Shelby Kernisant '23
Shang-Chi Movie Review
Since 2021 started -a particularly odd and unsettling year - Marvel, as it always has, presented itself to me as a comfort and support in times of great grief and stress. Not to mention the fact that my last visit to the movie theater had been in 2019 (to watch Spider-Man: Far From Home if my memory serves correctly), and I had been wretchedly missing it since. Safe to say, it was long past time for my triumphant reappearance to the theater, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was the best possible movie I could return to.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an utter delight that both manage to stick to the classic Marvel formula of being high-energy, witty, full of humor, and thrilling action set-pieces, while also feeling incredibly refreshing and authentic at the same time. The plot follows Shaun (aka Shang-Chi, played exquisitely by Simu Liu), a seemingly average layabout living an uneventful life in San Francisco with his spunky and compassionate best friend Katy (Awkwafina) until his past comes to knock down the facade, forcing him to return and face his demons head-on with his badass martial arts skills. When he confronts his long-lost sister (Meng'er Zhang), and his vengeful, ruthless father (Tony Leung), a family drama and superhero-fantasy epic combine in phenomenal fashion. I think what I like more than anything about the film is that there is no long, overblown story as to why it is that the villain at the center is doing what he’s doing. A graceful rebrand from the...fairly controversial reinterpretation of the Mandarin from 2013’s Iron Man 3, (don’t worry, they make plenty of jokes about it, all very enjoyable), he isn’t some stereotypical malcontent who expectantly rubs his hands together, takes pleasure in killing anything he can, and preaches of the end of the world. He may be a crime boss and a massively dangerous person, but there’s a hidden layer that is brilliantly and tragically displayed in the film, making him that much more effective as a villain.
Beyond that, all the characters are just brilliant, being very charming and funny, but not to the point of weighing the rest of the movie down (which I’m especially glad of in Awkwafina’s case, I actually found her quite acceptable within the large framework of the film). Michelle Yeoh and Trevor Slattery are also excellent additions to this already glorious cast, just as vibrant and exuberant as their surroundings (Having Slattery reprise his Iron Man 3 role was just...perfect, I really can’t say more without spoiling).
I’ll be honest, I did not expect to fall for Simu Liu as hard as I did in this movie. I’ve been invested in the MCU and its characters for a long time, and Shang-Chi is not a character that I am as well-read on compared to characters like Hulk and Spider-Man. But the endless charisma and tender heart that he brings to every second of his screen time are just masterful. Even if you aren’t a Marvel fan, I just don’t see you leaving this film disliking Shang-Chi or any of the characters as a matter of fact.
And I’d be remiss to not talk about the action. Whew, Lord, this action. I genuinely don’t remember the last time I saw fight choreography so sleek and seamless in a Marvel film. Truly, every action, every kick, impact, strike, and leap landed expertly and made for a beyond exciting and immersive experience into this world and choreography. The first big action scene on the bus completely sold me, both on Simu Liu’s fiery performance and on the film itself. I found myself so thoroughly enjoying the scene that it almost surprised me. Over the course of the movie, these scenes grow more and more fantastical but never fail to feel powerful and enticing nonetheless.
Every moment of this film was such fun, even if at points it doesn’t really feel like a “Marvel” movie because of how different the direction it takes is, and I don’t mean that as an insult. Over the course of the past decade, people have become well-attuned to what is now known as the “MCU formula”, that being the particular things you can expect from these films (big, flashy fights, lots of explosions, tons of quipping, etc). But Shang-Chi didn’t feel that way at all. If anything, it really enhanced the experience that I look for whenever I watch a superhero film and kind of redefined the genre for me. What I’m trying to say is this: Shang-Chi is a total game-changer. A joy and an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is definitely a film for everyone, whether you’ve been following the sprawling 13-year, 25-film, and 16-series chronicle that has come to be known as the MCU, or whether you’re just looking for a hearty bit of fun.
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Book Review: “The Other Realm” by Tristan Hui ‘24
I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been a minute since I last found a good book to sit down and dedicate hours to reading-- a book with twists and turns that excited, characters that entertained and tugged at the heartstrings, and conflicts that incited feelings of tension, joy, and great satisfaction. That being said, “The Other Realm” by Tristan Hui, who I’m proud to call a good friend of mine, has all of these fantastic qualities in spades.
“The Other Realm” is a high-octane fantasy and adventure novel that effortlessly captivates and invites readers of all backgrounds and ages to join in on the adventure. The story follows the quest of Azalea, Sunny, and Sam, with his dog Bo. Azalea is a spunky and brash young teen who happens to fall through her floor into a fantastical alternate world and decides to use this opportunity to save her father’s career before she gets home. On the way, she meets Sunny, a fellow young teen who also finds herself feeling lost, but not like Azalea. With a beyond dysfunctional family, she is sent to find her long-lost older brother to try to save herself and her community. But before the plot really kicks into high gear, Sam floats into the picture, a young ghost boy who wants more than his desolate and miserable surroundings and seeks to join them on their exploits. Over the course of the story, through seemingly endless travels and danger at every turn, these characters come out of it for the better. Though they may appear to be entirely different people with entirely different backgrounds, they find that they actually have a lot more in common than they believed, and all manage to find where they truly belong by the end. The unlimited charm and youthful spirit of exhilaration that these characters bring to every page make this book, not just a delight, but an out-and-out triumph that only gets better with repeated readings.
When engaged with “The Other Realm”, the reader will find themselves immediately hooked by Hui’s style of writing and their masterful skill with the pen. The way that vast and wondrous landscapes flow from the tangible words on the page, the way that lively moments of peace can transform into battering moments of danger and fear without a second to catch your breath and shake the reader to the core is simply spectacular. The way that the various traumas, trials, and joys that these characters faced became more and more gripping, to the point where you can almost feel the effects being described physically, is an immense achievement in itself. I know that one particular chapter which saw the characters hiking great distances brought disturbingly vivid flashbacks to the mind of my own backpacking experiences out in the Yosemite Wilderness. The eloquent and commanding way in which the book is piloted makes the experience enticing and impactful.
I reveled in every moment that I sat reading this book. As new and unbelievable landscapes were presented to me, the heart behind the book was always one of such goodness and kindness. It was such fun from beginning to end and, honestly at this point, I’m hoping that we can see these characters interact again someday.
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