By Robert Wilson Centreville Academy coach Bill Hurst is the winningest high school football coach in Mississippi history and has been a head coach since 1975. But Hurst probably has never had an opposing player do what Central Hinds Academy senior Kent McArthur did Friday night. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound McArthur intercepted three passes – returning two for touchdowns – and caught a touchdown pass to lead Central Hinds to a 37-6 victory over Centreville at Central Hinds in Raymond. McArthur had interception returns of 100 and 65 yards for TDs, caught an 8-yard TD pass, made four tackles, kicked an extra point attempt, and returned one punt for 12 yards. For his outstanding performance, McArthur has been named the Junction Deli Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week. McArthur made a diving interception at the Centreville 45 in the first quarter, then caught the TD pass to end that drive. He got his second interception and returned it 65 yards for a score in the second quarter. McArthur picked off his third pass and returned it 100 yards in the third quarter. In addition to making four tackles and returning a punt for 12 yards, McArthur was called upon to kick an extra point attempt and made it. “He helped us early in the game with his diving interception, then finished it with a great touchdown catch,” Central Hinds coach Lance Teasley said. “He made a great play and return for his 65-yard interception return and broke a lot of tackles to score. And he made another great play with his 100-yard interception return. We normally go for two, but we wanted to try an extra point, so someone suggested Kent and he went out there and banked it in off the right upright. It was quite a night for Kent. He is a super athlete and a good kid who has puts in the work. It was great to see him have a special night.” McArthur starts at wide receiver and cornerback and returns kickoffs and punts. He has 18 tackles, 3 for loss, 3 interceptions (two for TDs), 4 pass breakups, passed for a TD, caught a TD pass, and kicked an extra point for 4-2 Central Hinds this season. McArthur didn’t play football as a freshman or sophomore but came out last year as a junior and started at wide receiver and cornerback. He finished the season with three interceptions and helped Central Hinds to an 8-3 record. He also plays baseball, basketball, soccer and runs track at Central Hinds. Central Hinds plays host to Oak Forest, La., Academy in a MAIS Class 5A, District 3 game Friday night at Raymond.

Saw a movie this summer. Titled “Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris.” If you have already seen this film, then you know its premise. If not, then never fear, I don’t intend to spoil it for you by revealing the plot or the ending. But I do want to make an observation. After seeing the movie, I came to the conclusion that this movie is truer to life than we realize. Even with its fluffy and shallow exterior premise of Cinderella-Miracles-In-Paris. My observation? Most of us are living a lie, and yet we can’t even see that we are living a lie. The lie? For some reason (called low self-esteem) we live in fear that, “There are some things that are not good about the real me.” And since we live afraid that fact makes us unacceptable to this world, we try to pull a huge cover-up, to hide that part of us. Because we believe we are “less-than,” we try to show the world we are “more-than.” And in reality, all we need to do is “just be me!” Folks, there was never a person born on this earth who is better than anyone else born on this earth. A baby girl born with a silver spoon in her mouth at birth is not worth more than the unwanted baby who was left in a trash can. God created each one of us as equal in His eyes. And we need to view ourselves from His perspective – not that of the world. Sure would save a lot of heartache and wrong roads. That movie has some pretty good examples of what I am saying. Take a close look at the House of Fashion manager and his assistant, and you will see people who believe, “There is something unacceptable about me, so I will try to live exactly the opposite of that.” Examine the life of the beautiful model, versus what she really wants. See the owner of the company as he attempts to hide what is happening to his company, by attempting to maintain the same exclusive clientele, no matter what. Sounds a lot like many of us…believing something is wrong with the real me. Hiding behind a personality we believe the world will like better. And unfortunately, never realizing that there is a third person, the real you, that no one ever gets to meet. Not perfect, but certainly not garbage. You are the ‘you’ that our Creator wanted on the earth. With all your quirks, faults and weaknesses. But also your strengths. Friends, putting on a false front to cover the real you causes a certain amount of stress. Constantly having to live as a person you are not - that is extremely hard. We need to drop the false belief, so we can drop the cover mask, so the world can see and accept the real person that we are. Be you.

The Mississippi Farmers Market, in partnership with the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, will host the second annual Great Mississippi Peanut Boil on Saturday, October 1, from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. “To kick off the fall season, we want to invite the public to the second annual Great Mississippi Peanut Boil at the Mississippi Farmers Market,” said Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “We will again boil several hundred pounds of peanuts for visitors to enjoy, compliments of Rogers Farms in Collins. The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association will also be giving out roasted peanuts. So come out this Saturday and enjoy the Great Peanut Boil with friends and family.” In addition to the usual variety of farm fresh foods and handcrafted items, shoppers will be treated to complimentary popcorn, children’s activities including face painting and games, vendor giveaways and boiled peanuts. The City Limits Café and Genuine MS® Store, both located inside of the Mississippi Farmers Market, will also be open to the public. The Café serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every weekday; it is also open from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday. The Genuine MS® Store is open Thursday and Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. The Mississippi Farmers Market, a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, is open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. For more information about the Mississippi Farmers Market, visit www.msfarmersmarket.com and follow the Mississippi Farmers Market on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

By Bob Garver “Don’t Worry Darling” is a film whose poor reputation precedes it. It’s going to be remembered not for anything that happens in the film, but for being the source of news stories about animosity between various players in its production. But I can look beyond all the gossip and behind-the-scenes drama and focus on what’s on screen. Unfortunately, what’s on screen is a movie that had no business making as much money as it did this past weekend. The film takes place in a desert-based housing development in an unknown location at an unknown time, though everything about it suggests the 1950’s or 60’s. Alice (Florence Pugh) is a housewife who devotes herself to doting over her house, her cooking duties, and of course her husband Jack (Harry Styles). He spends his days at a secretive workplace run by community leader Frank (Chris Pine) while she cooks, cleans, shops, goes to dancing lessons, and socializes with other wives like Bunny (Olivia Wilde, also the film’s director). It’s a life of domestic bliss that seems too good to be true, which of course means it won’t be long before it descends into chaos. Things started going off the rails a few months before we join the story, when neighbor Margaret (Kiki Layne) lost her child in the desert and started spouting conspiracy theories about what the men in the town do all day. Because what she says might be an inconvenience, Alice and the rest of the community tune her out. But then one day Alice witnesses a plane crash near a restricted facility and violates the community’s strict boundaries in the name of assisting any survivors. She sees something she isn’t supposed to see, and now she’s the one aware of a conspiracy that all the men in town want to bury. Initial suppression tactics include lies and gaslighting, but what will happen if Alice refuses to be silenced? The film does do some things right, especially in its early stages. Wilde has done a great job of creating an aesthetically-pleasing town with just a hint of menace in its over-the-top perfection. The same can be said of the film’s clever camerawork. I’ll also throw out a compliment to the casting of Harry Styles. Not because Styles is himself is particularly good, but because I know we could have gotten that awful Shia LaBeouf in the role. Good on Wilde to cut bait there. Styles is a much better fit for the role of the initially-ideal husband, though LaBeouf would admittedly be a better fit for some creepier later scenes, if only because he’s naturally believable as a creep. And the film’s initial pacing and building of suspense is compelling, even if the payoff is a letdown. Indeed the payoff squanders whatever goodwill the movie had earned until that point. It’s the sort of ending that immediately brings to mind a hundred other movies that have done this sort of twist before and better. It doesn’t “work” for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I don’t buy that the villains are smart enough to pull it off. It’s worth noting that the movie gets to sputtering well before its third act, thanks to some clumsy exposition-dump dialogue and nonsensical hallucination imagery that simply exists for the sake of getting some interesting shots for the trailers. “Don’t Worry Darling” takes viewers on a journey that mirrors public perception of the film itself. At first it looks promising, maybe even award-worthy. But gradually things fall apart until it’s an unsalvageable mess. That’s not to say it’s a mess from start to finish, and it’s a better movie than history will probably remember, but it does end up in the place that history will remember. Grade: C “Don’t Worry Darling” is rated R for sexuality, violent content and language. Its running time is 122 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Kara Kimbrough I get it; this is a food and travel column, not a history lesson. But due to the amount of incessant, 24-hour news coverage afforded the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II by American media outlets, I have to mention a few things. First, a 62-year-old pancake recipe from Buckingham Palace’s kitchen resurfaced. Then came the scintillating tidbit that the queen enjoyed tiny jam “pennies,” or crustless sandwiches, every afternoon with tea. The backstory? She was fed the same snack in the nursery as a child. Wow! I can’t believe I never knew this fact…sarcasm intended. Food tidbits aside, here’s something else that almost everyone seems to have forgotten. The pilgrims left England in 1620 on the Mayflower in search of a place to practice religious freedom, settling in what would become the United States. England then invaded America not once, but twice; first in the Revolutionary War, followed by the War of 1812. The British obviously had a hard time letting go, judging from the massive death and destruction they wrought on our fledgling nation. But how soon we forget…judging, at least, from 10 days of non-stop news detailing every detail of the Queen’s long, drawn-out wake and funeral. In case you haven’t guessed – I’m not an Anglophile. Sure, I admired the late Princess Diana for her humanitarian work, style and beauty and ability to relate to ordinary people, especially those who were suffering. And Prince William’s dashing good looks, especially when in uniform or piloting a helicopter, always holds my attention. Most notably, his ability to create a seemingly-normal family with Kate and their children in spite of loads of royal family dysfunction is admirable. But I haven’t really followed or admired the rest of them, including the new and somewhat lackluster King Charles. Seeing news coverage of the new king throwing tantrums over a cluttered desk and a leaking pen just hours after assuming the crown reinforced my belief that William needs to move to the head of the line. But, to borrow an English term…enough grousing. I was somewhat intrigued when the pancake recipe Elizabeth presented to then-President Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 came to light. It was the most interesting thing that happened during the long, painful wait for her funeral to actually take place. According to the story, Elizabeth mentioned her love of pancakes, or “dropped scones,” during the Eisenhowers’ visit to England. She promised to give the president the recipe, doing so in a follow-up letter after their visit. The recipe in the accompanying photo was obviously typed by a staffer. However, the queen added a note at the bottom in her own handwriting that the recipe was “enough for 16 people.” If you make Queen Elizabeth’s dropped scones, or pancakes, recipe, remember that a “teacup,” equals approximately ¾ cup. You’ll need 3 cups of flour and 1-1/2 cups of milk. If you tackle the old-school recipe, take note of the fact that a “teacup,” equals approximately ¾ cup. Therefore, the recipe requires 3 cups of flour and 1-1/2 cups of milk. I probably won’t get around to trying the recipe and not due to my lack of Anglophilia. My mornings tend to be a little rushed, so creating a labor-intensive breakfast like pancakes is something I rarely do. However, I recently found that fresh-baked muffins in the mornings are attainable by dumping all ingredients in a blender, mixing together then simply pouring the batter into lined muffin tins. Last, I’m tuning out all further news from across the pond…at least until King William takes the throne. Easy & Healthy Breakfast Muffins 2 large eggs ¼ cup vegetable oil 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (not quick cook) 2 ripe bananas 1/3 cup pure maple syrup ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a regular 12-cup muffin tin or large 6-cup tin with paper liners. Pour or spoon all ingredients into a high-speed blender. Blend until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Pour batter directly from blender among the lined cups of the muffin tin. Bake for 17-20 minutes until muffin tops are slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

In-person and mail-in absentee ballots are now available through your county circuit clerk's office for the November general and special election to be held on November 8, 2022. To verify eligibility, Mississippians can utilize the Step-By-Step Absentee Guide from the Secretary of State's Office or contact their local circuit clerk. If eligible, ballots will be provided upon request by your circuit clerk. For those who cannot visit their circuit clerk's office during the work week, Saturday in-person absentee voting dates are Saturday, October 29, 2022, and November 5, 2022, from 8:00 a.m. until noon. To familiarize yourself with the upcoming election, all congressional and state district races can be viewed on the Secretary of State's website. For a sample ballot specific to you, contact your local circuit clerk. In order to vote in the November election, Mississippians must be registered to vote by October 10, 2022. The Secretary of State's Office serves as the primary, trusted source for election information. Visit our Y'all Vote website (yallvote.ms) for a variety of helpful resources including Frequently Asked Questions for absentee voting and contact information for county election officials. For voter registration or elections questions, contact ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov or call the Elections Hotline at 1-800-829-6786.

Today, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson, along with state and local law enforcement officials, addressed security staff and safety measures for the upcoming 2022 Mississippi State Fair taking place October 6-16. Commissioner Gipson was joined by Jimmy Herzog, Chief of Security for the Mississippi State Fairgrounds; Colonel Randy Ginn, Director of Mississippi Highway Patrol; Chief Bo Luckey, Mississippi State Capitol Police; Chief Ricky Davis, State Fire Marshal’s Office; Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones; Chief James Davis, Jackson Police Department; along with other law enforcement agency representatives. “I want to thank our local law enforcement agencies, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Police Department, for their longtime partnership keeping the Fairgrounds safe, and this year, I appreciate our State Troopers with the Mississippi Highway Patrol for providing assistance during the State Fair. State Troopers will be on site, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Mounted Unit, for the first time, will deploy alongside the Hinds County Mounted Patrol. Also, the State Fire Marshal’s Office will have highly trained K-9 units on site. Multiple agencies including the State Capitol Police, Department of Homeland Security Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and Mississippi Agricultural and Livestock Theft Bureau will also be assisting with security and logistics,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. Commissioner Gipson outlined the following safety measures that will be in effect at the 2022 Mississippi State Fair: Beginning at 9:00 p.m., any guest under the age of eighteen (18) seeking admission to the Fairgrounds must be accompanied by a legal adult (21 or older). Any guest may be asked to show official proof of age to be admitted after 9:00 p.m. When entering the Midway, all guests will proceed through one (1) of the seven (7) entry security points utilizing a metal detector, and/or be subject to magnetic wanding. All bags are subject to search. The maximum bag size that will be accepted into the Fair is 12”x12”x6”. No outside food or beverage allowed. No marketing, soliciting, political, or vending items allowed unless and as authorized under Fairground regulations. No animals (other than service animals or as authorized by Fair management for Fair activities), banners, fireworks/explosives, or laser pointers allowed. Pursuant to state law, the legal carry of firearms by all lawful adults is recognized on the Mississippi Fairgrounds. Exceptions and challenges to these policies will be satisfied at the discretion of Fair Management. “Safety is a priority at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. Our number one goal is to keep people safe as they enjoy a unique, family-friendly Mississippi State Fair experience,” said Commissioner Gipson. The 2022 Mississippi State Fair will open at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 6, and run through Sunday, October 16. Gate admission will be $5.00 per person and parking will be $5.00 per car. Children aged 6 and under will be admitted free of charge. The public can purchase advance admission tickets at the Coliseum Box Office until 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 6. Enjoy free admission every weekday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., except on Monday, October 10, Columbus Day. View https://youtu.be/opKblBhE8aE to watch the full press conference online. For more information about the Mississippi State Fair, visit www.msstatefair.com.

We are so proud of our August students of the month! Alynn Creel, Jackson Teasley, Emilee Peters, Reagan Lord, Morgan Townsend, Chase Hankins

As a student did you ever use this one? “But, teacher, I promise, my dog ate my homework!” Or telling your mom, “I didn’t think we should, but she made me!” Or just the plain old standby that works every time, “I just forgot, I’m sorry.” Ever had a teacher or your dad look you in the eye and firmly state, “Excuses are like hineys, everybody’s got one. But nobody should be goin’ thru life sittin’ on ‘em.” It's beginning to look like our nation has developed a full-blown plague. What would this plague be named? Hmmm… maybe the “DON’T BLAME ME DISEASE.” The symptoms of the disease that can be seen? Well, that’s easy. Look at our current work force problems. And then there are symptoms you can hear. “I really can’t because…” and then insert whatever excuses or reasons all these unemployed adults cite. Does this downward spiral pattern of particular symptoms sound familiar? “I quit my job because I was undervalued and/or mistreated. I know that I deserve better.” “I’m trying, but I can’t find a job where I am going to be treated fairly.” “Now I have no money because I have no job.” “Yes, I admit I was caught stealing, but I do have to survive.” “Now that I have a theft record, nobody will hire me. So It’s not my fault I can’t find a job.” “I have to take all the help that the government will give me, because I refuse to starve and be homeless. And like I said, nobody will give me a job.” “Actually, I have more money in my pocket from Uncle Sam’s check than if I was working any job I can find. So, honestly, I can’t afford to take a job.” Ouch. Such a downhill slide. So unfair to that person. They unknowingly swallowed the delicious bait of ‘I deserve better than this,’ and never saw the cruel hook buried inside. The hook of, ‘I might possibly become unemployable. Making my life very difficult.’ Excuses to not work, and to not pay our bills are available to all of us. And there’s no doubt, using excuses is the easy and tempting way to go through life. But they have such a heartbreaking end. No money, the loss of your reputation, and your family eyeing you with disgust – that is a high price to pay. On the other hand, holding your head high while doing that menial job you despise, even with the unfairness or mistreatment that comes with it, will pay off in the future. Eventually, you will have the chance to find a better job, or further your education, or to land a job that allows you to use your skills and gifts. But that normally happens in the future when you refuse to use excuses in the present. Sitting on your hiney using excuses will hurt you in the end. Pun intended.

By Kara Kimbrough An email from a reader led to a series of events last week. One was a slightly negative dining experience and the other led to the creation of a dish that brought back memories of an unforgettable meal at Carmine’s in New York City. I don’t want to get ahead of the story, so here’s how it began. The reader asked the difference between what she’d always assumed were two different dishes - chicken Parmigiana and chicken Parmesan. A little research revealed that while one name is more exotic, they’re basically different names for the same recipe. And, with a name that includes the word “Parmigiana”, you might assume this recipe is 100% Italian. While it did originate in Italy, the original dish’s primary ingredient was breaded, fried strips of eggplant. At other times, favorite Italian meats like pork or veal served as the main ingredients. It was only after Italians immigrated to America and settled primarily along the East Coast that they got a little more creative with the classic dish from the Old Country. Unlike their Italian grandmothers, they added whatever protein was least expensive and available at the corner market. In many cases, that proved to be chicken. A little tinkering with the ingredients led to the name being Americanized to “chicken parmesan,” or chicken parm. After passing on these little jewels of knowledge, a craving for the dish, using whatever name anyone wanted to call it, led me to order it at an Italian restaurant last week. I won’t embarrass the restaurant by listing its name (I will say it was the first time I’d visited, so it’s never been mentioned in my column). However, I have to say, I was let down by its version of the dish elegantly listed as “chicken parmigiana.” The red sauce was thin and tasteless and cheese was applied with a very controlling hand. I had to search desperately to find the angel hair pasta hidden underneath the breaded chicken breast. I will say the perfectly-breaded, seasoned and pan-fried chicken was the dish’s redeeming quality, but only by a small margin. Last, I know these are trying times for restaurants, but being served a somewhat-pricey dish without even a cup of iceberg lettuce drizzled with dressing or a breadstick to round out the meal did little to elevate the dining experience. Finally, I’m getting to the positive part of the week. After leaving the restaurant without the satisfying chicken parmigiana experience I’d sought, I went home and pulled out my Carmine's cookbook. I replicated (or at least, attempted) the chicken parmesan my friends and I had enjoyed at the famed eatery in NYC's Times Square. Carmine’s recipe is a little lengthy, but if you’d like to try it, drop me an email and I’ll send it to you. In the meantime, here’s an easier version of chicken parmigiana. Since it’s an abbreviated recipe, we’ll just call it chicken parm. Bon appetit! Easiest Chicken Parm This Side of Italy 2 pounds chicken tenderloins, washed and trimmed of tendons on edges 2 teaspoons salt, divided 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 1½ cups panko bread crumbs 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano or grated Parmesan, divided 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 -½ cups flour 3 large eggs Olive oil, for pan 2 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded 1 pound angel hair pasta, boiled al dente Flatten the tenderloins with a kitchen mallet so that they are around ¼-inch thick. Season the chicken with half of the salt and half of the pepper and set aside. Boil pasta, drain and set aside. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, 1 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano, oregano, thyme and remaining salt and pepper. Mix well to combine with cheese. Place flour in another shallow bowl, then use a whisk to beat the eggs in a third bowl. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating evenly, then dip in the eggs, letting any excess drip off; then dredge in the panko mixture, turning and patting to make sure they're evenly coated. Place the breaded chicken on the foil-covered baking sheet. Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack about 4 inches from the heating element. Meanwhile, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer over low heat. Cover and keep warm. Line another baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with oil over medium heat. Place 5-6 tenders in the pan in a single layer and cook until the first side is golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until golden and cooked well. Cook the remaining chicken in the same manner, adding additional oil only if necessary and adjusting heat to insure chicken doesn’t get too brown. Place the cooked chicken on the second foil-covered baking sheet. Equally sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan over the center of the chicken tenderloins. Place baking sheet containing chicken under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Place a serving of pasta into each individual plate, then add a piece of chicken. Spoon marinara sauce over the cheese, leaving the edges of the chicken bare to insure crispiness. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

The Town of Bolton will host its annual Christmas parade on Saturday, December 10, 2022. The parade will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. This year's theme iş: “Peace on Earth." Please allow this letter to serve as a formal invitation to participate in this festive occasion. We are encouraging all our local elected officials, business owners, churches, local schools, civic and social organizations to participate in this year's parade. The entry fee for the parade is $10 for individuals and $30 for car/horse/motorcycle clubs (up to five participants). The committee is waiving the entry fee for area bands participating in the parade. Enclosed is the official parade application. Please complete the application and submit the entrance fee by Thursday, December 1, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Alfenette Robinson (601-383-2407), Ms. BendaLonne Griffith (601-942-8694), Mr. Eddie Gaines (601-953-8044), Mrs. Rochella Sanders (601-866-7960), Mrs. Jean Butler (601-866-7317), Mrs. Johnie Thompson (601-291-0087) Mrs. Bobbie Hopson (601-866-7505) or Ms. Susie Carter (601-866-7125). ***ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS ALLOWED***

By Bob Garver Last week I wrote that critics were a little too eager to embrace the random-twist horror movie “Barbarian” because the release calendar was in a slump and there hadn’t been a good movie in a while. If those critics had just waited a week, they could have embraced “The Woman King,” an audience-pleasing historical epic with a chance to make some real money and maybe pick up a few awards. As it is, the film will still deservedly be seen as a creative and commercial success, but I’m disappointed that it won’t get more recognition for saving us from the August-September slog. The film follows the Agojie, an army of female warriors that protect the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 1820’s. The women, led by General Nanisca (Viola Davis), dispatch slavers from the rival Oyo Empire who want to sell captured women to Europeans. Dahomean king Ghezo (John Boyega) also deals with selling slaves to the Europeans. Nanisca wishes he wouldn’t deal in slaves and instead trade something harmless like palm oil. She has his ear to a degree as a general, but she would have real influence if he were to give her the title of Woman King. Not a queen, to be clear, but a Woman King, a woman with kingly importance. But no woman has been given that title in decades. Nanisca would have to do something outstanding to earn it. Given that it’s the title of the movie, I’d say it’s likely that Nanisca will indeed do something outstanding. The ranks of the Agojie are often filled with women freed from the Oyo, but some come from within Dahomey itself. Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is a young woman given to the king by her callous adoptive father because she won’t marry a rich scumbag who beats her. She quickly decides that the wife life isn’t for her and signs on to become an Agojie. She still takes a beating, in a manner of speaking, but it’s on her terms. She doesn’t have much natural skill, but thanks to perseverance and the tutelage of her trainer Izogie (Lashana Lynch), she finishes first in her class. This gets her the attention of Nanisca, who sees a lot of herself in Nawi. Nawi’s performance at her graduation also gets her a different kind of attention from Brazilian trader Malik (Jordan Bulger), the kind that is forbidden in the Agojie. I’d like to say that the romantic subplot is dull and unnecessary, but this movie couldn’t be dull if it tried. Malik warns Nawi of an impending attack by the Oyo, led by the fearsome Oba (Jimmy Odukoya), with whom Nanisca has history. Can the Agojie defeat the Oyo and their European allies? Will anyone be named the Woman King? Will there be incredible performances along the way? I can’t get into spoilers for those first two questions, but can answer the third with a resounding yes. Davis, Mbedu, and Lynch are all going to be forces in the next Oscar race. Here’s a fun game you can play as you watch: try to guess which ten-second clips will be used to represent each actress at the ceremony. You’ll find no end of excellent choices. Surprisingly, it’s the action scenes that are the weakest parts of “The Woman King.” Much of the fighting is blade-based, and some of the sequences have to be confusing and obscured so the film can cling to its PG-13 rating. But what the film lacks in battlefield drama, it more than recuperates in human drama. For the first time in a long time, I heard heartfelt cheering and gasping from an audience that was invested in characters they had known for only a few minutes. Most franchise pictures can’t pull that off with characters audiences have known for years. I hope this movie reigns atop the box office for a good long while. Grade: A- “The Woman King” is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing material, thematic content, brief language and partial nudity. Its running time is 135 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.