Category: Movies

Matthew Perry, Michael Fassbender’s Upcoming Film

By Miguel Mike Medina

It is very shocking and saddening to learn about the passing of actor Matthew Perry. He will forever be remembered for his performance in the hit show Friends. Perry struggled in his personal life for many years but his comedic performance is something that I will always remember about him the most. It’s going to be weird to see Friends reunions knowing that Matthew Perry made his journey to heaven. 

Perry was 54 years old. The cast of Friends and his family members must be going through a very difficult time. For all of us who are fans of Friends, it stings to see one of the cast members pass away. 

Two-time Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender will be starring in the upcoming music comedy film, Kneecap, which is about the Irish hip-hop group who have the same name. I never heard of the group but it caught my attention. Fassbender is a terrific actor. I like his work in 12 Years A Slave and Steve Jobs. If it weren’t for Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in The Revenant, I believe Fassbender would’ve won an Oscar for Steve Jobs. I’m looking forward to seeing Fassbender in this film. It’s been a while I haven’t heard from him. 

Future Films Coming Soon

By Miguel Mike Medina

Stephen King is the man when it comes to writing. Another project will be used from his adaptations. The Director behind this project is Mike Flanagan, who is known for his work in Doctor Sleep. What about the cast? It got better. Chiwetel Ejafor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay joined the cast for the film ‘The Life of Chuck.’ Tom Hiddleston and Mark Hamil are also part of this cast. Film Production has already taken place and one of the locations is in Alabama.

I like the addition of Jacob Tremblay. Ever since I saw him in Room and Wonder, I believe this kid is a star in the making of the film industry. We gotta protect him at all costs. 

Oscar winner Geena Davis is finally back in the leading role game. It’s been a long time coming for the veteran actress. She’s attached to Star in the road trip film called ‘Cowgirl’s Last Ride.’ The cast also features Scoot McNairy, Julia Sweeney, and Jill Scott.

The story follows an unorthodox retired Texas cowgirl, played by Davis, who battles against the negligent staff of her Dallas nursing home before escaping in a pickup truck on a journey towards her native east Texas, while her worried son sets off in hot pursuit. 

Leena Yadav will direct the film. She made her feature film debut in 2015 with Parched. Kris Hunt will write the screenplay. Production will begin sometime in 2024. 

A24’s ‘The Iron Claw’

By Miguel Mike Medina

A24, my favorite independent film company, has released a new trailer for the movie, The Iron Claw. It’s based on a true story. Directed by Sean Durkin. The cast is solid starting with Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, etc. The movie follows the triumph and tragedy of an American sports dynasty. It is set to hit the theaters on December 22nd. 

Jeremy Allen White is one talented actor. I’ve been following his work since Shameless. He has more momentum now after winning awards for his leading role performance in Hulu’s ‘The Bear.’ White could become the most successful actor out of the Shameless cast. He’s only like 32 or 33 years old. So we shall see. But I like his work as an actor and I wish him many more success. I’m looking forward to seeing this film when it hits online. 

Golden Globe nominee James McAvoy is the latest actor who will get behind the scenes and dip his toes into directing. I’m a fan and support actors who take situations into their own hands and try directing, writing, or producing. McAvoy will make his directorial debut on the rap biopic “Sibilil N Brains.” They’re a Scotland rap group that became infamous for conning the international music industry into thinking they were Californian rappers after faking American accents. I’m sure McAvoy will be reaching out to fellow directors to ask for advice and will be doing his homework very well. I’m rooting for McAvoy to enjoy his first taste in directing actors. 

Jaume Collet-Serra continues to get work. Consistency and dedication are key in Hollywood. Serra will be reuniting with actress Emily Blunt, whom I’m a fan of. Serra will be directing Amazon’s detective film “Kate Warne.” Emily Blunt will be serving as the producer for this project. Dwayne The Rock Johnson is also part of the producing team. Serra, Blunt, and Johnson all worked together in Disney’s’ Jungle Cruise. 

RRR – Movie Review

By Miguel Mike Medina

RRR is one incredible film and one of my favorite films of 2022. Yes, it is a long movie – 3 hours, which is one of my main issues of this movie, but it keeps you on your toes. There’s something about foreign films that brings excitement to a moviegoer like myself. RRR is an action/drama film. RRR stands for “Rise Roar Revolt.” The movie is about two legendary revolutionaries and their journey away from home before they started fighting for their country in the 1920s. The film is directed and written by the genius S. S. Rajamouli. 

The movie does have a lot of violence. The action pack is at an all-time high. One of the things I liked about this movie is the stage combat and the choreography. When I first saw the dancing scenes in the movie, it caught me by surprise to see that in this movie, especially an Indian movie. But I thought it was a good decision on the director’s part to include that. The writing, cinematography, acting, and soundtrack were all flat-out amazing. This is a movie that I can see myself owning on Blu-Ray or DVD. 

RRR is considered arguably India’s biggest action movie ever. It is the third highest-grossing Indian film of all time and the highest-grossing Indian film of 2022. RRR won the Academy Award for Best Original Song “Naatu Naatu.” The movie also won for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Song at the Critics Choice Awards. 

It is currently streaming on Netflix. You should watch it if you haven’t done so yet. From 1 through 5, I give this movie a 4.6 out of 5 stars. 

Cruz Replaces Portman/Fallon Apologize to Staff

By Miguel Mike Medina

Academy Award winner Penelope Cruz will replace Natalie Portman in the TV adaptation “The Days of Abandonment.” Portman was going to be the executive producer of the series. For whatever reasons she may had, she dropped out of the project. Filming was going to take place in Sydney, Australia.

Penelope Cruz is a talented actress. I feel she’s a solid replacement for Natalie Portman. I’m looking forward to seeing Cruz in this TV adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s 2002 adaptation. I’ve always been a fan of her work dating back to 2003’s Gothika with Halle Berry. ‘The Days of Abandonment’ centers around Olga, an Italian woman, who loses her grasp on reality after her husband of 15 years abruptly leaves her for another woman.

Jimmy Fallon Receives Backlash

Oh no! Not Jimmy! Several of Jimmy Fallon’s working colleagues from NBC’s “The Tonight Show” have expressed their frustration about Jimmy and the toxic working environment he has created. They are saying that bosses and Jimmy Fallon have talked down to them and belittled them. However, not everyone is piling on Jimmy. He has other people who are defending him as well. We don’t know what is true or not, but Jimmy ended up apologizing to his staff after The Rolling Stones article came out. Jimmy is known for his warm and jolly personality on his show. We just don’t know the full person behind closed doors. I had the privilege to attend his show as an audience member back in July 2017. It was a terrific experience. It was my first late-night show experience. 

Top 15 Cinematography Films of the Last 15 Years

By Miguel Mike Medina

Cinematography is one of the most innovative and creative things ever invented in cinema. The name sounds catchy. Cinematography sounds better than Director or Photography. But that’s just my opinion. I have done Directing, Producing, Writing, and Editing, but I haven’t fully done a Cinematographer’s work. That’s next up lining up for me. 

Recently, I decided that I’ll be taking my love for cinema to a whole another level. In the last week, I have been studying and watching films from a cinematography standpoint only. In the last 15 years, we have seen some of the best cinematography films. Here are my Top 15 best cinematography movies of the past 15 years:

15) Roma – Cinematographer: Alfonso Cuaronn 

14) The Irishman – Cinematographer: Rodrigo Prieto

13) True Grit – Cinematographer: Roger Deakins

12) The Social Network – Cinematographer: Jeff Cronenweth

11) Skyfall – Cinematographer: Roger Deakins

10) Inception – Cinematographer: Wally Pfister

9) Hugo – Cinematographer: Robert Richardson

8) Dunkirk – Cinematographer: Hoyte Van Hoytema

7) The Revenant – Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki

6) Gravity – Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki

5) Birdman – Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki

4) Prisoners – Cinematographer: Roger Deakins

3) The Dark Knight – Cinematographer: Wally Pfister

2) The Tree of Life – Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki

1) Blade Runner 2049 – Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki 

As you can probably tell from this list, I love Roger Deakins and Emmanuel Lubezki. Those two are my Top 2 favorite cinematographers of all time. Robert Richardson is No. 3 on my list. Some of the current cinematographers I like to watch are Rodrigo Prieto, Hoyte Van Hoytema, Bradford Young, and Rachel Morrison.

‘The Blind Side’ Film is Not Authentic

By Miguel Mike Medina

Former NFL star Michael Oher is making headlines this week. He expresses that the movie “The Blind Side,” is based on a lie. Oher said that there is misleading information about his portrayal in the movie. He mentioned that he wasn’t adopted, and the movie had several stereotypes about him like being “unintelligent” and “too serious” or “mellow.” The Blind Side does have a message or theme of a “white savior.” 


The story of Oher and the Tuohy family became the subject of an Oscar-winning film, “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock in the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy. The Blind Side is based on the Michael Lewis book of the same name, telling the story of Oher’s life as a homeless child through his college football career and eventual NFL stardom. Sandra Bullock won Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her performance. The Tuohy’s family received a contract price of $225,000 and 2.5% of the film’s net. 


The Blindside did very well at the box office. It went on to gross over $300 million. I only saw the movie once, and it was on Hulu. I enjoyed watching the movie, and with this news, it’s going to make me see the film in a different light. 


Oher made no money off the film, which was released after he completed his college career at Ole Miss. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2009. Oher played eight seasons in the NFL. He spent most of his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won a Super Bowl in 2012. 


Oher wrote his autobiography, I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side and Beyond, in 2011. His most recent book, “When Your Back’s Against the Wall,” was released last week.

Kevin Costner, A24’s ‘Priscilla’ Teaser

By Miguel Mike Medina

Kevin Costner’s marriage story continues to get messy. Christine, Costner’s estranged wife, is not happy. She’s not happy with the way things were handled about their kids finding out about their split. Christine is taking deeper measures by requesting $248k a month in child support. First, Kevin Costner leaves the hit show ‘Yellowstone’ and now he’s dealing with this nightmare. Are marriages worth any more? Why does it have to come down to money, especially from Rich public figures? 

Money is not everything. It’s important but it doesn’t bring you happiness. Things are getting out of hand in this Costner family. We hope they can come to an understanding at some point because there are kids involved. 

A24 just released the first teaser for Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla’ film.

https://youtu.be/gxbZyvCJc6U

It is based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir ‘Elvis and Me.” The movie is set to be released on October 2023. This is Sofia’s first directed and written project since her 2020 comedy-drama film, On the Rocks, which is on Apple TV+. 

Miguel’s Friday Thoughts: Tina Turner, Melo Retiring

By Miguel Mike Medina

Tina Turner has passed away at the age of 83. She’s known as the “Queen of Rock and Roll.” I was never a big fan of her. I do think it’s a blessing she got to live a long life. I’ll mostly remember Tina for her song “What’s love got to Do with It,” a legendary and classic song. I remember when Fat Joe made his version featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule for the Juwanna Mann movie soundtrack. Tina Turner also had domestic issues with her ex Ike Turner. They were a musical duo from 1960 to 1976. She divorced Ike Turner in 1978. Turner has sold over 100 million records worldwide and won 12 Grammy Awards. 

The remake of the 1992 White Men Can’t Jump was a failure. I’m glad I didn’t see this, and I’m not planning to. Hollywood and their obsession with doing remakes and reboots is cringeworthy and a waste of money. The series is on Hulu, and there’s no point in why these creators wanted to make this series. Leave the classics and originals alone. 

Gary Sanchez has been designated for assignment. Sánchez, in his first season with the Mets, has one RBI and zero home runs through just three games played. I think Sanchez will find another home to play, but he still needs to improve his game. The Mets are better off with Francisco Alvarez as the starting catcher. He’s the future at that position for this franchise. 

Carmelo Anthony recently announced his retirement from the NBA. Melo is one of the greatest scorers of his generation. He’s a 10-time All-Star and a three-time gold medalist.

He’s a lock to go to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Anthony had opportunities to be part of a title-contending team, but he dropped the ball. For example, he could’ve joined Wade and Lebron in Miami, but he wanted to get his money. He didn’t take a pay cut. Also, his isolation Game didn’t help him win championships. Melo is known for playing one on one. That’s his game. I’m not really into that kind of style of play. He played for some good teams like the 2009 Denver Nuggets and 2013 New York Knicks, but for the most part, anywhere he went, winning didn’t follow him. 

HBO Max Sounds Better Than Max

By Miguel Mike Medina

Why HBO Max Sounds Better Than Max?

Today is the launch day for the streaming service under the new name, “Max.” HBO Max has a better ring than “Max.” It doesn’t make sense why they want to switch to this new name for the streaming service. It’s nuts, like in Sports. For example, Staples Center was a better name than “crypto.com arena.” HBO Max has a lot of great content. I don’t regret subscribing to their service. 

At the beginning of my journey with HBO Max, I had difficulty logging into my phone after setting everything on my TV screen. This was back in 2020 or 2021. I don’t know why it was giving me problems, but it wasn’t delightful. Thank god I don’t have that problem anymore. Serving service at expense, but HBO Max and Netflix are two streaming service that is hard for me to let go of. I don’t spend all day watching content because there are other important things in life. But if I want to take an hour during the weekend to watch something entertaining, those two services, especially HBO Max, are my go-to place. 

There are many movies and shows that I’ve enjoyed watching on HBO Max: Barry, Succession, The Flight Attendant, and many more. 

Max better bring something great since they are making this push. Naming the service Max is like calling someone by their first name. Max is not a strange name for me because I have two family members with that name. One of my friends’ sons has this same name as well. HBO Max sounds way better. But then again, with three creative executives, they’re forever changing their platforms, rules, and content, whether for the good or bad.