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By: Désirée I. Guzzetta
Spoiler level: Mild (per a normal review)
It’s been a long, strange trip for endearing time-travelers William “Bill” S. Preston Esquire (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves).
First introduced 31 years ago in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the two goofy, sweet characters have become a pop-culture phenomenon, gracing everything from action figures to comics to animated shows. A sequel, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, came out in 1991, and since then, fans have clamored for another film.
That film is finally here in the form of Bill & Ted Face The Music. Set 25 years since the boys won the Battle of the Bands at the end of Bogus Journey, the new film finds the boys now family men, having married their princesses, Joanna (Jayma Mays) and Elizabeth (Erinn Hayes), respectively, and both having daughters. Ted and Elizabeth named their daughter Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine), and Bill and Joanna named theirs Thea (Samara Weaving), natch.
In the debut feature, Bill and Ted wound up using time travel to complete a school report, and in the second, they wound up meeting Death (William Sadler, reprising his role here) and having to win a Battle of the Bands. Slightly higher stakes, but not insurmountable.
In Face The Music, Bill and Ted not only have to save the world, but the fabric of reality itself. Whoa.
The film wastes no time setting up the premise. Narrated by their daughters, the story opens with them informing us that not only did Wyld Stallyns (Bill and Ted’s band) crash and burn not long after their single, “Those Who Rock,” topped the charters for a hot minute, but that they still have not written the song prophesied by their friend from the future, Rufus (the late George Carlin), that would unite the universe for all time. It’s bogus for sure.
Not long after a very funny wedding sequence, the boys are visited by another time-traveler from the future, Kelly (an exceedingly funny Kristen Schaal), who takes them to see her mother, The Great Leader (a feisty Holland Taylor), because time has started collapsing on itself. The Great Leader tells the two that if they don’t create and perform the prophesied song in 77 minutes and 25 seconds at a specific location, the world and all reality will end. No pressure, dudes.
What follows is a joyful romp through time as Bill and Ted attempt to find the right “us-es” in their future where the song has already been completed. Each time jump gives Winter and Reeves an opportunity to show us what Bill and Ted would be like without their perpetual optimism. It’s not pretty, but it’s frequently hilarious.
Of course, their daughters, having their fathers whisked away to the future, decide they need to help, which results in their own time-traveling adventures as they try to assemble the ultimate band to back their dads and create that special Earth- and reality-saving song. Throw in a very funny turn by Anthony Carrigan of “Barry” fame as the morally-conflicted-killer-robot-with-an-identity-crisis, Robot (who has a name and insists on telling you it’s Dennis Caleb McCoy), plus a few other surprises and cameos, and you have all you need for a good time.
Face The Music moves fast, not lingering too long on any one thing to get bogged down or to stretch a joke too far. Credit goes to the tight script by the franchise’s creators, Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, and to the expert direction of Dean Parisot, who also directed the science fiction/comedy classic, Galaxy Quest (1999). The film boasts good practical effects (especially the aging makeup on Winter and Reeves) and some CGI effects that have a little bit of throwback cheesiness mixed in (or it might just look that way on my TV).
But what really sells everything is the basic decency of the main characters and their wholesomeness, which they’ve passed on to their daughters (along with a love of a bodacious tune). Both Weaving and Lundy-Paine do a good job of bringing their own personalities to Thea and Billie, while Mays and Hayes step in ably as Joanna and Elizabeth. Amy Stoch returns as babysitter Missy, and Hal Landon Jr. returns as Ted’s father, the now-promoted Chief Logan. There’s also a very funny turn from Jillian Bell as Dr. Wood, a couples counselor who is quite befuddled and not a little bit frustrated by Bill & Elizabeth & Ted & Joanna. Sadler remains perfect as Death, who’s become just a wee bit petulant since his acrimonious break from Wyld Stallyns.
As anchored by the timeless energy of Winter and Reeves, the movie is simply fun as heck and perfect for this moment in our reality. Both keep Bill and Ted’s fundamental goodness intact while branching out a bit as their future us-es to show what could happen if that goodness gets a bit beat down. Their spot-on performances remind the audience us-es that there’s still joy in the world, that there’s still hope, and that love and determination (and perhaps a lot of humor and music) can save us all.
Pro tip: Make sure to stick through the entire credits for a very funny after-credits sequence.
Bill & Ted Face The Music will be released in theaters and on demand on August 28, 2020
The post Bill and Ted Face The Music—and Mortality appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Chadwick Boseman’s death is causing a global outpouring of love for the accomplished actor. But, this heartbreaking news hits different for his Black fans. For many of us, Chadwick’s entire career reads like a love letter to our culture. Before he became the Black Panther, he starred in a series of biopics about trailblazing Black men.
His portrayals of baseball legend Jackie Robinson (42), funk music progenitor James Brown (Get On Up), and groundbreaking Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall (Marshall) brought history to life with a mesmerizing mix of passion, flair, and incredible care for preserving their humanity. Chadwick expertly dug past the general public’s larger-than-life understanding of these men to exhume their humanity and frame their lives in the midst of racism, tragedy, and triumph.
His work represents the breadth and depth of what it means to be Black. It examines how we somehow manage to be profound agents of change and creativity under the pressure of oppression and systemic racism. So his casting as the incomparable T’Challa felt like a thrilling yet natural next step in depicting our stories. Chadwick brought such nuance, physical prowess, and exhilarating charm to the Wakandan king. He certainly made a global impact through the popular Marvel character, proving what we already knew to be a fact. A Black superhero can have international appeal.
Rolling Stone/YouTube
Yet, Blackness is still an undeniable cornerstone in Black Panther‘s story. The film touched a legion of Black people in a deeply personal and collective way. Seeing him don that epic Panther suit made countless Black nerds, geeks, and movie fans feel an indescribable level of self-empowerment and validation. It left us with this swelling of pride and unbridled excitement. We had a pocket of hope and joy in a world that tries to snuff it out of us at every turn.
How lucky are we to have walked the Earth at the same time as Chadwick? To have experienced his work and level of brilliance in real-time? Thank God we went incredibly hard for Black Panther, showing up to theaters with incredible costumes and Afrocentric outfits. We cheered, we cried, and we shared a transformative and healing experience together.
Kayla Meyer, a Black woman, created the viral hashtag #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe which inspired fans to speak up on Twitter about how the film changed their lives. Chadwick got to see and acknowledge a lot of this love. And, he deserved every ounce of that positive energy, that joy, that celebration, and the understanding that his art holds a sacred space in the sphere of our experiences.
In a speech honoring his one time benefactor and eventual co-worker Denzel Washington, Chadwick says, “Let he who has watered, be watered. Let he who have given, be given to.” Hopefully, the outpouring of support and love from fans of his work made him feel as those he received proper honor.
In Da 5 Bloods, Chadwick’s character is an ancestor, a guiding light, and revered leader who has made a profound impact on his squad. It’s another befitting role for the South Carolina raised and Howard University trained director and thespian who quickly became a hero and legend to so many. He found his life’s calling and walked in it well—something many of us aspire to do.
Chadwick embodied grace, poise, and a quiet power that felt both regal and everyday man. He was an incredibly dapper and smooth ass dude with unique style, an infectious sly grin, an swoon worthy appreciation for books, and a gait that oozed confidence. Chadwick didn’t owe us anything outside of his work but he gave so much of himself anyway. He honored us with countless Wakanda Forever salutes and hugs to groundbreaking statements about what it means to be young, Black, and gifted. Chadwick stood for Black liberation and justice and for our stories to be at the forefront. He was always for the culture.
Watch @chadwickboseman’s emotional acceptance speech on behalf of the #BlackPanther cast pic.twitter.com/TDNt5CjKGO
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 28, 2019
He balanced such an ethereal presence with moments of clever wit. He was the King of Shady Looks and keeping Marvel details under wraps. The secret comedian who loved to laugh in interviews and poke a bit of fun at himself (and T’Challa) on Saturday Night Live. The guy who carries a tune with such Southern flair and playfully chops it up with fans. Those moments gave fans lovely peeks into his personality—a true treat considering his intense privacy.
It’s incredibly heartbreaking to think that he poured his heart, body, and soul into his craft while trying to take care of himself. It’s also understandable why he chose to keep this knowledge within his inner circle. The world has a troubling way of filtering a person’s entire life and experiences through a diagnosis.
It tries to tell people what they can and should be doing while living with a disability and that’s not okay. It was his life and he was able to maintain some control and privacy over it. The mere fact that those around him respected him enough to not speak on his private life says so much. It shows how much they loved him and speaks to his keen discernment to surround himself with real ones.
Perhaps there is a gorgeous ancestral plane on the other side of this life. A wide, expansive place of peace with lovely swaying grass, lush trees, and a brilliantly colorful sky. If so, I hope Chadwick’s ancestors are embracing him there. His energy, work, ideals, and legacy transcend mortality. We will feel it for generations to come.
The words “thank you” feel too small to acknowledge the gift Chadwick gave to us. I am sending love to those who worked with him and know him best. And, I will love and adore Chadwick Boseman forever.
Featured Image: Rolling Stone/YouTube
The post What Chadwick Boseman Means To Black Culture appeared first on Nerdist.
Source: WENN/Avalon / WENN
Before the release of Black Panther in 2018, Chadwick Boseman visited terminally ill children who were battling cancer. They didn’t know that Boseman, who died on August 28 of colon cancer, was also battling the fatal illness as well. The South Carolina native had visited St. Jude’s Hospital and gave the children toys and memories that they would never forget.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Chadwick Boseman,” St. Jude’s Hospital said on social media. “Two years ago, Chadwick visited the St. Jude campus and brought with him not only toys for our patients but also joy, courage and inspiration. He was an incredible role model for our patients and children from all around the world. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”
After visiting the hospital, the Marshall star reflected about his time he spent with the children and how excited they were about the release of Black Panther.
“It’s a humbling experience,” he said. “Because, you’re like, ‘This can’t mean that much to them.’ But seeing how the world has taken this on, seeing how the movement, how it’s taken on a life of its own — I realized that they anticipated something great.”
He became emotional when discussing their anticipation of the film and finding out that two of the young boys he met had died before the movie was released.
“I did live life waiting for those moments. And so what put me back in the mind of being a kid just two experience those two little boys’ anticipation for this movie and when I found out they…” Boseman’s eyes filled with tears.
Boseman died after battling colon cancer for four years, the Associated Press reported. He never revealed that he was diagnosed with the illness to the public. He died in his Los Angeles, California home with his wife, Taylor Simone Leward, by his side. Boseman was only 43-years-old.