ruling a planet yet he’s so weird. The film’s climax in which Thor, Loki, the Hulk, and Valkyrie battle Hela and her army as it does play into Thor’s own insecurities into not living up to his own claim for Asgard’s throne. All of which forces him to unveil his true powers and bring some redemption for his father to save the people of Asgard. Overall, Waititi crafts an exhilarating and evocative film about a god trying to save his people from his evil sister with the help of a few allies.
Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the colorful exteriors of the scenes in Sakaar and Asgard as well as some of the interiors for the scenes at Dr. Strange’s home and at the palace of Asgard. Editors Joel Negron and Zene Baker do excellent work with the editing as it is stylized with conventional fast-cutting in the action but also use some straightforward cuts for the non-action scenes to establish what is going on. Production designers Dan Hennah and Ra Vincent, with set decorator Beverley Dunn plus art directors Bill Booth, Brendan Heffernan, Richard Hobbs, Alex McCarroll, and Laura Ng, do amazing work with the look of the different worlds from Dr. Strange’s New York home, the places in Asgard, and the coliseum at Sakaar. Costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo does fantastic work with the costumes from the design of the gladiator gear to the clothes that Hela, Valkyrie, and the Grandmaster wear to play into their offbeat personalities.
Hair designer Lucy Vannella and makeup designer Vincenzo Mastrantonio do terrific work with the look of Hela in her hairstyle as well as Thor’s haircut before the gladiator battle and the makeup some of the people at Sakaar wear. Special effects supervisors Brian Cox and R. Bruce Steinheimer, with visual effects supervisors Megan Flood, Jake Morrison, and Stuart White, do incredible work with the visual effects from the look of the Hulk and some of the creatures Thor encounters to the look of the planet that Sutur lives in. Sound designers David Farmer and Shannon Mills, with co-sound editor Daniel Laurie, do superb work with the sound in creating sound effects for some of the action as well as the way the Hulk sounds and some of the objects in the different planets such as the guns at Sakaar.
The film’s music by Mark Motherbaugh is wonderful for its mixture of electronic synth-pop with elements of orchestral bombast as the latter play into some of the adventure and action while the electronic pieces play into the world of Sakaar while music supervisor Dave Jordan provide a soundtrack that is just as offbeat from the usage of Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory to Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song which makes perfect sense for the film’s action scenes as its lyrics features a lot of Norse mythology that relates to Thor.
The casting by Sarah Finn and Kirsty McGregor is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Clancy Brown as the voice of the fire demon Sutur, the trio of the Warrior Three in Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, and Zachary Levi as Fandral who are among the first to confront Hela at Asgard, Rachel House as the Grandmaster’s bodyguard Topaz, director Taika Waititi as the rock-like gladiator Korg who provides some funny commentary about Thor’s situation, the obligatory Stan Lee cameo as Thor’s barber, and Benedict Cumberbatch in a brief but terrific appearance as Doctor Stephen Strange who helps Thor find the whereabouts of Odin through his own powers. Karl Urban is superb as the Asgardian warrior Skurge who watches over the Biofrost as he becomes a reluctant aide to Hela where he copes with the choices he makes. Anthony Hopkins is fantastic as Odin as Thor and Hela’s father and king of Asgard who deals with his own exile as well as the regrets he made in his life where he ponders what will happen to Thor and Loki upon Hela’s return.
Idris Elba is excellent as Heimdall as the former watcher of the Biofrost who has become a fugitive due to events from the last film as he leads a resistance against Hela where he does whatever he can to help the people of Asgard. Jeff Goldblum is brilliant as the Grandmaster as the odd leader of Sakaar who rules the planet with a mighty fist but also with some eccentric ideas as he cares more about having gladiator shows than cleaning up his dirty planet. Tom Hiddleston is amazing as Loki as Thor’s adopted brother who has been trying to create mischief at Asgard due to Odin’s absence as he deals with the presence of Hela while being very conflicted into helping Thor and Asgard or himself as he also struggles with his own shortcomings. Tessa Thompson is remarkable as Valkyrie as a former Asgardian warrior who had fought with Hela a long time ago as she is reeling from bad memories while unsure if she wants to help Thor in order to find her own redemption. Mark Ruffalo is incredible as the Hulk/Bruce Banner where he appears briefly as Banner as the man who had been lost in the role of the Hulk as he tries to comprehend what has happened to him whereas the Hulk has become a figure that feels loved and appreciated at Sakaar instead of being seen as a monster on Earth.
Cate Blanchett is phenomenal as Hela as Odin’s first-born child who had been his executioner and right-hand woman until her ambitions overwhelm him as this woman that is just pissed off in being exiled as Blanchett provides a bit of camp but also has this air of charisma that makes her so interesting in being one of the best villains in the MCU. Finally, there’s Chris Hemsworth in a sensational performance as Thor as the Norse god who is trying to find answers about the Infinity Stones only to learn about the revelation that he has an evil older sister where he deals with his own shortcomings as Hemsworth displays some humility as well as some great comedic timing that adds to his sense of humility.
Thor: Ragnarok is a spectacular film from Taika Waititi that features great performances from Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins. Along with its supporting cast, dazzling visuals, killer music soundtrack, and themes on sins and duty. It’s a film that manages to be compelling in its themes while providing moments that are exciting as well as being very funny. In the end, Thor: Ragnarok is a tremendous film from Taika Waititi.
Taika Waititi Films: Two Cars, One Night - Eagle vs. Shark - Boy (2010 film) - What We Do in the Shadows - Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Jojo Rabbit - Next Goal Wins (2023 film) - (Klara and the Sun) - Auteurs #64: Taika Waititi
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers (2012 film)
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 - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home
Post-Infinity 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 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)
Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)
Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Ryan Coogler and screenplay by Coogler and Aaron Covington from a story by Coogler that is based on characters created by Sylvester Stallone, Creed is the story of a young man who is the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed who wants to follow in his father’s footsteps as he seeks the help from his father’s greatest opponent in Rocky Balboa. The film is a spin-off of sorts of the Rocky series that has Balboa return to the world of boxing but as a mentor to the son of his greatest opponent while he is fighting his own personal battles as Stallone reprises his role as Balboa with Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed. Also starring Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Tony Bellew, Graham McTavish, and Phylicia Rashad. Creed is a thrilling and evocative film from Ryan Coogler.
The film follows a young man named Adonis Johnson who learns at a young age that he’s the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed from Creed’s widow Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) who adopts him hoping he would get the chance of a life without any complications. Yet, Adonis yearns to fight like the father he never knew as he travels from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to meet the man who was considered his father’s greatest opponent in Rocky Balboa who had disconnected himself from the world of boxing as he’s reluctant to return to that world. The film’s screenplay by Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington definitely provide some insight into who Apollo Creed was before he fought Balboa as well as the fact that he was a flawed man who cheated on his wife just before he died. Yet, it is more about this young man in Adonis who is trying to make his own mark without using his father’s namesake as he wants to do it on his own despite the fact that he’s given a great education, a stable job, and a home that many struggling boxers would want.
Unfortunately, Adonis still has a chip of his shoulder of not feeling wanted nor feeling like he has an identity as he turns to Balboa for help who has his own reasons for not wanting to train him. Still, Balboa sees the passion in Adonis and the hunger to fight as he would train and mentor him while Adonis finds his footing in Philadelphia where he embarks on a relationship with a young R&B singer named Bianca (Tessa Thompson) where they both live in the same building. The script doesn’t just play into Adonis coming into his own as a boxer and a person but also Balboa struggling with the past as well as the fact that he’s becoming sick forcing him to confront his own mortality having already lost so many people in his life. The film’s climax does involve a big fight where Adonis not only has to accept his namesake but also fight a top fighter who is about to go into forced retirement due to an impending prison sentence.
Coogler’s direction is stylish in terms of not just some of the compositions but also in the way he would create scenes in the film. Shot mainly in Philadelphia with some of it in Los Angeles as well as the film’s climax in Liverpool, the film does have a somewhat worldly feel yet it is grounded in the streets as it play into Adonis’ need to connect with the real world as he is first seen as a child fighting with another boy at juvenile center where he would meet Mary Anne Creed for the first time. Much of the direction is intimate as Coogler would use a lot of medium shots and close-ups to play into Adonis’ encounter with people including scenes with Bianca as they’re both individuals fighting to reach a certain dream as well as having similar struggles as Bianca wears hearing aids in her ear due to some disease. That sense of grounding in Coogler’s direction gives the film an air of authenticity that often lacks in boxing films while using Philadelphia as this epicenter of an array of diverse cultures.
While there are some wide shots in some scenes, Coogler’s approach to directing the few fights in the film are stylish as the first major professional fight for Adonis against a top contender from Philadelphia is shot entirely in one-take for two rounds with a long tracking shot with Steadicam cameras to capture the fight. It’s among a few moments in the film where Coogler would create something that feels technical but also add a realism to what goes on inside the ring. The direction does have a few visual references to the Rocky films yet it remains all about Adonis and what he has to fight for in the film’s climax where he goes up against the light heavyweight world champ in “Pretty” Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew) as it carries a lot of weight into what is at stake. Overall, Coogler crafts an enthralling and rapturous film about a young man trying to make his own mark in the world with the help of the man who gave his father one of his great fights.
Cinematographer Maryse Alberti does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural lighting for many of the scenes set in the daytime along with some stylish lights for some of the interior scenes set at night. Editor Michael P. Shawver and Claudia Castello does excellent work with the stylish cuts as it has elements of jump-cut and slow-motion cuts to play into the drama as well as the training montages and the fights. Production designer Hannah Beachler, with art directors Danny Brown and Jesse Rosenthal plus set decorator Amanda Carroll, does fantastic work with the look of the house that Mary Anne lives in as well as the apartment that Adonis lives in at Philadelphia as well as the gyms that he goes to with Balboa. Costume designers Antoinette Messam and Emma Potter do terrific work with the costumes as it is mostly casual to play into the look of winter-time Philadelphia as well as the look of the boxing trunks Adonis and other fighters would wear.
Visual effects supervisors Alison O’Brien and Dean Wright do nice work with the film’s minimal visual effects as it is mainly used for the film’s climax for the size of the crowd in some shots of the film. Sound editor Benjamin A. Burtt does amazing work with the sound in the way some of the punches are presented as well as the sound of the crowds in the fights and the way music is heard at the apartment Adonis is living in. The film’s music by Ludwig Goransson is superb for its mixture of orchestral bombast with elements of R&B grooves, hip-hop beats, and electronic textures to play into the local atmosphere of Philadelphia while including elements of Bill Conti’s score music from the Rocky films while music supervisor Gabe Hilfer creates a fun soundtrack that consists of blues, R&B, and hi-hop from acts such as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, 2Pac, the Roots with John Legend, Meek Mill, and several others from the Philadelphia hip-hop and R&B music scene.
The casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is incredible as it feature some notable appearances and small roles from the famed cut man Jason “Stich” Duran as Adonis’ cut man, Andre Ward and Gabriel Rosado as a couple of light heavyweight fighters Adonis encounters with, Alex Henderson as the young Adonis, Ritchie Coster as one of Rocky’s old opponents in Pete Sporino who is now a trainer whose son is a fighter training at Rocky’s old gym, and Wood Harris as Tony “Duke” Evers’ son Tony Jr. who runs a gym in L.A. that isn’t keen on training Adonis as he’s training another fighter that was supposed to fight Conlan. Tony Bellew is terrific as the light heavyweight champion “Pretty” Ricky Conlan as a top boxer who likes to talk trash as well as be trouble as he would become Adonis’ top opponent hoping to beat him.
Graham McTavish is superb as Conlan’s manager/trainer Tommy Holiday as a man who is trying to take care of Conlan’s business as well as be the one to set the fight against Adonis. Phylicia Rashad is fantastic as Mary Anne Creed as Apollo’s widow and Adonis’ stepmother who is not keen on having Adonis follow in his father’s footsteps as well as wanting to protect him from being beaten as she has to accept the fact that he is his father’s son. Tessa Thompson is excellent as Bianca as an R&B singer-songwriter trying to make it as she befriends Adonis and becomes his girlfriend while trying to understand his struggle towards his father’s legacy and other issues in his life.
Sylvester Stallone is phenomenal as Rocky Balboa as the former boxing legend who has retired as he reluctantly becomes Adonis’ trainer and mentor while dealing with his own mortality as Stallone provides some charm and wit but also a humility and grace of a man facing his life and the guilt over the loss of one of his greatest friends. Finally, there’s Michael B. Jordan in a sensational performance as Adonis Johnson-Creed as the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed who is trying to define his own legacy as he struggles with his identity as it’s a performance with some humility and charisma but also a grounding as a young man coping with the legacy of the man he never knew.
Creed is a tremendous film from Ryan Coogler that features great performances from Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. Along with its incredible ensemble cast, top-notch direction, gritty visuals, and a hypnotic soundtrack, it’s a film that isn’t just a worthy entry into the Rocky series but also a boxing film that explores a young man trying to find himself in and out of the ring. In the end, Creed is a spectacular film from Ryan Coogler.
Ryan Coogler Films: Fruitvale Station - Black Panther (2018 film) - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Sinners (2025 film) - The Auteurs #74: Ryan Coogler
Rocky Films: Rocky - (Rocky II) – (Rocky III) – (Rocky IV) – (Rocky V) – (Rocky Balboa) – (Creed II) - (Creed III)
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb, Selma is the story of the events leading to the 1965 march led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and several other Civil Rights leaders trying to make a difference during the Civil Rights movement in the American South. The film is a dramatic account of the non-violent march from Selma to Montgomery in the state of Alabama as it is considered a key turning point in the American Civil Rights movement. Starring David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Giovanni Ribisi, Tim Roth, Tessa Thompson, Wendell Pierce, Alessandro Nivola, and Oprah Winfrey. Selma is a mesmerizing and riveting film from Ava DuVernay.
The film is a dramatic account of the events that preceded the non-violent march from Selma to Montgomery led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) in an attempt for African-Americans to have the right to register to vote that would eventually lead to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Told in a straightforward manner, the film follows Dr. King and fellow Civil Rights leader who prepare for this march just as Dr. King is having frequent meetings with President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) about allowing African-Americans to have the right to register to vote without any issues. Johnson is reluctant as he has other things to deal with where he is also dealing with some opposition like FBI director J. Edgar Hoover (Dylan Baker) who thinks King is up to no good while King would also have to deal with Alabama’s Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth).
Paul Webb’s screenplay doesn’t just explore Dr. King’s attempt to get the march going with several other Civil Rights leaders but also dealing with the authority in Alabama where a lot of planning occurs. Even as Dr. King ponders if the media will see what happens as he also deals with the church bombing in Birmingham that killed four young girls and other events that includes the death of Malcolm X (Nigel Thatch). The script also plays in moments behind the scenes where Dr. King becomes weary and unsure of what is doing as his own personal life would nearly unravel when the FBI tries to create discord between Dr. King and his wife Coretta (Carmen Ejogo) over the former’s supposed extramarital affairs. Still, Dr. King tries to get the march forward where he also deals with members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who don’t agree with Dr. King’s views.
There is a structure where much of the first half is about Dr. King and members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference trying to plan for the march as well as deal with all sorts of legal and social issues. Even as Dr. King copes with loss and other things as well having to go back to his home in Atlanta and flying to Washington D.C. to meet with President Johnson. The second half is about the first two attempts for the march as the first one ends in violence where it is captured by the press while the second one would end abruptly by Dr. King due to an act of faith. Especially where he would hear that those who would march with him including whites would be targeted in this small Alabama town where racial tension is very high. The third act is about President Johnson’s decision as he is aware of the role he is playing where he knows what might happen if he doesn’t act.
Ava DuVernay’s direction is largely straightforward in terms of the fact that she doesn’t go for anything grand nor play too much into exposition which is often the case with a lot of films based on historical events. While much of it is shot in Atlanta and other parts in the nearby city including a few key shots in Selma and Montgomery. The film is more about the American South as a whole where it plays into a landscape that is changing where you have a group of people that want change but you have this other group that opposes change. DuVernay’s usage of wide and medium shots help play into this tension that is happening in Alabama which is the centerpiece of this old idea of the American South dating back to the 1800s. Even as Dr. King would meet this old man who is in his 80s as he is waiting for the right to vote as it is this very simple moment where this old man just endured loss as he ponders if he has a say in anything in this country that is supposed to be about equality. The direction also has DuVernay create moments that are quite intense such as a non-violent confrontation against a county sheriff that does unfortunately turn violent because the old man couldn’t sit down where a woman would hit that sheriff and all hell breaks loose.
The usage of close-ups and hand-held cameras play into that chaos as well as a moment where people are attempting a march at night where it turns very violent in the hands of the police. There are also moments during these meetings where DuVernay does create something where there is tension but also the need to resolve something not just in the meetings President Johnson would have with his staff and Dr. King but also a scene with him and Governor Wallace that plays into a world that is changing. The latter of which is actually afraid of change but is also indifferent in what history will think of him as it’s something President Johnson is aware of. While its ending is predictable, it does have something to say in what Dr. King has done to make the world better no matter how troubling it is but it’s also in the idea that one person does have a say. Overall, DuVernay creates a gripping yet engaging film about one of the most watershed moments in American history.
Cinematographer Bradford Young does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from its usage of low-key lights for some of the interiors in many of the scenes set day and night to the look of the towns in the daytime including the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. Editor Spencer Averick does nice work in creating some unique rhythmic and jump-cuts to play into some of the drama as well as some of the intense moments in the film. Production designer Mark Friedberg, with set decorator Elizabeth Keenan and art director Kim Jennings, does fantastic work with the look of the home of Dr. King and his family as well as some church interiors including the scene in Birmingham where the four little girls would be killed on that day. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter does wonderful work with the costumes as it play into the period of the times as well as the dresses the women wear.
Visual effects supervisors Anup Shakya and Dottie Starling do brilliant work with some of the minimal visual effects such as the Birmingham church bombing sequence as well as a few other moments that is essentially set dressing. Sound editor Greg Hedgepath does superb work with the sound as it play into some of the chaos in some of the protests as well as some chilling moments in the conversations. The film’s music by Jason Moran is terrific as it‘s mostly low-key and doesn’t appear very much as it is largely a mixture of orchestral, folk, and gospel to play into the times while music supervisor Morgan Rhodes provides a intoxicating soundtrack that mixes a lot of the music of the times from folk, gospel, soul, and blues from artists like Joyce Collins & Johnita Collins, Duane Eddy, Sarah Vaughan, the Staple Singers, Otis Redding, Odetta, the Impressions, and a new song called Glory by John Legend and Common.
The casting by Aisha Coley and Cynthia Stillwell are incredible as it features a massive ensemble with notable small roles from Jeremy Strong as white Boston pastor James Reeb, Tara Ochs as white Civil Rights activist Viola Liuzzo, Stan Houston as Selma’s sheriff Jim Clark, Nigel Thatch as Malcolm X, Michael Papajohn as state trooper leader Major John Cloud, Henry G. Sanders as the old man Cager Lee that Dr. King befriends, Keith Stansfield as the old man’s grandson, Ledisi Young as the legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson that Dr. King turns to for guidance early in the film, and Oprah Winfrey in a small yet wonderful standout performance as activist Annie Lee Cooper who is just a woman that just wants the right to vote. Other noteworthy appearances include Martin Sheen as Judge Frank Minis Johnson who decides whether Dr. King could march, Cuba Gooding Jr. as civil rights attorney Fred Grey, Dylan Baker as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, Stephen Root as Governor Wallace’s advisor Al Lingo, Niecy Nash as activist Richie Jean Jackson, and Giovanni Ribisi as President Johnson’s advisor Lee C. White.
In the performances of the many associates of Dr. King, Colman Domingo as Ralph Abernathy, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Bayard Rustin, Stephan James as SNCC co-chairman John Lewis, Wendell Pierce as Hosea Williams, Lorraine Toussaint as Amelia Boynton Robinson, and Andrew Holland as Andrew Young are all excellent as people who are trying to see what they can do for the movement and make sure it goes in the right direction. Tessa Thompson is superb as Diane Nash as an activist who helps Dr. King in the strategy of the Selma march while Common is fantastic as Reverend James Bevel who also helps in making sure things go right in the need for non-violence. Alessandro Nivola is amazing as Assistant Attorney General John Doar who meets with Dr. King to understand what is doing while trying to ensure him that President Johnson is at his side knowing that what Dr. King wants isn’t easy.
Tim Roth is brilliant as Governor George C. Wallace as Alabama’s then-governor who tries to make sure Dr. King doesn’t march as Roth sells that air of racism in the governor as well as display a sense of fear about what could happen if change does happen in Alabama. Carmen Ejogo is radiant as Coretta Scott King as Dr. King’s wife who is aware of what her husband is doing while also knowing that not everything in her marriage is great though she stands by him when he needs her at the march. Tom Wilkinson is great as President Lyndon B. Johnson who wants to invoke an act where African-Americans can vote without any issue but is trying to see how he wouldn’t get into trouble as he also copes with how history will see him. Finally, there’s David Oyelowo in a tremendous performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the civil rights leader who is trying to make change and ensure that the people of Alabama have a say while dealing with everything that involves in the march and its outcome as well as dealing with personal issues where he becomes overwhelmed with his role as a civil rights leader as it is a performance for the ages from Oyelowo.
Selma is a sensational film from Ava DuVernay that features an incredible performance from David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Featuring a great ensemble cast and a compelling story that plays a lot into some of its historical context and its stakes. It’s a film that doesn’t just carry a lot of importance but also showcase a moment in time that would prove to be a major moment in American history. In the end, Selma is a spectacular film from Ava DuVernay.
Ava DuVernay Films: (This is the Life (2008 film)) - (I Will Follow) - Middle of Nowhere (2012 film) - 13th (2016 film) - (A Wrinkle in Time (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2016
Written and directed by Justin Simien, Dear White People is the story of a group of African-American Ivy League college students who deal with escalating racial tension in their school. The film is a dramatic satire that explores the world of racism from the perspective of African-Americans who deal with stereotypes and what is expected from them as a race. Starring Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Kyle Gallner, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell, Malcolm Barrett, and Dennis Haysbert. Dear White People is a provocative yet witty film from Justin Simien.
Set in the fictional Winchester University, the film revolves the life of students at this Ivy League college where a young woman runs a radio show that criticizes racism and related issues at the school as she gets into some trouble following an election that she won to rule one of its houses. It’s a film that depicts the life of various individuals at this prestigious school led by Sam White (Tessa Thompson) who runs a radio program called Dear White People and has published a book. Others include a former boyfriend in Troy (Brandon Bell) who is the dean’s son as he is given opportunities many could dream but feels conflicted as he wants to write jokes while a young woman named Coco (Teyonah Parris) is using her video blog in the hopes to become a TV star. Another student who gets lost in the shuffle in his attempts to find a role is Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) who is a journalist major that is asked to write a story about the racial tension.
The film’s screenplay does revolve into a party that would set things off yet much of the narrative revolves around these events before this infamous party and the brewing tension that emerges. Notably as writer/director Justin Simien also create some contradictions where Sam is someone that is appalled by some of the actions of white people at the school and their claims that they’re not racist yet she is sleeping with a white TA named Gabe (Justin Dobies). Troy is dating the school president’s daughter who is white as she has a brother named Kurt (Kyle Gallner) who runs a fraternity house and a school paper as he is also racist though he denies it. The first act is about Sam winning the election and the trouble it has where some like Coco and Kurt rebel the ruling with the former having issue with Sam who feels is taking up all of the attention from a TV producer that she is trying to hook up with. The second act plays into the brewing tension as well as Troy’s attempt to be part of Kurt’s club as well as Coco getting Kurt ideas for the annual Halloween party.
The third act doesn’t just play into the party but moments where characters ponder where they’re going as well as question themselves as African-Americans with even Sam questioning herself in her activism. Especially as she confronts the school’s dean (Dennis Haysbert) about this upcoming party that Kurt is holding where it plays into the idea of racism. Yet, there are some personal elements that Sam faces which would only add more questions about herself as well as an encounter between Troy and Lionel at another party where it becomes clear that the two are the same despite their social differences.
Simien’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions he creates as well as the setting. Yet, it has an edge to it in terms of how it confronts the idea of racism not just from an African-American perspective but also the perspective of other races. Notably as Simien plays into the stereotypes of what African-Americans like and such which includes a scene where Sam and her friends go to a movie theater asking them what is playing aside from films from Tyler Perry, films that feature blatant African-American stereotypes, and films starring rappers. It also play into what African-Americans don’t want to be but they often fall into certain tropes that is expected of them. Simien’s usage of close-ups and medium shots add to the drama as well as some of the humor. Even in some wide shots which is evident in the third act where Troy learns he has to share a room with Lionel who had been shifted from one home to another.
It adds to these dramatic textures where it breaks down the stereotypes while adding some humor as it relates to a lone Asian who is part of the group of African-American activists. While much of the film is shot on location in Minnesota, Simien does make it feel like it is shot in any kind of school which definitely plays into a world where white culture is dominant. The film’s climatic party is the tipping point of what is happening where it questions not just racism but also why this particular theme for the party. Yet, there are those who don’t see things just as it is but are unaware of the consequences of these events as the final credits reveal some of the dark realities of what goes on in the world of college campuses. Overall, Simien creates a very compelling yet humorous film about life at an Ivy League school from the perspective of African-Americans.
Cinematographer Topher Osborn does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the low-key yet dark look of some of the daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as some lighting for scenes at night including the party. Editor Phillip J. Bartel does nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and drama. Production designer Bruton Jones, with set decorator Melissa Pritchett and art director Cheri Anderson, does brilliant work with the set design from the school halls, the fraternity houses, and some of the exterior settings where the students frequent.
Costume designer Toye Adedipe does terrific work with the costumes as it range from casual with most of the students to the more stylish look of Sam. Sound designer Glenn T. Morgan does superb work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the school halls and dining rooms as well as some of the parties that go on at the campus. The film’s music by Kathryn Bostic is wonderful for its mixture of hip-hop and ambient music to play into the world of college while music supervisor Paul Stewart brings in a mix of hip-hop, electronic music, and some classical music to play into some of the humor and drama that occurs in the film.
The casting by Kim Coleman is fantastic as it features some notable small roles from Brandon Alter as one of the school’s newspaper editors in George, Kate Gaulke as George’s aide Annie, Justin Dobies as Sam’s white lover Gabe, Naomi Ko as the Asian activist Sungmi, Brittany Curran as Troy’s white girlfriend Sofia who is wondering what he’s doing in the bathroom, and Peter Syvertsen as the school president who is also the father of Sofia and Kurt. Marque Richardson is terrific as Sam’s fellow activist friend Reggie who has feelings for Sam and is willing to help her. Malcolm Barrett is excellent as Helmut West as a reality TV producer whom Coco is trying to impress as he ponders about making a TV show about the school. Dennis Haysbert is superb as the dean who is also Troy’s father as he deals with the chaos that is happening in the school as well as trying to get his son on the right path.
Kyle Gallner is brilliant as Kurt as the president’s son who runs a fraternity and a publication as he tries to create the ultimate party while making Troy feel uncomfortable and antagonizing Sam. Brandon Bell is amazing as Troy as the dean’s son who was once a campus leader as he copes with the many expectations around him as well as the conflicts to conform as he hides a secret that could threaten his future. Teyonah Parris is wonderful as Coco as a young woman who dislikes Sam’s activism about what it means to be black as she tries to define herself where she gives Kurt an idea that she would later regret. Tyler James Williams is remarkable as Lionel as a gay journalist student who finds himself out of step with everyone as he’s constantly harassed by Kurt and wondering what he should do as a journalist. Finally, there’s Tessa Thompson in an incredible performance as Sam as this young film student who speaks out against everything around her as she later becomes conflicted when things become personal as it’s a very fiery and riveting performance.
Dear White People is a phenomenal film from Justin Simien. With a great cast and themes that manage to be very provoking as well as raise a lot of questions. It’s a film that is very engaging but also has some humor that isn’t afraid to showcase the world of racism and identity. In the end, Dear White People is a sensational film from Justin Simien.
© thevoid99 2016
