I’d be lying if I didn’t start this off by saying, I walked out of “Black Panther 2” a tad disappointed by Ryan Coogler a few days ago when I watched the new film for the very first time. I couldn’t get the disappointment of Wanda’s incredibly brief and quick grief progression from the Doctor Strange sequel out of my head.

So when I walked out of the screening room after the film ended, amongst a few other fellow critics, and thought to myself “damn, Marvel done did it again” … I was hurt. Why would Ryan Coogler — a director and writer we’ve all grown to love and respect, thanks to his amazing work on the original Black Panther film, along with Creed, and Fruitvale Station — choose to write Shuri’s grief oh so similar to Wanda’s?

From my own experience, grief isn’t one dimensional. And while I get that there’s more to grief than just anger or immense sadness, after watching Black Panther 2, I almost felt like Shuri’s lack of emotions was a disservice to her character.

As T’Challa’s little sister, I couldn’t understand why Shuri would only be seen buried beneath her work to cover up her emotions, and then have her flip the script only a few scenes after into complete outrage. Where were the tears? The cold shoulders? The locking one’s self in a dark room to ignore everyone as one attempts to understand why the world would be so cruel as to take away someone you loved?

Maybe it’s my flair for the theatre that had hoped Shuri’s grief process would have been a tad bit more … dramatic, in it’s delivery?

But after attending the Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever press conference last week, and hearing Ryan Coogler himself speak on using the entire cast — not just Shuri, to show what grief was like after T’Challa’s passing, I get it.

Oddly enough, Coogler’s words comforted me enough to allow me to be able to open up to the idea of channeling the grief one has when a loved one passes away through the entire ensemble. When explaining how his decision to put women front and center in “Wakanda Forever” had absolutely nothing to do with gender, Coogler said that grief is “like a bomb that goes off” and “you know, when you lose somebody, there’s, like, a blast radius”. So those that are the closest to the bomb when it goes off, gets hurt the most!

But after learning that Coogler hates bragging on himself, thanks to the “Wakanda Forever” press conference moderator Jacqueline Coley (who I actually got to meet a few years ago in LA thanks to The Geekly Retreat). It’s producer Nate Moore, who goes on to say that “as storytellers, you just wanna be as honest as possible with what the characters would experience in the film after they experience the loss of T’Challa”.

And sometimes that’s not just grief … “It’s also sometimes joy, sometimes humor. It is all of the emotions anyone feels with any profound loss”, Moore continues. “But we had such a collection of talent and such a collection of characters, who all have a different point of view with that loss, that I think Ryan found ways to express all the different colors of grief through the ensemble. And that’s not just the Wakandans, by the way, who definitely feel it, but it’s the loss that Namor and the Talokan feel because of the loss of their homeland [as well].”

So when you watch “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” this month, pay attention not just to how T’Challa’s mother or sister reacts to his passing, but also his love Nakia, M’Baku, and even the Talokans.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 11, 2022. 

“Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever” hasn’t even hit theaters yet, and fans of the sequel are already wondering why it seems like the sequel favors a certain gender. As if men haven’t reigned the superhuman world for centuries before this.

Hell, someone even commented on my Wakanda Forever Tik Tok review, to ask “where are all the men“, as if they just up and disappeared out of Wakanda. *insert rolling eyes emoji here* See video below.

Another tiktoker stopped to comment on the video above that it was “foul swapping out men for women.” “Why is this happening!”, she cried. To that of course I laughed, because … folks haven’t even seen the film yet and they’re already fake outraged. Jesus.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying “Wakanda Forever” is perfect, but please miss me with the bullshit today about how the sequel doesn’t include Black men and the political agenda Ryan Coogler is creating because of this.

Relax! Again, is Marvel paying y’all? Just because a film features it’s women more heavily in its sequel, doesn’t mean there’s some agenda at play — or that they’re trying to erase the men altogether. What would be the reason!!?

But if you’re wondering where all the men went in “Wakanda Forever”, Ryan Coogler said something so damn profound at the press conference, I almost jumped outta my seat.

When explaining how his decision to put women front and center in “Wakanda Forever” had absolutely nothing to do with gender, Coogler said that grief is “like a bomb that goes off” and “you know, when you lose somebody, there’s, like, a blast radius”. So those that are the closest to the bomb when it goes off, gets hurt the most!

So when T’Challa died, he had to think about who would be impacted the most by that “bomb” going off — and of course, that makes total sense on why “Wakanda Forever” highlights the women of Wakanda.

Ryan goes on to explain that, “the main characters [and] their identities were kinda wrapped up in this man, you know”. “Every day [Shuri] was alive, she had her brother. So when she lost him, you know … what we discovered while we were working on the script, and then eventually bringing it to life with the actors … was that she really lost her sense of self. You know, she identified herself as this guy’s little sister, you know what I mean? And as his protector and as the person who looks out for him.”

“It wasn’t really about gender, directly, you know what I mean?”, Coogler continues. “It was about who was the most … you know … who would be most affected, you know?” And yes, I totally get it!

I too was frustrated with Ryan, just like Lupita (despite her frustrations being for a whole different reason) after watching “Wakanda Forever” because I had my own perceived connotations of the film after my first viewing. But after listening to Ryan Coogler speak about what he really wanted from this sequel, it’s evident that he went into this clear headed. Coogler took the time to think about how everyone would be affected by this death, including the audience.

Not to mention, “M’Baku was in this movie more than he was in the first Black Panther. I think probably, like, a two to one ratio. You know, he probably has twice as many scenes as he had in the first one”. And that’s a direct quote from the writer and director himself! Not a guess, thank you very much.

However, I will say, without spoilers, a few other men from the first film show up as well. There’s even a scene towards the end that I love with our men and women showing up on screen! Of course we all know that Daniel Kaluuya had to step out to film Jordan Peele’s third feature film “Nope“. But I’m not sure why people think they’re erasing Black men.

So contrary to what you may believe, this isn’t about erasing Black men, or saying Black women can do it all on their own! It’s about how when this Black man died, his family is who felt the most pain! Yeah the country is in an uproar at the moment, and yes they feel his lost. But his sister, his mother, and the love of his life — those are the people that the story focuses in on, because they’re the ones left to pick up the pieces.

And it’s really just that simple.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 11, 2022. 

Everyone remembers the last Tyler Perry movie that came to Netflix a few years ago right? Of course you do, because it was TRASH! (And the memes are here to prove it.) I still can’t get over the fact that A Fall From Grace was made in 5 days! Why?! What for?! Ugh.

So when I got the news that Tyler Perry was releasing another movie on Netflix of course I flinched. PSTD much? But …

If you’re a BIG fan of Tyler Perry movies, you may be in for a treat.

Netflix is getting a new Madea movie, called A Madea Homecoming and it doesn’t look too bad.

However, I have to admit, when I first read the title “A Madea Homecoming” I sure did think sis was gonna die in this one. Don’t even laugh at me right now. It’s early, I’m hungry, and maybe my glasses ain’t on right. But I am excited to check this out to see how many days he wasted on this movie. Sorry that was mean.

What I mean is …

I loved Madea growing up, so I’m hoping this film is right on par with his first few films (even though — yes those were a bit problematic too), and not like A Fall From Grace.

Lord please just don’t let this be like A Fall From Grace! Anywho …

About Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming

Madea’s back — hallelujer! Tyler Perry returns with everyone’s favorite character in Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming, the newest film in the MADEA franchise set to debut on Netflix.

Writer-director-producer Perry stars in the film that centers around Madea’s great-grandson’s college graduation, though the celebratory moment hits a halt as hidden secrets and family drama threaten to destroy the happy homecoming.

The film features all-stars of the MADEA franchise, including Tamela Mann (Cora), David Mann (Mr. Brown), Cassi Davis Patton (Aunt Bam) as well as a guest appearance from iconic Irish actor Brendan O’Carroll, who matches Madea’s comedic prowess as Agnes Brown.

A Madea Homecoming will premiere on Feb 25, 2022 on Netflix. Are you ready?