Showing posts with label African superheroes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label African superheroes. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

What Does The Black Panther Movie Tell Us about Black People?

The Black Panther Warrior Women
The Black Panther movie tells us a great deal about Black/African people, psychology, traditions and potential.  I saw the film last night and I enjoyed it immensely. It is doing brilliantly at the box office, breaking all kinds of records, as well it should. 
 
Lest we forget, the first Marvel comic films were the Blade trilogy, which did so well at the box office that they enabled Marvel to bankroll all the other superhero films they subsequently produced, yet, somehow, they have been left out of the Marvel narrative.

Further, lest we forget, Black filmmakers, notably Oscar Michaux, have been making films giving positive depictions of Black filmmakers since at least 1919.

I have a few quibbles about The Black Panther, as follows (this contains spoilers): 
  • I do not like to see two Black men duking it out as they do in the film, albeit displaying awesome fighting skills;  
  •  I particularly disliked seeing Black men and women fighting each other on the battlefield, and I'm not even sure what they were fighting about; 
  • The brother from U.S. appeared conflicted – he addresses a white woman as “Coloniser” and makes reference to the plunder of African artefacts, yet he partners with a white thief of, and dealer in, such artefacts;
  • Perhaps my strongest objection is to Martin Freeman's role – he plays a duplicitous, double-dealing CIA man (in other words, a CIA man) who allies with the Wakandans and, at the end of the film, is shown in the United Nations like some kind of benevolent paternalistic figure.
Having said all that, the visuals are amazing, the storyline and the depiction of African people as masters of technology are – well, masterful, and The Black Panther offers us a largely positive view of African people and traditions. The Wakandans, from the fictional African state of Wakanda, are depicted as kings, queens and heroes. And the movie is highly entertaining.  
 
The Black Panther is a dazzling sci-fi romp.  I am old enough to remember a time when Black people did not exist in the future, i.e. in science fiction.  So I greatly enjoy this film's strong characters. 


The characters' inner and outer conflicts mirror, to a certain extent, similar conflicting emotions within and among people from the Diaspora and the African Continent. I found this fascinating. 
 
One thing I particularly liked was that the men, and the women, were so beautiful to look at and so strong, brave and fearless. These sistas looked awesome. The characters carried themselves with great pride and dignity and the sistas were warriors, fully ready to throw down. 
 
I need to see this film again, soon, to gain clarity and because it is such great fun!  If you have not seen it yet, see it! 

What did you think of The Black Panther movie?  Please share this with your networks and please leave your comments below. Thanks.  
 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Black History Events: African Superheroes Day


London Black History Walks are continuing their pro- gramme of events. See below.






African Superheroes Day Sunday 27th Feb 2011

The original three-and-a-half-hour event repeated by popular demand with African Superhero DVDs for sale on the day and interviews with animators and directors.

African Superheroes: Many artists are making up for the severe lack of positive images of Black people in animated films and comics. This animation festival for 6-60-year-olds will feature a variety of African-themed cartoons which tell tales of; Magical Nigerian women warriors, Anansi the West African Folk Hero, The story of Ogun and Oshun, Teenage Black superheroes and more.

Click here for more info and to book. See below for more events.

Click here for Celebrating Black Heroes and Sheroes.

Walks in Trafalgar Square Sunday 13th and Monday 14th March

In 100 minutes, your guide will take you through hundreds of years of the African presence, and contribution, to London’s way of life. Discover secret alleyways and enormous buildings all connected to Africa and the Caribbean in ways which the owners do not want you to know. Find out about Black loyalists and African revolutionaries. Uncover the submerged links between racism, trade, religion, slavery and politics which are still evident in the very streets and buildings of the oldest part of London.

£7.00 adults £3.00 children. Group bookings possible. Walks last approx 2 hours, mail to info@blackhistorywalks.co.uk

Click here fore more info and to book. For background information, see: London Black History Walks. See below for more events.

Events with Black History Studies - Celebrating International Women's Day through Film

* Sunday 6th March 2011- Ida B.Wells: A Passion for Justice

* Wednesday 9th March 2011- Strange Fruit

* Wednesday 16th March 2011- Zora Nearle Hurston: Jump At The Sun

* Wednesday 23rd March 2011- Sisters In Law

* Sunday 27th March 2011- Assata Shakur: A Biography

Click here for more info and to book.