A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Radical or, are you gonna miss me?’

November 29, 2023November 30, 2023 Edward Hong

The ‘Sweet 16’ season of IAMA Theatre Company launches with the world premiere of Radical or, are you gonna miss me? written by Isaac Gómez and directed by Jess McLeod and what a vibrant way to kick it all off. While one major aspect of the show had me question what truly constitutes as a “radical” these days, I definitely commend the entire creative team and cast for truly giving it their all in a riveting play that wears its beating heart on its sleeves.

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NOC Review: ‘The Holdovers’ is a Delightful Holiday Present

November 22, 2023November 24, 2023 Mike Manalo

It’s been a while since we’ve seen director Alexander Payne team up with the always welcome presence of Paul Giamatti. The duo previously collaborated on eventual Best Picture nominee, Sideways way back in 2004, almost 20 years ago. And after seeing The Holdovers, one thing is surely apparent: These two are a match made in heaven!

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NOC Review: ‘Saltburn’ is Emerald Fennell’s ‘Mr. Ripley’

November 17, 2023November 19, 2023 Mike Manalo

Second features are difficult when you’ve knocked it out of the park with your directorial debut (just ask Olivia Wilde). In the case of the remarkably talented Emerald Fennell, one could say the task might seem almost impossible, given how good her film Promising Young Woman was. Easily one of my favorite films of 2020, Fennell has followed that future classic up with her latest feature Saltburn. And the good news is Saltburn is just as darkly and devilishly clever as her previous endeavor, even if, comparably, it’s not quite as stellar.

Animation, Movies, Reviews1 Comment

‘Wish’ Delivers a Magical and Inspirational Gift for Generations of Disney Fans

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023 Michael Lee

Disney animated musicals have made achievements and advanced breakthroughs in visual storytelling since 1923. So, to celebrate its centennial anniversary, the studio honors its legacy with Wish, an all-new animated musical that tells the origin story of the Wishing Star.

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A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Reset’

November 9, 2023November 9, 2023 Edward Hong

How often does one get to see a sci-fi play? Better question, how often does one get to see a sci-fi play done well? This is the challenge that Moving Arts Theatre was more than able to meet in the extremely intriguing Reset, written by Howard Ho and directed by Darin Anthony. It’s also noticeably different from most of the plays I’ve seen this year, where the ethnicity of the actors were essential to play the characters they would portray and the stories that were being told. Reset utilizes diversity in such a way that went beyond these limited requirements while also being color conscious of the characters in a subtle manner. Truly, more theatre companies should do this.

Marvel, Movies, ReviewsLeave a comment

‘The Marvels’ Finds its Savior in a Teenager

November 8, 2023November 8, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Marvel has been getting a lot flack lately, especially with the upcoming release of The Marvels. The film itself went through multiple reshoots and pushed its release twice. To many, especially the “film bros,” this marks the sign of a disaster waiting to happen. But, the end result of The Marvels wasn’t that bad.

Marvel, ReviewsLeave a comment

NOC Review: ‘The Marvels’ is a Light and Breezy Blast

November 8, 2023November 8, 2023 Mike Manalo

It seems these days I start out every MCU review with some comments about how we’re in an era where “the death of Marvel” is prominently in the zeitgeist. And sure, a damning article from Variety and some online chatter, along with some lukewarm or worse receptions for certain projects here and there would have you think such a thing is imminent. Perhaps it’s true. Or perhaps it’s audience or critical cynicism at its worst.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘SHE’

October 23, 2023October 23, 2023 Edward Hong

What a gorgeous show. What a gorgeous cast. What a time to be witnessing such a play.

These are the first words that must be uttered after watching the world premiere of SHE at the Antaeus Theatre Company, written by Marlow Wyatt and directed by Andi Chapman (who knocks it out once more after watching her The Bluest Eye only just last month).

Reviews, Theatre

‘Rise’ is an Inspired Story of Love and Legacy

October 19, 2023October 23, 2023 Elijah Isaiah Johnson

Theater is a wide and wonderful world; a place of imagination, depth, and hundreds, if not thousands, of years of historical relevancy. It’s given us the gift of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, August Wilson’s Fences, and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, among so many other classics that have affected not just audience sensibilities but have helped frame and define stage storytelling and become mainstays of conventional cinema a well.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘How’s It Gon’ Be’

October 18, 2023October 19, 2023 Edward Hong

Full transparency: this is a rather late theatre review for a show happening at the Echo Theater Company, but I am glad to have caught it with one more performance week left as How It’s Gon’ Be, a gorgeous coming-of-age play written by JuCoby Johnson and directed by Ahmed Best (yes, that fantastic Ahmed Best), is a terrific reminder of Los Angeles theatre at its absolute finest and that plays which are centered around underrepresented people does not have to revolve around trauma.

Animation, Reviews

‘Once Upon a Studio’ Pays Tribute to the Past and Makes Way For the Future

October 15, 2023October 16, 2023 Michael Lee

Disney Animation has had a profound impact on all our lives. At some point in our time, we may have seen one, two, or even all of those films and shorts that have made us laugh, cry, cringe, or even sing. With the studio celebrating its centennial anniversary, Disney’s newest short, Once Upon a Studio, pays to generations of animators who have walked through the doors and hallways of the studios and have helped us get in touch with all those emotions for the past 100 years. The result is a nine-minute short that gathers nearly all the characters from the films, shorts, and more from across every era of Disney’s history.

Horror, Movies, Reviews1 Comment

NOC Review: ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is Not Very Compelling

October 5, 2023October 5, 2023 Mike Manalo

What a disappointing start to the Fall Movie Season. First The Creator, now The Exorcist: Believer. These were two highly anticipated films for me this year, with this one supposedly being a follow up to my favorite horror movie of all time. And sadly, Believer simply doesn’t live up to what’s been otherwise a pretty solid year for horror, much less the legacy of its namesake.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Tacos LA Brooklyn’

October 5, 2023October 5, 2023 Edward Hong

Having its world premiere at the Latino Theater Company and produced in association with East West Players, Tacos LA Brooklyn is a vibrant love letter to downtown Los Angeles and its people that can be felt from the beginning to the end of this terrific play. Its strength lies in the fantastic world and the characters written by Joel Ulloa and directed with gusto and care by Fidel Gomez and is a piece of modern theatre that cannot be missed.

Reviews, Theatre1 Comment

Preston Choi’s ‘This is Not a True Story’ Examines the Dark History of Asian Heroines

September 30, 2023September 30, 2023 Laura Sirikul

“Why do I have to die so you can learn your lesson?” says Kim (Chacha Tahng), the ill-fated character from the Tony Award-winning musical Miss Saigon, in Preston Choi’s This is Not a True Story. She continues on her tirade with her fellow doomed counterparts, CioCio (Julia Cho) from the tragic Madame Butterfly, and Kumiko (Jo Yuan) from the 2014 film, Kumiko: The Treasure Hunter.

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi2 Comments

NOC Review: ‘The Creator’ is a Colossal Disappointment

September 26, 2023September 26, 2023 Mike Manalo

Yes, it’s true that big budget original sci-fi films are rarely made this day and age. And I will admit, if you’re going to give any director a shot at one in this climate, Gareth Edwards, who in general I consider to be a terrific filmmaker, deserves it more than anyone. But (and I’ll probably be in the minority here) I found The Creator to be a massive and somewhat pretentious mess.

Horror, Reviews2 Comments

NOC Review: ‘The Nun II’ is a Merciful Improvement Over its Predecessor

September 7, 2023September 7, 2023 Mike Manalo

It’s been 10 years since The Conjuring debuted to huge box office business and terrific reviews. And in that time, a universe has been established of the freakiest demonic presences in modern day cinema. The most terrifying of which was Valak, aka The Nun!

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘The Bluest Eye’

September 5, 2023September 5, 2023 Edward Hong

Staged adaptations of novels usually don’t end up working well as they are clunky at best and downright tedious at worst. Thankfully, the staged version of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye is one of the few works that so vividly brings the novel’s words to life, thanks to the fine adaptation of Lydia R. Diamond.

Reviews, Theatre

A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Hungry Ghost’

August 31, 2023August 31, 2023 Edward Hong

Written by Lisa Sanaye Dring and directed by Jessica Hanna, the world premiere of Hungry Ghost at the Skylight Theatre Company is easily one of the best Los Angeles plays of 2023 with some of the most innovative acting, stage, and lighting design I’ve seen this year.

Reviews, Theme Parks

‘Tiana’s Palace’ is a Sweet and Savory New Orleans-Inspired Escape

August 23, 2023November 16, 2023 Michael Lee

Disneyland’s French Market Restaurant has been a staple of the park’s New Orleans Square for as long as I can remember. The quick-service Cajun- and Creole-inspired eatery featuring a garden patio and live jazz is being reimagined into Tiana’s Palace. Inspired by the princess’ dream restaurant in Disney’s The Princess and The Frog, Disney Imagineers transformed the French Market Restaurant space into a place that acts as a love letter to the film in its design and cuisine.

Reviews, Star Wars

NOC Review: ‘Ahsoka’ is a Solid and Epic Slow Burn

August 22, 2023August 22, 2023 Mike Manalo

She is no Jedi! But she is incredible! I’m referring, of course, to legendary Skywalker Padawan, Ahsoka Tano! When last we saw her, in both The Mandalorian Season 2 and The Book of Boba Fett Season 1, Ahoska was on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn, while also providing some necessary words of wisdom to both Din Djarin and Luke Skywalker. But now it’s time for her to shine in her own epic series! This will be a review of the first two episodes of Ahsoka!

Movies, Reviews1 Comment

‘Strays’ Goes Straight to the Pound

August 18, 2023August 30, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Strays had all the makings in becoming a successful film. Cute dogs? Check! Star-power voices? Check! Dogs that curse? Check!

DC Comics, Movies, Reviews1 Comment

NOC Review: ‘Blue Beetle’ is Genuinely One of DC’s Finest Films

August 16, 2023September 14, 2023 Mike Manalo

Yeah. You read that right. And look, I know the bar seems pretty low. When your past three releases include Black Adam, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and The Flash — one of which was sold as allegedly “one of the best superhero movies of all time,” when it actually was a complete mess of obnoxiousness and bad VFX — it may not seem like high praise. But genuinely and truly, Blue Beetle is actually a really terrific film.

DC Comics, Movies, Reviews

Family is Everything in ‘Blue Beetle’

August 16, 2023August 16, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Hero origin stories can become a little formulaic — where the hero thinks of themselves as a “nobody” but through the power of his loved ones and emboldened by tragedy, they prevail. The thing is that these formulas work. Everybody likes seeing the little guy win. Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) as Blue Beetle is no exception.