“Soul” Review

Soul may just seem like an animated Disney Pixar movie but it’s more than just that. It touches on your personality and purpose in life, along with finding your spark.

Joe Gardner is a jazz teacher at a school and initially you’ll think that the movie is about music–hence soul. But it’s about your actual soul. He believes his purpose is to play music but after almost dying and living his dream, he wonders what his true niche is. While he is in “The Great Before” which is like a holding place to determine if he deserves to be back on earth, he has to mentor a soul named 22 who needs help finding her spark. She needs an “earth pass” in order to actually live life on earth. She’s had some of the best mentors and nothing appeased her, until she lived a day in a life on earth in Joe Gardner’s shoes by accident.

While 22 is on earth, she appreciates the simple things like eating a sucker while getting a hair cut and walking and touching nature. Since these are things Joe is used to, he tells 22 that those things don’t count as a spark. While she wants to stay on earth to truly figure out her spark, she has to return to the The Great Beyond with Joe so he could have his life back. She somehow received an earth pass but since she didn’t “find” out what her spark was, she gave her pass to Joe so he could have his life back.

He gives his pass to her in exchange for his own life and that good deed earned him a pass to get his life back and live out his dream of playing with a notable jazz player.

Soul (2020) directed by Pete Docter • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
letterboxd.com

This movie has so many lessons:

  • Don’t knock someone’s spark or niche just because it seems nonrelevant, simple or boring to you
  • Sometimes your spark find you
  • The things that you’ve always wanted aren’t what they seem to be once you’re living it
  • The simple things make life what it is

Let’s not forget to mention that Joe was played Jamie Foxx, his mother was played by Phylicia Rashad, notable jazz player Dorothea Williams was played by THEE Angela Bassett, and soul 22 was played by Tina Fey. Talk about some heavy hitters!!

What did you think of the Disney Pixar movie?

Black Panther Greatness

Featured image credit: qz.com

Talk about GREATNESS! Did you know that Black Panther made $218 MILLION over the weekend all over the country? Andddd it’s Black History Month! That some Black Excellence. I’m so proud of the movie’s debut success!

I went to see Black Panther on Friday, just like every other black person did this weekend and I enjoyed it of course. I will be the first to say that I’m not a Marvel fan….at all!! I’m not into superhero movies like that but I just HAD to see this film because:

  • Black director, Ryan Coogler
  •  Black film
  • Dope cast; Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’O, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett
  • And last but not least–Michael B Jordan.

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Spoiler Alert: I LOVED the story line and it made me think—maybe there is a whole different galaxy or planet or even a different country that has the advancements of technology that Wakanda had. The movie seemed more present day, especially with the settings of being in South Korea and London. I LOVED that there was a family tie between T’Challa (Boseman) and Killmonger (M.B. Jordan) and fighting for the throw because of a bad grudge being held.

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credit: collider.com

Also, I loved that Black Women played a significant part in the movie, from his sister being helpful with her technology knowledge by helping him drive a car while she was still stationed in Wakanda, to T’Challa being in South Korea. Also, Okoye being his right hand (wo)-man by helping him fight and using her sword power (like she did in Walking Dead). Also, Nakia was his eye candy but also a great spy working along to save others lives before T’Challa walked back into her life.

You hear a lot of one-man band superheroes but never a lot of black women superheros. There are Black Women Superheroes from the Marvel series like Storm from X-Men, Misty Knight, and Monica Rambeau, and maybe this movie will be the start of trying to make movies about them.

I’m just sooooo excited that black people mainly, but all races in general came out to A) support a Black Film, B) a Black director, C) a Marvel film that brings people from all races out…to support a black film–Black Panther.

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credit: entertainmentweekly.com

Fun Facts about the director: Ryan Coogler:

  • He directed his first film at age 27, which was Fruitvale Station
  • He directed his second film at age 29, which was Creed
  • Third film he directed was Black Panther, at age 31.

 

If you haven’t seen the movie….see it! If you have seen it…see it just ONE MORE TIME lol–for the culture–for the young directors like Ryan Coogler making a come up!!

Danii Gold out!