Category / Television

by mvfour

Netflix Levels Up Their Streaming Game with Bingeworthy Programming Primed to Captivate Viewers with ‘Back in Action,’ ‘What Had Happened Was,’ and ‘Missing You’

Secret operative missions, stand-up comedy, and a who-dun-it; Netflix enthralls viewers with a new batch of titillating entertainment.

From L to R: Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, and Rosalind Eleazar; Photo Credit: Netflix.

Superstars Cameron Diaz (Emily) and Jamie Foxx (Matt) make a splashy comeback with their spy thriller Back in Action. The couple plays a pair of brilliant CIA spies in a clandestine relationship. Once Diaz finds out she’s pregnant with their child, they decide to disappear, assume new identities, marry, and move to the suburbs until their cover is blown. Forced to return to the world of espionage with precocious teens in tow, they battle oligarchs and their henchmen until their family is safe. Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, The Wife) plays Cameron Diaz’s estranged mother, whose actions allude to being a former spy, and she’s glorious as usual! An actor’s actor.

Both actors are in great shape, and we buy their roles as GenX martial experts who haven’t lost their edge. Back in Action marks Diaz and Foxx’s return to cinema. Diaz hasn’t starred in films since 2014, and in the middle of shooting the action-comedy, Foxx had a medical emergency that left him out of the spotlight for a few years. The two stars have dynamic chemistry and a natural comedic ability. Cameron Diaz’s Emily is reminiscent of Natalie Cook’s graceful fight scenes from the Charlie’s Angel franchise (2000–2003), while Foxx channels his Django character’s stealth moves.

Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx proved their bankable stars as Back in Action remains the top film on Netflix.

Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in ‘Back in Action’; Photo Credit: Netflix.

Clearing the air and setting the record straight on his hiatus from TV and Film, Foxx stars in his poignant and hilarious comedy special What Had Happened Was. Rumors and conspiracies stating that P. Diddy drugged Foxx to him becoming a paraplegic were debunked by Foxx. The truth, as confirmed by the actor, is that he had a brain bleed, leading to a stroke that doctors had a hard time diagnosing, and his sister stepped in to advocate for further analysis. Foxx addresses the severity of his condition and epiphanies, makes jokes, and sings in this hilarious and poignant one-hour show. Foxx still got it, but more importantly, never lost it.

Lastly, Harlan Coben returns with his book adaptation series, Missing You. And use John Waite’s hit 80s song “Missing You” as the musical backdrop.

Rosalind Eleazar (Kat) and Richard Armitage (Stagger) in ‘Missing You’; Photo Credit: Netflix.

Missing You follows Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar, Slow Horses, Deep Water), a detective inspector in the U.K. whose fiance broke off their engagement and went off the grid for 11 years. To make matters worse, Kat learns her father’s murderer is about to die and visits him to find out why he murdered him, a former policeman. In true Harlan Corben fashion, there are more winding twists and turns than the steepest stairwell in a centuries-old European castle in this story. And fans of the suspense-thriller author will love it! Not to mention the diverse multinational cast and Coben favorite and veteran British actor Richard Armitage (Fool Me Once, The Stranger) as Donovan’s boss, Ellis Stagger.

Fluff up your couch and prepare your favorite snacks for a superb TV viewing this weekend or next. Back in Action, directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief). It’s Netflix’s highest-grossing film to date. Jamie Foxx’s honest Golden Globe-nominated special What Had Happened Was, detailing his recovery, is ripe with impersonations, storytelling, and singing extravaganza. If you’re looking for more than a contained show or film, check out the 5-episode limited suspenseful series Missing You.

by mvfour

‘No One Wants This’ Resusitates Life Into the Dormant Rom-com Genre

The Kristen Bell Adam Brody vehicle will restore viewers’ proclivity for T.V. romance.

Kristen Bell and Adam Broday in ‘No One Wants This.’ Photo: Netflix.

I can’t remember the last time I rooted for an on-screen couple’s relationship journey the way I have been for Joanne and Noah in Netflix’s No One Wants This. Is it because I watched the series post-election and needed an entertaining distraction from the bleak, catastrophic plunge our country has taken? Or is it because of the welcomed offbeat storytelling, likable characters, and funny, sharp dialogue? I will confess: it’s all of the reasons I mentioned earlier.

The premise and meet-cute:

Joanne (Kristen Bell, Queenpins, Frozen), a thriving sex podcaster and jaded relationship cynic, attends her publicist’s party after another failed date, waltzing in with an over-the-top mink coat and care-free attitude that catches the attention of everyone, especially the rumored rabbi that’s in attendance, Noah (Adam Brody, American Fiction, “The O.C.”). Noah and Joanne engage in casual, witty conversation. Although Joanne isn’t aware he’s the actual rabbi who’s recently broken up with his girlfriend, there’s an instant attraction.

From L to R: Joanne’s dad, Henry (Michael Hitchcock), Kristen Bell (Joanne), Joanne’s sister,
Morgan(Justine Lupe), and Joanne’s mom, Lynne (Stephanie Faracy). Photo: Netflix.

Joanne and Noah, from opposite worlds, hit it off. Of course, they do. It’s a rom-com universe. But their worlds are so strikingly different and comical. Joanne’s sister, Morgan ( Justine Lupe, “Succession,” “Mr. Mercedes”), is abrasive, divorced, and deceptively vulnerable, which you gravitate towards later in the series, and her co-podcasting host. Their parents are separated because their father came out as gay and is openly dating men, yet their mother remains in love with him.

On the other hand, Noah’s family comes from a traditional Jewish family. His parents have been married for over 40 years. His brother has a Jewish wife whose best friend is Noah’s ex and may be plotting to get them back together. Although Noah enjoys his chosen profession as a rabbi and the Jewish faith, something is lacking, and Joanne seems to be filling the void.

Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in ‘No One Wants This.’ Photo: Netflix.

Joanne is conflicted. She’s overwhelmed by Noah’s gentlemanly traits, honesty, and sense of humor. Qualities she’s unaccustomed to in her last failed relationships. Joanne and Noah acknowledge their differences and try to make it work despite their families’ opposition to their union. You have the quirky siblings, admonishing them to be realistic about their unconventional attraction. Noah’s mother calls Joanne a Shiska, a Yiddish term for a gentile woman of non-Jewish faith who may purposely be trying to lead Noah down the wrong path—everyone’s sewing seeds of doubt.

Despite the unlikelihood that Joanne and Noah will remain together, viewers are in for a great romantic ride with this engaging and dynamic story — and not to mention the crisp dialogue. Bell’s and Brody’s sensational chemistry, natural comedic flair, plus fast-paced storytelling will keep you glued to the T.V. with limited breaks (even bathroom ones!). Watch this refreshing 10-episode (less than 30 minutes each) series on Netflix now!

**Season 2 is in the works!

by mvfour

Liza Colón-Zayas Ushers Hispanic Heritage Month With a Bang Winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy at the Emmys — First Latina to Do So in This Category!

But Emmy honors for Latinas didn’t stop with the Puerto Rican actress. Selena Gomez and showrunner Issa López also broke entertainment barriers.

Liza Colón-Zayas with her Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for “The Bear.”
Photo: courtesy of 76th Annual Emmys.

One of the night’s biggest surprises at the Emmys this year came when actress Liza Colón-Zayas secured the win for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Bear.” Colón-Zayas plays the outspoken and talented sous chef, Tina Marrero, who relishes standing up for herself and the rest of the kitchen staff in the hit series “The Bear,” now in its 3rd season. If you’re unfamiliar with “The Bear,” it’s about a professionally-trained chef, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White, winning Best Actor in a Comedy Series this year), who comes back to revitalize his family’s restaurant after his brother passed away. Conflict arises when Carmy brings in new staff and attempts to work with the existing staff, often resulting in explosive situations that both invigorate and debilitate Carmy’s mental state.

Liza Colón-Zayas’ character (Tina) often bumps heads with Carmy. But she does so endearingly and authentically, and that’s why she was victorious against her equally talented nominees as she gushed about on the Emmy stage, who share the category: the incomparable Meryl Streep (“Only Murders in the Building”), Carole Burnett (“Palm Royale,”), Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”), and Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”).

Liza Colón-Zayas in her one-woman show ‘Sistah Supreme.’ Photo courtesy of Playbill.

Emmy-winning Colón-Zayas began her entertainment career by writing, starring, and producing her one-woman off-Broadway show Sistah Supreme in 2000. She segued to television and had supporting roles in shows like “In Treatment” and Law & Order: SVU,” Her portrayal of Tina Marrero is Liza Colon-Zaya’s first Emmy Award nomination and win. With her humbled appreciation for the Emmy acknowledgment and tears of joy, she ended her speech with these parting words:

“To all the Latinas looking at me, keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights!”

Her sound advice couldn’t be more timely as far-Right extremists are looking to roll back reproductive freedoms, institute archaic education policies, and dismantle union worker protections.

*Did you know today is National Voter Registration Day? You can check if you’re registered to vote here.

Sidenote:

Other Latinas who made their mark at the 76th Annual Emmy Awards are Selena Gomez and showrunner Issa López. Gomez is the most Emmy-nominated Latina to date with a third production nomination for the mystery-comedy series “Only Murders in the Building,” receiving her first lead comedy actress nomination this year, becoming only the fourth Latina in history nominated in this category. Moving to the executive producer category, showrunner Issa López garnered three Emmy nominations for directing, writing, and producing the HBO/Max anthology series “True Detective: Night Country.”

While this year’s Emmys included more diversity (the number of people of color nominated increased to 30 of the 96 acting nominees), here’s hoping recognition of creative diversity in all Hollywood award shows will accelerate in coming years.