The fact that viewers took an “us vs them” approach to interpreting this film when Coogler went out of his way to show the diversity of the region is kind of maddening. The application of 2025 political lens to a period film is nuts. What’re these people gonna do when they do some reading and see the coalition that fought for Civil Rights?
“The application of a 2025 political lens” let’s talk about it, because I’ve seen too many people talking about how Mary is actually white and also Zendaya should have played her…open the schools!!
We need to open the schools and unplug the Internet because oh my God.
Mary is how I found out that Hailee Steinfield has Black and Filipino ancestry! Because I thought she was just a White woman this whole time. We finally got 1 mainstream movie that thinks about how a casting choice can reinforce the story’s themes, instead of shoving the Hot Celebrities of the Month into roles they aren’t suited for. Coogler put in a level of effort that the audience doesn’t deserve but desperately needs.
But also can we talk about Ruth Negga straining credulity as a woman who could pass? Feels like the same problem as the suggestions of Jurnee or Zendaya.
Yea, I rewatched the trailer recently and the makeup they put on Ruth looks not good lol. She did a great job in terms of acting. If “vanishing half” ever goes into production I’m so curious about who they’d cast.
Wonderful piece! Hating on Grace does seem to ignore the horror story that Coogler *chose* to tell. This was not a Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Alien type of set up, where bonds are loose and a matter of convenience or mere survival. All of the characters had a history together, would have lived and died for each other. Smoke refusing to get his brother’s body out of the barn was also a stupid decision by horror movie logic - but it was his brother, wtf was he actually going to do?
I have nebulous thoughts about how Coogler used Gothic/doomed romance to build out the emotional register, and how that’s an element that’s been missing from a lot of recent horror. Bo and Grace burning alive together? Grace’s charred skeleton sobbing while she staked her beloved through the heart? Coogler could make a modernized Wuthering Heights adaptation if he wanted to and it would change lives.
To your point about the emotional register that’s been missing from a lot of recent horror: THIS, not Nosferatu, was the horny vampire movie I’ve been waiting for
Damn was this needed. I know glibly throwing around "this is why Kamala lost" is probably grating at this point for most people, but I still enjoy doing it from time to time, and boy was that on my mind watching one viral TikTok in particular by a guy taking Grace to task for lack of solidarity, Asians chasing proximity to whiteness, Grace/Bo only embracing community so long as they could make money, etc. and other shit that perfectly embodied the unbearable, elite education-coded identitarian virtue signaling that conservatives have so effectively tied to liberalism in this country. As soon as Remmick brought up Lisa, as soon as he started speaking Chinese, it was abundantly clear (if it wasn't before), that all loved ones of the people inside (not just those immediately outside) were in mortal danger if they didn't do anything. I don't know why this is so hard for people to grasp. I mean, I do, but... it's why Kamala lost. And I'm only half-kidding.
I know exactly what TikTok you’re talking about, and it just feels so divorced from (1) what’s true and (2) how solidarity and community actually work. But that’s TikTok activism for you!
Yessss, deep agree w everything! Second time watching it was SO clear there wasn’t any other option tbh. Stack was (understandably) in shock over Smoke tbh, like he’s a soldier until it’s his brother he’s fighting. If he acts, he has to admit what happened!! But Grace knows that while they’re safe inside rn, no one else is. Also … we need Big Vamp Fight Scene my god!! But oh no, I had not seen the “actually Lisa is a secret villain” thing 😩😂 the most open the schools take I’ve seen all week
Wild that people are hating on this proactive queen, because if a man (vampire or not) said to me what Remmick said to Grace, I'd be lighting a molotov as well.
I definitely read Grace's choice the "popular" way my first watch, but saw her differently during the second watch. And this take squares much more evenly with how the Boggs were embedded in their community pre-juke. They were not vultures, nor were they surface participants in their town. And might I add, Grace's choice kept all the vampires focused and distracted until sunrise - hankering down could have put the full town in jeopardy, if not more.
Just saw the movie today! And I have to say that Grace's immediate inclination to leave felt so realistic to me because she's a mother. I am too, and I completely understood her thought process. Some evil is afoot, you're away from your baby — your first thought is I gotta get the fuck outta here and back to my child because I don't want them to grow up without me. Did not know people were slandering her for that but it just shows how people disregard the visceral emotions parenthood/motherhood subjects you to!
Even as I was horrified at her inviting them in, as a mother, my inner “mama bear” fully got her in that moment. I applauded her ferocity to take on the murderers of her husband & friends, who threatened her child. She died like a warrior queen & I cannot fault her one bit!
Yesss! Grace's intentions clicked for me during my second watch. I had completely missed it the first time. She was the only one who recognized that if they didn't try and take out as many vampires as possible by inviting them in, they were just gonna come back tomorrow night and take out not only Lisa but the whole town! It wasn't selfish at all.
The fact that viewers took an “us vs them” approach to interpreting this film when Coogler went out of his way to show the diversity of the region is kind of maddening. The application of 2025 political lens to a period film is nuts. What’re these people gonna do when they do some reading and see the coalition that fought for Civil Rights?
“The application of a 2025 political lens” let’s talk about it, because I’ve seen too many people talking about how Mary is actually white and also Zendaya should have played her…open the schools!!
Did you see one about how Jurnee Smollet should have played Mary?
We need to open the schools and unplug the Internet because oh my God.
Mary is how I found out that Hailee Steinfield has Black and Filipino ancestry! Because I thought she was just a White woman this whole time. We finally got 1 mainstream movie that thinks about how a casting choice can reinforce the story’s themes, instead of shoving the Hot Celebrities of the Month into roles they aren’t suited for. Coogler put in a level of effort that the audience doesn’t deserve but desperately needs.
I did see that 😖😖
The kids don’t know what passing means lord. Netflix should have repromoted “Passing” these past few weeks
But also can we talk about Ruth Negga straining credulity as a woman who could pass? Feels like the same problem as the suggestions of Jurnee or Zendaya.
Yea, I rewatched the trailer recently and the makeup they put on Ruth looks not good lol. She did a great job in terms of acting. If “vanishing half” ever goes into production I’m so curious about who they’d cast.
Wonderful piece! Hating on Grace does seem to ignore the horror story that Coogler *chose* to tell. This was not a Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Alien type of set up, where bonds are loose and a matter of convenience or mere survival. All of the characters had a history together, would have lived and died for each other. Smoke refusing to get his brother’s body out of the barn was also a stupid decision by horror movie logic - but it was his brother, wtf was he actually going to do?
I have nebulous thoughts about how Coogler used Gothic/doomed romance to build out the emotional register, and how that’s an element that’s been missing from a lot of recent horror. Bo and Grace burning alive together? Grace’s charred skeleton sobbing while she staked her beloved through the heart? Coogler could make a modernized Wuthering Heights adaptation if he wanted to and it would change lives.
To your point about the emotional register that’s been missing from a lot of recent horror: THIS, not Nosferatu, was the horny vampire movie I’ve been waiting for
YES!
Damn was this needed. I know glibly throwing around "this is why Kamala lost" is probably grating at this point for most people, but I still enjoy doing it from time to time, and boy was that on my mind watching one viral TikTok in particular by a guy taking Grace to task for lack of solidarity, Asians chasing proximity to whiteness, Grace/Bo only embracing community so long as they could make money, etc. and other shit that perfectly embodied the unbearable, elite education-coded identitarian virtue signaling that conservatives have so effectively tied to liberalism in this country. As soon as Remmick brought up Lisa, as soon as he started speaking Chinese, it was abundantly clear (if it wasn't before), that all loved ones of the people inside (not just those immediately outside) were in mortal danger if they didn't do anything. I don't know why this is so hard for people to grasp. I mean, I do, but... it's why Kamala lost. And I'm only half-kidding.
I know exactly what TikTok you’re talking about, and it just feels so divorced from (1) what’s true and (2) how solidarity and community actually work. But that’s TikTok activism for you!
Yessss, deep agree w everything! Second time watching it was SO clear there wasn’t any other option tbh. Stack was (understandably) in shock over Smoke tbh, like he’s a soldier until it’s his brother he’s fighting. If he acts, he has to admit what happened!! But Grace knows that while they’re safe inside rn, no one else is. Also … we need Big Vamp Fight Scene my god!! But oh no, I had not seen the “actually Lisa is a secret villain” thing 😩😂 the most open the schools take I’ve seen all week
Yeah, Smoke absolutely needed someone to shake him out of that state of shock. And that someone was Grace, dammit! We need her!
Wild that people are hating on this proactive queen, because if a man (vampire or not) said to me what Remmick said to Grace, I'd be lighting a molotov as well.
The whole barn would simply go up in flames!
I definitely read Grace's choice the "popular" way my first watch, but saw her differently during the second watch. And this take squares much more evenly with how the Boggs were embedded in their community pre-juke. They were not vultures, nor were they surface participants in their town. And might I add, Grace's choice kept all the vampires focused and distracted until sunrise - hankering down could have put the full town in jeopardy, if not more.
Just saw the movie today! And I have to say that Grace's immediate inclination to leave felt so realistic to me because she's a mother. I am too, and I completely understood her thought process. Some evil is afoot, you're away from your baby — your first thought is I gotta get the fuck outta here and back to my child because I don't want them to grow up without me. Did not know people were slandering her for that but it just shows how people disregard the visceral emotions parenthood/motherhood subjects you to!
Even as I was horrified at her inviting them in, as a mother, my inner “mama bear” fully got her in that moment. I applauded her ferocity to take on the murderers of her husband & friends, who threatened her child. She died like a warrior queen & I cannot fault her one bit!
Saw this last night and as always, spot on
Grace burning with Bo is one of the greatest acts of love in the movie.
Yesss! Grace's intentions clicked for me during my second watch. I had completely missed it the first time. She was the only one who recognized that if they didn't try and take out as many vampires as possible by inviting them in, they were just gonna come back tomorrow night and take out not only Lisa but the whole town! It wasn't selfish at all.