Creed II (2018)

Boxing may be the most solitary sport other than tennis (or maybe diving?). In boxing, you minimally have your team in your corner (Serena Williams learned at the last US Open that you you do not have your team in your corner, in spectacular fashion). But otherwise it is just you in the ring dueling your opponent. That's why I find it so curious that boxing movies are traditionally not about solitude but family and relationships.  The hyper masculine topics of boxing and cars (a la Fast and Furious) center around family. And that's what makes them interesting. It humanizes their subjects, the brutish and self-destructive journeymen (think Raging Bull).

Creed II cannot avoid the elephant in the room, that is the iconic status of Rocky. Perhaps no other movie in American history is so emblematic of a city. Without having to properly explain why, the audience inherently understands why Rocky cannot leave Philadelphia. Drago's first stop in the US is naturally the iconic steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The shot opens with the statue, arms raised, and a tracking shot of tourists following Rocky's path running up the steps. The self-reference only works because Rocky has indeed achieved iconic status in our culture.

Creed II was not directed by Ryan Coogler, but Steven Caple Jr. steady hand does a fine job with enough style and pizzazz and tracking shots to satisfy the eyes. Boxing is visceral and we feel that. Our first glimpse of Rocky is through a mirror in a doorway (a frame within a frame within a frame), with Creed on the far right side of the screen. And only when Rocky moves out of the mirror does the camera pan to him. Though the movie can feel predictable at times, it is well done, engaging, emotional and ultimately enjoyable. Michael B. Jordan is electric and Sly in his later life has discovered a penchant for hats. They suit him.

Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Sorry to Bother You is a wickedly funny dark comedy. The social commentary in the film is bold and brilliant. The premise of the movie as seen in the trailer is absurd in itself. LaKeith Stanfield plays a telemarketer who has to put on his white voice in order to be taken seriously over the phone. His white voice is non other than David Cross, Tobias Funke himself who sounds supremely white. From there, the movie takes several unforeseen left turns through organized labor, modern slavery, human experimentation, and communism. The movie is genuinely scary at times because we see this absurd alternate world that is not-all-that-far from our own reality. We are slaves to a system of exploitation for profit without regard to human rights or dignity--not to mention the millions of people that live in actual slavery.  This vision of the world we live in is so dark that you can't help but laugh out of pure discomfort. 

Annihilation (2018)

I was freaking out while watching this movie, but I feel like I appreciate it so much more in retrospect. It is a trippy science fiction instant classic. Alex Garland has proven himself as a new master of unsettling sci-fi. The ending of this movie is open ended, but I'm somehow unconvinced of the open-endedness. Can we trust the Natalie Portman's biased account of what happened in the shimmer? Can we trust what we saw on screen? I don't know and it troubles me.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Taika Waititi's first foray into the superhero world of Marvel is one big joke. That's not necessarily new for Marvel, think Guardians of the Galaxy. But the action really takes a backseat to the unrelenting, self-aware comedy. Overall, it is an enjoyable movie. It's just fun. Cate Blanchett must have been paid a ton of money to do a superhero movie, much less a comedic one. She is superb as always. But I think the real star here is Jeff Goldblum. I personally think he is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood. He has this nonchalance to his delivery that is so disarmingly funny. The premise of the plot, which mostly takes place on a bizarre lost junk world run by Jeff Goldblum, is kind of wonky. It is totally irrelevant to the Avengers storyline and even Thor's storyline, an awkward diversion from the main battle. But the actual Asgard part of the arc is rather clever. That is where Ragnarok comes into play. There is a brilliant resolution of mythological proportions. I won't give it away, but the serious part of the plot is actually quite well done.

Creed (2015)

I've seen the original Rocky, but I haven't seen any of the sequels. So I basically got the gist of it, but I might have missed some of the backstory though it is well implied by the screenplay. I did not miss the reference to the American flag boxing shorts that Rocky bestows on Creed before the big fight. I think overall it is a solid movie, but I guess I just didn't really have the connection to the franchise that those who have been following this character for four decades. It is actually pretty incredible that it has lasted for so long and so many movies. It is not just Star Wars that made it all the way to seven. And what we see in this movie is an aging Rocky, and it is his story line that interested me the most. As a boxer past his prime, he must decide what impact he will have on the next generation. And I think this movie is quite good enough to create a new generation of Rocky fans who will now go back to see the movie that started it all.

Similar to Star Wars Episode VII, this movie borrows a lot from its original source material. It sticks to a tried and true formula. Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed packs Rocky-type heart that makes the character likable. Sylvester Stallone lets Jordan shine as the protagonist, playing second fiddle in his own movie. It is the second half of the movie that Stallone gives Rocky some substantive material (which I think brilliantly advances the character in a very natural way) and then he still finds a way to make this movie about the titular Creed. It could have become the Rocky show at that point, but he exercised a poignant restraint. And finally, the last scene on the legendary steps is the perfect way to bring the franchise full circle.

Dear White People (2014)

Justin Simien's debut film is not as funny as I was expecting--to be sure, it is a comedy-drama, mostly drama.  And I think that is a bit of a detraction from the film.  At times in the middle, the movie takes itself a little too seriously.  Granted, this is serious material, but some of these dialogues are a little too blunt and soapbox-y. Maybe Simien is a little too intelligent, assuming his audience is at the same level.  Most of the movie, however, is very tactful in getting its message across.  That message is very important and much needed.  Race is a touchy subject in this country, but Simien stares unflinchingly at this issue and confronts race in the context of our top universities.  Simien is brutally honest about the systemic racism that pervades our population.  Simien's message is helped along by a strong cast.  Tyler Jesse Williams is perfect as a black homosexual student and Tessa Thompson is excellent as a charismatic student activist and host of "Dear White People," a campus radio show that just might be what our schools need in 2015.     

Selma (2014)

Ava Duvernay's paints a vivid picture of the 1965 voting rights marches in Selma, Alabama.  She does not shirk away from violence or hatred, beginning the film with an unexpected, very graphic "BANG!"  The audience sees and hears the billy club wielding policemen brutally beating and teargassing nonviolent protesters.  There is a great shot that follows Oprah's character Annie Lee Cooper head on falling backwards to the concrete.  But amid all the violence there is hope.  This film is a testament to the idea that people of all backgrounds can come together to bring about change in society.  This message is especially important in our society today, when we are reminded of the protests in Ferguson or in Hong Kong.

It is important to be reminded that these are real people being portrayed on screen.  The characters, even supporting characters, are all actual historical figures.  A lot of research was done for this film. For the unknowing viewer, the epilogue credits give proof that the people depicted are real, some still living today.  We also see black-and-white historical footage of the march to Montgomery with the hordes of people crossing the bridge.

One interesting fact about the screenplay is that all of the speeches made by Oyelowo as King are made up.  The filmmaker did not have permission to use the text from his actual speeches. Interestingly though, the speeches in the film actually sound like things King might have said.  The cadence, the content, and even the figurative language are all reminiscent of King's words.  Oyelowo does an excellent job as King, portraying him in public and private life.  The FBI was always suspicious of King, and constantly kept him under surveillance.  We are subtly reminded of this at the end of each scene with typewriter text appearing on the screen recording the FBI's logs.  This stylistic choice of Duvernay keeps the FBI ominously lurking in the background as they actually did.

And finally, I love "Glory," the song at the end credits by Common and John Legend. Its message, rhythm and chorus resonate with the audience for an uplifting ending