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.

DC Comics, Interview, Movies

‘Blue Beetle’ Director Angel Manuel Soto Unleashes the First Major Latino Superhero

August 10, 2023August 10, 2023 Mike Manalo

The Blue Beetle is landing on August 18! And while many out there may be unfamiliar with the character, let me just say, Jaime Reyes is awesome! This is a movie worth celebrating, not just because it represents the first major Latino superhero movie to hit theaters, but because it’s actually really very good, and one of the best cinematic surprises of the year! And we at The Nerds of Color were lucky enough to sit down with the clever maestro behind the film, director Angel Manuel Soto!

Interview, Star Trek

Celia Rose Gooding on Delving Further into Uhura on ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’

July 20, 2023 Swara Salih

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds balances an ensemble cast of beloved legacy and new characters on the USS Enterprise. Chief among those known is the future Lieutenant, here an Ensign, Nyota Uhura, played to spectacular fare by actor Celia Rose Gooding.*

DC Comics, Movies, Trailers

New Trailer for ‘Blue Beetle’ Has Landed

July 11, 2023July 11, 2023 Mike Manalo

It’s no secret that DC has had a rough year so far, with Shazam: Fury of the Gods and The Flash seemingly underperforming. But based on the trailer for Blue Beetle, I think all that is about to change. Because wow! It looks so fun!

Animation, DC Comics

‘My Adventures with Superman’ Gives Fans Reason to Look Up

June 29, 2023June 29, 2023 Keith Chow

Ever since it was announced two years ago, My Adventures with Superman has been one of my most anticipated projects to come out of DC in some time. Initially envisioned as an HBO Max original series, the show will now debut on Adult Swim on July 6 before streaming the next day on Max.

Animation, Interview, Movies2 Comments

‘Nimona’ Cast and Crew Talk Bringing the Timely, Queer Positive Graphic Novel to Film

June 27, 2023 Lauren Lola

Nimona is on its way to being released on Netflix this week. Based off of ND Stevenson’s 2015 graphic novel of the same name, the film follows Ballister Boldheart, a knight framed for murder. With everyone in the kingdom having turned their backs on him — even his former flame, Ambrosius Goldenloin — Ballister does whatever he can to clear his name, with a little help from Nimona; a zany, unapologetic shapeshifter.

Interview, Movies, Toys

‘Transformers’ Star Anthony Ramos Discusses POC Themes in ‘Rise of the Beasts’

June 9, 2023June 9, 2023 Mike Manalo

This week, the Transformers return to the big screen in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts! And I have to say folks, this one truly is more than meets the eye. I personally dug the heck out of this movie. Part of the reason was the way director Steven J. Caple (Creed II) subtly brings up POC themes throughout the movie. And one of the others was its charismatic star Anthony Ramos!

DC Comics, Movies

New Motion Posters for ‘Blue Beetle’ Revealed

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023 Mike Manalo

We’re getting closer to the big screen debut of Jaime Reyes folks! And with the release of Blue Beetle we are going to finally get the first Latino-led solo Hollywood superhero movie ever. That is a huge step for representation, and there’s no better, more charming character to do this with than Jaime!

Movies, Reviews2 Comments

NOC Review: ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is a Worthy Successor to ‘Bumblebee’

June 6, 2023July 18, 2023 Mike Manalo

Let’s be honest, we all wrote off the Transformers franchise long ago. As soon as they stopped the entire Age of Extinction movie to try and justify why it was okay for one character to date a minor, I instantly noped out. I didn’t even bother with The Last Knight, and it seems I was right not to. But then something funny happened. Bumblebee hit theaters, and ended up being a really charming movie.

Animation, Interview, Television

Chloe Bennet Talks the Importance of ‘Rally Road Racers’ and Working on ‘Dave’

June 2, 2023June 8, 2023 Sophia Soto

Chloe Bennet can be heard lending her voice in Rally Road Racers as well as be seen portraying Robyn in FX’s Dave, which you can stream on Hulu. I spoke with the actress about why she enjoys voice acting, the importance of choosing projects that promote diversity, what she hopes her character in Dave represents for women, and more.

Animation, Interview, Marvel2 Comments

‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Stars Brian Tyree Henry & Luna Lauren Velez on Super Parenting

May 25, 2023May 29, 2023 Michael Lee

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was unlike any other Spider-Man film we’ve seen before. It was a highly dynamic cinematic experience that used a variety of animation styles and techniques to deliver something wildly psychedelic and separated itself from the rest of its animation studio rivals.

Animation, Reviews, Streaming

Gateway Horror Gets Animated in ‘Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai’

May 19, 2023May 29, 2023 Michael Lee

The original Gremlins films are one of the best gateways to horror. While the titular creatures are terrifying to watch as they terrorize the screen, it’s all balanced out by its cute, cuddly, and courageous hero Gizmo. And it was that mix of adorable kid-friendly humor with the gruesome murders that reminded us of what made it such a cult classic.

Animation, Interview, Streaming1 Comment

‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Cast and Creator Talk Representation

May 16, 2023May 29, 2023 Michael Lee

Max’s Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai invites audiences old and new to discover the origins of Gizmo and the rules to take care of them properly. While the original film took place during Christmastime in the ’80s, showrunner Tze Chun’s animated period piece serves as a prequel to the family-friendly cult classic that brought us plenty of laughs and frights.

Interview, Movies, Streaming

Alyssa Wapanatâhk on Indigenous Representation and Reimagining Tiger Lily

April 25, 2023April 26, 2023 Kelly Martinez

It’s time to grab your pixie dust and head back to Neverland. Peter Pan & Wendy premieres on Disney+ on April 28. In it, Disney reimagines Tiger Lily, the warrior princess of Neverland’s Indigenous tribe. To celebrate Peter Pan & Wendy‘s upcoming release, The Nerds of Color sat down with actress Alyssa Wapanatâhk to chat about all things Tiger Lily.

Interview, Movies1 Comment

Rachael Leigh Cook on Keeping it Authentic for ‘A Tourist Guide to Love’

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Rachael Leigh Cook is no stranger to romantic comedies. She starred in the hit teen rom-com She’s All That and became the princess of the genre, now working with Hallmark and Netflix as both an actress and producer on the 2020 film Love, Guaranteed and this week’s rom-com A Tourist’s Guide to Love.

Streaming, Television

‘Beef’ Star Joseph Lee Finds Humanity in Being Collateral Damage

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023 Laura Sirikul

What happens when you are the casualty of two opposing forces who threaten your way of life? How does that affect a person — being the collateral damage? For Beef actor Joseph Lee, who plays George, a man whose wife Amy‘s (Ali Wong) battle with the stranger she had a road rage incident with, he thinks about his own experiences dealing with people and setting boundaries.

Interview, Streaming, Television

Netflix’s ‘Beef’ Thriller Vibes Came as a Surprise for the Cast

April 4, 2023April 5, 2023 Laura Sirikul

It was a road rage incident in real life that inspired showrunner Lee Sung Jin to write the dark comedy, Beef. As he was driving on the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles, Lee was cut off by a white SUV — very similar to the car that Ali Wong’s character drives in the series.

DC Comics, Movies1 Comment

It’s Time for the World to Meet ‘Blue Beetle’

April 3, 2023April 3, 2023 Mike Manalo

It’s been 15 years since Iron Man revolutionized the way comic book movies have been seen in Hollywood. Since then, we’ve seen the popular genre expand in ways that really foster representation and the idea of stories being told from all points of view, from Black Panther to Shang-Chi and of course Wonder Woman. And yet, there still hasn’t been a single big-budget superhero film told from the eyes and perspective of a Latino protagonist. Until now. Get ready to meet Blue Beetle.

Movies, Sci Fi1 Comment

When Something is Nearly ‘Everything’

March 16, 2023March 21, 2023 Bao Phi

There’s no fucking way they’re gonna be able to land this, I thought to myself.

I’m in a movie theater seeing Everything Everywhere All at Once for the first time. I had heard about it long ago, and was cautiously optimistic.

Animation, Marvel, Television

‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Cast and Crew on the Power of Representation

March 14, 2023March 14, 2023 Michael Lee

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, currently airing on Disney Channel and streaming on Disney+, follows Lunella Lafayette is a 13-year-old genius living with her parents and grandparents in the Lower East Side of New York. One day, she activates a portal and a red, horned Tyrannosaurus steps out of it. Together, the two fight crime, while also addressing the importance of representation and the need to talk about social issues like gentrification.

DC Comics, Interview

Pornsak Pichetshote Brings His Thai American Perspective to DC’s ‘Dead Boy Detectives’

February 1, 2023February 1, 2023 Laura Sirikul

When I first ran into writer Pornsak Pichetshote to talk about his latest DC Comics series The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives, he was nervous about the conversation that would come up — especially since I texted him prior that I had a lot to say after receiving an early copy of the first issue. Pichetshote and I have known each other for years in the same Thai American entertainment circles. So, when I was alerted he was penning the next Dead Boy Detectives comics surrounding Thai culture and the Thai American community, I knew I had to talk to him about it.

Interview, Streaming, Television

The Stars of ‘Bel-Air’ on Black Excellence and Representing for the Culture

January 18, 2023January 19, 2023 Elijah Isaiah Johnson

A cloudy evening over The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena did nothing to hide the high spirits inside The Tap Room — the resort’s cocktail bar and lounge — where the cast of NBC/Peacock’s NAACP award-nominated series Bel-Air came both to cool down and celebrate, post red carpet, after a long day of photos and interviews just an hour earlier.