
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES
Starring: Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, Michaela Watkins, Aisha Hinds, Tim Baltz, Rupert Friend, and Nicole Byer
Director: Kobi Libii

ADRIANO

The amount of potential squandered in The American Society of Magical Negroes needs to be examined by scientists. The film has a genuinely intriguing premise, but the film goes absolutely nowhere with its examination of race. It raises many questions, and has answers to none of them. What's more, the pacing is awkward, and the film is so sloppily written and directed that any entertainment value feels bogged down by its unclear world-building. I almost walked out of this theater on many occasions, but for some reason, I sat through this sluggish disaster until the bitter end.

AMARÚ

I love the recent trend of putting black people’s grievances front and center for all the whites to see, and The American Society of Magical Negroes, while plenty flawed, is another serviceable entry in this movement. I greatly appreciate the long overdue respect it gives the forever underutilized David Alan Grier, who helps compensate for the film’s narrative problems. Sure, there are glaring editing issues where items magically (and unintentionally) disappear, and scenes feel out of order or missing entirely; however, with Grier and Justice Smith fully committed to experiences they (and I) have lived, there’s enough punch to recognize the good within the mess.