Lupita Nyong'o is one of today's most acclaimed actresses, who's performed in some of the most moving (and successful) films in recent memory. With her new project - the Jordan Peele-directed horror "Us" being released - I decided to look at my top five favorite Lupita Nyong'o films.
**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**
#5
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
"The Force Awakens" was the long, long, long-awaited continuation of the "Star Wars" franchise, and went on to become the highest grossing movie in America (not counting inflation). If you're looking to see Lupita Nyong'o, however, you won't find her - because she mo-capped the alien character Maz Kanata, a former pirate and smuggler who manages a tavern and holds a key to Rey's future. While she's not a main character, Nyong'o's Maz is integral in furthering the story of Rey.
#4
The Jungle Book
Once again, Lupita Nyong'o uses her voice to tell a story, this time in the live-action re-telling of the Disney classic "The Jungle Book." Here she plays Raksha, a female Indian wolf who acts as Mowgli's adoptive mother. Director Jon Favreau chose Nyong'o because she "has tremendous depth of emotion in her performance. There's an emotional
underpinning she brings, and a strength, and we wanted that for this
surrogate mother. Much of that comes from her voice," and it truly shows in her moving, powerful performance.
#3
Queen of Katwe
Based on the true story of a young girl from the small town of Katwe, Uganda, "Queen of Katwe" tells the story of Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) who learns to play chess and goes on to play against the best of the best at the World Chess Olympiads. Lupita Nyong'o plays Phiona's mother, and serves as the maternal support for her child, giving a passioned, thoughtful performance.
#2
Black Panther
Marvel's biggest hit to date (and also the third highest-grossing movie of all time), "Black Panther" tells the story of King T'Challa, who becomes the Black Panther leader of the technologically-advanced hidden African nation of Wakanda and who must also protect it from his warmongering cousin Killmonger. Lupita Nyong'o plays Nakia, who serves as more than T'Challa's girlfriend but also shows a fierce determination all her own, and here she gets to really show off her action prowess and delivers a strong, powerful performance.
#1
12 Years a Slave
The film that made Lupita Nyong'o a household name (and also earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), "12 Years a Slave" is the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man in the North who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Nyong'o plays fellow slave Patsey who endures harsh, brutal beatings and rapes from her owner. Nyong'o truly deserved recognition for her performance, as she gives easily one of the best performances of her career here.
Major Theatrical Releases May 2019 After the hype that is "Avengers: Endgame," May offers a massive collection of differing types of movies, enough to entertain everyone. Here are the major theatrical releases for May 2019. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** **DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE** The Intruder May 3 Dennis Quaid goes from starring the family-friendly "A Dog's Journey" to playing a total psycho in "The Intruder." When a young couple purchases a home from Quaid's character Charlie, they didn't realize it came with an addition - Charlie himself, who can't seem to let his old home go. I don't expect any twists or turns in this tale, and this looks like a film better fit for Lifetime than the big screen. Long Shot May 3 Charlize Theron stars as Charlotte Field, the current Secretary of State and who's running for President. Seth Rogen stars as Fred Flarsky, a
Witch Starring Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Fabrizio Santino Directed by Craig Hinde & Marc Zammit Movies about witches are about a dime a dozen, and follow the same formula: typically set in a time period long ago (since now, fortunately, the stigma of witches has been lessened and the religious fervor has diminished), in a small Puritanical town, a girl is accused of witchcraft which spirals the town into a frenzy filled with suspicion, doubt, and murder until the witch is put to religious justice. While that's not necessarily a bad formula (Robert Eggers' "The VVitch" and Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" immediately come to mind), most films fall by the wayside. "Witch" is a small film that, at first glance, seems to follow the mold before completely shattering it in a second act twist that's daring, provocative, and works in a lot of levels, but could've been more pronounced if given a bigger budget. In the small
Special Review: "Midwest Sessions" Directed by Mario Ricciardi Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way. Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects a
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