The act of making a movie is the act of solving an escalating series of fiendishly difficult problems. If there’s a story problem the dumbass screenwriter missed, you have to fix it. If your lead actor can’t perform the role the way you need, you need to handle it. If you run out of money three-quarters of the way through filming, you must find a way to work the problem. Ryan Coogler understands this concept intimately. He broke in as a filmmaker with the independent film Fruitvale Station. He invigorated the way past dead Rocky franchise with Creed. Most notably, he made one of the most intelligent... Read More

My kid’s favorite superhero is the Black Panther. Not Spider-Man. Not Captain America. Not Batman. Not even Blue Beetle. He’s a gigantic fan of Marvel’s T’Challa, the ruler of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. But why is he a fan of that guy? Well, let’s hear it from the horse’s….ah….10-year-old’s mouth. “He’s smarter than Iron Man and Batman. He’s sneaky, He fights battles he knows he can’t win for honor and to help. He held the Infinity Gauntlet, for crying out loud! He must be a great hero!” Now, there are a couple of details you need to keep in mind. First,... Read More

Movies get made for two reasons, to make money and as a passion project. But here’s the thing, a movie made to turn a profit can be made with wit, intelligence and pride. Just look at Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Casino Royale, or The Lego Movie. On the flip side of that coin, films like The Passion of the Christ, JFK, or Do The Right Thing were all made by filmmakers burning to tell a story, and they were all financially successful. But certain topics seem to be audience resistant these days. War movies might do okay, providing they’re set during World War II. However,... Read More