The Woman King directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
When I first saw previews for The Woman King, I will admit that I was very skeptical of its success. Honestly, the title was kind of strange to me, and while it was clear Viola Davis was going to serve, you can never count on the writing to back up star power. I was so happy to be wrong, and I was blown away by this movie. If you had any hesitancy about seeing The Woman King, let this humble recommendation be your divine sign to go to the theaters TODAY.
This movie takes place in the early 19th century African kingdom of Dahomey. The Agojie are the female warriors of the kingdom, and are revered and feared by their people and those even beyond their walls. The Dahomey kingdom’s main source of income is through the slave trade, of which they sell war prisoners from rival kingdoms and tribes to the Europeans. When Nanisca (played by Viola Davis), the general of the Agojie, sees that the corruption of the slave trade has reached members of her own community, she begins to understand the implications of Dahomey’s participation in the trade, and how these affects ripple throughout Africa. The ruler of Dahomey, King Ghezo (played by John Boyega), begins a war with the rival kingdom responsible for putting Dahomean women up for sale. Nanisca, on the other hand, has a new determination to change her king’s mind about their own participation in the slave trade. With a new war ahead, Dahomey is in search of more soldiers, and the Agojie begin training new, young women to fight, kill, and die for their kingdom.
This movie hit all the right notes for me: storytelling, action sequences, music, costuming and set-design. What I am still thinking about, weeks later, is the relationship between the two main characters in this story, Nanisca and Nawi (played by Thuso Mbedu). I am not going to spoil this movie in any way, but I loved the way these two were juxtaposed. Nanisca is the fierce, weathered warrior, who is a product of a violent, hypermasculine, and misogynistic world. She adopted similar attributes and beliefs in order to survive, developing her own armor for the traumas of her past. Nawi, on the other hand, is what we might call a “hotshot” if this was an 80s action flick. She’s young and strong-willed, with a drive to be the best of the Agojie. As Nawi plays the part of the reckless rookie, she is also facing new feelings and experiences, all alongside trying to figure out who she is, who she wants to be, and her place in the kingdom. By the end of the film, their impact on one another is immense, not just as warriors but as women.
Needless to say, I cried a lot in this movie. The emotions, the drama…I love seeing women allowed a full range of complicated, painful emotions! It is so much fun to see new stories and characters. And seeing European slave traders get ripped to shreds isn’t too bad either.
-Elise
The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir
The hook on the back of Gideon the Ninth (and Harrow the Ninth) is the lure of lesbian necromancers. If, however, you’re like me, and you need more than that to pick up a book—specifically a reason why the book is good—then I’m happy to provide that service for you. Sincerely, pick up The Locked Tomb series. You’ll have some fun.
The first book, Gideon the Ninth, follows its two protagonists as they compete with other Houses in a trial to win the favor of the Emperor. The book already mixes sci-fi and fantasy, but then adds a third genre element halfway through that upheaves the narrative (this series likes to do that–upheaval). The writing is electrifying, the plot page-turning, and the end so gut-wrenching that I truly sat there in disbelief and denial. Harrow the Ninth follows the consequences of the Emperor’s trial, especially the psychological damage–this book feels like a study of a crumbling psyche. The use of point of view throughout the entire series is sharp, but the way Muir utilizes it in Harrow to portray trauma is masterful. And considering the way time and memory jumble and disassemble, the book invites multiple rereads. The latest release, Nona the Ninth, delves deeper into the empire aspect of the series and how that affects family, selfhood, and community, all while setting the stage for the final novel (yet to be released).
Like many fantasies, The Locked Tomb series questions what it means to be a chivalric hero; like many sci-fis, the series contends with expansion and empire over planetary space. As a whole, the series is deeply interested in self, the body, and soul: the dead come back to life, in whichever way life can mean; bones and flesh can be manipulated, the soul weaponized; the spirit is not so stable, nor is the individual; co-dependency is the name of the game here, explored between lovers, friends, family, duty, and even emperor/god/subject. If I were a better writer I would’ve added more bone puns to this recommendation–don’t underestimate the humor to the series.
Lastly, read this series for a truly wild take on the famous quote, “[H]e’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
-Peyton
The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent directed by Shōta Ihata
After taking a brief respite from life, my recommendation for the month of September is the animated show The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent.
The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent is an Isekai anime, a show in which the main character, Sei, a diligent office worker, is whisked away to another magical world. Sei is summoned by a ritual to save a world where darkness and corruption is spreading. which threatens the lives of those who call this place home. However, another more youthful girl is also summoned by the ritual and proclaimed by the Crown Prince of this nation to be the Saint, the world’s savior, leaving Sei pushed off to the side and left to her own devices.
Motivated by spite and unable to sit still due to her workaholic tendencies, Sei takes it upon herself to learn the crafts of the world and to carve out a small life for herself. However, in the midst of her potion-brewing and minor spellcasting, Sei learns that she may have the magical powers often attributed to the Saint. But Sei just wants to live her quiet life, helping others and making her living, and not to mention, seeing the handsome knight captain that keeps coming around to see her. She neither has the time nor the energy to be Saint, so she keeps her abilities to herself until the time comes for her to reveal her true identity.
The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent is an isekai written by a woman, immediately dispelling from it the fear of witnessing strange perverted shenanigans while showcasing that the author understands what the real appeal of being whisked away to another world is. Isekais are largely power fantasies, and often depict men with harems full of anthropomorphic women, extraordinary powers, and gruesome displays of violence. This fantasy in comparison is kind and shows what is possible when a kind person comes into great power, and the countless lives they can touch and aid.
-Eugene
