https://blackgirlnerds.com/black-villains-who-make-evil-look-good/

Sometimes it’s fun to be the bad guy. It’s a statement that can come off as a little irresponsible, but it’s not as if many of us haven’t wanted to step into the dark side. Well, that’s where the focus of this piece is. We’re taking the time to give flowers to the Black villains of the silver screen that both sent shivers down our spine and had us cheering them on. 

Dr. Kananga aka Mr. Big: Live and Let Die

Say hello to the first black Bond villain. Portrayed by American actor Yaphet Kotto, Mr. Big was a businessman through and through. Between his restaurant chain in New York, being the head of one of the most vicious gangs in Harlem, and being the de facto dictator of a Caribbean island, you’d think this man would have more than his hands full. But no, he’s a master plate spinner and a criminal mastermind. He also has one of the most disturbing endings in the franchise, and as they say: if you’re going to leave, leave in style. You can see Mr. Big in Live and Let Die on MGM+. 

Erik Killmonger: Black Panther

What’s better than a pure evil villain — a villain whose descent into evil was marked by an event completely out of their control. Erik does some heinous things over the course of Black Panther, but the scary thing is as an audience member it’s not that hard to understand why he is the way he is, especially so when we’re given a proper backstory for his intense anger at T’Challa. It doesn’t make all of the atrocities he’s committed acceptable, but on a certain level, fans can at the least see where Erik is coming from. You can see Black Panther on Disney+. 

Candyman: Candyman (1992)

This is a villain so frightening, so sinister, that it’s dangerous just to speak his name aloud. So let’s keep utterances of his formal title to a minimum. He who must not be named is a horror movie icon, and the title is well earned. The one whose name must never be spoken is a vengeful spirit that thrives off of the legend of his existence and the faith of those who would deny his power. Being haunted and destroyed by a ghoul that gets more powerful when you speak his name is a ghoul worth his salt, or more fittingly, his honey. Yes, Daniel Robitaille uses powers such as hivemind and mind control to have others do his bidding. So not only will he take you out, but he just might use you as his own personal puppet to perform violent acts on his behalf. You can shiver in fright while watching Candyman on Peacock. 

The Prowler: Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse

No one is prepared to learn that one of the people they love most in the world is a supervillain. It’s no surprise that it came as a world-shaking shock to Miles that his Uncle Aaron is not only a villain but the henchman to Kingpin. Aaron starts the movie as Miles’s uncle and mentor, but later on we learn that Aaron has always been the more rebellious between him and his brother. It was this rebellious streak and Jefferson’s decision to join law enforcement that drove a wedge between the brothers. Getting to see the contrast between Aaron as the supportive uncle and Prowler the villain is something that gave Into the Spiderverse it’s emotional core. The loss of Aaron is the driving point that inspires Miles to continue his role as Spiderman and keep working to be better not just for the city but for Miles himself. You can see Aaron’s story unfold in full on Hulu or Sling TV. 

Akasha: The Queen of the Damned

Hot take? The Queen of the Damned is not as bad as people make it out to be. Yes, it has it’s sticking points that are plain to see while watching the movie, but it’s not an outright disaster as many reviewers have tried to paint it out to be over the years. Aaliyah was able to perfectly capture the sultry and sensual aura of the ancient vampire with ease, mainly as that was a facet of Aaliyah herself that she tapped into with her music and her videos. The Great Mother is herself the first vampire in existence; all vampires we meet in The Vampire Chronicles are her descendants. What makes Akasha such an iconic villain? She’s not in it for the thrill or the desire to cause chaos. She just needs to sustain herself, nothing personal about it. There’s something interesting about seeing someone exist solely for themselves, unattached from morality and empathy. Akasha is described as the one true monster because she doesn’t acknowledge or see herself as a monster. It’s not personal, it’s just a need to feed and create more fledglings. You can watch The Queen of the Damned on Hulu. 

https://blackgirlnerds.com/review-five-nights-at-freddys-joins-the-list-of-disappointing-video-game-adaptations/

Popular video game franchises adapted into feature films or TV shows can either be a hit or a miss.  One notable example of a hit is the HBO series The Last of Us, which came with critical acclaim after its season premiere. And one striking miss is the feature film Uncharted that was panned by both critics and fans of the video game. 

If you’re looking for a hit with Five Nights at Freddy’s, sadly you’re not going to get that here. There’s not much of a hit happening with this snoozefest adapted from the horror-fiction video game of the same name. The potential to make this movie as engaging and compelling as its video game predecessor was missed by a lackluster plot. The film’s protagonist Mike (Josh Hutcherson) is dealing with post-traumatic stress and anxiety around his brother Garrett’s (Lucas Grant) disappearance. When Mike was a child, he saw his younger brother abducted in broad daylight during a family outing. Garrett was never seen nor heard from again. Sadly this tragedy is still haunting Mike as an adult and he has recurring dreams about that fateful day. He takes sleep medication which ironically provides clarity to his dreams and he’s able to capture more details. His ultimate goal is to find the man who took his brother and find out what happened. 

While the overall story structure of Five Nights at Freddy’s is centered around this theme of Mike’s loss and endless search for his brother’s abductor, the heart and soul of what makes the video game franchise successful is missing from the film.  The eponymous animatronic bear — mascot of the pizza establishment Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza — is more of a footnote in this story than a substantial part of the plot. While we do get to see the terrifying robots in action, their presence throughout the film is minimal. And that’s where it falls flat as a riveting horror flick. Due to the direction of this movie being focused more on Mike’s conflict, it impacted the pacing so much so that it was hard to stay awake through some scenes.

There is a key part of Mike’s story as it relates to his younger sister Abby (Piper Rubio). She’s a bit withdrawn and doodles images in her room while talking to imaginary characters. Her personality as well as her quirky way of communicating is what inevitably ties her to the animatronic puppets. The puppets — inspired from Chuck E. Cheese and Showbiz Pizza in their heyday — perform musically in robotic motion inside of a dilapidated pizzeria set in late 80s/early 90s Nebraska.  

And while the truncated performances of the cyborg-like animals leave the script more two-dimensional and stale than it intended, the appearance of Matthew Lillard as Steve, is also bland. No disrespect to Lillard’s performance, which I think was decent, his character lacked nuance and substance. Steve Ragland is a career counselor who helps Mike get a job position at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. This comes off the heels of Mike losing his last job after physically assaulting a man who he thought was kidnapping a child. At first the reaction to punching the daylights out of the man seems pretty extreme, but as you learn Mike’s backstory and childhood trauma, the knee-jerk reaction of being so violent to the poor innocent guy makes sense. It’s after this that Steve is assigned to assist Mike in finding work.  Steve’s character however, was incredibly predictable and left no room for the imagination.  

And then there’s Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), a local police officer, who lacks any instinct a person in law enforcement should have, helps Mike in his new security guard role at the pizza establishment. She’s oddly friendly to this strange man, and the sight of blood on Mike when she first meets him doesn’t raise any red flags. Like I said, her instincts are poor for someone with a job aided to serve and protect.

If you are a fan of the video game, which I’ve never played myself, you may be disappointed as you would likely expect more action and horror from these demonic androids. There are a few jump scares here and there, but not enough for me to actually jump in my chair. I will say that I did like the creepy look of these animatronic creatures. The slow turning of their heads and the menacing look they deliver as they slowly close their eyelids was pretty frightening to watch. I just wish they had more screen time, which would have added another dose of horror to an already terrifying story.  

Five Nights at Freddy’s is a slow-paced horror film that offers a bunch of monotonous storytelling, and little to no chills and thrills that a film of this genre is supposed to deliver. 

The film is directed by Emma Tammi. Written by Scott Cawthon, Emma Tammi, Seth Cuddeback. The film is produced by Blumhouse and Universal Pictures.

Five Nights at Freddy’s is currently playing in theaters and available to stream on Peacock.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/a-blerd-halloween-30-costumes-inspired-by-black-characters/

Halloween is finally here. Time to let loose, binge Tim Burton, and fulfill your childhood dreams of dressing up as your favorite pop culture hero. If you’re looking for costume inspo inspired by original Black characters in fiction, check out the 30 entries on this list. They’re fun, they’re nostalgic, and more importantly, they’re for the culture.

30. Mortal Kombat: Jade

Whether you go with the OG MKII look or a skin from MK11, nothing would make a bolder statement than pulling up in Jade’s signature bodysuit. Throw in her pink staff for added attention to detail. 

29. Tekken: Eddy Gordo

Eddy is one of the flyest video game characters around. Just look at this skin from Tekken 7. The cheetah print jacket with the metal rings!? Slay.

28. Hey Arnold!: Gerald

You can never go wrong with a Gerald costume. Whether you go with the everyday look or a giant strawberry suit, any variant will do.

27. The Boondocks: Various

The Boondocks oozes Halloween inspo with its iconic line-up of original Black characters. A Pimp Named Slickback would be a good one. 

26. The Rugrats: Susie Carmichael 

Susie Carmichael is one of the greatest Black mascots to ever grace children’s programming. Although she has a few costumes, the signature yellow top with purple leggings would really hit home.  

25. Rocket Power: Reggie Rocket

A Reggie Rocket costume would eat! For this look, pair your favorite camos with a pink cropped tee (bonus if you can stitch the rocket). Throw in the matching pink shades to really pull the look together. 

24. Major Payne: Major Payne

A Major Payne costume would be a riot! Throw in the accent and gold tooth for accuracy.      

23. Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood: Loc Dog

A Loc Dog costume is simple yet, fun idea. With the random miscellaneous items he hangs in his hair, creatives will have a great time with this one. 

22. Entergalactic: Various

With costumes reportedly designed by the late Virgil Abloh, dressing up as the characters in Entergalactic would be a great excuse to show off your flyest streetwear.

21. Atlantis: The Lost Empire: Kida

A childhood hero in the ’90s, a Kida costume would be such a cute throwback. The blue tribal dress and staff will bring out the Atlantean in you.

20. My Hero Academia: Mirko

A Mirko costume would be a showstopper, for sure. The No. 5 heroe’s stacked physique and adorable bunny accents have even been replicated by Megan Thee Stallion. 

19. Avatar: The Last Airbender: Katara

In a span of three seasons, Katara gave us plenty of Halloween looks to choose from. Her Fire Nation look is pretty popular.

18. Blankman: Blankman

A Blankman costume would have people falling out. Not only is it fun, but it’s super low-budget since it’s made of everyday household items. 

17. Hercules: The Muses

Bringing the Muses to life would be just like dressing up for a toga party. With five distinctive looks, styles, and personalities, grab the girls and do it together. 

16. Wendell & Wild: Kat

The Alt Black queen from the stop-motion horror Wendell & Wild is a must-try look for spooky season. Her funky green hair and platform boots provide an edgy touch to one of the spookiest nights of the year. 

15. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse: Spiderpunk

After his introduction in the web-slinging Blockbuster Across the Spider-verse, Hobie Brown has become a mascot for the punk rock Blerd. His leather vest and spiky hair would be a refreshing sight among mass-produced superhero costumes.

14. Clueless: Dionne

Years before Migos coined the term, Dionne embodied the term “bad and boujee.” Since she graces the streets of Beverly Hills in some of the flyest looks Hollywood has ever seen, you’ll have an ample of amount of stylish Halloween inspo.

13. The Fifth Element: Ruby Rhod

Who can forget sci-fi’s messiest radio host: the lavishly flamboyant Ruby Rhod? His leopard print bodysuit and blonde pompadour would guarantee a night of fun. 

12. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella: Cinderella

Years before live-action adaptations became a trend, Brandy played Cinderella in the ’90s telefilm Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Her signature ballroom gown and bold blue eye shadow are a nice throwback for Halloween.  

11. House Party: Kid N Play

This dynamic hip-hop duo is so iconic, you’ll be recognized instantly. An homage to their pajama party rager from the sequel would be fire.

10. B.A.P.S.: Nisi & Mickey

Dressing up as Nisi and Mickey from this ’90s classic would be fun. Their elaborate hairstyles and loud costumes would definitely get a rise out of friends and family.

9. Queen of the Damned: Queena Akasha

Follow in the footsteps of Blerds like Issa Rae and throw together Queen Akasha’s sultry look. Gracing the floor as a vampire queen would definitely awaken your Halloween spirit.

8. Bring It On: The Clovers 

This iconic look from the teen classic Bring It On is a costume that never misses. Grab your squad, and prepare to embody some of the hottest, fiercest, most competitive cheerleaders pop culture has ever seen.   

7. The Last Dragon: Shonuff

When I say “Who’s the master?” you say: “Shonuff.” Shonuff is a certified rockstar in Black cinema. As Shonuff, you’ll get to tap into your inner bad guy as you step out as the flashiest Shogun Harlem has ever seen. 

6.The Matrix Reloaded: Niobe

Halloween is the perfect time to finally dress up as one of sci-fi’s most badass heroines, Niobe. Her signature snakeskin suit, black shades, and bantu knots are guaranteed to slay. 

5. The Matrix: Morpheus

Only the coolest of cool can pull off a Morpheus costume for Halloween. Truthfully, it wouldn’t take much. Combine your long black overcoat with rounded shades and skinny black tie, and bam. When you’re Morpheus, it’s less about the clothes and more about the attitude. 

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest: Calypso

Calypso’s signature locs and blackened teeth will help you tap into your wicked side. With this look, don’t worry about being perfect: the grungier the better. 

3. Purple Rain: The Kid

This Black ’80s classic is full of fun retro looks that can be recreated for Halloween. Prince’s stylish flamboyant looks would make the crowd go crazy. 

2. Poetic Justice: Justice

Janet Jackson’s signature jumbo braids in this ’90s classic are the blueprint. The influence of this iconic look is still felt in hair braiding shops to this day. Justice’s down-to-earth vibe would be a refreshing touch of realism among a sea of fantasy heroes and witches.

1. Bebe’s Kids: Bebe’s Kids

Dressing up as the cast from the ’90s classic Bebe’s Kids would be a fun blast from the past. Tapping into your inner Khalil, LaShawn, or Pee Wee would give you an excuse to run wild and free as you recreate some of the baddest kids in Black cinema history.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/cult-classics-casper-a-deeply-tragic-yet-oddly-wholesome-coming-of-age-tale/

In the early 1990s, young director Brad Silberling (A Series of Unfortunate Events) was working in television when, out of the blue, he was contacted by Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park). After another project fell through, Spielberg tapped him to direct the live-action adaptation of Casper the Friendly Ghost. The huge IP would be his feature directorial debut, so no pressure.

Spielberg, serving as an executive producer, also had Sherri Stoner and Deanna Oliver (Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs) pen the script, later hiring a young J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) to do some uncredited rewrites. 

Casper made it to theaters on May 26, 1995, Memorial Day weekend, and was a hit at the box office. It was also the first film with an entirely CGI lead character and similarly a milestone in cinema history like Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Director of Photography Dean Cundey and other crew members worked on both productions, including the talented animators over at George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic. However, many critics didn’t like the subject matter, believing it was too morose for a kids’ movie. But as we continue to revisit childhood favorites, we see that several shows and movies we watched were darker than we thought. 

To kick off this family-friendly movie about death, we meet heiress Carrigan Crittenden (Cathy Moriarty), who just inherited the rundown Whipstaff Manor from her recently deceased father. After her initial tantrum, her attorney/assistant/errand boy Paul “Dibs” Plutzker (Eric Idle) finds a flimsy document suggesting there’s hidden treasure inside the mansion.

Without any further research or proof that it even exists, Carrigan makes it their mission to find the alleged treasure in the property she doesn’t want. However, they run into a snag when they’re eagerly greeted by Casper (Malachi Pearson). It takes less than five seconds before they start shrieking and fleeing. 

With the help of the titular friendly ghost and his baffling ability to travel through phone lines, Carrigan sees a news story about Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman), a self-proclaimed therapist for the “living impaired” and his “loner” (an unnecessary and hilarious descriptor from the newscaster) daughter Kathleen “Kat” Harvey (Christina Ricci). Following the unsuccessful attempts of priests, construction workers, and a Ghostbuster, Carrigan hires Dr. Harvey to get the spirits to move on. 

As the father-daughter duo make their way to Whipstaff Manor in Friendship, Maine, we learn that James’ real goal is to contact the ghost of his wife Amelia (Amy Brenneman). Unlike the stereotypical snarky tween, Kat is kind and understanding of her father’s obsession (to a point) but she’s also so over his cross-country quest and the intrusive media attention that follows. 

For someone who works in the field of parapsychology, James is oddly disbelieving and terrified when he and Kat see Casper for the first time. Then enter the chaotic Ghostly Trio — Stretch (Joe Nipote), Stinkie (Joe Alaskey), and Fatso (Brad Garrett) — Casper’s supposed uncles. It’s safe to say that this is the first time James has actually seen ghosts but he recovers pretty quickly.

At school, Kat gets attention from a boy, Vic (Garette Ratliff Henson), which inadvertently makes her a target for the obligatory blonde mean girl, Amber (Jessica Wesson). In their first class, she’s asked to introduce herself, and after Amber gets in a few digs (which the teacher just lets her do, by the way), another kid volunteers Kat’s new abode as the venue for their Halloween party. Kat seems fine with the classmates she just met inviting themselves to her home and we don’t see her breaking the news to James, so he’s seemingly down with the inconvenient plan too. 

A lot of the comedy comes from the Ghostly Trio, though Bill Pullman goes full Looney Tunes as a slightly clumsy, easily spooked, sweater-wearing dad. There are several pop culture references to celebrities like Markie Mark and Oprah. In addition to Ben Stein’s brief appearance (because it’s not a ’90s movie without Ben Stein), there are other random but impressive celebrity cameos from Clint Eastwood to the Crypt Keeper. 

But it’s not all laughs. Aside from Kat and James still mourning the loss of their mother/wife, the eternally 12-year-old Casper lives with three abusive uncles in an empty mansion where he watched his father’s mental health decline. He’d forgotten most of his time as a human until he and Kat are in the attic.

He starts to remember the days leading up to his untimely death, how he went sledding with his dad and caught a fatal case of pneumonia. The heartbreaking backstory wasn’t from the Harvey Comics source material but was written specifically for the film. Pearson delivers the monologue with such sadness: “It got cold, I got sick, Dad got sad.” James Horner’s (Titanic, Jumanji) hauntingly beautiful score enhances this and the other melancholic moments throughout the film. In a behind-the-scenes featurette, Horner describes the melody as a fairy tale about Casper’s “lost quality of youth and childhood.” 

The whole film is somewhat of a fairy tale. On the night of the party, Casper is granted time as a living human. He uses the brief time in corporeal form, famously played by the dreamy Devon Sawa, to slow dance with Kat and share a slightly awkward but sweet kiss on the dance floor and whispers, “Can I keep you?” He had said this to a sleeping Kat while he was a ghost, but this time it is a tad less creepy. Operating on a bizarre Cinderella time constraint, Casper only gets until the stroke of 10:00 PM (not even midnight) before he’s back to being translucent. 

Despite being a Halloween favorite, Casper doesn’t exactly feel like it’s taking place during spooky season. The middle school costume party is really the only Halloween-related element. However, the nearly dilapidated gothic mansion provides an eerie atmosphere with and without any roaming ghouls, especially his father’s basement laboratory, accessed via a whiplash Haunted Mansion-type ride. 

Like most of Whipstaff’s features (swirl designs, stained glass, huge machinery puffing smoke), the old lab is very Burton-esque, including the “Up and at ‘em” machine, a wild contraption you’d see in Edward Scissorhands. If Tim Burton made Casper, there’d be a larger ensemble cast of weird characters, Ricci would be pale and probably more Lydia Deetz-like, and Johnny Depp would have Bill Pullman’s role. I mean, I’d see it. 

Casper is a deeply tragic yet oddly wholesome coming-of-age tale about loneliness and grief. Though the film is essentially a meditation on death, it isn’t all doom and gloom. It still has its zany moments and mid-’90s charm with just enough darkness to satisfy one’s inner goth.

In 2022, Peacock announced they had their own live-action on Casper in development from Kai Yu Wu (American Born Chinese). We’ve yet to hear any updates but we can only hope that Christina Ricci is asked to make a Wednesday-style appearance. 

Catch Casper currently streaming on Netflix.