Celluloid Chronicles: The American Society of Magical Negros (2024)

As a Black queer person who has dedicated most of their life in and outside of the classroom to understanding American history and social injustice and oppression I’m gonna need y’all to lighten up. Movies don’t and won’t end structural oppression. Stop reviewing this as if they do.

This was totally fine and had just enough bite for the scope of its story. It was balanced, not suffocating. Hardly felt the length.

Most insufferable characters were insufferable just enough to make the culmination of the protagonist’s arc very satisfying. Justice Smith is really coming into his acting. Everyone did what they needed to do.

Self-actualisation isn’t going to automatically save the entire world but it does make a ripple and that’s an important thing to take away. Especially for younger people.

The romance wasn’t a distraction. It supported the main journey.

Commentaries on race/ism can be effective without being as biting and pessimistic as Sorry to Bother You. About nine years later we still have white supremacy and white people who feel woke because they liked that movie. Be serious.

Chill the hell out and have a little fun. We deserve a cute little thing that makes points without being overtly traumatizing and dripping with trauma porn.

The laughter and enjoyment I heard from my theater full of Black people of all ages made this worth seeing and existing. 3.5/5 Stars.

Support this film and tell your accomplices to check it out. It's cute.

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