Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 5 nominations

 

Best Achievement in Costume Design Ruth E. Carter

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Camille Friend Joel Harlow

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) Tems Rihanna Ryan Coogler Ludwig Göransson For song "Lift Me Up"

Best Achievement in Visual Effects Geoffrey Baumann Craig Hammack R. Christopher White Daniel Sudick

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Angela Bassett

There's so much to this amazing film which I utterly loved that it's just too much to convey in a blog post. The best way I can approach this is in chunks.

Chunk One:

Wakanda is mourning the loss of their King T'challa, especially his mother, Queen Ramonda, and his sister, Shuri, who are holding the country together.  They are naturally devastated and together they are trying to forge ahead. Ramonda begs Shuri to pursue scientific research to restore the herb that a person ingests to become the new Black Panther, but Shuri is reluctant believing that this role is now defunct with her brother's passing. It can't be overstated how powerful the death and mourning rituals are portrayed in the film, and the costuming is beyond remarkable.

Chunk Two:

The world wants vibranium.  Researchers find a deposit in the ocean and are racing to mine it thanks to a vibranium detector invented by a young brilliant college student, when a group of blue water-breathing superhumans defend their territory with their leader Namor.  Namor wants to fend off any attacks from humans and take the fight to them (call it the Bush doctrine of the MCU), while the Wakandans believe in defending their resources rather than conducting offensive attacks.  Namor threatens the Wakandans that they either deliver the young inventor to him, or suffer the consequences.

Chunk Three:

Shuri struggles with the call to become the Black Panther, and ultimately must decide how she will lead her people. She is led down a difficult path when she communes with the now-dead Killmonger who urges her to seek revenge, while her inner voice pushes her toward brokering peace.

All of this to say, see the movie for yourself - my description is far too clinical for a film that is meant to be enjoyed.  Every element of this film works in concert to produce a gorgeous, meaningful experience.  I cried multiple times (we know that means nothing), and truly the Costume Designer Ruth Carter must win again (she won for Black Panther) - I don't know how she topped herself but she truly did.  Angela Bassett, who is always a powerhouse, changed my DNA in this role.  It is her world, and we all just live in it.