Black Panther, 4.5/5 STARS
Kicking off the year in style with entry #18 in the massively successful film franchise that is Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe, and the first of three this year celebrating ten years since it all began with the very first Iron Man, Black Panther sees Chadwick Boseman return home to Wakanda as King following the events of Captain America: Civil War (the same film he was introduced) as his ascension to the throne is challenged by a vengeful outsider.
Appropriately crowded with supporting talent from Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and Daniel Kaluuya fresh from his Academy Award nominated turn in last year’s Get Out, director Ryan Coogler (Creed) demonstrates strong female characters done right as he assembles not only another easy home run for Marvel but a film that is not reliant on the others, standing on its own two feet with a story unlike any other superhero romp you’ve seen before.
Gifted with superhuman abilities derived from a heart-shaped herb discovered centuries ago, T’Challa, now the newly crowned King of Wakanda following the death of his father, protects his nation as ‘The Black Panther’ in a suit made from vibranium (the most indestructible alloy in the universe). With his monarchy challenged by a foe claiming himself rightful heir, Black Panther re-teams with C.I.A. agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and members of the ‘Dora Milaje’ Wakandan special forces to prevent advanced technology native to his nation being exposed and used for war, all the while fighting for the people of his country to prove himself worthy as their leader.
Not just an exciting action flick with a killer soundtrack that features some of the most fully realized characters introduced thus far in the MCU or a pre-cursor for the big battle that’s about to go down in Avengers: Infinity War, this film’s important representation of black culture in Marvel’s first proper solo film lead by a black hero isn’t just worth a ticket, it’s worth two.
Game Night, 4/5 STARS
The first loud out loud comedy of the year brought to us from the guys who wrote both Horrible Bosses films, ‘Game Night’ stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams as a couple accidentally entangled in a murder mystery when one such game night takes an unexpected turn.
Max (Bateman) and Annie’s (McAdams) weekly couples gathering of fun, laughter and various parlour gets a little dash of more excitement when Max’s brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) decides to put together a murder mystery party complete with phony thugs and federal agents. When Brooks is kidnapped and everything seems all part of the game, six competitive gamers soon find not everything is what it seems as the difference between what’s real and what’s fake becomes unclear.
In over their heads as each new twist leads to another, one outrageously unpredictable night will make for either the best fun ever or game over for half a dozen friends desperate to win no matter the odds.
Benefitting from the pairing of two well known and likable actors’ chemistry leading the way for big laughs in their first comedy after two films together, this is one of those rare comedies where memorable characters involved in a night going horribly wrong etch themselves into your mind with jokes that land.
Fast paced and well thought up with an intriguing and hilarious premise, escapism at its finest with maybe the best comedy script thrown at audiences in a good while means you’ll not only have fun spending a couple of hours playing with these guys, you’ll be thinking which of your friends to invite as you plan your own game night before the credits start to roll.
Funny, charming and suspenseful all rolled into one easily accessible good time at the movies, pull up a seat and join the fun. Trying to win and telling a winning story in the process, you can almost smell the sequel because Game Night is one game you’ll be happy you played.