Shang-Chi, Fantastic Frankey and Ida's Wrath
Joseph Watkins Da Watcher
On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 , I had the privilege of attending the Shang-Chi premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square 13 theater in NYC. Sponsored by gofobo, with Fantastic Frankey being one of the contributing partners for this endeavor, I hopped at the opportunity to not only watch the movie, but also get a chance to interview one of the most famous Blerd aficionados out there. Little did I know that my eagerness to achieve such a feat would have me navigate 5 floods and wait 2-3 hours on a NJ route to get home from the glory. As with most adventures, it’s only best that I start at the beginning.
Shang-Chi
Marvel’s Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings was a sensational movie, plain and simple. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (DDC) (who also directed Just Mercy starring Michael B Jordan), this movie was a cinematic masterpiece that highlighted the Asian culture to perfection as they blended fantasy, present-day living and a-just-right amount of comedy. Starring Simu Lu, Awkafina, and a host of legendary Asian actors such as Michelle Yeoh, Benedict Wong, and the world famous singer and actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, this film came at a time when Asian hate was at an all-time high due to ignorant ramblings of racist folks (which led to the signing of a Hate Crimes Bill in 5/20/21) during the covid pandemic and tensions (somewhat settling) between China and US government leaders. To further add, there was also a growing issue bubbling as well: the canceling of Awkafina due to her cultural appropriations of Blackness and her somewhat acquiring of a Black accent. Yet, through it all, the film received not only phenomenal reviews, it also beat financial records with an incoming gross of about 75+ million, during the Labor Day weekend. Wow.
In my opinion, this movie deserved to win and I’m happy that I was able to witness this great experience. DDC, Simu Lu and the cast did a phenomenal job as they showed us Asian representation in all its forms. As a picture is worth a thousand words, what I saw in this film was the past, the present, and future colliding. I saw a love story that bordered on devotion and delusion, siblings who gave each other a second chance at becoming a family again, an aunt, who became a mother to her sister’s children and above it all, I saw the protagonist and the antagonist battle an evil greater than their own egos respectively.
Through this phenomenal movie, I did have one thought, “It’s time for Benedict Wong to get his own Marvel story”. He’s earned it and I feel that he, and the Dore Milaje, need their stories told either for fall 2021 or the beginning of 2022. PERIOD.
Fantastic Frankey
When you see your heroes on IG, it’s great. But when you see them in person, it’s legendary. During the premiere, I had the privilege of running into the majestic Fantastic Frankey. For the unfamiliar, she’s the Fanboy Fighter, the critical voice of pop culture, and the Blerd Spirit Bomb for wannabe Gatekeepers. Her discussions on various pop culture in media (TV, movies, actors, writers, etc.) have garnered praise from all over and as she walked into the theater, I had the honor of interviewing the wunderkind of Blerdom:
Joseph Watkins (JW): RGN 99 Reporting, I’m here with the Fabulous Fanboy Fighter Fantastic Frankey, How are you doing today?
Fantastic Frankey
Fantastic Frankey (FF): I’m excellent, how are you?
JW: I’m good (2x), are you excited about Shang-Chi?
FF: Yeah, I’ve been really excited for a long time. Ever since Iron Man 3, when they kind of messed up The Mandarin in that [Asian] representation, I was like ‘Dag, they need to da a Shang-Chi’ and then again when Iron Fist came out and it sucked, I was like, ‘When are they going to do that’, so I’m really hyped.
JW: What made you become the beautiful, poetic, critical analyzer of pop culture?
FF: OMG, my dad is really into comics, so I’ve been into it, since I was a little girl and I think debating is part of the culture of being into comics. So we used to go to comic conventions back when it wasn’t a big cinematic thing, when it was just more like panels, and you got to meet the actual comic book artist and I think that kind of fostered the debates [and] the analytics cause that’s what it really was before. So, as I saw IG grow, and I was like, ‘I’m seeing people dissect, but I didn’t see any women, I don’t see any Black women, any Afro-Latinas’, I was like, ‘Well, I’m those things, and I know things, so why not, you know?’
JW: Nice, One last question: Do you have any advice for up and coming Black Female creators?
FF: Yeah, I would say, know what your vision is and stick to it because everyone is going to give you their 2 cents and not understand what you’re trying to achieve and it’s hard to not listen, but sometimes you need to listen to your instincts.
JW: Are you going to NYCC?
FF: Yes, I’m going to NYCC, I have a panel.
JW: Awesome, Thank You
FF: Thank You
Having the opportunity to speak with the Fabulous Fantastic Frankey was one of the greatest moments of my career at RGN 99. Her commentary on pop culture is to the point and always leaves you thinking about the topic. I also, from the bottom of my heart, would like to thank her father as well. As she was trained in the world of comic books by her dad, I, to, am showing my daughter the pop culture side of life. Even now, my 5-year-old watches anime and has a fondness for Harley Quinn. Props to “Pop Frankey”. Saludo
Fantastic Frankey and her commentary on pop culture can be found on both IG and YouTube. Be ready when you watch, you’re never going to stop listening to her. 100%
Dat B*tch IDA
I’ve survived covid, I endured being locked in a residence under the pandemic for a year and a half, and I even survived massive heat waves this summer, but nothing, I mean nothing, prepared me for the likes of Hurricane Ida. Upon leaving the theater, I encountered the ferocious winds and rains of the demon weather child of the east coast. With flashes of lightning, and roaring thunder, as I left the theater around 10 PM, I kept seeking seeking cover from the troubling rains. My first fear was getting struck by lightning, my second, was getting my car flooded from the rains. Prior to leaving, I, followed by the many movie goers were receiving high frequency text messages informing us that we were in a high flood area and as many of us ignored the texts to continue to watch this cinematic masterpiece, as soon as it ended, many of us soon regretted our decision as we rushed out the theater to grab the nearest car, cab, uber, or train home.
Little did I know my travel would turn into a damn near excursion of survival.
Flood Along NJ State Route 3
Leaving the Lincoln Tunnel, I encountered 5 major floods along New Jersey Route 3, with each flood getting increasingly more dangerous than the last. One Flood, in particular resembled the giant wading pool, Hurricane Bay in Great Adventure as cars drowned in these temporary pools. With cars upon cars left to their aquatic deaths, drowning in a sea of sewage and environmental runoff, I couldn’t have my livelihood vehicle end up like these remnants. With careful driving and precision maneuvering, I managed to escape the same fate as Jason Voorhees’ in Friday the 13th.
Ida’s wrath did not discriminate. As she consumed most of the land in both NY and NJ, it took with it, many people’s lives followed by their livelihoods and their residences. One video had two people trapped in an elevator with water almost taking their lives, while another turned his misfortune to just another day at the beach.
Final Thoughts
Sept 1st kicked off the start of fall, yet it did something more for me. It allowed me to end summer on a very unprecedented level. I managed to see a movie that might actually reach the same level as Black Panther, I had the opportunity to speak with the Afro-Latina voice of pop culture and I managed to survive one of the most horrific storms in tri-state history. As I waved to summer a fond farewell, I’m left with a thought that I feel might guide me through the rest of my life, especially after Ida’s wrath….
I regret nothing. Hotel California.
