Ne Zha 2—The Chinese Blockbuster that you've probably never heard of
I hadn’t heard of it either until recently—and yet, it’s one of the highest grossing movies of all time.

The young Beto ventures to the Brazilian countryside in search of a collection of rare drawings. There he meets Samir, the collector, and his family ruined by the demise of the cocoa plantations. The journey and the encounter will irrevocably change the young man’s soul.
I hadn’t heard of it either until recently—and yet, it’s one of the highest grossing movies of all time.
It’s not often in America that you turn on the TV and see a show or a movie with a Muslim protagonist. And when they do, they're usually a negative stereotype. Ms. Marvel changes all of that.
In Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It (1986), we follow the love life of powerful female protagonist Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) and explore the relationship dynamics she has with her partners. She sees three men simultaneously: Greer Childs, (John Canada Terrell) Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), and Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks). Though an 80’s film, She’s Gotta Have It is surprisingly progressive with its themes of female sexuality, although at some points in the film it is handled clumsily. Overall Nola is an incredibly compelling character especially for modern women, as we as a society acknowledge female sensuality more and more without the negative stigma.
The original series is now on Netflix, you should definitely give it a watch. And if you’ve already seen it, watch it again.
In the film adaptation, director Jon M. Chu turns each musical number into a massive show stopper, with grand set pieces and a wealth of diverse dancers. Yet, in this attempt to show reverence for the people of the Washington Heights barrio, Chu, or maybe more specifically those in charge of casting, left out a crucial part of the community, Afro-Latinos.