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Movie Review: Hidden Figures

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Happy belated International Women’s Day everyone!, I was very happy to spend the afternoon with my mom, and watch such an inspiring story of determination, unity and human progress.  I must admit that between X-Men: First Class, Dreamgirls, and Hidden Figures the 60s are quickly becoming a favorite go-to era of mine where cinema is concerned. With respect to segregation, the red scare, and the approach to seeming difference in general, this era serves as an interesting mirror in terms of what lessons we have learned, and perhaps what lessons we have not.

Overall Hidden Figures is a story about determination in the face of prejudice and fostering the ties that bind. Through a retelling the stories of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson we are introduced to a lesser known trial of how these pioneers persisted and made a difference despite the obstacles of segregation. It’s a real heartfelt story about the sacrifice that trailblazers make and what the legacy of being “first” provides. Hidden Figures offers also an intersectional perspective on minority relations and hardship. Beneath the story of NASA in the context of 1960s segregation, there are clear parallels to our current debate on bathroom access for transgender individuals and our current dilemma with the rise in Islamophobia.

At the heart of Hidden Figures is a film and story about the true and total cost of prejudice. The silliness of propping up such traditions of segregation is really anchored in the film when you see the talent that the separation has potentially squandered away. In light of the themes of Hidden Figures and the mission to space that it overlooks, I was reminded of an article titled “Earthrise – a Mythic Image of Our Time.” When John Glenn gets to space, and we see the globe in its entirety, you can’t help but be reminded of humankind’s unitary fate.

There is also an interesting sub-theme of our symbiosis with technology and by extension “the other/unknown.” We see Dorothy Vaughn’s exploration into the Fortran language and the emergence of one the first IBM computers. A subtle yet poignant parallel is drawn between both minority and machine being a threat to job security. Most of this is in fact the driving force between the prejudice seen in the film as job scarcity, perceived talent, and “seniority” appear to be at odds with inclusiveness and exploration. In the end the impulse and benefit of “working with” wins out over “working against” and it really is the most timely and beautiful message to have.

Overall Hidden Figures felt like a spiritual prequel to film Apollo 13, just far less boring and with a strong message. Although it was not without its slow parts, the film is an enjoyable family friendly conveyance of a story that is relevant and timely given what we face in our current political environment. I left the theater feeling driven by my own personal hardships, and a bit proud and hopeful for humanity. This is something I think is sorely needed at this time, if you haven’t seen Hidden Figures, I strongly suggest you do. I am sure you’ll walk out feeling the same way.

Overall Rating 9.5

LEGO Batman Beats Fifty Shades Darker and John Wick to Win the Weekend Box Office

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the-lego-batman-movieThe LEGO Batman Movie topped the box office earning an estimated $55.6 million for its first weekend. The film opened similarly to The LEGO Movie which earned $69 million its opening weekend. Overseas The LEGO Batman Movie earned an estimated $37 million to bring its worldwide total to $92.6 million. With little competition for a while and good word of mouth, the film should do quite well based on its “A-” CinemaScore and 91% approval on RottenTomatoes.

In second place was another new film, Fifty Shades Darker, the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey. The film earned an estimated $46.8 million. That’s an astounding $40 million less than the first film which earned $85.2 million and went on to earn $571 million worldwide. The film did earn $100.1 million from 57 markets for a total of $146.9 million. The original film dropped 74% in its second weekend, so it should be interesting to see how this does. With Valentine’s Day this week, who knows how that’ll factor into things, but it should help.

John Wick: Chapter Two was in third place and also another debut. The film earned an estimated $30 million domestically and $10.6 million from 41 foreign markets. The film received an “A-” CinemaScore and 90% on RottenTomatoes. The original film opened with $14 million domestically and went on to earn $43 million domestically and $43 million in foreign markets.

Split finally drops from first place moving to fourth. The film earned an additional $9.3 million domestically and earned $112.3 million from the domestic box office and $57.1 million from foreign markets for a total of $169.4 million. With a budget of just $9 million, that’s a fantastic return of 18.8 so far (and counting).

Rounding out the top five, Hidden Figures added an estimated $8 million to its total. It currently stands at $131.5 million domestically. It has passed La La Land for domestic earnings, but that film leads for worldwide total.

In more comic film related news, Doctor Strange added $187,000 to its total to bring its domestic total to $232.2 million. Worldwide, the film has earned $673.6 million. We’ll have more of a breakdown as far as 2016’s comic movies in an hour.

Split Threepeats While Rings is a Close Second

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splitSplit did it again winning the box office this Super Bowl weekend. The film added an estimated $14.6 million to bring its domestic total to $98.7 million. That’s impressive as the film had a budget of just $9 million. Worldwide the film has earned $142.7 million.

In second place was new film Rings, the latest entry in the horror franchise. The film earned an estimated $13 million.

A Dog’s Purpose dropped the third place in its second weekend. The film earned an estimated $10.8 million. The controversial film has earned $32.9 million off of a $22 million budget.

In fourth place is Hidden Figures adding $10.1 million to its domestic total. The film was followed in fifth by another awards darling La La Land which added $7.45 million to its domestic total.

In comic film news Doctor Strange added $228,000 to its domestic total to bring the film to $231.9 million domestically and $669.9 million worldwide. We’ll have a deeper dive into 2016’s comic adaptations in an hour.

Next weekend sees the debut of The LEGO Batman Movie which is sure to knock Split off its perch.

Split Repeats in First While A Dog’s Purpose Finds One

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splitSplit repeated for a second weekend at the box office with an impressive $26.3 million. The M. Night Shyamalan film has been riding good worth of mouth and buzz that this is his best film since The Sixth Sense with a return to form. The weekend saw only a 34% drop from the previous weekend.

In second place was the controversial film A Dog’s Purpose. It debuted with $18.4 million off of a $22 million budget. The film made news when video surfaced of dog’s being mistreated during the filming. The film’s success was primarily due to younger kids, 53% of the audience were 13 and older and 47% of the audience were families with children under the age of 13. The film’s success mostly might have been due to lack of new competition for the segment.

In third place was Hidden Figures which earned an estimated $14 million and crossed the $100 million domestic mark. The film sits at $104 million.

In fourth was new film Resident Evil: The Final Chapter which earned an estimated $13.9 million. That’s the lowest debut for any film of the franchise, the previous being the debut film which earned $17.7 million.

Rounding out the top five was La La Land which also crossed the $100 million domestic mark adding $12.1 million to its total. The film has earned $106.5 million domestically.

I more comic related news, Doctor Strange earned $102,200 domestically. The film stands at $231.6 million domestically and $664.6 million worldwide. We’ll be back in an hour for further examination fo the comic film adaptations released in 2016.

Shyamalan’s Split Tops the Weekend Box Office While XXX Comes in Second

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splitM. Night Shyamalan‘s Split had an impressive debut at the box office earning an estimated $40.19 million in its opening weekend. That’s the fourth largest January opening. The film received a “B+” CinemaScore and had a 52% female audience and 52% under the age of 25.

Also new at the box office, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage earned an estimated $20 million domestically and $50.5 million internationally for a debut that was in line with expectations. The film has a budget of just $85 million and received an “A-” CinemaScore. It should do just fine in the long run.

Hidden Figures dropped to third place adding $16.25 million to its total. The film has earned $84.2 million so far in its run which should continue to do well with awards season plugging along.

Sing was in fourth place adding $9 million to its total to bring the domestic earnings to $249.4 million. Rounding out the top five was La La Land with $8.35 million to bring its domestic total to $89.7 million.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story added $7 million to its total to bring its overall earnings to over $1 billion.

In comic film news, Doctor Strange added $145,000 to its domestic total to bring that to $231.5 million. We’ll be back in an hour for more insight into how 2016’s comic films performed.

Hidden Figures Wins the Weekend Box Office

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hidden-figures-750x315_origHidden Figures won the weekend box office with an estimated $20.45 million in its fourth week of release. The film has earned $54.8 million domestically so far getting a nice boost from award season buzz.

In second place was another film getting award buzz (and wins) with La La Land which earned an estimated $14.5 million after six weeks. The film has earned $74.1 million domestically and $54.8 million at the foreign box office for a worldwide total of $128.9 million.

In third place was Sing which sat in the same position last week. That film earned $13.8 million to bring its domestic total to $233 million. Its worldwide total stands at $397.3 million.

In fourth was Rogue One: A Star Wars Story which dropped from last weekend’s second place. The film added $13.8 million to its total and its domestic total is now $498.9 million. Worldwide the film has earned $979.95 million. It’ll likely cross the billion dollar mark in the next week or two. The film is now the number one domestic film of 2016.

In fifth was the new film The Bye Bye Man which debuted with $13.4 million. With a budget of just $7.4 million the folks behind that film should be quite happy with that debut and the film will make a nice profit by the time it wraps up.

Monster Trucks was another debut opening at #7 and earning $10.5 million. The reportedly $125 million film is an utter disaster already causing issues for Paramount and Viacom.

Opening just behind that film is Sleepless at #8 with an estimated $8.5 million.

Doctor Strange is still earning some dollars coming in at #27 with an estimated $197,000. The film has earned $231.2 million domestically and has earned $427.9 million at foreign box offices. The film is currently at $659.2 million worldwide.

We’ll be back in an hour to further discuss 2016’s comic film adaptations.

Rogue One is First Again, But Hidden Figures is a Close Second

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rogueone_onesheeta_1000_309ed8f6Rogue One: A Star Wars Story repeated in first place for the fourth weekend in a row earning an estimated $21.97 million for the weekend. The film has earned $477.3 million domestically and now stands at $914.4 million worldwide. That has had the film move into fifth place for worldwide earnings for a film released in 2016.

In a close second was Hidden Figures which received its national release. The film earned $21.8 million for the weekend bringing its total to an estimated $24.8 million after three weeks. The film had a budget of $25 million so should do quite well especially after lots of buzz and positive word of mouth. The film’s success was driven by a diverse audience that was 64% female, 56% of the audience under the age of 35, and 43% of the audience Caucasian, 37% African-American, and 13% Hispanic.

In third place was Sing which added an estimated $19.6 million to bring its domestic total to $213.4 million and worldwide total to $356.9 million. The film is doing quite well, especially with a budget of just $75 million.

In fourth was Underworld: Blood Wars which earned an estimated $13.1 million. The film debuted with the lowest opening for an Underworld film and received a “B+” CinemaScore. It’s unknown what the international earnings are so far. With a budget of $35 million, the film will likely make a slight profit by the time things are done.

In fifth was La La Land which was boosted due to awards season. The film earned an estimated $10 million for a domestic gross of $51.7 million. With a budget of just $30 million, the film will do quite well in the long run and make a nice profit.

In comic book films, Doctor Strange was #19 earning $330,000 as the film begins to wrap up its domestic run. The film has earned $230.9 million domestically and $658.9 million worldwide. The film still needs to debut in Japan so it’s unknown how it’ll look when it’s completely over.

We’ll be back in an hour with an updated look at comic book movie adaptations released in 2016.

If/Then: If You Liked Hidden Figures Then Check Out These Comics!

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When it comes to suggesting comics for individuals to check out, it’s often good to start with what they like in other media like television, movies, books, or video games. Enter If/Then, where we’ll throw out suggestions for you to check out! First up, the film Hidden Figures which opens in wide release this coming weekend!

Hidden Figures is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)-brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

If you enjoyed the film, or interested by the subject matter, here’s five comics for you to check out and why!

marchMarch – The celebrated and award-winning graphic novel by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell recounts Cong. Lewis’ experiences during the Civil Rights Movement. A first-hand account of pivotal history brought to life through graphic art, the graphic novels consist of three volumes taking you through the turbulent times and delivering an educational and emotional read.

Each volume seems to improve on the next not just taking you through history, but is presented in such a fashion that’ll leave you speechless as you ride through the emotional roller coaster within.

This is a prime example of the power of comics and graphic novels in helping preserve and teach history.

Buy it Now! Digitally Vol. 1 Vol. 2 Vol. 3 | Physical

shechangedcomics-1CBLDF Presents: She Changed Comics – If you want to learn some history about women in comics, check out CBLDF Presents: She Changed Comics which was put together by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

She Changed Comics is the definitive history of the women who changed free expression in comics, with profiles of more than 60 groundbreaking female professionals and interviews with the women who are changing today’s medium, including Raina Telgemeier, Noelle Stevenson, G. Willow Wilson, and more! She Changed Comics also examines the plights of women imprisoned and threatened for making comics and explores the work of women whose work is being banned here in the United States.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has also put together a web page as a resource where you can find out more about women in the comic book history.

Buy it Now! Digitally Digitally | Physical

the_unstoppable_wasp__1The Unstoppable Wasp #1 – A superhero comic might feel like an odd choice for this one, but hear me out as to why. Written by Jeremy Whitley with art by Elsa Charretier, the comic features the newest Wasp, Nadia Pym, as she attempts to find her way in the superhero world.

What makes this comic make the list is the focus on STEM, women in science, and smashing the patriarchy. The comic has Nadia finding her role and throws it out there that until recently the Marvel Universe was dominated by men (and mostly white men) until recently and it’s time to get some women recognized when it comes to the smartest people in the Marvel Universe.

What’s also great is each issue will feature real women who work in STEM fields in real life through a Q&A. The comic not only entertains but also hopefully will encourage more women to enter this world for a career.

Read our review and our ten reasons to get the first issue.

Buy it Now! Digitally Digitally | Physical Physical

cmpursuitcoverCaptain Marvel Vol. 1: In Pursuit of Flight – Ace pilot. Legendary Avenger. One hundred percent pure bad-^&*. Carol Danvers has a new name, a new mission – and all the power she needs to make her own life a living hell. As the new Captain Marvel, Carol is forging from a challenge from her past! It’s a firefight in the sky as the Banshee Squadron debut – but who are the Prowlers, and where has Carol seen them before? And how does secret NASA training program Mercury 13 fit in? Witness Captain Marvel in blazing battlefield action that just may change the course of history! Avengers Time Travel Protocols: engage!

Written by Kelly Sue Deconnick with art by Dexter Soy and Emma Rios, the story is fun action, but also explores the little known history of the women who attempted to join the Apollo program.

Buy it Now! Digitally | Physical

laika_bookcover1Laika – Laika was the abandoned puppy destined to become Earth’s first space traveler. This is her journey.

Nick Abadzis masterfully blends fiction and fact in the intertwined stories of three compelling lives. Along with Laika, there is Korolev, once a political prisoner, now a driven engineer at the top of the Soviet space program, and Yelena, the lab technician responsible for Laika’s health and life. This intense triangle is rendered with the pitch-perfect emotionality of classics like Because of Winn Dixie, Shiloh, and Old Yeller.

Abadzis gives life to a pivotal moment in modern history, casting light on the hidden moments of deep humanity behind history.

While the graphic novel isn’t perfect when it comes to the history it’s a great introduction to this part of history of space flight and great for kids who may be interested in learning about it and being entertained.

Buy it Now! Digitally | Physical

What did we miss in our suggestions? What would you suggest? Add yours in the comments!

 

 

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