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Being a Bruce Wayne fan means I’m constantly disappointed one way or another. There hasn’t really been a perfect Bruce Wayne/Batman combo on the big screen, and to be honest, I’m still waiting. But what I was surprised by in Zack Snyder’s Justice League was that I suddenly really liked Ben Affleck’s Batman?

Often referred to as “Batfleck,” he was playing my favorite version of Bruce Wayne—meaning the old grumpy Batman with gray temples. But he never really felt like Batman. Just … Bruce Wayne who sort of acted like the Dark Knight we knew and loved. But with the Snyder Cut, he suddenly felt more like the prince of Gotham.

Is he a perfect Batman? No. I’m still waiting for Batman to actually be a detective instead of everyone else figuring stuff out. But until then, I did enjoy him a lot more in the Snyder Cut than I had previously. Maybe that has to do with the fact that we just got to spend some more time with him or that he actually stepped back and let the superhumans take over for most of the battles, but I liked seeing him fight alongside the Justice League.

My problem with the Joss Whedon cut was that Bruce was always throwing himself into the main fight as if he … could. Bruce Wayne is a human man and Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne is clearly in his 40s. So he really shouldn’t be able to hold his own at the side of characters like Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

But in Snyder’s, he seems to be on the fringe of these fights, using his gadgets and helping where he can and I honestly loved to see it. I loved whatever was happening in the epilogue and it made me hope for more of Batfleck in the future. Again, I wonder who I am because I had never really loved him at all but now I enjoy what Snyder is doing to these heroes and I hope that Warner Bros. can trust him more in the future and let him explore them in a deeper way rather than just scratching the surface with them.

If a four-hour movie can make me fall in love with Batfleck, then clearly I’m ready for whatever Zack Snyder could do with the future of the DCEU.

At the end of the day, is this a good thing? Yes, actually. For once, I’m not mad about the casting and I can’t wait to see where the future leads for Affleck as the Dark Knight. I hope that we just have a bunch of different universes for all these DC heroes and that we get to explore them without the added bonus of trying to connect them all. I’d take a Ben Affleck standalone movie and I’m really excited for him to be included in The Flash movie.

(image: Warner Bros.)

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One of the most moving films in the wide selection of this year’s SXSW Film Festival is Fruits of Labor.

Set in the coastal area of California, this documentary sheds light on many neglected issues Latinos struggle with. Given the political and social upheaval that Hispanics/Latinos face in this country, it is amazing to see a documentary that humanizes and concretely showcases those who grapple with immigration status, working long hours at a laborious job, and who attempt to juggle their personal and family life.

Director Emily Cohen Ibanez and co-writer Ashley Solis Pavon have wonderfully documented one girl’s dream of being the first in her family to graduate from high school, making it to college, and hopefully one day, having the ability to stop working at the fruit farms. 

The scene opens on a strawberry farm where a young woman, Ashley, is putting on her equipment to pick fruit. It is here, at this moment, where she begins to tell us her story. At the age of 15 she was working long hours in California. She comes from a long line of Mexican healers; in Spanish they are called Curandero. She lives with her three brothers and mother, and with twelve other families who all share a single bathroom. At the heart of Latino culture, the family takes priority. Ashley’s mother has given all of her kids a similar name. All of their names begin with ‘Ash’. Her mother says that “‘Ash’ symbolizes a forest of trees, with roots that firmly establish them in the US.” This family illustrates the connection that many who have come to this country feel about living in the states. 

Ashley’s life is explored closely as she navigates her way through her social daily life of high school, hanging out with her friends, and home life. Ashley is a typical teenage girl who hopes to achieve her big dreams, however, working as long as she does doesn’t allow her to achieve all that she wants. Living in a roach infested home, with her brothers and mother, her life keeps getting more and more complicated. One aspect of her culture that her family emphasize is working hard and marring when they can.

This is a constant struggle that many Latinos face and attempt to juggle in their personal life. The brief moments that are given to Ashley’s mother are nothing short of amazing. She discusses her inability to continue her education because of her lack of citizenship. It is for this reason that she pushes Ashley. She works long hours at a processing plant from 10pm until 6am in order to support her family. Too often she is too tired to go to school the next day. With an uncertain future, she works hard every day in order to ensure a better tomorrow.

There is so much to enjoy from this thought-provoking film. The documentary is executed in a way that allows the viewer to explore Ashley’s life as a teen girl trying to make her way through high school. What is so frustrating about this is that these situations are still currently going on now in 2021. Many students are pushed on an academic track, despite their lack of interest in academics. What this documentary does that differs from others is that it, for a moment, gives a technical outcome. Ashley is getting her nails done and speaks with a worker about her career path. She asks good questions like the length of time required to complete the program and possible outcomes after graduation. While not everyone is interested in cosmetology; the idea that technical programs can take up to six months after starting the program to complete is something that should be encouraged. There are more options for students out there outside of the academic track and this was a plus. 

Documentary filmmaking is a powerful method of storytelling. This film really humanizes both Ashley and her Latino family. With shots of her home, her family and even in the working conditions that she endures every day, the film leaves an imprint of sorrow while also giving a sense of hope. Putting a Latina on the center of this production really helps to explore the ways in which Latina women are the backbone of many Latino families. They are strong, hardworking and often help to support the whole family, and sometimes the extended family. This documentary gives them the attention they need. 

If there is one film to keep an eye out for in this year’s SXSW Festival it is director Emily Cohen Ibanez documentary, Fruits of Labor. This production examines the ways Latinos who are undocumented fear the possibility of deportation and separation from their family. How those that are able to work must work constantly to help support the whole family, and the challenges that come with it while in school. For anyone who is interested in gaining perspective on the lives of immigrants who live in California, this documentary does a good job at examining the life of an average teenage girl trying to make it to college. 

 Fruits of Labor is currently screening at the SXSW Film Festival. The 2021 SXSW film festival will run virtually online March 16–20, 2021

Hey Hey Hey Hey, AFROnerdists!  Pull up a chair and check out a new installment from the Afronerd Radio machine via our Sunday The Grindhouse broadcast airing LIVE at 6 p.m. eastern on BTalk100. Today's topics are as follows: famed graphic novelist/writer, Pablo Dura returns to talk about the official U.S. release of his highly anticipated project, The Lincoln Brigade. Dura's Brigade entails the historical account of an integrated group of volunteers (incl. soldiers, technicians, medical personnel, pilots) from the U.S. who served in the Spanish Civil War; Dburt, per usual, will expound on some observations he's made during exchanges on Twitter concerning blackfishing versus blackfacing; the MCU's success versus the DCEU's; weaves versus Jordans.....maybe we should've talked to Timbaland and Swizz Beatz before their recent deal), a recent NYT's piece on Zack Snyder at the advent of the HBO Max release of his "SnyderCut" Justice League film opines about Marvel's popularity juxtaposed with DC's mythology; is Warner Media going to continue working with Snyder (sequels?) if this project wins based on subscriber count and viewership; Is it canonical or is the previous theatrical release?   

Sadly, another legend passes, iconic middleweight boxing giant, Marvelous Marvin Hagler dies at 66 and purportedly due to negative effects to the COVID-19 vaccine; a Georgetown Law professor is fired for her racially biased remarks on a Zoom call levied against Black students;  the ghost of Don Imus looms large with HS basketball announcer making racially disparaging remarks about kneeling Black female players;  And lastly, not quite reparations, but close....an L.A. County official has announced plans to possibly return beachfront property to the family of the original black owners who lost the property due to racial intimidation and government seizure.     

Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!! 

or This link below.....
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The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s first episode is finally available on Disney+ and the world is celebrating the new hero duo’s arrival. Disney’s UK website reveals that Captain America’s shield is being displayed in a major way. Several countries across the globe are lighting up their iconic locations to show some love.

The iconic London Eye is giving us a cool display of red, white, and blue lights. And, the center of it boasts a projection of none other than Captain America’s classic piece of armor. It’s certainly a sight to behold and us Americans wish we could see it bright and shining in person. Because, even in the midst of our excitement, we do miss Steve Rogers.

This ode to Captain America quickly spread to several other countries with their own projections of the shield. The Singapore Flyer in the Republic of Singapore, Rome’s LunEur Flywheel, and the La Grande Roue de Marseille in France, which all look like giant Ferris wheels, are also displaying Cap’s shield in the middle with red or blue lights around its rim.

Disney UK

The Planetario planetarium in Buenos Aires boasts the shield on a giant ball sitting atop the building. It almost looks like a signal for both hope and help.

Disney UK

Finally, the Torre Latino in Mexico City and MAAG Hall in Zurich, Switzerland, have the symbol on the side of their respective buildings.

Disney UK

It’s not clear how long they will be on display. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will run for six episodes so perhaps these displays will stick around too. Either way, it’s a fun moment of solidarity as we move forward with Sam and Bucky’s action adventures. What will they face? And will Sam change his mind about being the next Captain America? We will see.

The post Global Shield Displays Celebrate THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER appeared first on Nerdist.