deerstalker
“Wonders on every side, life in marvelous times”- Yasiin Bey
*Swirls ginger ale in glass tumbler* My father was visiting me once, he saw the sweatshirt I had happened to be wearing and told me to get him the same one. The sweatshirt was from Philadelphia Printwork’s ‘School of Thought‘ line and said, ‘Garvey Industrial Institute’. I know it must have been my father who told me about Marcus Garvey and his Black Star movement. Garvey’s whole mission in the 1920s was to get Black people to fuck with being African and embracing their Blackness. Mans had a whole movement about us going back to Africa. Fast forward to 1966, where Stan Lee and Jack Kirby are world building Marvel and decide to create Wakanda. A country in Africa that’s the most technologically advanced nation on the face of the earth. Once the Black Panther movie dropped in 2017, Wakanda truly took off in the main stream as “Wakanda Forever” becomes a real world greeting and understanding among Black folk.
There ain’t a Black person alive that doesn’t wish Wakanda was real, man. In the real world, Liberia and Ethiopia are the only two African countries that were not colonized. In the Marvel universe not only was Wakanda not colonized but they are hundreds of years ahead of every other country on earth in terms of technology and medicine. Wakanda was closed off to the rest of the world. It only started opening up really through T’Challa’s Grandfather (King Azzuri), Father (T’Chaka), and then T’Challa’s own actions to make it official. *sips ginger ale* However, as of recently in 2022 things have become officially official.
No Country for Black Men/Women/People
Enter Captain America: Symbol of Truth written by Tochi Onyebuchi and drawn by R.B. Silva. The series focuses on Sam Wilson dealing with the Wakanda Forever movement. This is a movement where Black Americans are creating a movement for wanting to head to Wakanda. I’m remember reading the scene and thinking…fuck yes. Yeah. Marvel takes place in the real world. That’s been there whole kick. So, everything that happens in our world happens in Marvel Universe. Which means there may be police violence going on. We haven’t seen it too much in comics. There was a bit of commentary on it through the Americops (a private police operation) in Nick Spencer’s Captain America run. We’ve seen corrupt cops and some racists ones, but (to my knowledge) we don’t see official police portrayed as racist (but again I could be wrong and it may have been portrayed).
I’ve always wanted to see that frustration of reality expressed and legit how America truly doesn’t care about Black people. But more than anything, I’m like I know folks that wanna leave as well or at least wish they had somewhere else to go. So to see now a Black man talking about losing loved ones to gun violence (mad mass shootings) and doctors that don’t believe you when you say you in pain, I’m like oh Tochi Onyebuchi is fucking goin there, and I’m with it. The Wakanda Forever movement makes Sam Wilson feel like he’s failing. He’s supposed to be making America better with his mantle but the fact that Black folk wanna leave shows that he’s up against the impossible.
Now me, I say Sam gotta get his ego out of it. Fam, you may hold the shield but you holding it doesn’t erase the racist institutions, structures, or systems of oppression that the United States of America has had in place for hundreds of years. Steve Rogers always says, Captain America represents an ideal of what America should be. Ideals are all well and good, but it takes more than that to destroy the systems against Black folk. This isn’t a deterrent to the Captain America mantle but a pointing out that the fight against racism and oppression is a never ending one. Now, can you blame people for wanting to go where oppression never got a chance to even take root?
Tochi Onyebuchi said, “We Gon’ Be Alright”
For the first time ever, Black Americans now have the option to apply for visas to go and live in Wakanda. We’ve seen that there is a study abroad program in Wakanda (shown in Ms. Marvel). This shit is unheard of. Famously, we’ve known that when the rest of Africa was being colonized, Wakanda stayed out of it. Something that they have been chastised for by folks (most notably Storm). T’Chaka’s father has stated that he gave aid and help during apartheid in South Africa. With immigration now open, this is a huge change to Wakanda’s status and the xenophobic label that they get slapped with so often.
Friends, Tochi Onyebuchi is crazy for this one. I kept thinking about how if you are a Black mutant then you have the option to go to Krakoa, maybe you find out about Arakko which is the planet for the Arakki who are Black/Black coded mutants (Mars was terraformed into Arakko). But let’s say, you don’t wanna leave your Black family members and friends that aren’t mutants behind. Well now you can all apply for visas in Wakanda and go there. That’s wild as fuck.
This offers a lot of questions too, because we haven’t seen that many notable mutants in Wakanda (aside from Gentle). What’s life like for them there? Are we going to get to see the culture clash and gap between Black Americans integrating into African culture? We ain’t ever seen it truly play out on panel. This isn’t just a one and done thing here. With this action of bringing Black Americans in, we got to see the aftermath. How will the world take to this? Will we see Black Brits coming over, as well Black folk from other countries? This raises so many questions for me. This is such a huge deal to me, and I feel it should really be getting talked about more because how far does this go. Do the folks immigrating into Wakanda need to provide money for their own housing? What does relocation look like for those leaving everything behind in America to start anew? There is so much to unpack that it could legit be its own separate series.
When Allyship Turns Shipwreck
Now, a lil back story on the other side of the story at hand. If yall don’t know, the man above is named Hunter. His family’s plane crashed over Wakanda years ago. He was the only survivor and then taken in by King T’Chaka. Making him the adoptive older brother of both T’Challa and Shuri (He debuted in 1998 retcon). Hunter was raised in Wakanda and grew to love the place becoming a stark patriot of the country. When T’Challa was born, he held resentment because he knew that now, he would never be king. He made it a point to prove himself even more to Wakanda, which had T’Chaka appoint him to head of the the Hatut Zeraze, the secret police (a white dude as the head of the black ops that takes out Wakanda’s political enemies? I know.) T’Challa found Hunter’s methods too brutal and disbanded the the Hatut Zeraze once he became king. Hunter left with a few members of that black ops team, and they became mercenaries. Though he and T’Challa have been at odds, Hunter would never harm Wakanda and even still only sought to protect it.
I bring up Hunter because in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, we come to find out he’s the bad guy behind the scenes pulling the strings. He’s smuggled out some vibranium and is pulling strings. His goal as far as we know as of issue #5 is apparently setting up some of the Black folks coming in with visas as carriers of a chemical weapon activated by being in vicinity of vibranium. He knew Sam Wilson would sneak in trying to find out what’s going on (after being denied partnership to help via the Wakandan government). This chemical attack would basically frame Sam Wilson and put Wakanda at odds with America. That story still has to play out. My thing is, it’s really wild to see Hunter now wanting to take over Wakanda this way. This shit is wild as fuck but kinda shows two sides to how allyship can flip.
One, it’s wild as fuck that Hunter thought that even as the adopted son, he, a white dude would be able to become Black Panther. I get it, Wakanda is your home, it’s all you know. As a citizen, he could very well challenge to become the Black Panther…but dawg. Ain’t no way in fuck that was going down. Hunter loved Wakanda even though he was othered there. Mans was a patriot at heart and always down for the cause for his country. He was close to Queen Ramonda, T’Chaka’s third wife who was also an outsider since she was South African. Now, did we need Hunter, a white character, retconned into the history of T’Challa as his adoptive brother? No. However, it did serve as the foreshadowing of how T’Chaka wanted to open Wakanda’s borders. Hunter being jealous of T’Challa is a good look at how allyship can turn when the person accepted in can’t accept aspects of the group they’ve been welcomed into. Fam, Hunter grew up Wakandan, mans was taken in by the fucking king. He was allowed to live and grow up in a nation that was never colonized instead of being left returned to the wild where his parent’s plane crashed and fend for himself.
However, T’Challa being born represents in a way, Hunter having to witness to T’Challa being entitled to the mantle of Black Panther. Perhaps, all the while wishing he could have the same. Now, if we were in the real world, this could all be hashed out in therapy or a conversation. That wouldn’t really make for compelling storytelling in comic books though now would it. I preferred this Hunter, he didn’t see eye to eye with T’Challa. Went off and did his own thing. However, he was still loyal to the nation that raised him. He would never take up arms against Wakanda and would come to his nations aid without hesitation. Hunter could have served as a bridge for Wakanda and the outside world, if he could have just kept his jealousy in check and been fine with the hand he was dealt. However, there were factors that would change him, namely the “death” of queen Ramonda (she was actually kidnapped) and then T’Chaka’s death. Had his parental figures not died, perhaps things would have played out differently for Hunter.
Sadly, Hunter started doing some fuck shit (killing) in 2017 in the Black Panther: The Man Without Fear story arc that gets him exiled. Fast forward to him now using Black folks as chemical weapons going into Wakanda, and I’m just like come on, man. Hunter–fam, what the fuck is you doing? This is fucked up on so many levels. Never mind that Wakanda is once again in the aftermath of another upheaval, the fact that Hunter is using Black bodies to attack the Black people that took him in? I— There’s so many levels of fucked up to this that I can’t even begin to count. Worse off, where Hunter could have been the bridge for showing that Wakandans and outsiders can get along. He now becomes a cautionary tale of what happens when Black folk take in outsiders and make them one of us. Real shit, Hunter shoulda been grateful that the most advanced nation on the fucking planet took him in, but jealousy is a hell of a drug and now we are here: where he’s doing terrorist shit to put forth yet another attempt at a coup for overtaking Wakanda.
Again, we still have yet to see how this will play out, but man, there’s really no coming back for this one. I wish Hunter would’ve stayed on his true allyship shit but, as much as ya hate to see it, it is not far fetched at all to see him turning turn coat and using Black folks’ bodies as weapons and a means to an end. I seen some fucked up shit, but this right here? No redemption story can undo the choice and damage that Hunter has put into play. This is enemy of the state type conspiracy shit right here. If Hunter left well enough alone, he could have been seen as an example of an ally truly protecting a nation of Black folks that took in him with his life. Now, that man goin be publicly enemy #1.
“WAKANDA, THE REAL WAKANDA! WE OUTSIDE”
Now back to the Black joy goin on around these parts. I am interested to see how hunter’s attack is resolved and what the rest of immigration into Wakanda looks like in the next issue. I probably should have waited till then to write this, but I was just way too excited. I suppose it’s nice to imagine that at least in fiction, these Black Americans in the Marvel Universe can at least escape America. I’m always pro shit that’s going to evolve world building and push up against the stat quo. This move with Wakanda pushes the nation forward (in my eyes at least) in the world of Marvel. This is something Wakanda should have done long ago and perhaps may be offered to Black folk in other countries. This just feels real good to see. There’s so much going on with mutants that it’s nice to see Black folk that get the real-world hate mutants get be taken care of as well.
Tochi Onyebuchi and R.B. Silva really did something here. I love that we get to see Black folks being welcomed, embraced, and Sam Wilson seeing how different this feels than being back in America. I dunno man; this feels like a very important moment in Marvel history. I hope it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, and we see more ramifications in the future due to Wakanda allowing permanent residence. What a time to be alive, folks.
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The post Tochi Onyebuchi Brought Immigration to Wakanda for Black Americans and No One Noticed appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
“Wonders on every side, life in marvelous times”- Yasiin Bey
*Swirls ginger ale in glass tumbler* My father was visiting me once, he saw the sweatshirt I had happened to be wearing and told me to get him the same one. The sweatshirt was from Philadelphia Printwork’s ‘School of Thought‘ line and said, ‘Garvey Industrial Institute’. I know it must have been my father who told me about Marcus Garvey and his Black Star movement. Garvey’s whole mission in the 1920s was to get Black people to fuck with being African and embracing their Blackness. Mans had a whole movement about us going back to Africa. Fast forward to 1966, where Stan Lee and Jack Kirby are world building Marvel and decide to create Wakanda. A country in Africa that’s the most technologically advanced nation on the face of the earth. Once the Black Panther movie dropped in 2017, Wakanda truly took off in the main stream as “Wakanda Forever” becomes a real world greeting and understanding among Black folk.
There ain’t a Black person alive that doesn’t wish Wakanda was real, man. In the real world, Liberia and Ethiopia are the only two African countries that were not colonized. In the Marvel universe not only was Wakanda not colonized but they are hundreds of years ahead of every other country on earth in terms of technology and medicine. Wakanda was closed off to the rest of the world. It only started opening up really through T’Challa’s Grandfather (King Azzuri), Father (T’Chaka), and then T’Challa’s own actions to make it official. *sips ginger ale* However, as of recently in 2022 things have become officially official.
No Country for Black Men/Women/People
Enter Captain America: Symbol of Truth written by Tochi Onyebuchi and drawn by R.B. Silva. The series focuses on Sam Wilson dealing with the Wakanda Forever movement. This is a movement where Black Americans are creating a movement for wanting to head to Wakanda. I’m remember reading the scene and thinking…fuck yes. Yeah. Marvel takes place in the real world. That’s been there whole kick. So, everything that happens in our world happens in Marvel Universe. Which means there may be police violence going on. We haven’t seen it too much in comics. There was a bit of commentary on it through the Americops (a private police operation) in Nick Spencer’s Captain America run. We’ve seen corrupt cops and some racists ones, but (to my knowledge) we don’t see official police portrayed as racist (but again I could be wrong and it may have been portrayed).
I’ve always wanted to see that frustration of reality expressed and legit how America truly doesn’t care about Black people. But more than anything, I’m like I know folks that wanna leave as well or at least wish they had somewhere else to go. So to see now a Black man talking about losing loved ones to gun violence (mad mass shootings) and doctors that don’t believe you when you say you in pain, I’m like oh Tochi Onyebuchi is fucking goin there, and I’m with it. The Wakanda Forever movement makes Sam Wilson feel like he’s failing. He’s supposed to be making America better with his mantle but the fact that Black folk wanna leave shows that he’s up against the impossible.
Now me, I say Sam gotta get his ego out of it. Fam, you may hold the shield but you holding it doesn’t erase the racist institutions, structures, or systems of oppression that the United States of America has had in place for hundreds of years. Steve Rogers always says, Captain America represents an ideal of what America should be. Ideals are all well and good, but it takes more than that to destroy the systems against Black folk. This isn’t a deterrent to the Captain America mantle but a pointing out that the fight against racism and oppression is a never ending one. Now, can you blame people for wanting to go where oppression never got a chance to even take root?
Tochi Onyebuchi said, “We Gon’ Be Alright”
For the first time ever, Black Americans now have the option to apply for visas to go and live in Wakanda. We’ve seen that there is a study abroad program in Wakanda (shown in Ms. Marvel). This shit is unheard of. Famously, we’ve known that when the rest of Africa was being colonized, Wakanda stayed out of it. Something that they have been chastised for by folks (most notably Storm). T’Chaka’s father has stated that he gave aid and help during apartheid in South Africa. With immigration now open, this is a huge change to Wakanda’s status and the xenophobic label that they get slapped with so often.
Friends, Tochi Onyebuchi is crazy for this one. I kept thinking about how if you are a Black mutant then you have the option to go to Krakoa, maybe you find out about Arakko which is the planet for the Arakki who are Black/Black coded mutants (Mars was terraformed into Arakko). But let’s say, you don’t wanna leave your Black family members and friends that aren’t mutants behind. Well now you can all apply for visas in Wakanda and go there. That’s wild as fuck.
This offers a lot of questions too, because we haven’t seen that many notable mutants in Wakanda (aside from Gentle). What’s life like for them there? Are we going to get to see the culture clash and gap between Black Americans integrating into African culture? We ain’t ever seen it truly play out on panel. This isn’t just a one and done thing here. With this action of bringing Black Americans in, we got to see the aftermath. How will the world take to this? Will we see Black Brits coming over, as well Black folk from other countries? This raises so many questions for me. This is such a huge deal to me, and I feel it should really be getting talked about more because how far does this go. Do the folks immigrating into Wakanda need to provide money for their own housing? What does relocation look like for those leaving everything behind in America to start anew? There is so much to unpack that it could legit be its own separate series.
When Allyship Turns Shipwreck
Now, a lil back story on the other side of the story at hand. If yall don’t know, the man above is named Hunter. His family’s plane crashed over Wakanda years ago. He was the only survivor and then taken in by King T’Chaka. Making him the adoptive older brother of both T’Challa and Shuri (He debuted in 1998 retcon). Hunter was raised in Wakanda and grew to love the place becoming a stark patriot of the country. When T’Challa was born, he held resentment because he knew that now, he would never be king. He made it a point to prove himself even more to Wakanda, which had T’Chaka appoint him to head of the the Hatut Zeraze, the secret police (a white dude as the head of the black ops that takes out Wakanda’s political enemies? I know.) T’Challa found Hunter’s methods too brutal and disbanded the the Hatut Zeraze once he became king. Hunter left with a few members of that black ops team, and they became mercenaries. Though he and T’Challa have been at odds, Hunter would never harm Wakanda and even still only sought to protect it.
I bring up Hunter because in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, we come to find out he’s the bad guy behind the scenes pulling the strings. He’s smuggled out some vibranium and is pulling strings. His goal as far as we know as of issue #5 is apparently setting up some of the Black folks coming in with visas as carriers of a chemical weapon activated by being in vicinity of vibranium. He knew Sam Wilson would sneak in trying to find out what’s going on (after being denied partnership to help via the Wakandan government). This chemical attack would basically frame Sam Wilson and put Wakanda at odds with America. That story still has to play out. My thing is, it’s really wild to see Hunter now wanting to take over Wakanda this way. This shit is wild as fuck but kinda shows two sides to how allyship can flip.
One, it’s wild as fuck that Hunter thought that even as the adopted son, he, a white dude would be able to become Black Panther. I get it, Wakanda is your home, it’s all you know. As a citizen, he could very well challenge to become the Black Panther…but dawg. Ain’t no way in fuck that was going down. Hunter loved Wakanda even though he was othered there. Mans was a patriot at heart and always down for the cause for his country. He was close to Queen Ramonda, T’Chaka’s third wife who was also an outsider since she was South African. Now, did we need Hunter, a white character, retconned into the history of T’Challa as his adoptive brother? No. However, it did serve as the foreshadowing of how T’Chaka wanted to open Wakanda’s borders. Hunter being jealous of T’Challa is a good look at how allyship can turn when the person accepted in can’t accept aspects of the group they’ve been welcomed into. Fam, Hunter grew up Wakandan, mans was taken in by the fucking king. He was allowed to live and grow up in a nation that was never colonized instead of being left returned to the wild where his parent’s plane crashed and fend for himself.
However, T’Challa being born represents in a way, Hunter having to witness to T’Challa being entitled to the mantle of Black Panther. Perhaps, all the while wishing he could have the same. Now, if we were in the real world, this could all be hashed out in therapy or a conversation. That wouldn’t really make for compelling storytelling in comic books though now would it. I preferred this Hunter, he didn’t see eye to eye with T’Challa. Went off and did his own thing. However, he was still loyal to the nation that raised him. He would never take up arms against Wakanda and would come to his nations aid without hesitation. Hunter could have served as a bridge for Wakanda and the outside world, if he could have just kept his jealousy in check and been fine with the hand he was dealt. However, there were factors that would change him, namely the “death” of queen Ramonda (she was actually kidnapped) and then T’Chaka’s death. Had his parental figures not died, perhaps things would have played out differently for Hunter.
Sadly, Hunter started doing some fuck shit (killing) in 2017 in the Black Panther: The Man Without Fear story arc that gets him exiled. Fast forward to him now using Black folks as chemical weapons going into Wakanda, and I’m just like come on, man. Hunter–fam, what the fuck is you doing? This is fucked up on so many levels. Never mind that Wakanda is once again in the aftermath of another upheaval, the fact that Hunter is using Black bodies to attack the Black people that took him in? I— There’s so many levels of fucked up to this that I can’t even begin to count. Worse off, where Hunter could have been the bridge for showing that Wakandans and outsiders can get along. He now becomes a cautionary tale of what happens when Black folk take in outsiders and make them one of us. Real shit, Hunter shoulda been grateful that the most advanced nation on the fucking planet took him in, but jealousy is a hell of a drug and now we are here: where he’s doing terrorist shit to put forth yet another attempt at a coup for overtaking Wakanda.
Again, we still have yet to see how this will play out, but man, there’s really no coming back for this one. I wish Hunter would’ve stayed on his true allyship shit but, as much as ya hate to see it, it is not far fetched at all to see him turning turn coat and using Black folks’ bodies as weapons and a means to an end. I seen some fucked up shit, but this right here? No redemption story can undo the choice and damage that Hunter has put into play. This is enemy of the state type conspiracy shit right here. If Hunter left well enough alone, he could have been seen as an example of an ally truly protecting a nation of Black folks that took in him with his life. Now, that man goin be publicly enemy #1.
“WAKANDA, THE REAL WAKANDA! WE OUTSIDE”
Now back to the Black joy goin on around these parts. I am interested to see how hunter’s attack is resolved and what the rest of immigration into Wakanda looks like in the next issue. I probably should have waited till then to write this, but I was just way too excited. I suppose it’s nice to imagine that at least in fiction, these Black Americans in the Marvel Universe can at least escape America. I’m always pro shit that’s going to evolve world building and push up against the stat quo. This move with Wakanda pushes the nation forward (in my eyes at least) in the world of Marvel. This is something Wakanda should have done long ago and perhaps may be offered to Black folk in other countries. This just feels real good to see. There’s so much going on with mutants that it’s nice to see Black folk that get the real-world hate mutants get be taken care of as well.
Tochi Onyebuchi and R.B. Silva really did something here. I love that we get to see Black folks being welcomed, embraced, and Sam Wilson seeing how different this feels than being back in America. I dunno man; this feels like a very important moment in Marvel history. I hope it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, and we see more ramifications in the future due to Wakanda allowing permanent residence. What a time to be alive, folks.
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The post Tochi Onyebuchi Brought Immigration to Wakanda for Black Americans and No One Noticed appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
The Lord of the Rings franchise is full of incredible moments, scenes that range from beautiful to terrible, and sometimes both. So it’s no wonder the movies inspire artists to create. In their most recent line of Lord of the Rings collectibles (or “collectables” as they are called), NZ Post has once again joined with artist Sacha Lees. Lees “worked at Wētā Workshop during the making of the films” and was one of the artists responsible for bringing The Lord of the Rings movies to life. This time Lees lends her artistic expertise to the creation of beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps and enamel pins that celebrate The Lord of the Ring: The Two Tower‘s 20th Anniversary.
The Two Towers Commemorative Stamps (Complete with Hidden Messages)
NZ Post has brought us some tremendously beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps. And this set celebrates one of our favorite The Lord of the Rings movies, The Two Towers. Continuing in their playful and fun tradition, NZ Post has also hidden secret messages in these stamps which should delight fans.
We love seeing some of our favorite characters, like Legolas and Gandalf, being featured in these gorgeous renditions. And the The Lord of the Rings scenes depicted on these stamps are absolutely as stunning as ever. Antony Harris, NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables, mentions in a release that the previous set of stamps sold like hotcakes. He notes, “These sold across the globe like nothing we had ever seen before.” And for good reason. We’ve said it before, but these stamps aren’t just stamps, or even just collectors’ items. They are works of absolute art.
Can’t see the hidden messages from afar? Well Nerdist and NZ Post have you covered. Take a look a below to see the secrets of the stamps, and then head on over to NZ Post’s website to snag a set for yourself so you can take a look up close.
The hidden messages on the stamps are absolutely a highlight of these stamps. They really bring the spirit of The Lord of the Rings to life.
The Lord of the Rings Enamel Pins
Lees and NZ Post also use their The Lord of the Rings powers to offer us a set of enamel pins. These Lord of the Rings enamel pins may not be the first ones you’d imagine, but they bring powerful parts of the movies to life.
Currently, three LOTR pins are available:
Gollum – a silhouette of Gollum in a forest over a green background, gazing up at the One Ring
Mount Doom – an illustration of Mount Doom with the One Ring floating above
Eye of Sauron – Bag End, Barad-dûr and Mount Doom surrounded by the ominous Eye of Sauron
We have to say, we love that these enamel pins capture the darkness of The Lord of the Rings movies. It really adds a fun element to the merchandise. These pins remind us beautifully that the world of the Lord of the Rings is a harrowing one, especially if one gets too close to Mount Doom. Danger, in its many tempting forms, lurks around the corners. We’ll feel totally badass with these pins on our vests and lapels.
The image of the Shire burning surrounded by the Eye of Sauron makes for an especially visceral pin. The vision of the Shire in flames is one of the most harrowing ones Lord of the Rings creates as it offers us a total ruination of innocence. But it also reminds us of the importance of fighting for what we love. Even if that leads us into Mordor. As Stranger Things‘ Eddie Munson might say, “The Shire is burning, so Mordor it is.” And now, there’s an LOTR enamel pin for that.
NZ Post’s LOTR enamel pins, stamps, and other collectibles are now available for purchase through their website.
Originally published on July 28, 2022.
The post NZ Post’s Enamel Pins and Stamps Celebrate LOTR: THE TWO TOWERS appeared first on Nerdist.
This past week, Fantastic Fest returned once again and took the film community in Austin, Texas by storm.
Moviegoers and industry leaders from far and attended America’s wackiest and largest genre film festival.
Fantastic Fest was critically acclaimed as the wildest film festival in America’ by The Guardian. It was also noted as “the coolest film festival in the world” by IGN. Fantastic Fest 2022 didn’t disappoint and gave attendees promising first looks at some of the season’s most anticipated films, including The Menu, Piggy, Hellraiser, and more.
Another notable mention and well-received film is Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All, starring Timothee Chalamet and Taylor Russell. Bones and All is set to premiere on November 23, 2022, and the festival screening had one industry lead tweeting:
“I knew I’d love it but #BonesandAll just became my favorite movie of the year. What a beautifully heartbreaking cinematic experience. Both Taylor Russell & Timothée Chalamet are exquisite & Luca Guadagnino is a true master storyteller. #FantasticFest”
So, what did you miss?
Luckily for you, BGN got the inside scoop. Check out some of our film reviews below:
Visitor from the Future (premiered September 7, 2022)
Piggy (premieres October 14, 2022)
The Menu (premieres November 18, 2022)
Fantastic Fest officially kicked off on Thursday, September 22, 2022, and yesterday marked the end of the legendary film festival. The quirky, fun event was perfectly suited for Austin’s renowned love of all things weird.
If you’re new to Fantastic Fest, you’re not alone. It was my first time, too!
Historically, Fantastic Fest has always been a genre festival. The event typically caters to cult-classic crowds and hosts films from all over the world. Whether it’s action, fantasy, science fiction, or horror, Fantastic Fest has advocated for productions big and small. In fact, the festival has even been the host of world premieres for huge fan faves such as John Wick, Zombieland, Bone Tomahawk, and Frankenweenie.
Q&A with Hong Chau from The Menu (Photo Credit: Jack Plunkett)
How do films get selected for screenings at Fantastic Fest?
“The festival is dedicated to championing challenging and thought-provoking cinema, celebrating new voices and new stories from around the world, and supporting new filmmakers. We work with various other festivals, archives, cinematheques, and individuals to spotlight lesser-known film regions, luminaries, and more in an ongoing effort to expand the general knowledge and appreciation of cinema.”
“We’re committed to supporting film in its most provocative, ground-breaking, and underseen forms, and giving the audience a chance to find new favorites and future genre classics. Each year we bring together fans, guests, industry, press, and others in an inclusive and fun environment for a weeklong celebration of film in all its forms through carefully curated screenings and events, both in and outside of the theaters.”
Although Fantastic Fest has been held for almost 20 years, it sometimes goes under the radar even amongst the most avid movie fanatics. I was surprised that it has historically been hosted at the Alamo Drafthouse since 2005.
Why the Alamo Drafthouse?
Well, it turns out that one of the founders of Fantastic Fest is none other than entrepreneur Tim League. Tim is the founder of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain and Drafthouse films. As an Austin native and local film producer, it’s no surprise to see why Fantastic Fest calls Austin its home.
Also, can I just say that if you haven’t had the herb parmesan popcorn at Alamo Drafthouse…you are SERIOUSLY MISSING OUT! I mean, was nobody going to say anything until I went??! My gosh!
Who is Fantastic Fest for, and is it worth attending?
If you love movies, ABSOLUTELY!
If you desire the opportunity to be one of the first to see specially curated indie films and big-time productions, YES!
If you want to support up-and-coming directors, artists, writers, and creatives, HECK YEAH!
If you want to connect with super down-to-earth industry professionals and fellow movie fans, THIS IS FOR YOU!
If you’re a horror or sci-fi fanatic who wants variety, NEED I SAY MORE?
If you’ve been waiting to explore diverse international films and documentaries without the added expense of flying internationally to attend large-scale festivals, COME ON OVER!
If you couldn’t tell, Fantastic Fest 2022 was a major success. This first-timer had an absolute blast! It was quirky, humble, fun, and full of wonderful surprises. My favorite film was The Visitor from the Future – HANDS DOWN! I hate to admit it, but it was actually the movie I had the lowest expectations for when I walked into the theater to take my seat. However, within three minutes of the movie starting, I was immediately enthralled and laughing in tears.
Goodness, even writing about it at this very moment brings a fond smile to my face! It’s safe to say I am obsessed with this hilarious French comedy and it was my personal standout winner of the event!
Till next time, y’all! 
Don’t Worry Darling is a well-acted dystopian reality whose press tour drama really sells something the movie doesn’t quite have.
We’re getting to a point in movies where the outrage of inequality is no longer just wearing black to the Oscars. The fruits of the labor are making their way to the big and little screens, and films are becoming the change they want to see in the world. Or the change the world has been demanding it makes. Unfortunately, some of the TV shows and films have you feeling…to quote The Matrix, “not like this…” The trailer of Don’t Worry Darling was giving very Midsommar, very Devil’s Advocate. It showcased a little bit of horror, a little bit of the avant-garde, and a STACKED cast. You may have heard about the film from its slew of rumors. You might not remember it by name, but you’ve heard about the mysterious tensions and speculations revealed during the press tour.
So, let’s get to the elephant in the room; what is with all the drama!? Did Harry Styles really spit on Chris Pine? Was Shia Lebouf really fired, does Florence Pugh hate Olivia Wilde? This isn’t a gossip column so I can’t say that I have all of the answers, but this Vice article runs down exactly what the drama is really about. While it sounds like Pugh wants to focus on her performance and Harry Styles probably didn’t spit on Chris Pine on stage, the real-life drama surrounding this film is more intriguing and mysterious than the film itself. Is the drama real or a publicity stunt? Since no one really knows any horror stories from set or any real beef, it could all just be a way to get people in the seats.
Before I get into the peaks and pits of the film – there will be light spoilers ahead so if that really concerns you for this film, you’ve been warned.
Flip Your Lid
Truth be told, Don’t Worry Darling is a Stepford Wives tale retold at an age when we don’t need 1950s suburbia to tell a feminist story. The movie could have flipped the idea on its head in a provocative and forward-thinking way but in the end, it’s almost exactly what you think it is. The film looks at what happens when men are fed up living in a woman’s shadow. Contrary to what many believe, I am always rooting for movies to be beyond amazing. So, I even chalked this movie up to a commentary on the reversal of Roe v. Wade and women no longer having agency or control over their bodies. But that is me projecting and giving something to the film that most likely was not the intention. The problem is the movie uses a cast that has more talent than the story can hold and brings yet another white-centric feminist POV. If you’ve read my She-Hulk article co-written with my fellow nerd Frantz Jerome, you know this is an issue that I’ve recently explored.
Let’s ease you into it all and start with the facts. The Stepford Wives in all of its re-tellings has always had stellar casting. Peter Masterson in the original with Kathrine Moss (The Graduate) to Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken, and Bette Midler in the 2004 remake. This film is no different. Florence Pugh has proved time and time again that we will never know to what bounds her range has. Harry Styles, who is better known as the heartthrob boy band member of One Direction, has been really making a name for himself in the movie world. As we know, he even joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Eros in the Eternals film.
Pugh plays Alice Chambers wife to Styles as Jack Chambers. They are living in this 1950s experimental community of Victory California where the men are working on a very important project for the government. Every morning the women make them breakfast and all the men leave at the same time to their wives waving as they drive off into the distance. While the men are at work doing…whatever – because the women actually don’t know and can’t ask questions, the women stay at home cleaning or going shopping or taking care of the kids. Yea, it’s all laid on pretty thick. Now, this community is created and run by Chris Pine’s character Frank. The style, roles, and responsibilities, their status, and their entire way of life is manufactured by this man. That right there is a little straightforward on the message. Frank runs the place with a cult-like energy. People fiend to be near him, they fawn over him.
In all of this, there is one rule in the community…you don’t go beyond the community bounds. The desert location makes it very undesirable anyways. But in all this something is off. Like all of it, the whole damn thing. Why are we here? Why did we agree to this?
Ain’t That a Bite
As we learn more about the characters, Alice (Pugh) is best friends with Bunny, Olivia Wilde’s character. She’s like a den mother for some reason. She knows everything and really keeps the ladies in line. When they sound like they’re getting curious, she shuts them down. But in the midst of this, there is Margaret played by Kiki Layne. The only Black character and what seems to be the only Black family in the community. She becomes quickly “unhinged.” Margaret knows something is up and becomes the catalyst for the unfolding of Alice and the road the the ‘big’ reveal.
As the story progresses, Alice begins to see things we don’t quite understand but are visually intriguing: images of synchronized swimming, Frank’s voice repeating his ideals or mantras ringing in her head, and visions of being suffocated. Yes, the metaphor of the world closing in around her personified – and quite literally being suffocated. As Margaret unravels so does Alice. Again, we see the commentary of women being so easily dismissed as crazy and needing ‘fixing’ throughout the film.
Herein lies my Black Nerd Problem. Margaret doesn’t get to be a person. She is truly a mechanism to drive the main character to her imminent ‘madness.’ We see her in moments and at the precipice of what we are to believe is insanity. While I’m all for having Black characters present, having them exist solely to go “crazy” and be the crux of the white character’s arc feels a bit ick. If we think about the time. It’s the 50s and in an intentional community they probably don’t even welcome the ‘Blacks’ so.. accurate I guess.
The film is not without its representation. The cast also consists of characters of Indian background and Chinese background with Asif Ali playing one of the husbands and Gemma Chan as Frank’s wife. There are Black and brown people present. Execution is a big factor for me and if I were to switch some roles around, I would have cast Kiki Layne as Bunny and Olivia Wilde as Margaret. This would have alleviated some of the trauma connected to Black bodies in film and given her a more prominent role. Still would have played into the ‘Black best friend’ trope (who definitely drank the Kool-Aid), but not the crazy outlier who is made an example of.
Got it Made in the Shade
As bad films go, I wouldn’t say this is completely one of them. Where this movie excels is the performance. The cast out acts the script at every beat. Which makes you feel the intensity, but unfortunately it does not match up with the film as a whole. I found myself feeling moved by Pugh and Styles’ fights and then quickly feeling like why am I feeling so intense? It was like watching A Marriage Story, very dramatic and very well acted but for an average story. That aside, every actor gave this feature their all. Chris Pine was seductively creepy, and we’re surprised to see actors like Nick Kroll (Big Mouth) and Kate Berlant (Sorry to Bother You) all of whom really immerse themselves in the world. The visuals strike you and pull you into wanting to know more, wanting to understand really what is behind the curtain.
Once the truth is all revealed, it all feels very meh, and you find yourself saying ohh ok – that’s a decision. The editing confused the watcher at times, and it may have been on purpose so the audience feels like they are trapped in some weird nightmare right along with the main character. Sadly, the end was a high-octane car chase with not a very big payoff. The twist does not diverge enough from the Stepford Wives to make you really buy into the experience at a deep level. All of this is fine. It makes it a fine film.
For me, the story is written, it seems, with whyte feminism in mind: The male domination narrative and the idea of perceived control and the woman prevailing and escaping the nightmare of someone else’s paradise. This is yes, a story that is not extraordinary and women should have the ability to just create. We can make films that tell the story that moves us and have a message that doesn’t have to break a mold or live up to some higher expectation. This is all true. For whyte women, that is much easier to accomplish and to get a cast of their dreams. The advancements in the world are happening, and I’m excited to keep moving the needle. This time around if you want a feminist story that goes beyond, makes you feel seen, and have you feeling powerful, head to The Woman King. You’ll wanna watch Don’t Worry Darling for just an interesting take on a classic feminist story.
Cover image via The Union Journal
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The post ‘Don’t Worry Darling:’ You’ll be Alright appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.