Tag / Netflix

by mvfour

‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Leans into the Disturbing. Dark. Stirs Up Family Drama — And Embraces its Latinness

Netflix’s newest adaptation of the Addams family is currently the number one series, bringing back kooky cast members and new oddballs you’ll love to hate.

Cast of ‘Wednesday’ Season 2; Photo courtesy of Netflix.

Goth teen with the mostest, Wednesday Addams, is back for another year at Nevermore Academy. This time, she’s wiser, more defiant, and ready to solve a new murder in the fictional town of Jericho, Vermont. She also contends with uncontrollable, disturbing visions of her roommate Enid’s death and black tears descending from her eyes. Adding to Wednesday’s distress is the loss of Goody’s book (spiritual guide from a deceased Addams relative), which Wednesday’s mother, Morticia Addams, confiscated, fearing she’d succumb to madness like her sister, Orphelia. Throw in a stalker to Wednesday’s turmoil, who seems to be three steps ahead of her at every turn.

Jenna Ortega (Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Scream) reprises her role as Wednesday Addams, along with Luis Guzman (Dumb and Dumber, Carlito’s Way) as Gomez Addams, Catherine Zeta-Jones (Ocean’s 12, The Mask of Zorro), as Morticia Addams, Isaac Ordoñez (A Wrinkle in Time) as Pugsley Addams and Fred Armisen (Portlandia, SNL) as Uncle Fester. What’s super exciting about this version of the beloved show created by Charles Addams in 1938 as a single-panel cartoon that appeared in The New Yorker, and later adapted to a television show in 1964.

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in ‘Wednesday’ Season 2; Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

According to showrunners and principal writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, they wanted to emphasize Wednesday’s Latin heritage in the series, a representation often not seen in popular series or films:

“It’s so rare to find an iconic [Latina] character of this stature. We really try to find ways to [highlight that] authentically. What would Wednesday listen to when she was growing up? What would Gomez be playing? And finding moments where we could really make it feel like a girl who’s grown up in New Jersey with a Latino parent, and how would that resonate with her as a teen? Certainly, this season we’re looking for more ways to explore that.”

Season 2 of Wednesday does just that. We see Gomez (Luis Guzman) utter sayings like “Cara Mia” (signature Gomez phrase) and listen to “Besame Mucho” (the most sung Mexican song in history) by Mexican singer Consuelo Veláquez, recorded in 1941, during a shower scene. But more than these common Spanish-language interludes, there are noticeable Spanish dialogue sprinkled throughout the series. Phrases like “mi cariño” (my sweety), “lobo” (wolf), “tormenta” (storm). It’s refreshing and essential to the family dynamic to see Spanish dialogue sprinkled throughout, solidifying Wednesday’s roots.

Steve Buscemi as Principal Barry Dort in ‘Wednesday’ Season 2; Photo courtesy of Netflix.

But Wednesday is more than her ancestry; the character is 3-dimensional in that she’s an admirer of literary titans like Voltaire and Sylvia Plath, often quoting them, and laser-focused on taking down the patriarchy while saving the day in a hilarious student camp scene. Wednesday admonishes fitting in, especially when Nevermore’s new enthusiastic principal Barry Dort suggests so, played to perfection by character actor Steve Bucsemi (Fargo, The Sopranos). He’s eccentric, pushy, yet likable with a pyrotechnic ability. He asks Wednesday if she ever suffers from FOMO when not participating in camp activities, to which she replies, “No, I suffer from FOBI (Fear of Being Included) instead.” It’s quintessential Wednesday Addams, and Jenna Ortega nails her character to a tee. Her brother Pugsly has more screen time in season 2, joining his sister at Nevermore and developing his electrokinetic powers. He unearths a buried zombie with an insatiable appetite for brains, whom he keeps as a pet, naming him Slurp. Slurp is grotesque and can’t give up his taste for the mushy matter.

The first four episodes of Wednesday Season 2 do not disappoint. Stream it now on Netflix. Stay tuned for the next final four, dropping on September 3rd, with Lady Gaga making a guest appearance!

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

Why Glenn Close’s Character is So Controversial in ‘The Deliverance’ — and Director Lee Daniels Unapologetically Celebrates it

Inspired by actual events, Daniels’s new Black drama rattles viewers with the enigmatic veteran actress’s portrayal of Alberta.

Glenn Close as Alberta in ‘The Deliverance’; Photo courtesy of Netflix.

Alberta (Glenn Close, Fatal Attraction, The Wife) is the domineering white mother to her mixed-race daughter, Ebony Jackson (Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Marshall). A single mother of three, she moves her kids to a new home in Indiana, where the residence seems occupied by demonic forces. She resigns herself to finding an unorthodox solution to the problem, often through horror genre-infused tropes that are entertaining (kids speaking in satanic voices and levitating) but also through spiritual guidance that seems to temper the demons.

What’s so bad about the house?

Andra Day as Ebony Jackson and Anthony B. Jenkins in ‘The Deliverance.’; Photo courtesy of Netflix.

Ebony starts noticing strange behavior in her children: trance-like states, communicating with people who aren’t there, and unexplained bruises on their bodies. To make matters worse, Ebony is struggling financially, trying to stay sober, and battling with her mother, Alberta, who doesn’t hold back when Ebony messes up. Not to mention, Child Services is keeping a close eye on Ebony because of her past child endangerment issues. Constantly reminded by the agency’s rep, Cynthia Henry (played by Oscar-winning actress Mo’Nique, (Precious, and The Parkers), that she must put them first and be a responsible parent, Ebony feels trapped.

But back to Glen Close.

I watched the film without IMDB-ing or Googling the cast. At first glance, I didn’t recognize the actress playing Alberta (Close) until I started focusing on her voice and mannerisms. It’s Glenn Close like I’ve never seen or heard before. Ghetto-fabulous sassy. Critical. Bat-wielding protector. And owning the mean-spirited attributes sometimes single mothers possess when faced with poverty and lack of support. Resentment. Despair. And addiction passed down to their children. In this instance, it’s Alberta and Ebony’s dynamic. Generational trauma plays out on-screen between them, and viewers will cringe at the numerous mother-daughter showdowns. One explicit scene of their relationship, which has social media in an uproar, has Alberta (resurfacing as a Nosferatu-like creature) saying: “I can smell your nappy p*%@y.” Yeah, it’s an intense line. Granted. However, according to Daniels:

Andra Day as Ebony Jackson and Glenn Close as Alberta in ‘The Deliverance.’; Photo courtesy of Netflix.

“I had to do it. Every Black person knows an Alberta. She’s part of the fabric of our community, but we’ve never seen her on screen before,” Lee told CNN.

One of those never-before-seen moments viewers can anticipate is watching Alberta (mid-to-late 70s) flirt with a much younger (Omar Epps, Love & Basketball, Higher Learning) while receiving chemotherapy. Dressed in a revealing blouse, wearing lots of makeup, and confidently flirty for days, Glenn Close perfected the role to a tee. Cheers to that! We need more sexagenarians and septuagenarians strutting their stuff on screen playing sirens, not seniors ready for the afterlife. It makes for exciting cinema. Stream The Deliverance, based on Latoya Ammons’s experience with the haunting of her house in 2011, on Netflix!

by mvfour

Sequels Generally Suck — But the Fourth Installment of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ Debunks my Theory with an Action-packed Comedy-laced Comeback

The familiar scoring and characters will take you towards a welcomed trip down movie memory lane.

Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F; Photo: Netflix.

Eddie Murphy reprises his role as Axel Foley, the Detroit street-smart former con-turned-cop who, in the first film, went to Beverly Hills to figure out who killed his friend Mikey, ends up tracking down the killers, and befriends officers Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Stripes) and John Taggart (John Ashton, Gone Baby Gone, Midnight Run), who initially took him into custody for trespassing the would-be killer’s businesses.

John Ashton as John Taggart, Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, and Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F; Photo; Netflix.

Flash-forward to forty years later, and Axel Foley is still fighting crime and chasing criminals, especially early in the film. He suspects a robbery is about to go down at a Detroit Red Wings game he’s attending with a fellow cop. Foley’s policeman’s intuition pays off. After confronting the robbers at the stadium, a chase ensues. In true Foley fashion, he barrels down Detroit streets in a snow plow, eventually apprehending the criminals, but not without a slew of destroyed cars, traffic signs, poles, and terrified pedestrians in the midst. Foley’s now captain, formerly a detective in the original Beverly Hills Cop, is semi-furious and tired, played by funnyman Paul Reiser (Mad About You, Stranger Things); he’s over Foley’s antics and is ready to retire. Axel is about to challenge his captain when he receives a call from Billy Rosewood saying his daughter is in trouble. Foley’s daughter (Taylour Paige, Zola, Boogie), Jane Saunders, is a defense attorney in Beverly Hills and may be defending the “wrong” guy, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department.

Kevin Bacon as Captain Grant in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F; Photo: Netflix.

Axel Foley finds himself again in Beverly Hills, ready to expedite the wheels of justice, cunningly and entertainingly. Upon entering the Beverly Hills precinct, we learn Taggart is now chief, and Officer Rosewood has become a private investigator — on the heels of exposing crooked Los Angeles cops. Enter Kevin Bacon’s character, Captain Grant. Oozing enough smarm and finesse, he can make playing a crooked cop an Olympic sport. And Kevin Bacon always seems to add a layer of depth to any film he’s in. Debate me if you’d like.

Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Taylor Paige as Jane Saunders in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F; Photo: Netflix.

But Foley’s return isn’t smooth sailing. His daughter wants nothing to do with him since they are estranged. Foley’s daughter, Jane, works for a prestigious firm defending criminals; this time, it seems to be a cop-killer. There’s a big conflict of interest between father and daughter.

Bronson Pinchot as Serge in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F; Photo: Netflix.

Although Foley and his daughter are at odds, they team up with other favorite characters like Bronson Pinchot’s (Perfect Strangers, Risky Business) Serge, who’s still as funny and eccentric as ever. And newcomer to the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Don Jon, Looper). He’s ditched his clean-shaven, boyish look for a bearded mid-thirties millennial cop with daddy issues. Then there’s Axel Foley’s theme song that will be permanently etched in your brain as it was for me since childhood when I played it on my synthesizer.

According to Eddie Murphy, his loved ones can play the infamous Harold Faltermeyer-composed theme song at his funeral to make people smile, although his loved ones know he doesn’t want a funeral.

Watch this fun, action-packed Eddie Murphy flick, which is just as enjoyable as the first film forty years later. Don’t believe me? Rotten Tomatoes audience members gave it a higher rating than the original! Stream it now on Netflix!

by mvfour

‘Baby Reindeer’s’ Role-reversing Twist on Stalking — is Laced with Nuanced, Semi-biographical Storytelling You Can’t Stop Viewing

The seven-part limited Netflix series stars Richard Gadd, who also wrote and co-produced the story based on his life.

Richard Gadd as Donnie Dunn and Jessica Gunning as Martha in Baby Reindeer’; Photos courtesy of Netflix.

What started as an award-winning one-person comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival became a successful and dark Netflix miniseries. The series Baby Reindeer follows Donny Dunn, a struggling comedian in his late twenties and part-time bartender who encounters a woman in her 40s named Martha (Jessica Gunning, “White Heat,” What Remains”) when she enters the bar he works in. After Martha reveals her financial woes, Donny offers her a cup of tea free of charge. Martha takes this kind gesture to heart. She comes to the bar daily, and Donny provides free diet cokes. The relationship blossoms; they’re at ease with one another. Donny enjoys her odd, contagious laugh. She compliments his features and quick-witted quips. He soaks it in.

Martha mentions to Donny that her birthday is coming up. Unsure what to say, he suggests they meet, not for a date, as he clarifies his platonic interest in Martha, but for a fun interaction between friends. She agrees. When they get together to celebrate her birthday at a cafe, Martha starts getting triggered by Donny’s insistence that they are friends and nothing else and starts yelling. The pair leave the cafe, and Donny follows her to glimpse her real life. Donny tries to be discreet as he peeps into Martha’s living room window, only to be discovered by her when his phone rings; it’s Martha calling. Donny’s misstep sets off a chain of unfortunate events.

Martha begins to email Donny numerous times daily. She goes to his one-person show comedy acts and either heckles or cheers him on while he’s on stage. She follows him everywhere and emails him incessantly, where the harassment becomes unbearable for Donny. He goes to the police station to report Martha, and the officers don’t take him seriously.

What’s deeply fascinating is how Donny and Martha feed off one another’s need for affection. He’s a comedian craving attention from the public. Although an audience of one, he subconsciously likes Martha’s adulation, although nightmarish, and comes in the form of 41,071 emails, 350 hours of voicemails, 744 tweets, 46 Facebook messages, and 106 pages of letters. Martha sent Donny an array of odd gifts, everything from sleeping pills, a wooly hat, and boxer shorts to a baby reindeer toy. The real-life Donny (Richard Gadd) endured Martha’s obsessive interactions for four and a half years. Martha’s erratic harassment spilled over to Donny’s parents, former girlfriend, and a trans woman, played wonderfully compelling by Nava Mua (Disclosure).

Nava Mau as Terri in ‘Baby Reindeer’; Photo courtesy of Netflix.

But it gets worse for Donny. During one of Martha’s aggressive encounters, she gropes Donny. Repressed memories of a former sexual abuser instantly trigger him. And Martha realizes this when she stops touching Donny and says: “Who hurt you?” The scene is profoundly revealing for both characters. It’s as if broken recognizes broken. You sympathize with Donny and Martha. Donny acknowledges Martha’s mental instability, simultaneously realizing he has unresolved trauma he must contend with.

So the real-life Donny, Richard Gadd, chose to write, act, and produce this period in his life that had been consuming him:

“I couldn’t keep my life separate from what I’d been through anymore. It was becoming increasingly hard to play the frivolous funnyman when I’d been through these kinds of things,” he told The Independent. “Because I don’t think I could have survived having repressed it and carried on doing these one-liners and surface-level routines. It was almost a survival choice. Because I was struggling so much.”

Hard to watch at times. Intriguing. Dark, for sure. Baby Reindeer is worth binging and getting a rare perspective on male sexual assault and the trauma that ensues. Stream it now on Netflix.

by mvfour

Sofía Vergara Brings Colombia’s Notorious Queenpin to Life in ‘Griselda’ — Rather Well

Sure. Vergara may not resemble the real-life Griselda, but she embodies her fiery criminal spirit in the new Netflix 6-part series.

From L to R: Griselda Blanco and Sofía Vergara as Griselda in the series; photo: courtesy of Netflix.

From the word go, at the beginning of episode one in Griselda, viewers see Griselda Blanco (Sofía Vergara, Modern Family, Hot Pursuit) quickly approaching her home, concealing blood oozing from her hip and ushering her sons to pack up their stuff and get into a taxi for the airport Miami-bound, leaving behind the drug-fueled Medellín Cartel in Colombia.

Miami became Griselda Blancos’s drug-distributing oyster from 1979 to 1981 and was infamously known as the “Godmother” of cocaine.

Upon arriving in Miami, Blanco meets up with an old friend, Carmen (Vanessa Ferlito, 24, Graceland), who runs a travel agency, vows never to return to the drug game, and implores Griselda to do the same. Blanco has other plans. She smuggled enough pure-grade cocaine for others to take notice, sell to, and make a decent life for herself and her family. But she’s a female in a violent male-dominated drug business. After one of the drug distributors’ lackeys assaults Blanco for making him look foolish in front of his boss, Blanco retaliates by following him, ambushing him, and beating his legs with a bat. It’s Sofía Vergara like you’ve never seen. Savage and ruthless.

Sofía Vergara as Griselda; photo: courtesy of Netflix.

Vergara owns Griselda’s violence and conveys it well.

She has to capture Griselda’s essence, after all. Undermined and undervalued, Blanco enlists an army of Cuban dissidents fresh off the Mariel boatlift in 1979. It’s not a good look for Cubans, I know (I’m Cuban). Needless to say, this troupe of terrorizing refugees is at Griselda’s beck-and-call, targeting the Ochoas (one of Colombia’s prominent cartels), other drug distributors, and any other man, woman, and child that has the misfortune of crossing her path. The first to discover Griselda’s crimes is June Hawkins (Julian Aidén Martinez, The Black List, Prodigal Son), a Latina cop who also had to contend with sexism of her own in the Miami Police Department. Not believed by her colleagues in law enforcement, Hawkins persevered with the theory that the drug lord behind the murders in that era was a woman.

Julian Aidén Martinez as police officer June Hawkins in ‘Griselda’; photo: courtesy of Netflix.

The filmmakers and executive producers (Eric Newman and Sofía Vergara) wanted to tell Griselda Blanco’s perspective. Still, the last three episodes seem to gloss over the extent of the damage and riches she assumed. It’s not that we need more mounds of cocaine, dead bodies, lavish mansions, and gold toilets. I would’ve liked to have seen more expository details explaining her ascension to the top before eventually being gun-downed in Colombia in 2012 and serving 15 years in federal prison. Nonetheless, Griselda (directed by Andrés Baiz, Narcos franchise) is a captivating glimpse into the only female drug lord we’ve barely seen on-screen, unlike her drug kingpin counterparts, like Pedro Escobar. You can stream Griselda on Netflix.

by mvfour

The ‘Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife’ Docuseries Will Inspire You To Get Not Only a Second Medical Opinion But Maybe Twenty!

Italian thoracic surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, who rose to prominence after developing an organ transplant with no evidence of successful clinical trials, is at the center of the Netflix three-episode drama.

Dr. Paolo Macchiarini is holding his transplant device; Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Many doctors often exhibit the “God Complex,” a term bestowed on physicians, exuding confidence and commanding superiority. They are perceived to be saviors by patients and the institutions that celebrate their pioneering contributions and enable their hubris. One man who fully embodies this larger-than-life persona is Paola Macchiarini, a surgeon who developed a plastic transplant device shrouded in the patient’s stem cells to replace their damaged or non-functioning trachea — a life-saving procedure if it actually worked.

In the first episode, we meet Benita Alexander-Noel, a long-time NBC producer and eventual fiancee of Paolo Macchiarini, assigned to tell the surgeon’s story after getting extensive press from mainstream media and international news organizations for his innovative invention.

Benita Alexander-Noel and Dr. Paola Macchiarini; Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

The twist.

Paolo is not the revolutionary scientific surgeon he makes himself out to be.

This stranger-than-fiction true-crime tale will draw you in because it’s unfathomable that so many people, including an investigative journalist, were duped by this individual.

For over ten years, a narcissist fraud operated on eight patients in whom he implanted a plastic device and suffered severe complications, of which seven died. What’s most gripping about the docuseries is seeing footage of these people beforehand, living their lives, full of hope, and Dr. Paolo Macchiarrini assuring them that they will be fine after the procedure.

Dr. Paolo Macchiarini; Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Macchiarrini’s deception doesn’t end with his medical profession. He’s also a raging philanderer and pathological liar in his personal life. Carrying five cell phones at a time, taking mysterious trips to Russia Barcelona, and touting to be a celebrity doctor to the pope, the Clintons, and Barack Obama, the extent of his rich, colorful lies have no bounds. Swedish investigative journalists present video of the surgeon committing crimes, and hard evidence documentation from former colleagues surfaces, yet there is barely any retribution for Macchiarinni.

This 3-part series is a roller-coaster ride of intrigue and deception that will keep you glued to your screen. And rethink how much trust you place in healthcare providers. To watch Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife, click here.

by mvfour

Watch ‘Painkiller’ to Learn How One Family’s Thirst for Money Led to the Onset of One of the Worst Opioid Crisis in America

Based on actual events, Netflix’s film six-episode series chronicles the Sackler family’s formulation of the lethal opioid Oxycontin and the beginning of a global epidemic.

L to R: Taylor Kitsch, Matthew Boderick, and Uzo Aduba in PainKiller. Photo: Netflix

Directly or indirectly, we’ve all known someone afflicted with addiction. Some can overcome it, while others are ravaged by its effects and perish. Over a million deaths are attributed to opioid abuse to date, according to NPR. In the limited series Painkiller, 300,000 million of these deaths are due to the lethal narcotic OxyContin. Who do we have to thank for this vile, dangerous drug? The Sackler family, known as Purdue Pharma, is the medication’s creator and distributor.

The first episode begins with federal investigator Edie Flowers, played grippingly and powerfully by Uzo Aduba (Orange Is The New Black, In Treatment), on her way to meet with lawyers and investigators going after the Sackler family. Doubtful these new law officials will get anywhere, Edie tells the tale of her decades quest for justice for the Sacklers.

Matthew Broderick as Richard Sackler and Uzo Aduba as Edie Flowers in Painkiller. Photo: Netflix

Arthur Sackler originated the drug Valium, which gained popularity in the 60s and 70s. Contemplating a new way to make money with a new drug as Valium sales were declining in the 1980s, the psychiatrist and drug marketer was at a standstill. Unable to bring a new drug to market with the same fanfare as Valium before his death, his nephew Richard Sackler was ready to swoop in and take the company reins. Richard Sackler, played smarmily, alarmingly indifferent, and delusional to the dangers of this new medication by Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, WarGames), is the real-life villain no one asked for. As the president of Perdue Pharma and the driving force behind the creation of OxyContin along with Arthur’s two brothers, Mortimer and Raymond, in 1996. The Sacklers would alter the drug crisis for the worse.

Determined to bring the drug to market at all costs, Richard Sackler seemingly bribes the FDA scientist approving the drug, knowingly aware of OxyContin’s dangerous ingredients (such as heroin). Besides introducing this new narcotic to the public, the Sackler family enlisted a young and charming sales force to coerce doctors to prescribe the drug to rural communities and eventually throughout the U.S. The series intertwines the effects of OxyContin through multiple narratives. The ruthless Sacklers, a relentless U.S. Attorney representative out for justice, a young sales trainee (West Duchovny, A Mouthful of Air, Vegas High) drawn to the lure of easy money, and a once thriving small-business owner (Tyler Kitsch, Friday Night Lights, American Assassin) battling addiction after recovering from an on-the-job accident and the subsequent damage that befalls him and his family and many others like him.

Taylor Kitsch as Glen Kryger in Painkiller. Photo: Netflix

Created by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster and directed by Peter Berg, Painkiller is based on the book “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radeen Keefe. It’s an eye-opening TV series illustrating the devasting effects of this pill marketed to treat pain, resulting in an avalanche of destruction to those prescribed or introduced to the drug and the friends and family who had to witness the catastrophic outcomes. Not to mention, the Sacklers still face limited accountability from the Department of Justice today. Click here to stream Painkillers on Netflix.

by mvfour

Film Review: Netflix’s ‘They Cloned Tyrone’ Expertly Treads Between Reality and Illusion

On the surface, this sci-fi mystery seems like another urban crime drama, but what bubbles underneath will shock and delight fans.

Movie Poster for They Cloned Tyrone; Photo: Netflix

After Fontaine (John Boyega, Star Wars Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Attack the Block ), a drug dealer in the fictitious city of Glen, robs and runs over a rival dealer, retaliation is inevitable. But before payback comes to fruition, Fontaine stops at a motel to collect money from Slick Charles, a pimp more interested in drinking and partying than worrying about paying off his debts. Slick is played charismatically and entertainingly by Jamie Foxx. The Oscar-winner, and one of the film’s producers, multi-layered portrayal of this particular pimp perfectly balances the debonair and boisterous tough guy.

Fontaine (Boyega) is subsequently shot by the head rival drug dealer (Isaac J. Alphonse Nicholson, Just Mercy, P-Valley) outside the motel parking lot. But comes back to life and briefly encounters a version of his injured, bullet-laden self on the street. When he knocks on Slick’s door at the motel again, the pimp is dumbfounded. Fontaine doesn’t realize he’s already been there.

Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles, and John Boyega as Fontaine; Photo: Netflix

Slick enlists his reliable escort, Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris, Wandavision, If Beale Street Could Talk), to help Fontaine figure out what’s happening. The on-screen dynamic between Slick and Yo-Yo is enjoyable to watch; his pimp hand is weak, and she knows it but still has to oblige and pay him for her work while poking fun at his detective skills.

The unusual trio forms a bond as they discover a secret elevator behind the refreshments from the local convenient store to a lab where there are a variety of human-like Back clones housed in life-size capsules, overseen by white scientists. After Fontaine finds his clone on a stretcher, he replays a series of repetitive events in his head that he can’t explain, similar to Bill Murray’s character Phil in Groundhog Day, but way less light-hearted and more sinister.

Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles, and John Boyega as Fontaine; Photo: Netflix

John Boyega, the British-Nigerian actor who rose to stardom with the Star Wars sequel trilogy, is scarily good in They Cloned Tyrone as the hardened and stoic Fontaine. The soundtrack deserves mention as well. Classic 70s and 90s tunes permeate the film giving it a slick urban film noir feel. Director and co-writer Juel Taylor (Creed II, Space Jam: A New Legacy) paints a gritty world of a community in disarray with limited options — that seems to exist and is designed with these characteristics by the government. Other notable characters making a splash: David Alan Grier as the charlatan preacher and Keifer Sutherland (Nixon) as the ruthless government messenger to keep the clones in check.

They Cloned Tyrone is now streaming on Netflix. Click here to watch and learn more!

Follow me for more BIPOC articles and content.

by mvfour

What to Binge Memorial Day Weekend if You’re Into Comedy? ‘Unstable’ or ‘Wellmania’ Fit the Bill

Stream both these funny and poignant shows on Netflix if you can spare the time this long holiday weekend.

From L to R: Celeste Barber in Wellmania and Rob Lowe in Unstable, photos: Netflix

I love a good series that refrains me from checking the remaining episodes and making time breeze by. Furthermore, I’m all in when the pacing, dialogue, and scenery are just right. Let’s not forget the superb acting mixed in, contemplating the characters’ actions long after the show has ended.

First Up — Wellmania

The Celeste Barber-driven comedy follows Liv Healy, a lifestyle journalist and food critic — living and playing hard in NYC, heading back to her native Sydney, Australia, for her best friend’s birthday party, only to suffer a health scare that leaves her stuck in the country. The eight-episode series chronicles her journey back to the States while trying to get healthy. The show is one misadventure after another, with family members and friends grappling with their issues, making Liv examine some childhood trauma. Barber is enigmatic in this role — from rocking wild funky outfits to her lousy decision-making and outright funny quips, she’s effortlessly funny and worth watching.

If you don’t know Celeste Barber, she’s the social media content creator that gained a massive following after recreating and parodying ridiculous celebrity and influencer posts like the one below:

From L to R: Kendall Jenner and Celeste Barber recreating the viral image, photo: Barber’s Instagram

Before poking fun at prominent personalities, Celeste Barber got her start in entertainment in the Australian medical drama All Saints as paramedic Bree Matthews and as a writer-performer on The Matty Jones Show. Celeste has since become an internet sensation with 9.5 million followers on Instagram. She’s funny and unapologetically herself. And indeed, why audiences respond to her.

Next up: Unstable

From L to R: Rob Lowe and son John Owen Lowe in Unstable, photo: Netflix

Veteran actor Rob Lowe assumes the role of Ellis Dragon, an eccentric CEO and founder of a biotech research firm acting erratic and on the verge of being ousted by board members. Anna Bennet, his reliable and whipsmart CFO, played by the talented English actress Sian Clifford (Fleabag), tries to remedy the situation by enlisting his son Jackson, who lives in New York, to prevent his father from spiraling further and save the company. The father/son relationship is strained. The most important person in their lives, wife to Ellis and mother to Jackson, recently passed, and they are coping as best as they can — but not in the healthiest way.

Unstable is refreshing, especially in a sea of contrived wannabe comedies recently released. The dialogue is punchy and quick-witted. Although, the father-son duo doesn’t go below the surface and could dig deeper into their grief. Rob Lowe is kooky and unpredictable, similar to his memorable Chris Traeger character in the series Parks and Recreation. Lowe’s real-life son, John Own Lowe, lands the socially awkward Jackson, who makes an impression and stirs up trouble between workplace besties scientists Luna (Rachel Marsh) and Ruby (Emma Ferreira).

Wellmania (created by Brigid Delaney and Benjamin Law) and Unstable have interesting premises and feature diverse, dynamic characters — a big step in Hollywood casting initiatives. Hopefully, Netflix will return these shows for a second season and beyond. Follow me for more fresh takes on amazing entertainment stories.