Where to find it: Currently on Netflix in the U.S. and for rent/buy on Amazon Prime
What is it, in summary?: After years in hiding, in a dying world, a woman named Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having left her family--her mother, Bo (Lorraine Toussaint), and daughter, Lila (Saniyya Sidney)--the only place she has left to hide from the people chasing her is home. Reconnecting with her family, Ruth also tries to reconnect to her powers: for generations, their gifts have been passed down to the women in her family, all of whom except Ruth see colors when they use the powers.
What do you love about it?: I've never figured out why fandom is still sleeping on this incredible little movie: it's a superpowers story featuring Black women who are the only ones so gifted; it has a family at the center of the story trying to reconnect almost in a found-family sort of way; it has a dying, almost dystopian world that's mysterious and somehow connected to the central character; and it asks questions about superheroes and their obligations to the rest of the world. It was directed by a woman, who also co-wrote the story with her partner, and there are only a few male characters in it, one of whom is played by fan fave David Strathairn. It looks beautiful, and is just fascinating in that it doesn't explain a lot of why the world is dying or connect all the dots about the characters' relationships, instead unfolding slowly, steadily, quietly until everything comes together.
Right now, there are only 9 works on AO3, 4 of which are vids, and only 3 of which are over 1k. So there is lots of room to play here.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: Because they don't explain a lot of the situation with the world or Ruth's place in it, there is so much that can be done with it. You can worldbuild till the cows come home, or do quiet pieces focused on character, or just...anything. It's a superhero origin story, really, so the sky's the limit. Myself, I'm really fascinated by Bo, Ruth's mother, and her father and what will happen to them after the movie ends, how the family unit might be able to cohere when it ends. It sets up a really fascinating place to be once those credits roll. I love stories where much older people who were in love once reconnect, so that's where I'm focused, and I want to see the family together and what they'll do.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfill your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: Honestly, the movie is so short (under 2 hours) that I don't know if it would help to just see part of it.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): Some scenes with blood, including one where someone is shot (not killed); one intense scene where an infant is in danger (no one dies or is permanently harmed).
Fast Color (2018)
Title:
Fast Color
Media:
Movie, 2018
Approx length:
1 hr 40 min.
Where to find it:
Currently on Netflix in the U.S. and for rent/buy on Amazon Prime
What is it, in summary?:
After years in hiding, in a dying world, a woman named Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having left her family--her mother, Bo (Lorraine Toussaint), and daughter, Lila (Saniyya Sidney)--the only place she has left to hide from the people chasing her is home. Reconnecting with her family, Ruth also tries to reconnect to her powers: for generations, their gifts have been passed down to the women in her family, all of whom except Ruth see colors when they use the powers.
What do you love about it?:
I've never figured out why fandom is still sleeping on this incredible little movie: it's a superpowers story featuring Black women who are the only ones so gifted; it has a family at the center of the story trying to reconnect almost in a found-family sort of way; it has a dying, almost dystopian world that's mysterious and somehow connected to the central character; and it asks questions about superheroes and their obligations to the rest of the world. It was directed by a woman, who also co-wrote the story with her partner, and there are only a few male characters in it, one of whom is played by fan fave David Strathairn. It looks beautiful, and is just fascinating in that it doesn't explain a lot of why the world is dying or connect all the dots about the characters' relationships, instead unfolding slowly, steadily, quietly until everything comes together.
Right now, there are only 9 works on AO3, 4 of which are vids, and only 3 of which are over 1k. So there is lots of room to play here.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?:
Because they don't explain a lot of the situation with the world or Ruth's place in it, there is so much that can be done with it. You can worldbuild till the cows come home, or do quiet pieces focused on character, or just...anything. It's a superhero origin story, really, so the sky's the limit. Myself, I'm really fascinated by Bo, Ruth's mother, and her father and what will happen to them after the movie ends, how the family unit might be able to cohere when it ends. It sets up a really fascinating place to be once those credits roll. I love stories where much older people who were in love once reconnect, so that's where I'm focused, and I want to see the family together and what they'll do.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfill your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?:
Honestly, the movie is so short (under 2 hours) that I don't know if it would help to just see part of it.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence):
Some scenes with blood, including one where someone is shot (not killed); one intense scene where an infant is in danger (no one dies or is permanently harmed).