Hopefully people will understand what a big deal it is that A Wrinkle in Time, directed by Ava DuVernay from a book no one thought could be bought to the big screen, has been made and is now ready to be shown. It is one of those big risks studios sometimes take, and filmmakers like DuVernay with a lot of courage to enter the realm of the very very male. Inevitably, people will compare it to Black Panther, which it is anything but. A Wrinkle in Time is not part of a franchise, though it does have a built-in audience of fans of the book. It is an experiment, too, a question posed to the industry and the public at large: can women deliver something like this – a blockbuster that isn’t attached to any major super hero brand but instead contemplates things like metaphysics, and the meaning of life.
It’s a big move for DuVernay who has made a career on big moves and big risks. She’s gotten an Oscar nod for documentary and one for Best Picture and now she’s venturing into the realm of the blockbuster. Audiences have been conditioned to know what they’re getting ahead of time – a kind of fast food experience where you know what you’re getting going in. You know, by now, what kind of story arc the film will have and that it will leave you wanting more by the end, to set you up for the sequel. Young people especially have been raised to respond to branding. A Wrinkle in Time is going to challenge that, without a doubt. I have not yet seen it, by the way.
I expect there will be some people who love it, and some who don’t. I expect it will be something entirely new and strange for audiences who are used to the familiar universe introduced to them long ago by the same movie they’ve seen over and over again dressed up as different movies. I hope that minds can remain open. Taking big risks in Hollywood rarely happens anymore – and the reason it doesn’t happen is because movies have become too expensive and the status quo taste has flatlined around one kind. Here’s hoping we can open up the conversation a little.
Here are some tweets.
I am the first woman to make a fantasy film at this price point. I've not seen a feminine touch to fantasy. I'm not trying to make a film like a boy. I'm making this film like a girl from Compton. – @ava #WrinkleInTime #DCU2018
— Film Independent (@filmindependent) February 22, 2018
My second viewing of #WrinkleInTime and it was beautiful to watch and witness! The visual effects were groundbreaking and I loved the performances from these actors. Kids and adults will love and appreciate this film!
— Jamie “I Am Meg Murry” Broadnax (@JamieBroadnax) February 27, 2018
With extraordinary vision and a big pounding heart, A Wrinkle in Time is a gorgeous love letter to the next generation of warriors. #lovelovelove pic.twitter.com/VUekIk9fH6
— Kat Candler (@katcandler) February 27, 2018
Loved the message and story from the book and love how @ava transformed it for the big screen. Also, it was heartwarming seeing other directors like Ryan Coogler and JJ Abrams show their support at the premiere. #WrinkleInTime
— Kirbie Johnson (@kirbiejohnson) February 27, 2018
There are mixed reactions, too, from the blogerati so far – but it’s to be expected. You can’t take big risks without it.
