Black Panther Trailer 2017 - Official 2018 Movie Teaser

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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I enjoyed I, Tonya. Wind river was ok, another movie trying to be arty but not getting there. Three billboards was better. I, Tonya was quite refreshing.

Dunkirk was boring. Did no justice to such a grand piece of history. Post was interesting as a true story. I haven't seen lady bird and shape of water yet
 

853guy

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Aug 14, 2013
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I don't think any of us who indicated we enjoyed the film were stating it was a great film irrespective of genre. I am not into "super hero" movies in general and avoid them for the most part. Off the top of my head about the only three that I have enjoyed were: 1) The original Iron Man, 2) WonderWoman and 3) Back Panther. What these three have in common is there is a story line for a least the first 2/3's of the film, the super hero fighting is limited to the end of the movie and you don't have to check your entire brain at the door.

I do not disagree with your point that Hollywood is getting worse every year. I can't even pick a "Best Picture favorite from this past year. Sure there are parts of "Three Billboards", "I, Tonya", "Dunkirk", "Darkest Hour", "The Post" and "Lady Bird" that I enjoyed. When I leave the theater I don't want to think that every character is just a shitty person like in "I, Tonya" and "Three Billboards", or with gaping storyline holes like "Darkest Hour" or "The Post". I probably enjoyed "Lady Bird" the most but I had a hard time seeing Soirse Ronin playing a 17 year old high school student even if I thought she was outstanding in "Brooklyn".

The two movies that I felt were overlooked this year were; "Detroit" and "Wind River".

Hi still-one,

My perspective is probably not too dissimilar.

Superhero stories by definition have a common ailment that becomes more chronic the longer the narrative continues. If the superhero has powers the rest of humanity do not, and he or she is therefore defined by those powers and is not subject to mortality in the same way humanity is - why the heck should we care about their fate?

It all comes down to stakes. If the superhero cannot be significantly harmed, nor die, where does the audience invest their emotional connection? Where are the stakes? Isn’t it entirely predictable the superhero will face a villian or nemesis, defeat them, save humanity in the process and live to fight another day (i.e. appear in another sequel, or two, or three)?

To me, the best superhero stories embrace the arc, but constantly raise the stakes.

The way Marvel has raised the stakes is by stuffing more heroes into each film. To me though, it sucks the ability to connect with any of the characters out of the film, because, firstly, there’s too many, and heck, we know we’re all going to see them again, if not in their own spinoffs.

Christopher Nolan’s strategy was to make Bruce Wayne very human, but reduced his agency as each film progressed, treated his female companions as largely disposable, and far more problematically, reduced the stakes until a bunch of nameless, faceless citizens ended up not being harmed (the Joker blew up an empty hospital, didn’t blow up the boats, and Bane sends everyone home to safety).

For all the feminist rhetoric around Wonder Woman, we celebrate that she’s simply just like us until - oh, wait - she’s immortal too.

And by making the villains more evil (they want to destroy all of humanity? Wow, did not see that coming…), and less connected to who the hero is - a great villain after all mirrors an aspect of the hero, and therefore defines the hero's destiny (Darth Vader is Luke’s father, Voldemort is a part of Harry Potter, Syndrome was a fan of Mr. Incredible, Lord Garmadon is Lloyd Garmadon’s father (the Lego Ninjago Movie), the Vulture happens to be Spider-Man’s date’s dad…).

In other words, in order for the hero to truly become who they are meant to be, they must in fact destroy a part of themselves - that’s where part of the stakes lie. However, when the villain has no personal connection to the hero, and the hero themselves cannot be killed - where are the stakes? The GCI people crushed by rubble?

It may be true Hollywood has a superhero problem. But mostly, it has a stakes problem.

Best,

853guy
 

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