Black Panther

This was pretty good. Chadwick Boseman makes T'Challa seem like a very cool guy (the costuming helps, everyone had pretty cool outfits, but T'Challa in particular had some nice formalwear. I'd like to look that cool when I wear my nicer stuff), but the movie surrounds him with all these ladies who will bust his chops at every opportunity to keep him from seeming insufferable.

It's not the only thing they do, since Nakia and Shuri are both the ones who propose the philosophy of how Wakanda should interact with the world that ultimately is going to be followed, and Okoye's choice about which side to take is critical to the final battle, but it's an important role. Even as he's trying to be cool and in control, I'm the king, I'm the Black Panther, I've got this, etc., they all knew him when he was snot-nosed kid, and they know how to have a little fun at his expense. Keeps him from seeming too distant or aloof, and Boseman helps by playing T'Challa as someone who doesn't get sore about it, but mostly enjoys the jokes. He loves that Shuri will complain about traditional garb she has to wear right in the middle of his big ceremony, or flip him off about something.

Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia), Danai Gurira (Okoye), and Letitia Wright (Shuri) were all very cool, all in their ways. Okoye can be sharing a joke with Shuri one minute, and vowing to kill her lover if he doesn't stand down the next. Like, if she aimed a pointed weapon at me in real life, I might pass out. She projects terrifying very well. I like the contrast between her and Nakia. Nakia isn't as tied up in how things have been, which is why she's more insistent on Wakanda being proactive, but she tends to limit herself more, maybe. She thinks of herself as a spy, and is somewhat reluctant to go outside that role, even when she shows a knack for it. In some ways, she has a lot of confidence, but in others, less so. Shuri's a genius, but she's also the youngest, so a little sillier, more enthusiastic about things. Loves to show off all the cool things they've come up with, even if she maybe shouldn't be telling the CIA guy all this stuff. She's a nerd, in the good way, the person who loves to tell other people about the things that interest and excite her.

I do think it's a little strange that a country that is so terribly advanced still has trial by combat to determine their leader, and is otherwise a monarchy, but maybe that's going to change. The movie gives the feeling that even as Wakanda has continued to advance technologically, it hasn't stopped to consider if it needs to change its approach to dealing with the world or handling its business. The way it's been doing things has worked, so why change? By the end, T'Challa's been convinced they need to take a more proactive role, so I wonder if he's going to the last monarch of Wakanda. Shake up the system of government as well.

(The scene when Shuri and Nakia are getting ready to join the fight, and Nakia balks at wearing the armor because that's for Dora Mijae felt kind of similar. Like, only certain select people are supposed to wear that, and she's not one of them so she can. Meanwhile, Shuri's standing there going, "We're going into battle, it's armor, just wear it as protection." Don't get so hung up on the labels.)

I thought all the actors did a really good job. I think I've liked Michael B. Jordan in everything I've seen in him, and his Killmonger was no different. Although I was surprised at a few of his actions, not how ruthless he could be, but more how quick he was to just kill people. It made a certain amount of sense he would eliminate any opposition, but I thought he'd keep people around a little longer until his plans were further along. The "I don't need you anymore" then stab them them approach. Maybe he felt he'd hit that point faster than I did, or maybe once he actually got to Wakanda and got in control, the planning got overridden by the anger that they'd all been sitting in their secret, super-awesome tower, ignoring everything going on in the rest of the world.

(Are we supposed to assume Erik's mother died sometime before his father did? I didn't remember her being mentioned, other than being an American, and I was curious, if she had raised him alone from that point forward, what effect that had one way or the other).

I liked the sequence in the casino, kind of wish the fight had gone on a little longer there, but I guess the car chase set up the way Ross would get to be useful near the end. Chekov's Remote-Control Steering System. Klaue was a fun secondary villain, mostly because of how Andy Serkis plays him, this sort of maniac goofball, who seems to really enjoy being a scenery-chewing bad guy.

Winston Duke seemed to be having a good time as M'Baku, and I just enjoyed how he played that character. Not a bad guy, one who cuts through bullshit, and is ultimately concerned with his people first. The fact he doesn't take the Herb when it's offered, even though it would give him more power, was very surprising. I wonder if he just felt it wouldn't be fair, since T'Challa wasn't truly dead, or he didn't feel like confronting Killmonger himself. Not sure of his chances of winning, or not sure it's a smart idea to put his people in open conflict with Wakanda? Especially since it's unlikely Killmonger would honor any sort of formal challenge at the waterfall, so you'd have to just go to war.

I can't say if it's one of the best movies of the year - I haven't seen many movies from this year - but it's pretty good. Looks good, I liked a lot of the music selection. Like I said, everyone did a good job in their roles, most everyone got a chance to do something cool or badass.