Reel Talk: Queen & Slim

CogNegro's Take: Phrases such as "must see" and "groundbreaking" are used in such  a superfluous manner   when it comes to promoting a film, especially during Oscar season! However, Melina Matsoukas theatrical debut warrants such declarations. Queen and Slim is embedded with poignant relevance and perfectly encapsulates the political and social complexities of being “Black in America” without being derivative or cliched.  It pulsates with authenticity, throughout its entire run, and deftly balances a myriad of moods. Not once did I feel jarred or misplaced by the shifting of contextual tones or peeved by the diverse narrative perspectives.The soundtrack enhances each scene, with acute subtly, and the cinematography captures our country’s flawed beauty through pristine shots.Its subject matter will  prove to be divisive, but that is usually a tell tale sign that we have just experienced what is perhaps one of the most important films this past decade! -CgN (A+)

Reel Talk: SHAZAM!

Review:

It’s no secret that Warner Bros/DC Comics have been playing catch up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the last nine years.  Due to their delayed start, they have produced films that have proven quite divisive (Man of Steel) and at worst, very lackluster (Suicide Squad). The 2017 release of Wonder Woman did bring a glimmer of hope as it relates to the potential of the DC Universe. However, those hopes were dashed with the underwhelming Justice League. Enter SHAZAM!

Anyone who is familiar with the Fawcett Comics champion is aware that the original source material isn’t the most grounded.  But then again, neither is a talking raccoon and tree. Thankfully, the powers decided to use the NEW 52 Geoff Johns as inspiration! John’s run was quite successfully in portraying the titular hero in a more relatable and modern setting.

In short, SHAZAM is the best DC Cinematic film to date! The reason why I hold Meteor Man is such high regard is that it perfectly conveyed a heroic wonderment that permeated throughout the whole film. SHAZAM captures that same lighting in a bottle (pun intended). I actually felt like an adolescent that was ready to don a sheet and pretend to apprehend invisible foes. Mum's the word on whether I actually did such a thing when I returned from the theater.

Zachary Levine is perfectly cast as the street wise yet amiable Billy Batson. But it isn’t just Levi that captures your attention. The ensemble cast plays their role in making this one of the most charming and entertaining adaptation of a DC property. The most impressive feat however, was making the emotional facets of this movie come off as genuine and not contrived. The themes of identity and family were rendered in acute fashion and not ruined by consistent quips or lachrymose dialogue; I’m looking at you Guardians of The Galaxy 2!  How encouraging it is to witness the DC universe coming into its own with its delivery of quality stand-alone films that concentrate on character development as oppose to serving as precursors to future vehicles. So say his name…without giggling of course! CgN -(A)