Danielle Panabaker Discusses Directing ‘The Flash’

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 Keith Chow

On tonight’s new episode of The Flash, Danielle Panabaker will play triple duty as Dr. Caitlin Snow, Killer Frost, and as director of the episode. This will be Panabaker’s third time in the director’s chair after making her directorial debut in season five. I got a chance to speak with the actress/director recently about getting back behind the camera post-COVID and what it’s like to be the last remaining member of the original S.T.A.R. Labs team.

Movies, Toys

New ‘Snake Eyes’ Trailer Goes Behind the Mask

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 Keith Chow

In a little over a month, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins finally hits theaters. To tide us over, Paramount just released a full trailer that gives fans a more thorough glimpse into the origin story of the world’s most famous ninja commando!

DC Comics, Movies

‘Flash’ Director Teases Some Super Logos

June 18, 2021April 26, 2023 Keith Chow

For the last few weeks, The Flash director Andy Muschietti has been taking to social media to reveal glimpses at the costumes to be worn by Michael Keaton, Ezra Miller, and Sasha Calle, respectively in the upcoming entry into the DCEU.

Animation, Streaming, Toys

The Power of Grayskull Returns in Heroic ‘Masters of the Universe: Revelation’ Teaser

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021 Keith Chow

If you’ve been holding out for a hero since He-Man and the Masters of the Universe went off the air in 1985, Kevin Smith has got you covered! After giving fans a sneak peek at the new character designs last month, we now get to see those designs in action now that Netflix has released a teaser on YouTube.

Interview, Movies1 Comment

NOC Interview: Lin-Manuel Miranda on the Making of ‘In The Heights’

June 10, 2021November 25, 2024 Keith Chow

Now that In the Heights is officially in theaters and streaming on HBO Max, what better time than now to re-up my convo with Lin-Manuel Miranda, originally recorded for the Hard NOC Life podcast.

Star Wars, Toys

Hasbro Reveals New and Updated ‘Rogue One’ Black Series Figures and More

June 9, 2021June 9, 2021 Keith Chow

During today’s Hasbro livestream celebrating the forthcoming “I Am Your Father’s Day” event, the Star Wars team revealed several new items from their Black Series and Vintage Collection, including multiple Rogue One figures and repaints collectors have been clamoring for since the line debuted in 2016.

Fashion, Movies, Sports

Nike and Warner Bros. Re-Introduce ‘Space Jam’ to a New Generation of Sneakerheads

June 8, 2021June 9, 2021 Keith Chow

For nearly three decades, the words “Space Jam” brought to mind one shoe. The iconic Jordan XI, in a special black and concord colorway.

Movies, Theatre

Light’s Up on the Opening Number from ‘In the Heights’

June 7, 2021June 11, 2021 Keith Chow

Warner Bros. has moved up the opening of Jon M. Chu’s big screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes’s Tony Award-winning musical, In the Heights, a day early. So it won’t be long now!

To hold you over until Thursday night, Chu and Miranda went to social media to announce they’re releasing the first eight minutes of the movie — essentially, the entire opening number — even earlier.

Movies, Sci Fi

First Trailer for Lisa Joy’s ‘Reminiscence’ is Finally Here

June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 Keith Chow

The Greatest Showman stars Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson genre-swap the technicolor movie musical for sun-kissed film noir as they reunite for the mind-bending action thriller, Reminiscence. Lisa Joy takes her Westworld sensibilities to the big screen, making her directorial debut — and re-teaming with Thandiwe Newton — with another project that has characters navigating between reality and reverie.

Check out the first trailer for the noir-ish thriller below!

DC Comics, Television

You’re Welcome: Official Look at Jordan Fisher’s Impulse on ‘The Flash’

May 21, 2021May 21, 2021 Keith Chow

The CW just released its first official look at Jordan Fisher as the future speedster Bart Allen, aka Impulse.

Animation, Streaming

‘Mech Cadets’ Brings the SIUniverse to Netflix

May 21, 2021May 21, 2021 Keith Chow

Yesterday afternoon, Netflix announced a trio of animated projects featuring Asian American protagonists and creative teams. Among those series was one based on a comic book from an old friend, Mech Cadets based on the Boom! series by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa.

Comics, Fantasy

Image Comics Goes Way Down to Hadestown with ‘Punderworld’ Graphic Novel

May 20, 2021May 20, 2021 Keith Chow

One of my favorite parts of the Tony-Award winning Broadway musical Hadestown is the story of Patrick Page’s Hades and Amber Gray’s Persephone. Also, I’m always down for interesting reinterpretations of Greek myths. Now, one of the biggest webcomics on the internet, Punderworld, is coming to comic shops from fan-favorite creator Linda Šejić. Think of it as a kind of prequel to Hadestown.

Crowdfunding, Movies

Kickstart This: Marc Bernardin’s Directorial Debut, ‘Splinter’

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 Keith Chow

Writer, and Friend of the NOC, Marc Bernardin had always hoped to direct a movie by the time he turned 50. Well, now he’s gone and done it!

Though he has already exceeded his original Kickstarter goal in less than 12 hours, Bernardin’s directorial debut, the short film Splinter, still has a month to go to raise even more money!

Podcasts, Toys

New Toy Collecting Podcast ‘Shelf Conscious’ Coming Soon

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 Keith Chow

As long time readers of the site and listeners of the podcasts might know, action figures is where my true nerd passion lies. And since I originally got my start in the nerd business as a writer for the legendary ToyFare Magazine, I decided to go back to my roots and create a podcast and YouTube series devoted to my love of toy collecting.

Animation, DC Comics, Streaming2 Comments

Two New Batman and Superman Animated Series Coming to HBO Max

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 Keith Chow

HBO Max and Cartoon Network just announced they are bringing their two most iconic superheroes back to the world of animation. Both Batman: Caped Crusader and My Adventures with Superman are sure to bring in a new generation of fans into the worlds of Gotham and Metropolis, while simultaneously giving long-time fans the kind of nuanced and action-packed stories they crave.

Hard N.O.C. Life, Movies, Toys

Hard NOC Life 217: ‘Snake Eyes’ Trailer Reaction

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021 Keith Chow

Dominic, Britney, and Keith react to the official Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins trailer and why Henry Golding’s portrayal of the character is so meaningful. They also watched a short behind-the-scenes feature and differentiate between the G.I. Joe comics and cartoons, and Keith explains why he no longer cares if Iron Fist is Asian American anymore.

Continue reading “Hard NOC Life 217: ‘Snake Eyes’ Trailer Reaction”

Interview, Movies, Toys2 Comments

Actions Speak Louder than Words: Henry Golding on Being ‘Snake Eyes’

May 16, 2021July 26, 2021 Keith Chow

Few comic book characters mean more to me than G.I. Joe’s resident Ninja Commando. Created by Larry Hama and based on the Hasbro action figure designs, Snake Eyes wasn’t just my favorite action figure, he unlocked my imagination as a child. A silent warrior with a classified name and background meant that anyone could be beneath that iconic all-black mask. So for years, Snake Eyes looked like me until the comics eventually revealed the man underneath was yet another white-guy-who-happens-to-be-best-Asian.

Comics, Movies, Toys

‘Snake Eyes’ Poster Offers a Silent Interlude Before the Trailer

May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 Keith Chow

We are so close to seeing a trailer for Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins! To whet our appetites, Paramount has unveiled the first official one-sheet for the film, featuring Henry Golding in all his Ninja Commando splendor against the backdrop of the iconic Arashikage hexagram!

Animation, Streaming, Toys

‘Masters of the Universe: Revelation’ Has the Power

May 13, 2021July 8, 2021 Keith Chow

In 1982, Mattel revolutionized the toy industry when it unleashed its line of 5.5-inch action figures, Masters of the Universe. The following year, Filmation released an accompanying animated series, like all toy lines in the ’80s, and a generation of kids would never be the same. Now, nearly forty years later, a new generation will get to witness the ongoing battle between He-Man and Skeletor in Masters of the Universe: Revelation when it comes to Netflix on July 23!

DC Comics, Television

‘Supergirl’ Reveals National City’s New Guardian

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 Keith Chow

When Supergirl returns later this year to wrap up its sixth and final season, we’ll see a new hero become National City’s Guardian.

Interview, Movies

From Amazon to Zombie Hunter: Samantha Win Reflects on Her Career

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 Keith Chow

Samantha Win is blowing up. It’s only May, but it’s already been quite a year for the actress / martial artist / stunt performer / Amazonian warrior / zombie hunter. In March, she wrote, produced, and starred in a genre-bending shortfilm called Unwelcome. She can currently be seen on HBO Max as Euboea in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. On May 14, her latest Snyder-collab, Army of the Dead opens in theaters nationwide — making it Netflix’s widest release ever — before coming to the streamer the following week on May 21.

Marvel, Streaming, Television1 Comment

For ‘Loki,’ Wednesdays are the New Fridays

May 5, 2021May 15, 2021 Keith Chow

Everybody who set their reminders for the midnight (or 3am on the East Coast) premiere of Loki on June 11 needs to reset those alerts.

News

Gold House Unveils its Annual A100 List for 2021

May 3, 2021May 3, 2021 Keith Chow

For the fourth year in a row, Gold House has unveiled its annual A100 List, spotlighting the year’s most impactful Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders in entertainment, business, politics, and beyond.