A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘The Little Mermaid’

June 3, 2026June 4, 2026 Edward Hong

The Nocturne Theatre’s The Little Mermaid is a colorful and vibrant knockout production that is swimming with incredible quality. While it could have benefited from a greater boost in global majority presence considering that the aquatic kingdom is inspired by the Caribbean, the production boasts an extraordinarily talented ensemble cast, creative team, stunning imagination in its production design and direction, and that tingling touch of chaotic madness that puts an indelibly refreshing take on this classic Disney animated tale.

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‘Michael’ is an Ode to the King of Pop

May 29, 2026 Rosana Maris Arias

It’s a late May afternoon at The Paseo on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, CA. I’m about to see Michael three weeks after its premiere. Though initially put off by the fact that I was about to see the film later than I would’ve liked to, I shake this pessimism off because I’m about to watch a biopic of Michael Jackson, just mere steps from the Pasadena Convention Center where the film was shot, and more importantly, where the King of Pop debuted himself as a solo performer in 1984 at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, and Forever.

Reviews, Theatre1 Comment

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Antigone’

May 27, 2026 Edward Hong

Kenneth Cavander‘s translation & adaptation of the ancient Greek tragedy Antigone by Sophokles, now playing at the Antaeus Theatre Company, is a confused but well-acted production with clunky sound design that unfortunately uses West Asian architecture, set, and music for its aesthetics without hiring any West Asian creatives or actors to tell the story.

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Top Disneyland Resort Summer Musts For Toddlers and Youngling-Age Kids

May 22, 2026 Sabina Graves

The Nerds of Color was invited by the Disneyland Resort to preview just how summer is gearing up to be a fandom family fest with new The Mandalorian and Grogu experiences at Galaxy’s Edge, Bluey taking over Fantasyland, and character fun with the Disney Friends Dance Party at Disney’s California Adventure.

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A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘O: A Rhapsody in Divorce’

May 20, 2026May 21, 2026 Edward Hong

Outside In Theatre never ceases to enthrall me and their latest production O: A Rhapsody in Divorce continues that magic in their most definitive work yet. Written by Jami Brandli and directed by Jessica Hanna, it is a joyous marvel that fantastically adapts the ancient Greek epic The Odyssey for the modern age and transforms it into a truly breathtaking production filled to the brim with humor, heartbreak, and awe-inspiring imagination.

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NOC Review: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Satisfies with Simplicity

May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 Mike Manalo

The Disney-era of Star Wars films has been fraught with controversy. The sequel trilogy proved incredibly divisive and, in some ways, directionless. Solo was met with production troubles, mixed reception, and ended up heavily underperforming at the box office. The only film that die hard Star Wars fans seem to fully unite around is Rogue One, and its legacy. Now, after a seven year hiatus, the pressure is on for The Mandalorian and Grogu to be more positively received than most of its five predecessors. And thankfully, it rises to the occasion.

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A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Ascent’

May 11, 2026 Edward Hong

Henry Ong‘s final play Ascent, now having its world premiere at the Skylight Theatre Company, is an urgently relevant production from Plain Wood Productions based on a true story about Chinese aerospace engineer Qian Xuesen. Though the play’s pacing is bogged down by far too many short scenes coupled with laborious scene transitions and the second half of Qian Xuesen‘s fascinatingly complex life in China unfortunately omitted, it has tremendous heart that is filled with incredible performances from their ensemble cast.

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‘Mortal Kombat II’ Finally Gives Fans the Tournament They’ve Been Waiting For

May 6, 2026May 6, 2026 Michael Lee

For a Mortal Kombat movie to truly feel like Mortal Kombat, there needs to be a tournament. Simon McQuoid’s 2021 reboot of the popular video game franchise noticeably lacked one, but it also gave the series the springboard it needed to finally enter the arena. And Mortal Kombat II certainly delivers as it is an upgrade where fights hit harder, the fatalities are more fun, the tournament stakes finally feel tangible, and the character dynamics give the carnage more momentum than its predecessor ever had.

Horror, Movies, Reviews

‘Mārama’ is a Māori Horror Thriller That Will Chill You to the Bone

May 3, 2026May 16, 2026 Valerie Complex

I’ve seen many movies over the last two years. Nothing I saw inspired me with enough words to express how I felt about what I was seeing… until I saw Taratoa Stappard’s Maori gothic horror film Mārama. A stunning feature film debut that examines female rage, ancestral bonds, and reclaimed indigeneity in post-colonial England.

Animation, Movies, Reviews

‘Swapped’ Uses a Familiar Story to Deliver Timely Lessons on Empathy

May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 Michael Lee

Nathan Greno’s Swapped may not reinvent the body swap formula, but it uses it effectively to remind audiences of the importance of seeing the world through someone else’s perspective. Backed by a terrific cast led by Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple, Netflix’s latest animated film turns a familiar premise into a funny, heartfelt story about empathy, identity, and our relationship with the natural world.

Movies, Reviews

NOC Review: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Goes from Prada to Blah-da

April 29, 2026May 1, 2026 Mike Manalo

Sharp. Biting. Insightful. These are the words we think of when we reference 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada. So does The Devil Wears Prada 2, the long-awaited reunion between stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci follow in the high-end stilettoed footsteps of its well-regarded predecessor? Let’s just say, this time around, the sequel had me pursing my lips.

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A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Flower Drum Song’

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 Edward Hong

Despite this new revival of Flower Drum Song having a second revision from David Henry Hwang, no amount of rewrites can shake the core that this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, now playing at East West Players, is still very much outdated as an orientalist and voyeuristic crowd pleaser for old white people with subpar musical numbers.

Movies, Podcasts, Reviews

The Middle Geeks Episode 79: ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Review with Ali Nasser

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 Swara Salih

We review Lee Cronin’s latest film set in Egypt with our dear friend, actor Ali Nasser.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘For Want of a Horse’

April 21, 2026April 21, 2026 Edward Hong

It’s been a few days but after watching the world premiere of Olivia Dufault’s For Want of a Horse at Echo Theater Company, I am still at a loss of what exactly the point of the play is. It’s well acted and well directed with perhaps a deep meaning to it but ultimately, it’s a play about a man who has sex with a horse. Are we supposed to be more empathetic of folks who commit such acts? Do we condemn it? Is this even a discussion worth having?

Horror, Movies, Reviews

Lee Cronin’s ‘The Mummy’ is a Viscerally Unsettling Reinvention of a Horror Icon

April 16, 2026April 16, 2026 Michael Lee

The Mummy remains one of the most iconic figures of the classic movie monster era. For nearly 95 years, the character has been reimagined through horror, romance, and action-adventure, evolving with each generation without ever fully losing its mythic power. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy recognizes that any new take must do more than reinvent the monster. It also has to leave room to engage with the story’s cultural roots in a way that feels thoughtful, grounded, and free of the outdated stereotypes that have often shaped past depictions.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Level Up!’

April 8, 2026April 8, 2026 Edward Hong

Gabriel Rivas Gomez‘s Level Up!, now having its world premiere at the Latino Theater Company, is a cute and ambitious multimedia-heavy play that is unfortunately bogged down by too many storylines.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’

April 7, 2026April 7, 2026 Edward Hong

Nocturne Theatre’s Jesus Christ Superstar has not only reinvigorated this classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with their astounding production work and talent but through conscious & well thought-out casting decisions, has given it urgent relevancy in the world we live today.

Animation, Reviews, Star Wars

‘Maul — Shadow Lord’ is a Strong Yet Perplexing ‘Star Wars’ Animated Series

April 6, 2026April 21, 2026 Lauren Lola

It’s common knowledge that the Star Wars fandom is an extremely divisive one. However, if there’s one aspect of the nearly 50-year-old franchise that most are on the same page about is that the animated series succeed at doing what several of the live-action series don’t always nail: impeccable storytelling, effortless world building, and the bravery to go deep on spiritual and morality-related subject matter.

Animation, Movies, Reviews

‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is Non-Stop Cinematic Confetti

April 1, 2026April 21, 2026 Sabina Graves

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is out this week, already poised to keep making bank by turning more game nostalgia into a pumped-up franchise for Nintendo and Universal Pictures. Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) reprise their roles as the Mushroom Kingdom’s go-to plumbers to fix and fight well… anything you’ve seen in the games you grew up playing.

Documentary, Reviews, Tech

‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’ is a Rousing Call for Humanity to Take Action

March 26, 2026March 26, 2026 Swara Salih

Artificial Intelligence, or “AI,” is an intentionally misrepresented term. A vast collection of machine learning algorithms using vast quantities of human-made data for predictive analytics, it is ultimately more simple than we’re led to believe. Mainly this is the design of the capitalist tech CEOs who insist that towering and complicated AI simply must be part of our daily lives when in most ways we have no practical use for it and we can get by.

Animation, Reviews, Theme Parks

‘Bluey’ Has Arrived at Disneyland: What Fans Need to Know

March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 Sabina Graves

The Disneyland Resort has officially welcomed Bluey to its theme park universe. The debut of Bluey’s Best Day Ever drew in massive crowds of fans who flocked to Walt Disney’s original theme park during the spring break opening weekend of the experience. As vacation season gets in full swing, expect lines from rope drop at park open, a constantly packed pit of kids on the immersive dance floor, and full houses for performances on peak days.

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A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Kim’s Convenience’

March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 Edward Hong

Though Kim’s Convenience, now having its run at Center Theatre Group, is enjoyable in its many funny and touching moments, Ins Choi‘s 2011 play is very much outdated in its necessity to showcase Korean identity and culture that is completely catered to white people.

Movies, Reviews

‘The Gates’ is a Tense Study of Race, Power, and Belonging

March 22, 2026 Ainsley 'LadyL' Landry

A gated community is supposed to represent safety. Order. Protection from the chaos of the outside world. But The Gates quickly reveals that promise to be something else entirely.