'F1' Is One Of The Best Movies Of The Year. Inside 'Ironheart.' Best Movies Of The 21st Century.
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EXCERPT - Inside ‘Ironheart’: Dominique Thorne and Lyric Ross Bring Science, Magic, and Representation Into The MCU (Originally reported for “The Source” magazine)
Riri Williams is not your typical college dropout. As Marvel fans discovered in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” she’s a super genius from the southside of Chicago with the technological know-how capable of sparking an international crisis and a war between hidden nations.
“Little did she know that the things she was tinkering with in her lab would get her into all that trouble or get the Wakandans into all of that trouble,” said Dominique Thorne, who plays Riri Williams with charm in the new Disney+ series, “Ironheart.” “She’s got a lot of reflecting to do when she goes back home, for sure.”
The scale of her sandbox shrinks to Chicago in her starring vehicle, “Ironheart,” but the stakes indeed do not. In the series, Williams is expelled from MIT and the Tony Stark-funded scholarship that helped her make an Iron Man-Esque suit. She takes it back home to Chicago, where she meets a crime boss who thrusts her into the mysterious world of magic, challenging her scientific mind—and her morality.
“Between ‘Wakanda Forever’ and this, I have had a whole lot of suits,” said Thorne. “It’s grounding for sure. It wakes you up real quick to miss Riri Williams and the scale of her ambition.”
The magnitude of the role weighed on Dominique Thorne’s mind before taking the job. She views the character of Ironheart as a responsibility that she can’t take lightly.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say, oh, it must have been an easy yes, the easiest yes for you in your life. And that’s not exactly my truth,” said Thorne.
“It definitely required some consideration to think about what it would mean and what it looks like for Dominique Thorne to step into the MCU and to play this character. And as I’m sure you can imagine, the mind goes to a million and one places. But the million and second place that it went to that kind of helped to quiet all the noise was to think about my younger brother and also my now baby niece and other young girls who would be coming up in the era when this is out in the public and to think how it might make them feel . To see something emblematic of what they hope to aspire to. Or something familiar to them, something aspirational and encouraging, and that kind of helped to turn it into the easiest decision. And to say yes.”
Read my full behind-the-scenes piece in The Source. Hat Tip to Editor Shawn Grant.
Ironheart premiered on Disney+ on June 24 with three episodes. A new episode will release weekly. It is rated TV-14.
More Of My ‘Ironheart’ Coverage: Chicago Takes Center Stage
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has officially touched down in Chicago. In the new Disney+ series, Ironheart, the city doesn’t just serve as a backdrop—it’s a character all its own. Check out my report for REEL Chicago on how the Disney+ show put the city in focus.
‘F1 The Movie’ Review: High Octane Fun Makes For
All-Time Great Sports Flick
Sports unite us all. It’s a tie that binds , no matter your knowledge level. And that’s why sports movies have had staying power. The best of the best tap into universal human emotions that resonate across time and culture. Many of us can relate to being an underdog - overlooked and with so much to prove. And while the sports movie formula of training, struggle, game day, and resolution is familiar, it’s always satisfying. ‘F1 The Movie’ pulls this tradition off at an elite level, fusing high stakes action with endearing characters and a moving narrative. In fact, it’s one of the best sports movies I’ve ever seen.
I’m not even a Formula 1 or racing fan. It takes no prior knowledge to give this one a go. Brad Pitt plays a veteran driver whose glory days ended after a tragic accident. 30 years after he’s hung it up, his longtime friend, who now owns an F1 team, convinces him to return to racing to mentor a rising star (Damson Idris) and take the maligned team to glory.
The cast is one of the best you could ask for, with Brad Pitt once again affirming his movie star status. Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem are solid. And Damson Idris, of ‘Snowfall’ fame, is sure to break out to a wider audience after this one.
The sound design and cinematography are incredible. The soundtrack is electric and fits the high octane vibe of the film. It all culminates in a thrilling final race that will have you wanting to stand up in the theater. ‘F1’ demands an IMAX viewing. After the success of ‘Top Gun Maverick,’ Joseph Kosinski has once again formulated a near perfect summer blockbuster that is easily one of the best movies of 2025. And, it may have just inspired a new Formula 1 racing fan.
Here Are My Best Films Of The 21st Century
“Film Twitter” has been buzzing with The New York Times interactive tool that allows readers to pick their best 10 movies of the 2000’s, coinciding with their own list of the best 100 of all-time (read their list here). I thought I would join in on the fun. Some people picked based purely on what they liked best. For me, I weighted influence, cultural impact and staying power heavily. Here’s a brief breakdown of my picks. You’ll notice my list has three films in common with The New York Times.
‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ - Quentin Tarantino is one of the best directors of the era, so I knew I needed to include one of his projects. The first Kill Bill was a cultural phenomenon. The bright yellow jumpsuit of Beatrix Kiddo instantly became iconic. Vol. 1 is my favorite revenge tale for it’s engaging story, creative direction, an awesome anime backstory sequence, and the epic Crazy 88 fight scene. I’m still hoping we get a Vol. 3!
‘Spider-Man 2’ - It’s the perfect story for one of the most recognizable characters of all-time. Sam Raimi painted so much color in this world. Of all the Spidey films, its the most rewatchable. And as time has worn on and superhero films pile up, very few hit the emotional beats that Sam Raimi could.
‘Avengers Infinity War’ - How the Russo brothers managed to intersect 30+ Marvel storylines and characters into a movie that works still escapes me. By all accounts, this is a movie that should never have worked. But it did, with great success. Infinity War was grand in scale and never felt too crowded. It’s a cinematic feat that will likely never be replicated again.
‘There Will Be Blood’ - Despite only seeing it once, this 2007 period drama about the 19th century California oil boom has stayed with me for years. Why? The brilliant, Oscar-winning performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, for one. Director and Writer Paul Thomas Anderson’s dissection of capitalism is also a win. And, the meme-able line: “I drink your milkshake.”
‘The Dark Knight’ - The best superhero movie ever made. And, beyond that, just one of the best movies ever, period. A movie so good, it forced the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to expand their field of nominees after snubbing the ground-level comic adaptation.
‘Anchorman’ - A personal favorite that made a gigantic cultural splash, and inspired a wave of “rat pack” comedy romps. Before memes existed, we would just quote lines from ‘Anchorman’ to each other: “I love lamp,” “I’m kind of a big deal,” “boy, that escalated quickly!”
‘Portrait Of A Lady On Fire’ - Perhaps the most unsung film of the 21st century, Céline Sciamma’s 18th century story of a painter tasked with doing a wedding portrait without the bride knowing is stirring and serene. Day by day, the two women grow closer, leading to an emotional gut punch at the end. A film so minimal, but perfect.
‘Skyfall’- You can’t tell the story of 21st century film without James Bond, and Sam Mendes’ sleek and stylish entry in the franchise is my favorite. Daniel Craig is superb, but it’s Javier Bardem’s chilling villain that made ‘Skyfall’ unforgettable.
‘Spirited Away’ - Nothing could stop me from including a Hayao Miyazaki piece in my 10 best. His 2001 story of a kid who discovers a secret world is breathtaking. He crafts a universe of wonder and fantasy with vivid brush strokes that leave you enchanted. And the story at the center is just as beautiful as the animation.
‘Get Out’ - A jolting horror flick filled racial tension that was both chilling and relatable for Black audiences. What Jordan Peele did with ‘Get Out’ inspired a rebirth of film discussion and critique amongst African-Americans, and reinvigorated the horror genre in the process. Its a movie you can watch again and again and find a new layer to peel back. Jordan Peele is one of the best to ever do it, and this will always be his magnum opus.
Honorable Mentions: ‘Y Tu Mama Tambien',’ ‘Spotlight,’ ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,’ ‘The Prestige,’ ‘Scarface,’ Moonlight,’ ‘Remember The Titans,’ ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse.’
Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond film - It’s a welcome surprise, with many thinking he was too tied up with his ambitious Dune sequels. (LA Times)
Aaron Sorkin will write and direct ‘The Social Network Part II’ - Sorkin previously hinted he’s working on a project about “January 6, Misinformation, and Facebook.” We now know what that project is! I’m not as big a Sorkin fan as many others are in the industry. I hate how he writes dialogue. But the premise intrigues me.
Lilo and Stitch 2 is happening- Who couldn’t see this coming? The live action remake has been dominant at the box office. Here’s Disney’s cute announcement
New Netflix Strategy Needed? - “As Netflix aspires to reach a $1 trillion market cap by 2030, Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall believes that the company's next big investment should be high-value, short-form content and exclusive, multi-year deals with creators.” (The Wrap)
Matt Reeves has finished the script for ‘THE BATMAN - Part II’ - Filming is expected to start in January. (PIC!)
AND - SINNERS streams in one week! - July 4th in HBO MAX
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