Hunter Gorinson Named President and Publisher of Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group

December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 Mike Manalo

Earlier this week we had a chance to talk to some of our friends at Lion Forge about their highly anticipated animated series adaptation of Iyanu: Child of Wonder. And today the company has made a whopper of an announcement as former Boom Studios-exec Hunter Gorinson has joined the team as President and Publisher of the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group.

Interview, Movies1 Comment

Speaking with the Stars of Lifetime’s First All-Latino Holiday Film, ‘Merry Textmas’

December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 Sophia Soto

Ariana Ron Pedrique and Rodrigo Massa star as Gaby Diaz and Alex Alvarado in Merry Textmas. The new holiday movie will premiere on Sunday, December 4 at 8/7c as part of Lifetime’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime.”

Movies, Trailers1 Comment

‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Trailer Will Blow Us All Away

December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 Keith Chow

Paramount Pictures and Hasbro has just dropped the first teaser trailer for next year’s latest installment in the Transformers live action movie franchise, Rise of the Beasts!

Podcasts, Tech

FDI Cast 159: All You Need is a Hyundai Accent

December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 Jamie

Brandon unleashes his fully armed and operational rant against billionaires and we recount our Turkey Murder Day adventures.

Interview, Movies

‘Darby and the Dead’ Stars Riele Downs and Auliʻi Cravalho on Playing Against What’s Expected

November 30, 2022December 6, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Riele Downs and Auliʻi Cravalho are ready for a change.

Interview, Movies

David Harbour Talks the Heart of ‘Violent Night’ and Character Arc of Santa Claus

November 30, 2022 Sophia Soto

David Harbour stars as Santa Claus in Violent Night. The action-packed holiday thriller hits theaters on December 2.

Fantasy, Reviews, Television

‘Willow’ Begins a Breathtaking New Adventure

November 30, 2022November 30, 2022 Michael Lee

Nearly 35 years after the release of Lucasfilm’s fantasy epic Willow, the film comes back as an all-new and exciting sequel series streaming on Disney+.

Movies, Podcasts

The Middle Geeks Episode 47: ‘The Swimmers’ Review with Zaina Ujayli

November 30, 2022November 30, 2022 Swara Salih

We welcome Zaina onto the podcast for us to review The Swimmers!

Animation, Movies

Here We Go! New Official Trailer for ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Debuts

November 29, 2022November 29, 2022 Mike Manalo

Today, during a quick Nintendo Direct presentation, Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario teamed up with Illumination owner and founder Chris Meledandri to unveil the new official trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. While the previous trailer only teased what we are expected to see in the upcoming April release, this new one showcased a lot more. On hand during the presentation were Anya Taylor-Joy who’s voicing Peach, and Seth Rogan, who’s voicing Donkey Kong, along with his dog Zelda.

Animation, Interview1 Comment

Uncovering the Secrets of Yorubaland with the Creators of ‘Iyanu’

November 29, 2022November 29, 2022 Mike Manalo

In 2023, the world will meet Iyanu! Based on the acclaimed Dark Horse graphic novel, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, HBO Max is teaming with Lion Forge Animation to bring the world its first Nigerian/Yoruban inspired animated fantasy epic series. And The Nerds of Color was able to get an exclusive look with creators, David Steward II and Saxton Moore.

Hard N.O.C. Life, Marvel, Star Wars

Hard NOC Life 293: ‘Andor’ and Holiday Specials

November 28, 2022November 28, 2022 Hard NOC Media

On the final Hard NOC Life before we go on hiatus, Dominic, Britney, and Keith rank Andor against other live action Star Wars projects, including the Holiday Special from the 1970s. Speaking of Holiday Specials, James Gunn brings the tradition back with a special Guardians of the Galaxy mission to save Christmas.

Movies, Trailers

New Trailer and Poster for ‘Babylon’ Embraces the Lavishness of 1920s Hollywood

November 28, 2022November 28, 2022 Mike Manalo

Damien Chazelle is arguably one of the most talented young filmmakers working in Hollywood today. From his Oscar-winning breakthrough in the remarkable Whiplash to his follow-ups La La Land and First Man, the mention of Chazelle’s name in the critic community sparks interest and anticipation. And now, he’s back with a new project — a three-hour epic called Babylon. We previously brought you the exciting first trailer for the film a while ago, but today, we’ve now received a brand new trailer and poster for the eagerly anticipated potential awards contender.

Animation, Movies, Reviews

NOC Review: ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ is the Best ‘Shrek’ Movie in Years

November 28, 2022November 28, 2022 Mike Manalo

Yes, it’s true that Dreamworks Animation has had to live in the shadow of Pixar Animation studios for some time. But I truly think audiences tend to underestimate them. The first two Shrek movies are terrific. The entire How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is a masterpiece (one of the few film trilogies ever where all entries are fantastic). And even the Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar franchises are well done. It seems the impact great filmmakers like Guillermo Del Toro and Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois has indeed (much like the fearless feline protagonist of the film this review is for) left an indelible mark. Because case in point, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is surprisingly quite good.

Movies, Streaming1 Comment

Highlights from the 42nd Hawai’i International Film Festival’s Virtual Program

November 25, 2022November 26, 2022 Lauren Lola

For the third consecutive year of its 42-year run, the Hawai’i International Film Festival has a large selection of films available to view virtually. With titles ranging from Hawaii, the mainland, the overall Asia-Pacific region, and other parts of the world, there are so many for viewers to watch from the comfort of home, each of which expressing voices and stories of all kinds.

Interview, Movies, Streaming

Justin Hartley and Director Charles Shyer Discuss Their New Film, ‘The Noel Diary’

November 24, 2022 Sophia Soto

Justin Hartley stars in and executive produces The Noel Diary, which Charles Shyer directed and co-wrote. The movie, based on the book by Richard Paul Evans, is now streaming on Netflix.

Marvel, Reviews

‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special’ is a Heartwarming Stocking Stuffer

November 23, 2022November 26, 2022 Michael Lee

This year has been a busy blur for Marvel Studios. They’ve released three theatrical films and debuted four streaming series. But this year for Christmas, there’s something fans would really like from Kevin Feige. So if you can hear those sleigh bells coming around that Disney+ bend, then consider watching James Gunn’s The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special to mark this year’s end. Because Christmas Time has come, and that means MCU joy for everyone.

Interview, Movies

Ian Harding on Making ‘Ghosts of Christmas Always,’ Holiday Traditions, and More

November 23, 2022November 23, 2022 Sophia Soto

Ian Harding stars as Peter in Ghosts of Christmas Always, which is part of Hallmark’s 2022 Countdown to Christmas. You can see all of the upcoming showtimes for the movie here!

Movies, Streaming

Unravelling the Mysteries of ‘Knives Out’ at the ‘Glasss Onion’ Press Conference

November 23, 2022November 23, 2022 Mike Manalo

It’s time for another mystery folks, and Benoit Blanc, last of the gentleman sleuths, is back on the case! Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is hitting select theaters just in time for Thanksgiving, and to celebrate, we want to take you guys into all the fun and mystery from the film’s global press conference.

Fantasy, Interview

‘Willow’ Cast and Crew Talk about Continuing the Fantasy Mythology

November 23, 2022November 25, 2024 Michael Lee

It’s been almost 35 years since Willow hit the big screen. The fantasy adventure epic from Lucasfilm starred Warwick Davis as the titular dwarf with a heart of gold who goes on a perilous quest to save Tir Asleen from Bavmorda, the evil queen of Nockmoor. Together with Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and Sorsha (Joanne Walley), they protect Elora Danan, an infant princess who is prophesied to bring about Bavmorda’s downfall. Praised for its special effects and pupperty, the film lives on as a cult classic, especially to those who may not be fans of Star Wars or Indiana Jones.

Marvel, Movies

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Explores Geopolitics and Shows the MCU Can Go Further

November 22, 2022November 28, 2022 Swara Salih

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is, at its core, a moving drama about the grief of a nation for their lost King T’Challa and the grief of his closes loved ones. But the film also takes a deeper dive into the geopolitics of the MCU, and really our own world and how the legacy of colonialism, European slavery of Africans, Indigenous genocide, and the pillaging of resources of Black and brown countries continues to this day.

Animation, Interview, Movies

Andrew Stanton on the Legacy of ‘Wall-E’ and Joining the Criterion Collection

November 22, 2022November 24, 2022 Michael Lee

The purpose of the Criterion Collection is to restore and distribute classic and contemporary films. In essence, it preserves films of cultural impact and importance. And while cinephiles can find an assortment of gems, there is almost no animation titles in its collection. That is until they announced that Wall•E would be a part of their November 2022 release slate.

Interview, Movies, Streaming1 Comment

Peeling Back the Layers of ‘Glass Onion’ with Jessica Henwick and Madelyn Cline

November 22, 2022 Mike Manalo

Benoit Blanc is back! And once more, he’s investigating another shocking mystery with a group of unsavory suspects aboard an eccentric billionaire’s glass onion in Greece; words that would only make sense in a Rian Johnson whodunnit. Among this cadre of characters is Peg (Jessica Henwick), the long suffering assistant of fashion icon Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), and Whiskey (Madelyn Cline), the girlfriend of gun-enthusiast and alt-right male-rights activist, Duke (Dave Bautista).

Hard N.O.C. Life, Star Wars

Hard NOC Life 292: Thankful for ‘Andor’

November 21, 2022November 21, 2022 Hard NOC Media

This week on Hard NOC Life, Britney and Keith remember Jason David Frank and discuss how much grief has preoccupied the nerd spaces with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the most recent episode of Andor.