Interview with actors Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson and Gavin Warren, and Director Warren Skeels of the film “The Man In The White Van” by Suzanne 12/2/24
This is a very suspenseful and chilling thriller, set in the early 1970’s. You don’t want to miss it when it opens tomorrow, 12/13/24, in theaters. Madison Wolfe stars as a young women, Annie, targeted by a serial killer. Brec Bassinger stars as her sister, Margaret. Skai Jackson plays Patty, Annie’s friend. Gavin Warren plays Annie and Margeret’s younger brother, Daniel. Sean Astin and Ali Larter play Margaret and Annie’s parents. I hope you enjoy our video interviews! I was particularly glad to speak to Brec Bassinger, since I was a huge fan of her show, “Stargirl.”
STARRING: Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Goonies), Ali Larter (Final Destination, upcoming Taylor Sheridan series, Landman), Madison Wolfe (The Conjuring 2, Malignant), Brec Bassinger (CW’s Stargirl, Final Destination: Bloodlines), Skai Jackson (Disney’s Jessie and spinoff Bunk’d), Gavin Warren (Night Swim)
SYNOPSIS: Based on true events. In 1975 Florida, a series of violent disappearances go unnoticed, and young Annie (Madison Wolfe) is targeted by an ominous white van that stalks her every move. As the menace escalates, her parents dismiss her fears, and Annie is soon plunged into a terrifying nightmare that shatters her world. Also starring Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, Ali Larter, and Sean Astin. Directed by Warren Skeels.
GENRE: Thriller
Madison Wolfe was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She began acting at the age of seven, and made her debut alongside Kristen Stewart and Amy Adams in “On The Road.” In the years following, Wolfe landed many roles in various critically acclaimed films and television shows such as Jessica Brady in “The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, Audrey Hart in “True Detective,” opposite Woody Harrelson and Matthew Mcconaughey, and Young Poppy in “Mr. Church,” starring Eddie Murphy. She can also be seen playing Bryan Cranston’s daughter in “Trumbo,” and acting alongside Robert DeNiro, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bradley Cooper in David O. Russell’s “Joy.”
Wolfe is best known for her lead role in James Wan’s “The Conjuring 2.” Starring opposite Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, she plays Janet Hodgson: a young girl from Enfield, England who is traumatized and haunted by the possession of demonic spirits. Wolfe is also well known from her lead role in Oscar winner Anders Walter’s “I Kill Giants.” Rotten Tomatoes names Madison’s “powerhouse performance” as troubled teen Barbra Thorson one of the highlights of the film.
Most recently, Wolfe can be seen playing Tessa Mayfair opposite Alexandra Daddario in AMC’s “The Mayfair Witches.” She has completed production for her next true crime thriller, Warren Skeel’s “Man in The White Van.” Set in 1974, Wolfe portrays the lead role of Annie Willains: a free spirited teen from a small town in Florida who becomes the obsession of a horrific stalker. Being a musician, Wolfe also wrote and recorded an original song for the film’s soundtrack to be released. The film is not yet rated.
Brec Bassinger, born May 25, 1999, is an American actress best known for her leading role as ‘Bella Dawson’ on the Nickelodeon series “Bella and the Bulldogs,” her role as ‘Catherine’ in the “47 Meters Down” sequel, her recurring roles in “School of Rock” and “The Goldbergs,” and her starring role in the DC Universe series “Stargirl” (2020).
Brec grew up in a small town in Texas, and first went to Los Angeles for acting when she was 13 years old. Growing up she enjoyed gymnastics, cheerleading, volleyball, and natural-beauty pageants. She was crowned the 2009 World’s Our Little Miss. Her acting career started with a recurring role on Nickelodeon’s “Haunted Hathaways.” She graduated high school at 16 and continues to expand her education. A Type-1 diabetic, she has become a huge advocate for diabetes research and is a national ambassador for JDRF. She had the leading role of Stargirl for the CW for two years, and then she plays the titular role in the miniseries “V.C. Andrews’ Dawn” on Lifetime..
Gavin Warren is an American model and actor. As a child he played the piano and did gymnastics before, inspired by Adam Sandler, he decided he wanted to become an actor. In 2015, Warren won an acting and modeling competition, after which he was accepted into a local artist agency. This was followed by his first roles in the short film Two Wongs Make a White and in the film drama Back Roads, before Warren was seen in Damien Chazelle’s film biography Awakening to the Moon alongside Ryan Gosling in 2018.
In order to focus on his acting career, Warren switched from public school to home schooling. In subsequent years, he made guest appearances in the television series Daybreak and NCIS: New Orleans, while he took on supporting roles in the films Mack (2019), A Hard Problem (2021) and 12 Mighty Orphans (2021). In 2023 he appeared in the eighth season of the horror series Fear the Walking Dead before playing a leading role in the horror film Night Swim the following year.
His other announced film projects include the thrillers The Descendant and Geechee, the drama film Unbreakable Boy and the crime film The Man in the White Van.
Interview with director Robert Schwartzman and actor David Arquette for the film,”The Good Half” by Suzanne 8/6 and 8/8/24
This movie is one that everyone should watch. It does deal with family drama and grief, but it’s also heartwarming and funny, and it has some romance. To my mind, it’s not morbid, nor is it overly sentimental. It’s out in theaters now, and you shouldn’t miss it. Nick Jonas stars and shows us that he is a fine actor (and not just the great singer he has proven many times over). There are many lovely performances in the movie. It has a great cast. David Arquette has a small but important role as Nick’s stepfather. He plays it masterfully. It was so interesting to speak with these two about this movie. Don’t miss it!
Starring Nick Jonas, Brittany Snow, David Arquette,
Alexandra Shipp, Matt Walsh and Elisabeth Shue
Directed by Robert Schwartzman
**Official Selection – 2023 Tribeca Festival**
Directed by: Robert Schwartzman (The Unicorn)
Written by: Brett Ryland
Produced by: Russell Wayne Groves, Robert Schwartzman, and Brett Ryland
Starring: Nick Jonas Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect) David Arquette (Scream) Alexandra Shipp (Anyone But You) Matt Walsh (“Veep”) Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas)
Renn Wheeland returns home to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones, before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.
Interview with Tim Reid of “Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall” on Lifetime by Suzanne 8/6/24
This is my second one-on-one interview with actor/director/producer Tim Reid; he’s always so fun and interesting to speak with. He knows a lot about history, black history, and more, as well as the entertainment industry. He directs this movie, so it was great to get his perspective on it, and on Miss Cleo herself. If you remember her, or even if you just like to watch biopics, you should definitely watch it because it’s fascinating, and you’ll probably learn a lot.
LIFETIME WILL ALSO AIR THE DOC CALL ME MISS CLEO IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MOVIE
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 15, 2024) – Lifetime expands the network’s summer movie slate with all-new biopic about beloved television personality and cult icon, Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall, premiering on Lifetime Saturday, August 10 at 8/7c, followed by the documentaryCall Me Miss Cleoat 10/9c. Starring Robin “The Lady of Rage” Allen (On Ten, Tha Dogg Pound & Snoop Dogg: Who da Hardest) along with Shane Johnson (Power) and Ian Bohen (Yellowstone) and directed by Tim Reid (Sister, Sister) the epic journey picks up in the late 90s’ when, single mom Youree Dell Harris finds herself desperate to take care of her family and takes a job at the Psychic Readers Network — only to become one of the networks most beloved personalities, Miss Cleo. But her challenges don’t end there and when the network faces allegations of fraud and deception, they turn their sights on Miss Cleo. For the first time ever, Miss Cleo’s side of the story will finally be told.
Known for her work during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s with the Psychic Readers Network, this professional telephone and television psychic Youree Dell Harris (Allen) was launched into the pop culture zeitgeist when the network’s infomercials took off, making her a cult icon as the TV persona Miss Cleo. Fondly remembered for donning a colorful turban in a candlelit room, Miss Cleo dutifully listened to callers detailing the most intimate details of their lives. Miss Cleo ultimately became the face of the Psychic Readers Network, earning the trust and loyalty for those that called her. Years later, Harris’ world was turned upside down with complaints that the Psychic Readers Network was fraudulent and spread false advertising. Facing angry fans, Harris was forced to defend her reputation to clear her name and escape financial devastation.
Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall also stars Daphne Maxwell Reid, Cocoa Brown, Dwayne Boyd, Towanda Braxton, Jaida Standberry, Marley Taylor, Amelia Young, Stevie Baggs Jr., and Leslie Black. Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall is produced by Hillionaire Productions for Lifetime and produced by Jami McCoy-Lankford and Samone Norsworthy, Anthony Standberry, Ahmed Hussain and Jami McCoy-Lankford serve as executive producers and William J. Cone serves as consulting producer. Tim Reid directs a screenplay by Camara Davis.
Call Me Miss Cleo the documentary chronicles the icons rise, fall, and reinvention of the ’90s TV psychic Miss Cleo. Known for her larger-than-life persona and memorable accent, Miss Cleo, born Youree Dell Harris, garnered a nationwide cult following on the Psychic Readers Network, a popular telephone hotline that later came under fire for its alleged deceptive practices. Featuring interviews with celebrities and those closest to the self-proclaimed voodoo priestess, the film explores the many layers behind a complicated and charismatic figure. Call Me Miss Cleo was produced by Gunpowder & Sky for HBO Max. Van Toffler, Floris Bauer, Barry Barclay, Anne Loder, Jennifer O’Connell, and Lizzie Fox serve as executive producers. The documentary is directed by Celia Aniskovich and Jennifer Brea.
Timothy Lee Reid Sr. is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati, Marcel “Downtown” Brown on Simon & Simon, Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister and William Barnett on That ’70s Show.
Interview with Demetrius Grosse, Nika King, and Bishop and First Lady Donna Martin of the film “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” by Suzanne 6/28/24
This is a very powerful and uplifting story of a couple who changed the lives of many children, as well as the other people in their town. These are religious people, but the film is not too preachy, so if you’re not that into religion, it shouldn’t bother you. Faith is definitely the motivation for these people, in everything they do. Demetrius Grosse and Nika King turn in powerful performances as the real-life people Bishop and First Lady Donna Martin, who lived in a small town in Eastern Texas. After a tragedy in Donna’s life, she decides to adopt children. She and her husband not only adopt many children, but they get all of the people in their parish to do so as well.
It was a really interesting set of interviews. I’ve only interviewed the “real life people” in movies a few times. I was a foster child myself, and my mom was adopted as a baby, so this is an issue that hits home for me. Some scenes in the movie were hard to watch because some of the troubled children reminded me of other foster kids I knew. I told the actors and their counterparts about this, and how much the movie touched me. It was interesting to see how each paired group reacted completely differently! It was very unusual, to say the least. Let’s just say that the two ladies were much more relaxed and fun, and the two men were very serious.
The movie premieres today, July 4th. I hope you can go see it. Maybe it will inspire you to adopt children or foster a child who needs you. The foster care situation was bad 50 years ago when I was a child. It’s much worse today. I know that the Martins and everyone connected with this movie hope that their film gets people thinking about the foster care crisis.
This film is from Angel Studios. They produce the hit TV show “The Chosen” and many good, uplifting movies. They make great films with positive messages and outstanding acting, without being preachy or boring. They tell amazing stories.
The fight for kids begins July 4. Inspired by the powerful true story, Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, follows Donna and Reverend Martin as they ignite a fire in the hearts of their rural church to embrace kids in the foster system that nobody else would take. By doing the impossible–adopting 77 children–this East Texas community proved that, with real, determined love, the battle for America’s most vulnerable can be won.
Tagline:
The Fight for Kids Begins July 4
Rating:
PG-13 for thematic material involving child abuse, some violence, language and brief suggestive material
Run Time:
2 hours and 09 minutes
Fast Facts:
Inspired by the true story of Bishop and First Lady Donna Martin, and their tiny Bennett Chapel church, in the town of Possum Trot in the woods of East Texas.
Twenty two families linked arms and courageously adopted seventy seven of the most difficult-to-place children in the local foster care system
76 kids were adopted between 1998-2000. Another was adopted in 2011. The Martins have 2 biological children and adopted 4 during this time period.
This act ignited a national movement for vulnerable children that continues today.
Executive produced by Letitia Wright (BLACK PANTHER)
Directed, written, and produced by Joshua Weigel (THE BUTTERFLY CIRCUS) for Peacetree Productions.
King’s talents as a comedian and actor are versatile and dynamic. She is best known for her comedic abilities, but in her breakout role playing Leslie on the Emmy winning HBO series Euphoria opposite Zendaya and Storm Reid, King showcases a much more dramatic side of herself. Nika also had her directorial debut in the short film, which addresses grief and mental health in the life of a Black married couple.
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King’s comedy has landed her roles on Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black, the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, Canada, the Netflix Is A Joke festival, and hosting Nika King & Friends, a monthly show at the Improv Lab in Hollywood CA. She has also acted, written and produced on award winning webseries Funny Married Stuff, which is currently streaming on KweliTV.
Beyond acting, directing, and stand up, King co owns Blue Tree Cafe, a vegan soul food restaurant with her mother in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. King was also compelled to establish a non profit that helps to improve the quality of life for individuals and families from underserved communities by compassionately serving their mental health and wellness through healthy eating.
Demetrius Grosse (Reverend Martin)
Demetrius Grosse is an award-winning actor and producer. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree from its School of Drama and completed a visiting student program at the Howard University College of Fine Arts in his home city of Washington DC, Grosse took his craft to the international arena, studying and performing both classical and contemporary drama with the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England. Grosse also performed in Cape Town, South Africa with UCT. At Portland Center Stage in Oregon, Demetrtius starred as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee William’s American classic, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Off-Broadway, in 2010 performing Black Angels Over Tuskegee.
Grosse has appeared in the HBO series Westworld based on the 1973 film of the same name. He also appeared in Michael Bay’s feature film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016). Grosse is known for taking on many complex characters from various backgrounds and from all different genres. His range is unparalleled. He made his TV acting debut in The Wire (2001), Numbers (2005), and is well known for his film roles in, Saving Mr. Banks (2013), This Is Martin Bonner (2013). His other television credits include AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead, Criminal Minds, ER, NCIS, Bones, Dexter, CSI: Miami, Frontier (Netflix), and Swagger for Apple+. Grosse also made appearances in The Inheritance (2011), and Hollywoo (2011).
Grosse has credits for producing Last Cry for Katrina (2013), Moonshiners, and A Quiet Fire (2009), and most recently, Survival. Demetrius stars as Clark Randall in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries romantic comedy Spring Breakthrough. The film was produced under Hallmark’s Mahogany banner and had its on-air debut in 2023. Grosse resides in the US with his wife, their children, and a bearded dragon named ‘Shang-Chi.’
Interview with Jane Badler of the film “Trim Season” by Suzanne 6/6/24
It was awesome to speak with Jane. She seems really nice and is an amazing actress. I admit that I did gush a little, since I’m a huge fan of her from her days back in the 80’s when she played “Diane” in the scifi movies and TV show “V.” This is an entertaining horror film. Don’t miss it!
TRIM SEASON | The Ultimate Nightmare Blunt Rotation | Directed by Ariel Vida & Starring JaneBadler, Bex Taylor-Klaus, & Alex Essoe | In Theaters 6/7
Presents
TRIM SEASON
The Ultimate Nightmare Blunt Rotation…
From Award-Winning Filmmaker & Production Designer Ariel Vida
* In Theaters and On Demand June 7th, 2024 *
Presents
TRIM SEASON
The Ultimate Nightmare Blunt Rotation…
From Award-Winning Filmmaker & Production Designer Ariel Vida
* In Theaters and On Demand June 7th, 2024 *
Directed by Ariel Vida (“Vide Noir”)
Written by David Blair, Sean E. DeMott, Cullen Poythress, Megan Sutherland, & Ariel Vida
Produced by Aaron B. Koontz, Sean E. DeMott, Paul Holbrook, &JaneBadler
Executive Produced by Leal Naim&Jake Hearns
Co-produced by Cameron Burns
Starring: JaneBadler (“V”, Ricky Stanicky) Bex Taylor-Klaus (“Scream”) Alex Essoe (Starry Eyes, “Midnight Mass”) Bethlehem Million (Sick, “And Just Like That…”) Ally Ioannides (Synchronic) Cory Hart (“Fear the Walking Dead”)
Jobless and searching for purpose, Emma and a group of young people from Los Angeles drive up the coast to make quick cash trimming marijuana on a secluded farm in Northern California. Cut off from the rest of the world, they soon realize that Mona – the seemingly amiable owner of the estate – is harboring secrets darker than any of them could imagine. It becomes a race against time for Emma and her friends to escape the dense woods with their lives.
RT: 100 Minutes
“A suspenseful, uniquely crafted story highlighting pain and sacrifice that should spark some powerful conversation around women and gender. Mesmerizing performances, an innovative story, beautiful stylistic choices, and a little bit of witchy weed make Trim Season a must-see horror film.”
– BLOODY DISGUSTING/Michelle Swope
“From Badler’s commanding performance that contributes to the uneasy atmosphere Vida expertly curates to the stomach-churning sequences of body horror, there is undeniable greatness here that’s well worth seeking out.”
– SCREEN ANARCHY/Kyle Logan
About Ariel Vida
Ariel Vida is a director and writer of the strange and fantastical, who has also production designed over a hundred shorts, music videos, and feature films. Her design work has received high honors, including ‘Best Production Design’ at Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival for Moorhead & Benson’s THE ENDLESS. Her music video directorial debut -Lord Huron’s The World Ender-was selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick and awarded ‘Best Music Video’ at several festivals. The videos for Lord Huron’s The Night We Met, which Ariel produced, and Childish Gambino’s Sober, which she art directed, have both been viewed over 100 million times on YouTube.A frequent collaborator with Rustic Films, Ariel’s most recent design work includes Amy Seimetz’s Neon Release SHE DIES TOMORROW, Spectrevision and Adam Egypt Mortimer’s ARCHENEMY, Alma Har’el and Bob Dylan’s SHADOW KINGDOM, and Moorhead & Benson’s SYNCHRONIC as well as their Sundance 2022 premiere SOMETHING IN THE DIRT, which Ariel also second unit directed.
Ariel’s feature directorial debut, VIDE NOIR – written and scored by the band Lord Huron – released in November 2022 through 1091 Pictures. Her first published short fiction will be printed in the upcoming genre anthology HAUNTED REELS alongside fellow filmmakers C. Robert Cargill, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Brea Grant, Owen Egerton, Gary Sherman, and more. TRIM SEASON marks Ariel’s second feature as director, and she’s currently developing many of her own scripts imbuing stylized action within vivid, fantastical worlds from dystopian sea-faring tales to warped, surrealist westerns.
Interview with Julian Works and Paulina Chávez of the film “The Long Game” by Suzanne 4/5/24
This is a really good movie, so you don’t want to miss it. It’s entertaining, it has great characters and acting, and it also has a lot of heart. It’s based on a true story, which gives it validity. Also, it resonates in today’s world, where there’s still a lot of prejudice against any immigrants, or any people with dark skin. I enjoyed speaking with stars Julian Works (who plays Joe Trevino) and Paulina Chávez (who plays his girlfriend, Daniela). You can also see Works in “9-1-1: Lone Star” – Season 5 premieres this Fall. I would have loved to speak to the other stars – Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid, Cheese Marin – as well. They all doing an outstanding job in the movie.
MORE INFO:
THE LONGGAME
Based On the Book “Mustang Miracle” By Humberto G. Garcia
Starring Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid, Cheech Marin
Executive Produced by Canelo Álvarez
WILL BE RELEASED IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON APRIL 12, 2024
In 1956, JB Peña and his wife moved to the small town of Del Rio, TX, partly for a job as a school superintendent, but mostly to fulfill JB’s dream of joining the prestigious, all-white Del Rio Country Club. So when JB is rejected on the basis of his skin color, he is devastated. But his world soon collides with a group of young latino golf caddies who work at the country club, and JB is inspired by the handmade course the boys built in the country to teach themselves golf. With little experience and even fewer resources, JB convinces the boys to start their own high school golf team, starting them all on a journey where they learn that it takes more than just golf skills to make history. Based on Mustang Miracle by Humberto G. Garcia.
Julian Works most recently starred in the Blumhouse anthology series “Into The Dark: School Spirit,” and recurred in the cable drama “The Affair,” opposite Dominic West. His additional credits include the drama series “American Crime,” as well as the feature films “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” and the Sundance Film Festival Award nominee “All She Can.”
Mexican American Actress Paulina Chávez (“The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia”, “Fate: The Winx Saga”) will star opposite Eva Longoria, Cheech Marin, and Jesse Garcia in the Disney+ feature film Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Chávez will play ‘Mia Garcia’, the 16-year-old sister to ‘Alexander’ who is every inch an independent minded, intelligent, eye-rolling teenager. Convinced that her 11-year-old brother Alexander has the worst luck in the entire world, Mia is frequently appalled and horrified as the family road trip disintegrates into disaster after disaster. But, oddly enough, when they’ve lost just about everything and it’s just the family and nature, Mia is the first one to appreciate the beauty of the world around them, which clearly touches her.From writer Matt Lopez and director Marvin Lemus, Alexander tells the story of 11-year-old Alexander Garcia who feels like he is the unluckiest kid in the world. The film is produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Lisa Henson. Marisol Roncali and Chelsea Ellis Bloch serve as casting directors.
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Chávez is best known for her breakthrough leading role as the titular ‘Ashley Garcia’, the world’s first and only 15-year-old robotics engineer and rocket scientist, in Netflix’s “The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia”. Most recently, she starred as the series regular ‘Flora’ in Netflix’s sci-fi/fantasy series “Fate: The Winx Saga.” A rising star in both film and television, her film THE LONG GAME is set to premiere at the upcoming SXSW Festival on March 12th, 2023. The film is based on the true story five young Mexican-American golf caddies who against the odds would go on and successfully compete against wealthy all-white golf teams in 1955 South Texas.
Born in El Paso, TX, at the age of six Paulina and her family moved to San Antonio, TX where she discovered her love of acting through her school’s theater program. She joined drama club in second grade and immersed herself in theatre, playing lead roles in Aladdin Jr., Beauty and the Beast Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr. among others. She began auditioning and booking roles for various short films, movies, voice-overs, regional commercials, as well as national TV commercials for Coca-Cola and ‘Food Feuds: Latin Food’ alongside award-winning chef Aarón Sánchez. She additionally landed co-starred as ‘Isabella’ in the thriller-series “Padre Pio” and landed the role of ‘Young Kim Kardashian’ in the TV series, “Scandal Made Me Famous”.
In addition to acting, Paulina’s other passion is music and she began taking vocal lessons at a young age in preparation for musicals. She counts a wide range of musical influences including Shakira, Alejandro Fernandez, Luis Miguel, and Billie Eilish. Paulina also played the violin in a San Antonio-based mariachi group which she continually praises for helping maintain her connection to her Latin roots.
When she is not acting or singing, animal lover Paulina enjoys spending time with her rescue cats Whiskey and Bublé. She is also an advocate for the Latinx community and focuses her attention on giving back. Paulina began offering a yearly scholarship for youth within her local San Antonio community in 2020. Is is currently working in partnership with The Salvation Army SA to select students for her scholarship ‘Be Your Own Kind of Genius’.
You can follow Paulina Chávez on Instagram at @PaulinafChavez.
Directed by Julio Quintana
Written by Julio Quintana, Jennifer C. Stetson & Paco Farias
Starring Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid, Cheech Marin, Julian Works, Jaina Lee Ortiz, Brett Cullen, Oscar Nunez, Richard Robichaux, Paulina Chavez
Produced by Javier Chapa, Ben Howard, Dennis Quaid, Laura Quaid, Marla Quintana
Executive Produced by Canelo Álvarez, Jay Hernandez, Phillip Braun, Jason Michael Gerber, Sherrese Clarke Soares, Alexis Garcia, Humberto G. Garcia, Christian Sosa, John Williams, Veronica B. Jones, Jennifer Kuczaj, Simon Wise, Colleen Barshop, Vincent Cordero, Carlos Osorio, Juan Pablo Solano Vergara, Simón Beltrán Echeverri, Brian Eddy, Jeff Grossberg, Jack Shemtov, Ricky Joshi, Jeff Moseley, Julio M. Quintana, Jennifer Kuczaj, Michael E. Hollingsworth, Matthew Dwyer, David E. Campbell, Tim Mahler, Carter Pope, Jesse Mandujano
Interviews with Beau Bridges, Rob Mayes, Stratton Leopold and William Wages of the film “The Neon Highway” by Suzanne 3/6/24
This is such a good movie, and the actors did an amazing job. It was really great to speak with them, and the writer/director and producer. I grew up watching Lloyd, Beau and Jeff Bridges, so it was an honor to speak to Beau. This is a role that seems meant for him, and he excels in it. I hope people remember it come Oscar time next year. I can’t believe he hasn’t won one already! He should have won for “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” at least. The focus of the movie is Rob’s character, Wayne, and then we meet Beau’s character, Claude, and the two carry the movie. I’m glad it was not too depressing, either, because so many indie movies are. I hope you can check it out because it’s a really inspiring and human story. It also has some outstanding music. Enjoy the videos! Rob is much more handsome in real life than he is in the movie! “The Neon Highway” premieres tomorrow, March 15, 2024.
Stars Rob Mayes and Beau Bridges
Producer Stratton Leopold and writer/director William Wages
THE NEONHIGHWAY, STARRING EMMY®, GOLDEN GLOBE AND GRAMMY® WINNER BEAU BRIDGES AND ROB MAYES SETS HEARTLAND THEATRICAL RELEASE ON MARCH 15, 2024
Presented by Mountain Movies and produced by veteran filmmaker Stratton Leopold (The Sum Of All Fears, Mission: Impossible II), THE NEONHIGHWAY will release theatrically on March 15. Directed by William Wages (Yellowstone, Lethal Weapon) and co-written by Wages and Phillip Rob Bellury (A Ride To Heaven, Remember This), the film stars Emmy®, Golden Globe and GRAMMY® winner Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys, Eden), who was recently honored with the Icon Award from The Family Film & TV Awards, recognizing the significance of family entertainment.
THE NEONHIGHWAY also stars Rob Mayes (Legends, NCIS), Sam Hennings (The Work and the Glory franchise), Sandra Lee-Oian Thomas (Mr. Mercedes, Superstition), T.J. Power (Eat Pray Love, Offspring), Brett Gentile (We’re The Millers, The Walking Dead) and Ezekiel Bridges (Spiral, Mr. Mayor) along with GRAMMY® and CMA winner Pam Tillis as herself and Curb recording artist Lee Brice as Lamont Johnson.
About The Film: Twenty years ago, Wayne (Mayes), an aspiring singer/songwriter, was a heartbeat away from making it in Nashville when a car accident derailed his ambitions. Now working a 9-5 job and struggling to support his family, Wayne has a fateful encounter with waning country music great Claude Allen (Bridges) who reignites Claude’s musical dreams. Together they go to Nashville with one of Wayne’s songs, believing that with Claude’s fame and contacts, they can make it big. The problem is the industry has changed and no one is interested in the song – or Claude. Devastated and out of options, Wayne creates a way to get the song out to the public; not for himself, but for Claude.
“I couldn’t be more excited to bring THE NEONHIGHWAY to audiences throughout the country,” said Producer Stratton Leopold. “This film means a great deal to me, and after spending so much time working on mass entertainment it is a privilege to bring this film to audiences across the American Heartland, and to share a story about the music that fills our lives.”
Arturo Sandoval – Cuban-American jazz legend and multiple GRAMMY winner – composed the movie’s score with Curb Records releasing. The performance scenes were captured live as performed on set by musicians including Mayes, Brice and rising country newcomer, Grace Asbury.
The film’s first song and title track, “The NeonHighway” was released January 26th. The track was written by Dallas Davidson (“I Don’t Dance,” “Crash My Party”) and performed by two-time ACM winner and GRAMMY and CMA nominee, Brice.
THE NEONHIGHWAY opens March 15th in Los Angeles and in select markets including Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Memphis, Nashville, Orlando, and San Antonio.
THE NEONHIGHWAY is a Mountain Movies production and is distributed by Freestyle Releasing. Stratton Leopold serves as producer with Lori Berlanga as Co-Producer. William Wages, Phillip Rob Bellury, and Craig Miller, Executive Produced.
From IMdB: Beau Bridges was born in Hollywood, and is the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his wife, who was his college sweetheart, Dorothy Dean Bridges. Born just two days after the attack on Pearl Harbour, he was delivered by candlelight because of a power blackout. Named Lloyd Vernet Bridges III, his parents immediately started calling him Beau after Ashley Wilkes’ son in Gone with the Wind (1939), a book they were reading at the time. His younger brother, actor Jeff Bridges, was born in 1949 and a sister, Cindy Bridges, the following year.
Although only 5’10”, Beau played basketball for UCLA his freshman year. The following year he transferred to the University of Hawaii, but dropped out to pursue acting and got his first major role in 1967. During his first marriage to Julie Landifield, they adopted Casey Bridges and then had Jordan Bridges. He and his second wife, Wendy Treece Bridges, have three children from this marriage: Dylan Bridges (born 1985); Emily Bridges, (born 1987) and Ezekiel Jeffry Bridges.
Beau likes to play guitar and collects Native American percussion instruments. He also loves the ocean, including swimming and surfing. He is also active in environmental causes and handgun control.
From Wikipedia: Rob Mayes is an American actor, musician, and model. He is best known for starring as the title character in the 2012 horror comedy film John Dies at the End, as well as portraying Tommy Nutter in the short-lived comedy drama television series Jane by Design. He also played Barry in the 2019 film Maybe I’m Fine. Visit his website to hear and see more about this multi-talented actor/singer!
Interview with Diego Tinoco of the film “Bad Hombres” by Suzanne 1/17/24
I enjoyed watching this movie, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t exceedingly violent nor gory, and it wasn’t depressing or sad. There was a lot of humor in it, as well. Diego is a remarkable young man, who plays Felix, the main protagonist of the film, even though he’s surrounded by much bigger stars (such as Luke Hemsworth) and other interesting characters. I think we’ll see even bigger things from Diego in the future. I hope you can enjoy this movie, which premieres today in theaters and On Demand, and is on VOD tomorrow.
BAD HOMBRES | Crime Thriller Starring Tyrese Gibson, Luke Hemsworth, & Diego Tinoco | In Theaters and On Demand 1/26
BAD HOMBRES
Crime Thriller Starring Thomas Jane, Tyrese Gibson, Luke Hemsworth, & Diego Tinoco
In Theaters & On Demand January 26, 2024 Available on DVD March 12, 2024
*Grand Jury Award – Mammoth Film Festival 2023*
*Achievement in Screenwriting – Mammoth Film Festival 2023*
Directed by John Stahlberg Jr. (Crypto, Muzzle)
Written by Rex New, Nick Turner, Story by John Stahlberg Jr.
Produced by John Stahlberg Jr., David Frigerio, Scott Macfarland, Oliver Hudson and Wyatt Russell
Starring: Luke Hemsworth (“Westworld”) Thomas Jane (The Punisher) Nick Cassavetes (Face/Off) Tyrese Gibson (The Fast and The Furious) Diego Tinoco (“On My Block”) Hemky Madera (“Queen of the South”)
and Paul Johansson (“One Tree Hill”)
Two undocumented immigrants who take a job digging a hole then learn their employers are criminals. They become embroiled in a blood bath with one revealing a secret past that might save them.
Interview with director Josh Berman of the film “Full Circle” by Thane 10/17/23
It was great to interview Josh Berman, who directed this movie. Many people will find it inspirational. The film demonstrates how people can continue to thrive, even if their life turns out completely different than what they expect.
We apologize for any confusion during the interview…due to circumstances beyond our control, we were given some wrong information about Josh and his experiences (not his fault). Well, these things happen! We hope you can go see this movie, which comes out soon.
Opening in NY October 20th
Opening in LA, Canada & Additional US Cities Beginning October 27th*World Premiere – 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival*
*Feature Film Award Winner – 2023 Wasatch Mountain Film Festival*
*Official Selection – 2023 Telluride Mountainfilm*Directed by: Josh Berman
Featuring: Trevor Kennison and Barry Corbet
Produced by: Conor Smith and Roy Tuscany
Executive Produced by: Andrew Tiner, Kevin McNeely, and Rosemary NcNeely
Faced with a traumatic injury that renders you permanently disabled; how would you reinvent yourself? In 2014, Trevor Kennison’s life was forever altered by a broken back – for worse and for better, in equal measures. Barry Corbet, an intrepid skier, mountaineer, explorer, filmmaker, and Jackson Hole legend, broke his back in a helicopter crash in 1968. Frustrated by a pre-ADA culture that did not accept or support the disabled, Barry reinvented himself, becoming a seminal leader in the disability community. FullCircle follows Trevor on a path towards post-traumatic growth in parallel with Barry, 50 years later. Their stories mirror each other, connected through time and space by common locations and motifs; injuries in the Colorado backcountry, rehab at Craig Hospital, fame in Jackson Hole; but also, through their shared resiliency and refusal to let their passion for life be limited by their injuries. FullCircle is an unblinking examination of the challenges of Spinal Cord Injury, and a celebration of the growth that such tragedy can catalyze.
Bringing the ethos of the film into practice Primetime Emmy-nominated composer Mark Crawford (“The Social Dilemma”) chose to work with musicians living with disabilities for the live instrumentation of the score. Mark assembled an all-star team, including Grammy-winning guitarist Eric Howk of Portugal. The Man, world-renowned jazz pianist Justin Kauflin, percussionist Jason Barnes, trumpet player Patrick Henry Hughes, virtuoso violinist Brian Krinke, and members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, with orchestrator Jeff Kryka preparing the score. Additionally, Eric Howk wrote and recorded a custom song for the credits of the film, titled “What I Am.” Very much autobiographical, the song brings Eric’s voice into the film in more ways than one, speaking directly to his life experience as a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair.
JOSH BERMAN
Director/DP – Josh Berman started his career in the New York City production scene while earning a degree in Film from Dartmouth College. Josh followed his passion for snow sports to Colorado and has been directing award winning outdoor and action sports films for the past two decades. His background in action sports uniquely equipped him to tackle the challenges of shooting with Trevor in complex and dangerous snow environments.
Interview with Karen Lam of the movie “The Curse of Willow Song” by Thane 9/9/23
It was great to talk to award-winning filmmaker Karen Lam about her upcoming horror movie, “The Curse Of Willow Song.” This movie won multiple awards, but I found her very humble about it. I can tell that she’s in it for the love of art, and she loves working with people. Make sure to check out the trailer because it’s really cool.
Canadian writer, director, and producer KARENLAM is promoting her upcoming film THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG, on digital and DVD September 26.
Lam grew up in Brandon, Manitoba. Lam‘s father, a professor, would show his daughter horror films that she cites as an influence for her work. Lam also lists Gothic literature and Asian horror films as influences. After receiving a law degree from the University of British Columbia, Lam began working at BC Film.
Lam‘s first featured-length film was Stained (2010), a thriller starring Tinsel Korey. A year later the horror revenge short Doll Parts (2011) was released and distributed, which Lam credits for paving the way for Stained to get viewership in the United States. She landed on Hollywood’s map with the starry horror Evangeline in 2013.
KARENLAM‘S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED COMES TO DIGITAL SEPTEMBER 26
THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG
STARRING VALERIE TIAN FROM “THE MAGICIANS”, “ARROW” AND JENNIFER’S BODY
KarenLam‘s highly-anticipated The Curse of Willow Song, starring Jennifer Body’s Valerie Tian, has been picked up by Uncork’d Entertainment. The horror pic, receiving great early buzz thanks to its strong special effects, will release on both digital and DVD formats in the fall.
“The Curse of Willow Song has so much to offer. It will appeal for the genre audience but also the Asian community – as represented in front of and behind camera”, said Keith Leopard, President Uncork’d Entertainment. “KarenLam is truly one of the most exceptional filmmakers out there, and The Curse of Willow Song reiterates that.”
Willow Song, a recovering addict and parolee, struggles to start over. Willow finds herself in a concrete wasteland. Facing isolation and displacement, shadows creep into Willow’s mind and her nightmares become too real.
The Curse of Willow Song will release on Digital and DVD September 26, 2023.
About Uncork’d Entertainment
Uncork’d Entertainment was founded in July, 2012 by Keith Leopard, a Home Entertainment industry veteran with more than 23 years of experience in purchasing, acquisitions, merchandising, marketing and analysis of major studio and independent supplier to the home entertainment market.
The Company focuses on distribution in six areas: Digital Media, Physical Home Entertainment, Aggregation, Theatrical and Television, Foreign Sales, and has secured relationships across all platforms to ensure your film reaches the widest audience possible.
Keith and his team are committed to maximizing revenue, controlling costs, and assuring their Content Partners the highest quality of service, a commitment to market and merchandise their film and a rewarding experience by partnering with Uncork’d Entertainment.
Interview with writer/co-director Jim Capobianco, co-director Pierrce-Luc Granjon and composer Alex Mandel of the movie “The Inventor” by Suzanne 8/10/23
This is a cute stop-motion animated movie about Leonardo da Vinci and his quest to find out the secret of life. It’s great for kids, families, or anyone. The music is very good, too.
The first interview was with the show’s directors, Jim Capobianco and Pierre-Luc Granjon; Capobianco was also the writer. The second interview was with Alex Mandel, who wrote the music. Both interviews were very enjoyable. I hope you can go see this film, which comes out September 15.
Directed and written by Jim Capobianco (the Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter of “Ratatouille”) and co-directed by Pierre-Luc Granjon, THE INVENTOR is a stop-motion adventure film about the life of Leonardo da Vinci featuring the voices of Stephen Fry, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, Gauthier Battoue, and Matt Berry.
The insatiably curious and headstrong inventor/artist Leonardo da Vinci (Fry) leaves Italy to join the French court where he can freely experiment, invent flying contraptions and incredible machines, and study the human body. Joined in his adventure by the audacious Princess Marguerite (Ridley), Leonardo attempts to uncover the answer to the ultimate question: “What is the meaning of life?”
Interview with Monique T. Parent of “That’s a Wrap!” by Suzanne 8/9/23
It was nice to speak to Monique. We had a great chat. I even asked her about some makeup things after our “official” chat here. She’s had a long and interesting career. I’m not a big fan of horror movies…especially “slasher flicks” like this one, but it has quite a lot of comedy and art to it that was fascinating to see. Monique did a great job in it.
Known as ”The Thinking Man’s Sex Symbol”, the sci-fi and horror vet also runs a YouTube channel offering makeup and hair tips for women over 40 as well as sharing her life as an actress. She is an advocate for celebrating natural beauty and graceful aging. She lives in L.A with her two cats.
STARRING Cerina Vincent, Monique T.Parent, Sarah French, Gigi Gustin, Dave Sheridan
DIRECTED BY Marcel Walz
ON DIGITAL AUGUST 25
Award winning director Marcel Walz’s upcoming horror/thriller THAT’S A WRAP is scheduled to release on digital platforms on August 25th, 2023 from Quiver Distribution. Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever), Monique T. Parent (Jurassic City), Sarah French (Space Wars : The Quest for Deepstar), Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators) and Dave Sheridan (The Devil’s Rejects) star in a film written by Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas.
The cast of a film arrive to a wrap party, but someone has dressed up as the slasher in the film, and begins to stage their own kill scenes. One by one, the cast disappear until the true nature of the evening is revealed.
Joe Knetter, Marcel Walz and Sarah French produce, with BJ Mezek, Andreas Tremmel, Justus Heinz, Yazid Benfeghoul, Tina Limbeck , Robert L. Lucas and Kai E. Bogatzki executive producing.
Says director Walz (Blind, Pretty Boy), “I’m so excited to have a colorful Giallo slasher as the first movie from our own production company, Neon Noir. Everyone involved in this project brought so much love and talent to the table and made the whole process from start to finish something special. I know the audience will see the love in the end product. My favorite film of all time is Wes Craven’s Scream. That’s a Wrap is a fun meta slasher that showcases my love for that series of films combined with my love of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story. As a gay director I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to have LGBTQ characters represented in the film. One even plays a key part in a scene that will no doubt get people talking about how that kill is something they’ve never seen before. It’s so ridiculous. I love it.”
Interview with Shila Ommi of the movie “Elemental” and “Tehran” on Apple TV+ by Suzanne 6/15/23
It was really fun to speak with Shila. The movie looks really good (and great for kids). I saw the trailer last week when I went to see “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Shila plays Cinder, the mom of the main character, Ember (Leah Lewis).
CINDER LUMEN (Shila Ommi) is Firetown’s resident matchmaker, utilizing her natural gift that allows her to smell true love in a Fire person’s smoke, whether they know it or not. She boasts numerous matches throughout her tenure—she’s proud of her track record—but this brusque, no-nonsense and traditional mom has yet to find a match for her daughter. Elsewhere audiences can see Shila Ommi on the Apple TV+ espionage thriller, “Tehran.”Shila Ommi is one of the returning co-stars of Apple TV+, espionage thriller, “Tehran,” now streaming season two now on Apple TV+.Ommi portrays the character of Nahid Kamali, the wife of Shaun Toub’s character Faraz Kamali (a skilled investigator with the Revolutionary Guards), and she also shared the screen with the iconic Glenn Close, and in season two. The heart pounding “Tehran,” which has earned the comparison in the media already of “24” meets “The Americans,” is must watch TV at it’s finest.
Shila Ommi is an American/ actress, born in Tehran, and has lived in Los Angeles since onslaught of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Her mother was a poet and her father a philanthropist, real estate mogul, and the founder and CEO of Iran’s largest construction company, Vima Co. At an early age, Ommiwitnessed the wrath of the Islamic regime. Ommi’s father was also on their hit list, but her family had the chance to flee the country, leaving behind their wealth and all their belongings to begin a new life in the United States.
Today, Shila Ommi is a prominent actress in the Iranian communities in diaspora. For over a decade, she toured the globe as the lead actress and co-artistic director of Workshop 79, a theatre company spearheaded by acclaimed Iranian playwright/director/actor Houshang Touzie (“A Simple Wedding,” “Argo”). The founder of the LA based theater group, Turquoise Heart Productions, Ommiuses theater art as a form of healing and activism, writes, directs, and acts in theatre pieces that share the Iranian experience with American audiences, and the exile experience with Iranians abroad. She is recently directed a play commissioned by the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health.
Ommiportrays the character Nahid, in the acclaimed espionage thriller, “Tehran,” with seasons 1 & 2 streaming now on Apple TV+ . She portrayed the character of Yasmin in the Apple TV+ anthology series “Little America” co-starring with Shaun Toub (who is also her screen husband in “Tehran”). Ommi is also a voice-over artist and performs regularly in animated films and web series. She is the voice of all the characters, male and female in a cartoon series called “NOPM: Special Forces” which was commissioned by the Boromand Foundation, a human rights organization focused on Iran’s human rights violations. She is narrating a video about deforestation, and a film about Iran… both coming out by the end of this year.
Elemental
PG
June 16, 2023
Animation
Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” is an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air residents live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.
Interview with Tatyana Ali, Alpha Nicky Mulowa and Ni’Cola Mitchell of “Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story” on Lifetime by Suzanne 3/8/23
This was an interesting movie because it was based on a real story of a woman who went through poverty, trauma and loss, yet she was saved by her inner intelligence, strength and perseverance. She went on to use this drive and determination to help young girls who are at-risk, even though she was a single mother with very little funds. It’s truly an inspirational story. Ali did a wonderful job with the role, and it was great to not only talk to her about the movie, but also the film’s director, and the real-life Ni’Cola Mitchell, on whom the movie is based. You can learn more here about Mitchell’s organization, Girls Who Brunch.
Tatyana Ali stars in Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story, the emotional true story of best-selling author and inspirational speaker Ni’Cola Mitchell, who after experiencing sexual violence as a young girl, founded an organization dedicated to saving at risk girls from abuse and exploitation.
Ni’Cola Mitchell (Tatyana Ali), successful author, publisher and speaker, realizes at a book signing that her calling is to help disadvantaged girls. Ni’Cola understands what it is like to overcome huge hurdles in life including a difficult childhood and a cancer diagnosis, and after putting her own writing career on hold, she launches Girls Who Brunch, events designed to make young women feel seen and empowered. With the support of her sister Nene (Nadine Whiteman Roden) and daughters Diamond (Kudakwashe Rutendo) and Destani (Mikalah Reid-Beckette), she pours everything she has into the organization, including her own money and mobilizes volunteers, coaches and community leaders to help host events. Ni’Cola is named A Woman of Worth by L’Oréal and sponsorship opportunities begin to come in, helping Girls Who Brunch expand nationally and travel to dozens of cities across the country, reaching tens of thousands of girls in the process.
Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story is produced by Champlin Media. Executive producers are Barbara Fisher, Tom Berry, Suzanne Chapman and Ni’Cola Mitchell. Producers are Adam Gowland, Jordana Aarons and Cassandra Keenan. Alpha Nicky directs from a script written by Adam Rockoff.
Interviews with Scott Hamm Duenas and Kipp Tribble of the film “Rebroken” by Thane 3/3/23
I had a great interview with Scott, who has been in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “General Hospital,” among many other roles. He stars as Will in this new film “Rebroken.” Kipp was a fascinating person to talk to as he’s so prolific in the thriller genre. He co-stars in the movie; both actors co-wrote the movie.
A devastated father receives recordings from a mysterious stranger that allow him to communicate with his recently deceased daughter in a new thriller from director Kenny Yates
On Digital Platforms March 7, 2023 from Gravitas Ventures
Directed by: Kenny Yates
Starring: Scott Hamm Duenas, Tobin Bell, Kipp Tribble
Tobin Bell, star of the SAW franchise joins Scott Hamm Duenas (Evil at the Door, “General Hospital”) in REBROKEN, premiering On Digital Platforms March 7 from Gravitas Ventures.
Will is a devastated father who spends his time between court-ordered grief counseling and drinking himself into oblivion. He repeats the cycle of despair every day with no plans to stop, until he meets a mysterious stranger who gives him some old vinyl recordings. After Will listens to the records, he suddenly starts receiving messages from his recently deceased daughter. As the communications from his daughter grow more and more frequent, Will becomes convinced that these recordings hold the answer to bring his daughter back from the dead. But just as he is closing in on the truth, he starts to suspect that his counseling group has ulterior motives. After the stranger disappears, Will races against time to find him so he can get the last recording, or his chance to bring his daughter back might be gone forever.
Also starring Kipp Tribble, Alison Haislip, Nija Okoro, Kenny Yates, Richard Siegelman, Blake Koren, and Billy Walker, REBROKEN is written by Kipp Tribble and Scott Hamm Duenas, and directed by Kenny Yates.
Interview with Garcelle Beauvais, Linda Park, Taylor Mosby Iyana Halley and Derrica Wilson of “Black Girl Missing” on Lifetime by Suzanne 2/2/23
This is a powerful movie about a woman losing one of her children, and the lengths she goes through to find her, and to make the police and press take her seriously. It’s fictional but based on many true stories. This is part of Lifetime’s “Ripped From the Headlines” press panels. It first airs Saturday, March 4th.
When Cheryl (Garcelle Beauvais) gets into an argument with her daughter Lauren (Iyana Halley) over her desire to drop out of college, she initially thinks Lauren is simply ignoring her calls and texts, but Cheryl soon realizes Lauren is missing. While she attempts to get help from authorities and the media, they quickly dismiss the case, labeling Lauren as a runaway while they are all too consumed with another case – that of a missing white girl. Desperate to find Lauren, Cheryl and her 15-year-old daughter Marley (Taylor Mosby) enlist the help of a dedicated community of amateur internet sleuths to try to find Lauren. Cheryl also discovers the Black and Missing Foundation and is horrified to discover the disparity in how missing persons of color cases are treated with significant lack of media attention and law enforcement resources.
The movie also stars Linda Park, as Elise, a local reporter who tries to help Cheryl, against the orders of the news director.
Derrica and Natalie Wilson, founders of Black and Missing Foundation, serve as consultants on the film. Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAMF) has been established as a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring awareness to missing persons of color, provide vital resources and tools to missing person’s families and friends and to educate the minority community on personal safety. Garcelle Beauvais will also be featured in a new PSA in support of Black and Missing Foundation’s efforts.
Black Girl Missing is produced for Lifetime by Johnson Production Group in association with Motion Content Group. Garcelle Beauvais, Tim Johnson, Stacy Mandelberg, Gordon Gilbertson, Jason Egenberg, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster are executive producers. Delmar Washington (Outsiders) directs from a script written by Kale Futterman (Samir).
As a companion to the movie, Lifetime will debut the special,Beyond the Headlines: Black Girl Missing,following true stories of black and missing women featuring interviews with their families and Black and Missing Foundations’s involvement in the cases. Produced by AMS, Andy Streitfeld serves as EP and Kim Clemons is the showrunner. Natalie and Derrica Wilson of the Black and Missing Foundation are also consultants.
Interview with Peter Parros of the film “Who Are You People” by Suzanne 2/17/23
I’m very happy to speak with Peter, whom I’ve in so many shows, starting with “One Life to Live,” where hey played Ben Price from 1994-15, and then on “As The World Turns,” where he played Ben Harris from 1987 to 2009. More recently, he starred in “The Haves and the Have Nots” on OWN. He has done many other shows and movies over the years. This movie is an indy film about a teen girl, Alex (Ema Horvath), who has trouble connecting with her mom, Judith (Alyssa Milano) and step-dad, Carey (John Ales), and she wants to meet her bio dad, Karl (Devon Sawa). It’s an interesting movie because it takes a dark turn towards the end. There are many twists and turns. The writing is really good, and the characters are rich and complex. Ben Epstein wrote and directed it. Even though Peter has a relatively small part as the town sheriff, his character is also complex. As I told him in our interview, it should have been a TV series because of the writing and the interesting characters. I want to see what else happens with these people. I hope you enjoy the movie, coming to select theaters and VOD February 24!
“Who Are You People”stars Ema Horvath (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” What Lies Below”), Devon Sawa (“Gasoline Alley,” “Final Destination”), Yeardley Smith (“The Simpsons,” “Maximum Overdrive”), Peter Parros (“Real Genius,” Knight Rider”), Siddharth Dhananjay (“Bloodshot,” “Undone”), Reid Miller (“Joe Bell,” “You”),with John Ales (“Euphoria,” True Story”),and Alyssa Milano (“Brazen,” “Charmed”). “Who Are You People” premiered at the Mammoth Film Festival where Horvath won Best Actress.
Unfolding through the eyes of our 16-year-old protagonist Alex’s (Ema Horvath) eyes, her limited knowledge and perspective gradually opening-up as she learns more of the circumstances that surround her. Humanity gives no easy answers when faced with another truth: sometimes life’s biggest questions far outlast the answers. A cinematic sibling to critically acclaimed films like “Ordinary People,”Epstein’s voice as a filmmaker is authentic and questioning – something we believe audiences will respond to – launching them to have bigger personal conversations.
“Who Are You People”is written & directed by Ben Epstein; produced by Jordan Foley (“Alone,” “American Woman”), Toby Louie (Night Owls,” “Good Crazy”), Ben Epstein, and Nick Smith (“Alone,” “All Square”); executive produced by Alyssa Milano, Graham Moore (“The Imitation Game,” “The Holdout”), Yeardley Smith, Ben Cornwell (“Gracefully Grayson,” “All Square”), Fred Chandler (“The Art of Racing in the Race,” “Gossamer Folds”), Neely Eisenstein (“Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” “Plus One”), AJ Gordon (“The Dark Divide,” “All the Wilderness”), Irka Zazulak, Melissa Pianko, and Rod Cooper ; co-produced by Rob Nelson (“Bad Parents,” “Brand New, Old Love”), and Benjy Caplan (“New Orleans, Mon Amour”); with Cinematography by Bobby Lam (“A Leading Man,” “Under Wraps”); edited by Jeff Bernier (“Retro Report,” “Rabbit”); and original music by Aaron Zigman(“The Notebook, “Wakefield”).
“Who Are You People” Synopsis: After a botched attempt to seduce her teacher, 16-year-old Alex (Horvath) runs away from boarding school to seek out the biological father (Sawa) that her mother (Milano) and presumed father (Ales) always kept hidden and learn the dark secret of her roots.
About the Director:
Ben Epstein is the writer/director of the feature film WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE. He served as the Creator/Showrunner/Director for two seasons of the Complex series IN THE VAULT. He is also the creator and Co-Executive Producer of the MTV dramedy HAPPYLAND, and currently serves as a Co-Executive Producer on an upcoming series for Netflix.
Ben is currently developing a TV series with Lionsgate and Temple Hill and a feature with John Wells Productions. His screenplay THE PROSPECT, which chronicles Michael Jordan’s baseball career, was featured on the Black List. Ben realized a lifelong nerd dream by writing several issues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book. His short fiction has appeared in the Rattling Wall Literary Journal.
Ben graduated from the NYU film program, where his thesis film THE REUNION won First Prize Wasserman/King Award at the NYU First Run Film Festival and numerous awards at other festivals. His feature script for WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE was also awarded the $75,000 NYU Columbus/Vague Alumni Production Grant by director Chris Columbus.
Ben is a member of the WGA and DGA. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and never tires of describing himself in the third person.
Peter Parros
Peter Parros began his acting career at American Theatre Arts in Hollywood, CA. After performing in stage productions, commercials and television, his big break came when he won the series regular role of “RC3” Reginald Cornelius III on the hit TV show Knight Rider. He was later cast as Officer Gus Grant, the series lead, on the new Adam 12 series with Ethan Wayne. Peter has appeared in hundreds of television episodes spanning several series, including Seinfeld,The Family Man,Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,Star Trek: The Next Generation,Bones,CSI: Miami,Law and Order,Sherri,Royal Pains and Castle. Feature film credits include Death Before Dishonor and Real Genius.
For seven years, he played Dr. Ben Harris on the Best Daytime Drama Emmy Winner As The World Turns—a role that earned Peter two NAACP Image Award Nominations. Daytime fans also know him for his contract role as Dr. Ben Price on One Life To Live and Leo Baines on The Young and the Restless.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Peter currently resides in Los Angeles, California. He loves spending time on the ocean and has partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to introduce urban youth to the joys of sailing.
Interview with Connor Floyd of the movie “The Last Deal” and “The Young & The Restless” on CBS by Suzanne 2/3/23
It was great to speak with Connor! We had a fun – but brief – chat. He has a small part in this new movie, “The Last Deal,” which is an action thriller starring Anthony Molinari. To be fair, everyone’s part in this is pretty small, aside from Molinari. The only other actor that has many lines in the movie is Mister Fitzgerald, who plays Bobby. Connor’s role last for just a few minutes. He’s a young actor, still building his resume. Right now most of his work is on “The Young & The Restless,” where he plays Chance. I was happy to speak to him about both the film and the show.
January 5, 2023 : Sala Baker, known to Lord of the Rings fans as Sauron, stars in the non-stop action thrill ride THELASTDEAL, coming to theaters Feb 3 and digital Feb 7.
The pic, a captivating profusion of HEAT and SAVAGES, nabbed Best Director at the Boston Film Festival, and later, the Jury Prize for Best Performance at the San Antonio Film Festival.
Black market marijuana dealer Vince is living the high life in Los Angeles, but everything changes when new laws pass making cannabis legal. With limited dispensary licenses available, Vince may be squeezed out of the business. He’s desperate to make one final score, but borrows money from the wrong people.
Directed by Jonathan Salemi, and also starring Anthony Molinari (Tenet), Mister Fitzgerald (“F.B.I.”), Jeffri Lauren (Inside & Out), Mike Ferguson (Ebola Rex), Conner Floyd (“The Young & The Restless”), and Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), THELASTDEAL is a Scatena & Rosner Films release.
Conner Floyd joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in November 2021 as “Phillip Chance Chancellor IV”. Conner was born and raised in Austin, Texas. He attended the University of Tulsa where he was three-year letter winner playing both wide receiver and punt returner for the Golden Hurricane. After college, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. His past credits include the television movies, Malicious Motives, A Kiss on Candy Cane Lane, and Help Wanted and appearances in several independent films.
In his spare time he enjoys filmmaking, playing guitar, watching football, and enjoying the outdoors.
Interview with Mike Manning of the film “The Way Out” by Thane 1/16/23
It was great to catch up with Mike Manning about a new thriller he appears in. His TV credits include “This Is Us” and “Days Of Our Lives“. If you like horror/thriller movies, then he’s worth a follow.
From writer/director Barry Jay, and starring Jonny Beauchamp (“Penny Dreadful”), Emmy winner Mike Manning (“Teen Wolf”, “This is Us”), Ashleigh Murray (“Riverdale”), and Sherri Shepherd (“Life is Perfect”), an unnerving and riveting thriller from Terror Films hitting digital February 10, 2023.
Alex is an aspiring singer/songwriter, a drug addict who’s been damaged from childhood abuse. After the death of his father and inheriting the family home, he takes in a roommate, a fighter, who takes Alex under his wing, teaching him how to fight back and stand up to abusers. But soon this leads Alex down a dark path that threatens his sobriety and his life.
“I disagree”, says Barry Jay (Killer Therapy, The Chosen). “Absence doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder. Sometimes it gives you the time and distance to gain the clarity to see how badly you were mistreated and the courage to finally do something about it. That was me – I moved out of an abusive household when I was 20 years old. I had been abused until after I was a senior in high school. Severely underweight, shut down, feared everyone and everything and with good reason. Sobriety was a gift that helped me heal through all of that, a day at a time and that is the inspiration for THE WAY OUT.
My hope is to send a message to the abuser and the abused. To the abuser, I hope to show the ripple effect of their heinous actions, and how it can boomerang back to them, rightfully destroying their lives. To the abused, I hope to show there is hope, hope for better days, ability to find the self-esteem and strength to create boundaries, how forgiveness can be the thing that helps you finally drop the rock so you can create a better new and healthy life.”
THE WAY OUT is on digital February 10, 2023 worldwide from Terror Films.
Interview with director Zhao Ji and producer Yu Zhou of the movie “New Gods: Yang Jian” by Suzanne 1/11/23
This is a really cool animated Chinese film that comes out January 20th. I don’t normally watch anime, but I really enjoyed it. It has beautiful animation and tells a great story with a lot of action. The story is based on Chinese folk lore. This movie was a big hit in China, so now it’s premiering here in the U.S. with an English-speaking cast. Everyone associated with the movie is Asian, including the American actors dubbing it. We had a really interesting interview. I’m sorry for any mistakes in the transcript below. Between the accents, the Chinese words used, and the fact that one of them was ill, it was a bit difficult.
Here is the audio interview, which we made into a slideshow video. Below is the transcript.
Yu: I’m the co-founder and president of Light Chaser Animation. Very nice to meet you.
Ji: I’m Ji Zhao, director of New Gods: Yang Jian.
Yu: Yeah, also, as you know, Ji is also the director of Whitesnake, New Gods, and Nezha Reborn. Very productive. Okay, back to you guys. Any question? Feel free to ask.
Suzanne: So, my first question is for Ji. How is directing an animated movie like this different from a live action feature?
Ji: Well, I do work both in animation production and live action production, but I haven’t got a chance to direct a live action movie yet. So, for my experience, I think animation is more creative, because you can create [things that don’t] really happen in the real world. In my live action career, I was an editor, a film editor. From an editor perspective, most of the time, you have to choose the footage from what you already have, but from an animation perspective, you can create [it] when you don’t have that footage. “Oh, I need something,” then we can [just] make it. So, from that I think it’s more creative and more fun. That’s why I changed my career from live action to animation.
Caroline: Ji, I’ve seen your films and I think you seem to be a big fan of Mad Max. I want to ask you, what are your cinematic inspirations, whether Chinese or in the West?
Ji: Actually the animation filmmakers in China, I think, is quite young compared to the Hollywood or other countries’ animators…Sorry about my English. I haven’t used it –-
Yu: Since the premiere of Whitesnake.
Ji: Yeah, three or four years since I’ve spoken English. Okay. I think we grew up with a lot of Western movies, and we’ve seen all kinds [from] Hollywood or like anime from Japan. We won’t say that. That’s part of our experience. So I never saw – like for film it’s an international language. There’s no quite age that you have to do something from the Eastern point of view or Western point of view. Most of them comes from your heart, comes from your own experience. I think – you mentioned Mad Max, but I think Mad Max, you only see that from the punk. I mean, the punk style, but punk does not belongs to any culture. Chinese can have [their] own punk because punk is a spirit not only a racial style. Just because you haven’t seen a lot of Chinese punk movies doesn’t means Chinese culture cannot be punk. Especially when we do the hero like the New Gods, [unintelligible]. That hero himself is a very punk hero in his heart. So, I think it’s fun to combine what we learn from the Western culture and mix with our own culture and create what from our generations point of view, to create a movie like what we saw is the new generation of Chinese heroes.
Matthew Swigonski: The art style is pretty incredible. Did you have a certain inspiration of what you drew for the entire world? You mentioned punk, it seems kind of like it was based off of steampunk a bit.
Ji: I would call that silk punk instead of steampunk. Steampunk is part of the –
(Crosstalk)
Yu: industrialization.
Ji: Right, the 18th to 19th centuries, from the British culture. That’s [where] steampunk original artwork comes from, but for our film, I think we’re trying to create in Chinese Asian, because it’s a Chinese gods’ world. When you think about gods, they’re always more advanced than the technology, culture, everything. They have to be more advanced than people, than human people. So, when I’m trying to create the spirit world, I think they could be more modern. They could mix modern elements, combine something we’re familiar with, or modern life with what we saw, but we’re very familiar with Chinese original culture. So that’s more like we combine modern China or modern technology with traditional Chinese culture when we imagine the spirit world.
Ephney Tsai: You’ve mentioned that you hope these films can showcase the essence of traditional Chinese culture through a modern perspective. Why do you think that this is an important objective to have?
Ji: When I was a kid, I watched like old TV shows of Chinese [unintelligible] mythology. Yeah, the Chinese mythology story from the TV shows. They always imagined people flying from one place to another, stand[ing] on a cloth. And just like the Superman, they just fly from here to there. Because I think during that time, airplanes in China are very few; people won’t see a lot of that. For Asian China, for Asian people, they can now imagine that there is an aircraft flying from one place to another. But every generation, the creator, the filmmaker, the artists should make things from their experience. I think for our generation, we grew up seeing that technology grows very fast. So, that’s actually just part of our life. So I think why the spirit cannot fly with a ship with the aircraft. I remember one time I was on an airplane…taking off. I was seated next to the window, and when the the plane [crossed] the clouds, I saw the beautiful cloud ocean. At that time, I thought maybe in ancient time, the gods, the spirits, they probably just see that. They want to [be] sailing among the cloud ocean. But I think that’s part of, more than life, part of the technology that makes me think that way. For the Asian artists, they’d never really be up in the sky. So, they cannot imagine that way.
Yu: Hopefully I can add a few comments…I want to create some Chinese, Asian or Chinese culture combined with modern technology. Because I think it’s, as he said, flying through the clouds in the sky as a god is something we are as the Chinese people quite familiar [with] from our childhood. Our film, actually the main focus is for the first audience [who] are Chinese. So we’re trying to present what they’re familiar with, what they like. And also, we’re trying to give them some surprise. If you can only give them what they know, [it’s] kind of boring. So that’s the principle, the bottom line of our creativity, where we get our creativity, and also for ourselves, we also liked that kind of style. They call it, after the Muller report [used] that new word called Oriental punk. Other people that create it are calling it that word. Yeah.
Suzanne: I guess I’m next again. By the way, I loved when the little dragon went through the sky. I briefly lived in Chinatown in Honolulu, and I used to love whenever they had the big parades with the dragons. So, that was pretty cool, to see that. There’s certainly a lot to see in this movie; visually it’s fantastic. So, I have a two part question. Who came up with the names of the movies? And was there any concern that people might confuse it with the old DC Comic by Jack Kirby, New Gods?
Ji: Oh, okay. So, when we create this series, it’s a series movie, we were trying to make something different. In China, the Chinese name of the movie is Xin shen bang. Xin means new. So it’s new, but the original version of the story, the function that’s the original version of the story. So, we’re trying to tell our audience in China this is a totally new version. We use the same characters, same heroes, but it’s a different different point of view or a different timeline of the story. So we call this new Xin shen bang. When we translate to English, “Xin shen bang” is a rank. It’s a list. It’s a rank of the heroes in the Chinese Asian history, who is the number one, number two, number three. So, when we translate that, we’re trying to make it simple. We call it New Gods, and –
Yu: Actually we didn’t notice…
Ji: Yeah we didn’t notice that DC has a similar name.
Yu: Thank you for pointing that out. That will probably create some discussion, dispute. It might be a good thing to to know.
Suzanne: I think they were gonna do a New Gods movie, and they decided not to, so I guess you lucked out there.
Ji: I didn’t know that.
Yu: But the function of the story in China is like a proud mother and on top of her years. Everybody knows the story and is familiar with it. And what we did is we based it on that legend. We put on the same serial but in a new era, like modern China. Because they’re gods, they will not die. They will live through all ages. So, even around us, that’s the way we are telling our stories. So, since this [won’t] be the last series – actually we are probably very soon – not very soon. In at least three years, we’ll create another sequel. Yeah.
Suzanne: Great. Thank you.
Caroline: So to Ji, I wanted to ask, so from Whitesnake to New Gods., how would you say your animation direction has evolved over the years?
Ji: I think for me, it’s a quite fast learning experience. Whitesnake I remember it released on
Yu: Actually yesterday it was a four year anniversary.
Ji: Yeah, right. Right. Right. Right.
Yu: January 11.
Ji: Yeah, So, during these four years I released three animation movies. That’s probably a very –
Yu: A record. Three years. Three films.
Ji: Yeah, so, for me it’s a very fast learning experience during those four years. During Whitesnake, I think I was trying to adapt, trying to learn how to be a director, so at that time there will be like some director points of view or directors style, it’s more like all of the team. We were trying to learn the new way of how to make animation so fast. And for the next two movies – because Whitesnake, I co-directed with another director, so the next two movies for me, every time I tried to take a step to try something new I never tried before, that’s always when I create a new movie. For New Gods, obviously that’s a different style, combining modern and Asian story and I never – lucky for us in China we don’t have that censorship rating for animation. I know in Hollywood you guys have like PG, G, whatever the rating, but in China we don’t have that. So, I think animation can tell any kind of story. Even if we wanted we could do a horror story. So, I think it’s cool, because animation, more like media, not only [unintelligible] because when you think animation is [unintelligible] is more like a family film or kids film but then you think we could try to make something more for like a young audience and especially when like in Light Chaser all of our members probably under 30 years old…So, I think it’s cool is for old energy. So, most of our members, most of our colleagues, they don’t even have a kid. How we can make a movie for kids is pretty hard. We don’t even understand how kids react or why kids laugh, so I think is cool like for New Gods and Nezha we find something very –
(Crosstalk)
Yu: More adventures. we take more of a risk. Big risk
Ji: Try something like very new and totally new style more than to tell Asian story, and for Yang Jian, for me, the latest one, I think is combines Asian style, Chinese –
(Crosstalk)
Ji: …ink style kind of Chinese paintings style combined with some CGI technology combined with some punk style. So, for me, like racial wise is a totally different race. Totally different adventure. At the same time, I think, I’m always trying to make the story. This story’s never been told in the original story, I mean, the original Asian fairy tales.
Yu: Exactly. So, the audience can always expect something new from Light Chaser. Not a retelling, not to repeat it. Something new has been made.
Ji: So, I think for me, after these three movies, I’m quite confident with what I already know, but I also found I have a lot of things I don’t know. I think it’s very lucky I’ve gotten a change to [unintelligible]. I grew up at the same time when I [was making the] movie.
Yu: Yeah, you also become a philosopher. The more you know you know, the more you don’t know. That’s very good
Ji: Yeah, so I’m pretty confident with the next movie, Light Chaser Animation and myself, we all will be better.
Yu: [unintelligible] it’s a little bit diplomatic but we always believe that will be the next one.
Matthew Swigonski: What’s one thing you wish viewers would take away after watching this film? Is there one thing you wish that they would think about or learn something they didn’t realize?
Ji: Yeah, I think – it’s a good question; it’s good question. I think it’s different, because most of [the audience] I think is the Chinese audience and what they will think. I never [think about] what the audience from the world, what they will think, because the difference is the Chinese audience is familiar with the original story. So, what they will see is the different version of the hero, because [from] their point of view they thought that the hero should be like a hero up in sky. He will be very strong and never lose, and he’ll be like a god, a war god. But what we create, that person is more like a human. He really had a lot of –
Yu: A lot of downtime.
Ji: Right, Yeah, so probably from a Chinese point of view, they will think every person in their life they have their their high point and also have their down point. But for the people [of the world] I think this movie…we’re trying to make people think our family is always around us [whether] they really are here or they are already in a spirit world. So, they will always be your energy whether they’re physically next to you or not.
Yu: Yeah, There’s some similarity. You remind me of Coco. When your family member, your grandparents have passed away, actually they didn’t die. They’re still a young man. But here like it was Yang Jian – I’m sure you have all seen the movie – if your mom passed away, she is always around you. She’s protecting you; she still carries you, also the world, but it in a bigger sense. It’s a big love. You love the family; you love the world. Peace, happiness. So, I think that is a universal theme. We hope people no matter where they are they can understand. They can be touched by these feelings, this story.
Ji: I know we don’t put much [in] talking about that. In the movie you couldn’t see that very obviously. But I think like the like the main character Yang Jian, like the hero, most of his thoughts he never speaks out. That’s just in his mind. When he looked up to the sky in the stars, [he’s] thinking something; he remembers something. I think that’s part of the Asian or oriental people’s experience. We won’t say everything out [loud]. Most of the things probably you just keep in your heart.
Yu: Yeah that’s more like Asian China. We’re more kind of introverts. He looks in silence but it’s the feeling, a very strong feeling, expressed by the the very subtle [movements]. Where you’re looking at even very very gentle very small move[ments]. I think these can – I’m sure our audience in China they have got the heavy touch and the love very much. I mean, here with Yang Jian we created a very unique god, different from Monkey King from [unintelligible]. He’s very human. People, particularly the female audience, they fell in love with Yang Jian. They saw that she’s a perfect partner, not virtual. So, if a god is lovable or reliable and very real, I think it’s as if we recall what we what we got so far. I think it’s something we can we can draw.
Ephney Tsai: With the movies being based off of the classical Chinese mythical characters and folklore, how do you choose which god you want to create the story about?
Ji: Well, very obviously we tried to choose the one [that is] more famous, because we get [a bigger] audience. Probably Nezha, the first one, was the most famous one, and Yang Jian is probably the second. Yeah, that’s probably the number one reason why we chose him. I think this character, Yang Jian, has never been really told as a main character in the media before, and for me I always imagined – because in all the works before Yang Jian is more like two two characters. I don’t know what two characters.
Question: Like a supporting character?
Ji: Yeah. supporting character Yes. He’s more like a guy people will have a certain character up there. they’re just like, “Oh, we mentioned him. He always like a war god and just always [has the] same face, one poker face.” But I don’t think he’s like that. I think that character has more to tell. He’s half human, half god. His father is human and his mother is a god. He has to have some part of him human and have the human experience and human heart. We’ve just created the first human Yang Jian in the Chinese hero history.
Suzanne: Can you tell us about auditioning the English dub cast?
Yu: We have not – I’m sorry. Actually, probably [our] colleague is more familiar with a casting crew…We haven’t seen –
Ji: We cannot fly right now [and haven’t] for a couple years. That’s why our English sucks right now. We haven’t used it for a long time. So, we actually would really like to be involved in that part. But yeah,
Yu: Yeah, but we have been working together remotely. I have to say our colleagues did a great job assemble all the dub crew, all the voice actors, and we have seen their work, and we have a high level of confidence that they did a great job. Also like two years ago, we worked together on Whitesnake, and they also [did] a fantastic job. We haven’t seen the whole film yet. But I also look forward to seeing it as well. By the way, have you guys seen the film? We haven’t seen the English dubbed version yet. Have you guys you have seen it? No.
Suzanne: I saw the subtitled version; they sent me the other one later, and I haven’t gotten around to watching it.
Yu: Yeah, yeah, I have to say, I’m sure to see the subtitle version is kind of painful, because to read it and understand it is very quite difficult. Very easily you lose track.
Ji: I think it’s a really hard job to put like Chinese language into an English version; it is a difficult job. It’s a very difficult job, because a lot of the lines they’re like kind of you know, like points.
Yu: Yes. Yeah.
Ji: And it’s hard. It’s easy for the Chinese audience to get, but yeah, I don’t even know how to translate it. And you have to match the
Yu: Mouth movements.
Ji: Yeah, the mouths. So, I think they did a very good job, a very beautiful job translating that into English.
Yu: Yeah. So next week, let’s do some promotion. You guys are more than welcome to join the premiere on January 20.
NEW GODS: YANG JIAN will open on January 20 at the following venues and markets
Phoenix (Prescott), AZ
Chandler Fashion Ctr 20
AMC Ahwatukee 24
Touchstar Luxury Cinemas-Sonora Village 9
Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX
Tuscon, AZ
Tucson Spectrum 18
Bakersfield, CA
Valley Plaza 16
Los Angeles, CA
Foothill Center 10
Cerritos 16
Laemmle Glendale
Landmark Westwood
Academy 6
San Francisco, CA
Rohnert Park with Titan XC
CGV San Francisco 14
Denver, CO
AMC Westminster 24 with IMAX, Dolby, Prime
Jacksonville, FL
AMC Regency 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Miami, Florida
AMC Sunset Place 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Orlando, FL
AMC Altamonte Mall 18 with IMAX, Dolby
CW Theaters – Cinemaworld
Tampa, FL
AMC Veterans 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Atlanta, GA
AMC Southlake Pavilion 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Savannah, GA
Royal Cinemas Pooler IMAX
Honolulu, HI
Consolidated Pearlridge West 16
Cons Victoria Ward Stadium 16
Cons Mililani 14 with TITAN LUXE
Chicago, IL
Marcus Addison Cinema 21 with UltraScreen
AMC Niles 12 with IMAX
Kansas City, KS
AMC DINE-IN Studio 28 KC with IMAX,Dolby
Baltimore, MD
AMC White Marsh 16 with IMAX, Dolby
Detroit, MI
Emagine Canton 19 + Super EMAX
Emagine Novi 17 + Super EMAX
Emagine Rochester Hills 13 + EMAX
AMC Forum 30 with IMAX, Dolby
Grand Rapids, MI
Celebration – Grand Rapids North 17 + IMAX
Celebration – Crossroads 15 + IMAX
Lansing, MI
Celebration – Lansing 20 + IMAX
Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN
Emagine Eagan 15 + EMAX
Marcus Oakdale Cinema 17 with UltraScreen
St. Louis, MO
Marcus Ronnie’s 20 Cine + IMAX
Concord, NC
AMC Concord Mills 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Omaha, NE
Marcus Majestic Cinema of Omaha 19
Cherry Hill, NJ
AMC Cherry Hill 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Elizabeth, NJ
AMC Jersey Gardens 20 with IMAX, Dolby
New York, NY
IFC Center
Columbus, OH
Gateway Film Center
Eugene, OR
Broadway Metro
Bensalem, PA
AMC Neshaminy 24 with IMAX, Dolby
Providence, RI
Lincoln Mall 16
Columbia, SC
BTM Dutch Square Cinema 14
Nashville, TN
AMC CLASSIC Murfreesboro 16
Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
AMC DINE-IN Grapevine 30 w/IMAX, Dolby
AMC DINE-IN Mesquite 30 with IMAX, Dolby
Houston, TX
AMC Gulf Pointe 30 with IMAX, Dolby
AMC Fountains 18 with IMAX
San Antonio, TX
Palladium 19 IMAX + AVX
Salt Lake City, UT
Megaplex Theatres Jordan Commons + IMAX
Megaplex Theatres @ Geneva + IMAX
Megaplex Theatres at Valley Fair Mall + IMAX
Alexandria, VA
AMC Hoffman 22 with IMAX, Dolby
Richmond, VA
BTC Movieland at Blvd Sq 17
Seattle, WA
AMC Southcenter 16 with IMAX, Dolby
Milwaukee, WI
Marcus Majestic Cinema of Brookfield 16 with UltraScreen
Running time: 126 minutes
Thirteen years after Yang Jian (known to some as Erlang Shen) imprisoned his sister beneath a mountain, the once powerful god now scrapes by as a penniless bounty hunter. When a mysterious woman hires him for a new job, Yang Jian soon finds himself chasing down a familiar figure. He must stop Chenxiang, his long-lost nephew, who is in search of the magical lotus lantern that will free his mother, even if it will bring catastrophe. As Yang Jian confronts the actions of his past, he must face a host of dangerous vigilantes seeking the same treasure with the power to alter the balance of their worlds.
This latest entry in the New Gods universe from Light Chaser Animation (White Snake, New Gods: Nezha Reborn) features awe-inspiring action sequences set against breathtaking and wildly imaginative environments. Combining ancient lore with dazzling animation, New Gods: Yang Jian is a timeless adventure of epic proportions featuring one of China’s legendary mythic figures.
DIRECTED BY: ZHAO Ji
SCREENPLAY BY: MU Chuan
ENGLISH CAST: Nicholas Andrew Louie, Christine Lin, Parry Shen, Luke Naphat Sath & James Sie
GKIDS handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others; as well as the critically acclaimed television series, Neon Genesis Evangelion.
GKIDS is also the founder and host of ANIMATION IS FILM, the annual LA-based film festival which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form, and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of the medium to its fullest range of artistic expressions. www.gkids.com
DIRECTOR ZHAO LI
ZHAO Ji studied at the Communication University of China and UCLA. He has nine years of working experience in the field of filmmaking and has participated in the editing of a number of films home and abroad, such as The Karate Kid: The Grandmaster, Swordsmen and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Zhao worked as the editor and post-production supervisor of Little Door Gods, Tea Pets, Cats and Peachtopia. Zhao made his directorial debut with co-director Amp Wong on Light Chaser Animation’s 2019 film White Snake, a breakout success in China and an official selection of Animation Is Film. In 2021, Zhao directed New Gods: Nezha Reborn, the first film in Light Chaser Animation’s New Gods universe, which re-imagines classic Chinese mythology. Zhao’s latest film, New Gods: Yang Jian, is the follow-up to New Gods: Nezha Reborn and the second entrant in Light Chaser Animation’s exciting new world.
Interview with actors Steve Guttenberg, Cybil Shepherd, Jennifer Grey, Jaime King and Celina Sinden and Executive Vice President of Scripted Programming Tanya Lopez of 4 films on Lifetime by Suzanne 1/6/23
There are four movies coming up on Lifetime that they held this panel for. Each movie focus on a the real-life story of a woman who committed some crime(s). Cybil Shepherd stars in “How to Murder Your Husband: The Nancy Brophy Story.” Steve Guttenberg plays her husband, a chef. Nancy is a frustrated novelist. In another movie, Celina Sinden plays the infamous murderer Jodi Arias in “Bad Behind Bars.” However, the star of the movie not really Jodi/Celina. It’s told from the perspective of one of her prison friends, Donavan Bering. Jodi manipulates her and another woman into doing her bidding as she awaits trial. I think these two movies were the best of the lot.. Jennifer Grey stars in “Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation.” Shamblin started a weight-loss program in her church, which became its own church and cult. Jaime King stars in “Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini.” Papini faked her own kidnapping and conned people out of a lot of money, playing the victim. She seems to be the most sympathetic character among all of these women.
It was a very fun press call. Usually, Lifetime will have a series of panels that go on for a few hours in a day. For some reason, they decided to have us interview all of the women from these movies together. It made it a bit more fun. Cybill Shepherd and Steve Guttenberg were particularly entertaining.
There was a problem with the video at the very beginning.
MORE INFO:
How to Murder Your Husband: The Nancy Brophy Story
Saturday, January 14 at 8p/7c
Based on a true story, Nancy Crampton-Brophy (Cybill Shepherd), seemed to have a knack for writing about murder. The Portland-based romance-thriller novelist authored books about relationships that were tumultuous, while using seductive men on the covers to lure in her readers. Often, her books featured women protagonists who fantasized about killing their own husbands or fleeing their husbands and faking their own deaths. And then, in 2022 in a shocking turn of events, Brophy was convicted of killing her own husband (Steve Guttenberg).
How to Murder Your Husband: The Nancy Brophy Story is produced by Front Street Pictures and is being distributed by Sony Pictures Television. Judith Verno through Peace Out Productions serves as executive producer. Stephen Tolkin directs from a script which he penned.
Bad Behind Bars: Jodi Arias
Premieres Saturday, Jan. 21 at 8/7c and Stream Next Day
In this follow-up to one of Lifetime’s most successful true crime movies, Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret, we will see a whole new side of the infamous murderess and the story that has captivated the world for nearly a decade. Celinda Sinden stars in the new movie, Bad Behind Bars: Jodi Arias as Jodi, who has just been arrested and sent to prison while she awaits trial for murdering her boyfriend, Travis Alexander. When she arrived in jail, Jodi charms her way through prison and befriends a couple, Donavan Bering and Tracy Brown. The three inmates became inseparable, Donovan and Tracy doing anything and everything Jodi asked — even letting the murderess tattoo her name on one of them. Donovan was released from prison as Jodi’s trial drew near and agreed to be Jodi’s mouthpiece, posting on her social pages and defending her friend to the world. But when the details of the case and Jodi’s story were no longer adding up and Donovan refused to continue to do her former friend’s bidding, Jodi’s vengeful side emerged. Stars Celina Sinden, Tricia Black, Lynn Rafferty, Karl Campbell, Adesola Adesina, Michelle Haffey, Christine Noble, and Maggie Cassella (2023).
Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini
Saturday, January 28 at 8p/7c
Jaime King stars as Sherri Papini in the film about the nation-wide, shocking story of a young mother of two, who disappears while jogging near her home, leading to national headlines as concerned citizens searched for her whereabouts. When she reappeared three weeks later on Thanksgiving Day, Sherri claimed she was abducted by two Hispanic women who chained and repeatedly abused her. While Sherri’s return was celebrated, the state never stopped searching for her kidnappers. Four years later, Sherri’s world came crashing down as evidence revealed her kidnapping was all a hoax perpetrated by Sherri herself to spend time with her ex-boyfriend. Sherri was arrested and ultimately sentenced to 18 months in prison for lying to federal agents, creating hysteria in the community and wasting police time and funding with her nearly successful, elaborate scheme. Matt Hamilton (Girl in Room 13) stars as Sherri’s devoted husband, Keith.
Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini is written by Katie Boland is executive produced by Tim Johnson, Stacy Mandelberg and Jocelyn Freid and directed by Marta Borowski
Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation
Saturday, February 4 at 8p/7c
Jennifer Grey stars as the controversial religious leader and Christian diet guru who positioned herself as God’s prophet and preached the virtues of being thin in the new Lifetime original movie, Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation. As the founder of the Tennessee-based Remnant Fellowship Church and the Weigh Down Workshop – a massively successful Christian-based diet program that preached the virtue of a slim waist and the power of prayer for weight loss – Gwen Shamblin Lara was a rare woman to lead a Southern megachurch. As her church grew across the nation, so did her iron-fisted grip as its leader— accumulating power and money, while creating a larger-than-life public persona with dramatically teased and towering hair. At the peak of her power and influence, Gwen demanded that church members alienate themselves from anyone who was not a member, banished those that became overweight, threatened legal action against dissenters, and advocated for strict punishment of those who failed to follow church tenets. But Gwen’s reign suddenly came to a tragic end in May 2021, when the plane that her husband Joe was flying crashed shortly after takeoff, killing Gwen, Joe, their son-in-law, and four other Church leaders.
Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation is produced by Muse Entertainment production for Lifetime and is executive produced by Nancy Bennett and Jesse Prupas. John L’Ecuyer directs from a script by Gregory Small and Richard Blaney. Muse Distribution International handles foreign sales.
Interview with Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer of “Steppin’ into the Holiday” on Lifetime by Suzanne 11/7/22
This is a fun Christmas movie with a lot of dancing. I’ve spoke with Jana before, but not Mario. It was nice to chat with them both, of course. This is a better movie than the last one I saw him in. I didn’t realize that he got his start dancing when he was very young. I also didn’t realize that he’s from Chula Vista, which is right near where I grew up! It sounds a little bit like he had a cold during the interview because he was sounding congested and drinking a lot of water. I hope he feels better! Anyway, you should check out this festive movie. Two trailers below and then the interview.
Former Broadway star Billy Holiday (Mario Lopez) returns to his hometown for Christmas after being abruptly fired as the host-producer-judge of the hit TV series “Celebrity Dance Off.” While there, he encounters Rae (Jana Kramer), the charismatic owner of the local dance studio, where Billy’s 12-year-old nephew is her standout student. This Christmas, Rae is planning a dance recital fundraiser with the goal of taking her students to see a Broadway show in New York City. Billy volunteers to help Rae with the recital by reviving the town’s traditional Christmas Eve show, which was once a showcase for local talent. With Billy’s knack for producing and Rae’s knowledge of all things local, their collaboration clicks and romantic sparks start flying!
Cheri Oteri stars as Dallas, Billy’s high-powered, fast-talking, Hollywood agent. Dallas scrambles to find Billy work after he is fired by his boss, Wayne, played by Mario Cantone, a network executive who is equal parts charming and ruthless! Courtney Lopez , Mario’s real-life wife, also appears in the film as Joanna, the charismatic host of “Celebrity Dance Off,” who is tapped to replace Billy (her former fling) as executive producer and head judge after his popularity hits the skids.
Steppin’ Into the Holiday is produced by Via Mar and Roberts Media, LLC. in association with Motion Content Group. Jeff Stearns, Mark Roberts, Mario Lopez, Jana Kramer, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster serving as Executive Producers. David Kendall directs from a script by Aliza Murrieta and Peter Murrieta.
Mario Lopez is an American actor and television host. He has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway. He is known for his portrayal of A.C. Slater on Saved by the Bell, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, and the 2020 sequel series. He has appeared in numerous projects since, including the third season of Dancing with the Stars and as host for the syndicated entertainment news magazine shows Extra and Access Hollywood. He has also hosted America’s Best Dance Crew for MTV. In 2012, he co-hosted the second season of the American version of The X Factor with Khloé Kardashian, and was the sole host for the third and final season.
Jana Rae Kramer is an American country music singer and actress. She is known for her role as Alex Dupre on the television series One Tree Hill. Kramer began her musical career in 2012 and has released two albums: Jana Kramer (2012) and Thirty One (2015). The albums produced seven charted singles on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay, including the top 10 hits “Why Ya Wanna” and “I Got the Boy”. She competed on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in fourth place. (These two biographies are from Wikipedia)
Interview with Melissa Joan Hart, Emily Kinney, Justin Gaston, Rita Moreno and Marissa Jaret Winokur of “Santa Bootcamp” on Lifetime by Suzanne 11/7/22
This was a very fun movie and more original than your average Christmas movie. It was a great honor to speak with Rita Moreno because I grew up singing along with the “West Side Story” Broadway album, and I loved the movie. She played Anita in the movie and won an Oscar for it. She’s the only EGOT I’ve ever interviewed. It was also nice to speak to the others, of course, especially Justin Gaston, who was on “Days of Our Lives” and is married to Melissa Ordaway (Abby on “Young and The Restless“). They were all fun, but Rita was hilarious in her answers.
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Lifetime Site and Preview When event planner Emily Strauss (Emily Kinney, The Walking Dead) is hired by mall magnate Ed Mancini (Patrick Cassidy, Castle) to stage the ultimate Christmas Gala for his most important investors, Emily finds herself being sent to bootcamp – Santa Bootcamp – to find the perfect Santa and the inspiration she will need to make the evening a success. While there, Emily meets Belle (Rita Moreno, West Side Story), the bootcamp’s drill sergeant with a heart of gold, who helps Emily rediscover the magic of Christmas and find romance along the way. Additional stars include Tony® award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur, Justin Gaston, John Schuck, and deaf actors Deanne Bray and Zyra Singleton.
Santa Bootcamp is directed by Melissa Joan Hart, who also serves as executive producer, long with Irene Dreayer, Gina Rugolo Judd, and Paula Hart. The film is produced by Hartbreak Films Inc with a script written by Michael J. Murray.
Interview with Brooke Elliott, Brandon Quinn and Danny Pintauro of “A Country Christmas Harmony” on Lifetime by Suzanne 11/7/22
This is an enjoyable movie, but I really hate the title. The big song in the movie is called “Sweet Sixteen Christmas,” so that should have been the title. Perhaps they thought it would be confusing, since there are no teens in the movie? I don’t know. But please don’t let the forgettable title deter you from watching this. It really has very little to do with country music, even though the main character, Chrissy (played so well by Brooke Elliott) is supposed to be a Nashville star. The music doesn’t sound very countrified to me.
It was great to speak to the actors. You may remember Brooke from her previous Lifetime series “Drop Dead Diva,” or her current show, “Sweet Magnolias” on Netflix. Her co-star in the latter, Brandon Quinn, also stars in this movie with her as Luke – the guy she left behind. Danny Pintauro is most known for his role as a teen on “Who’s the Boss” years ago. In this new movie, he’s going back into acting. He does a fine job, but it’s a fairly small role. It was interesting to hear him talk about his life and how it led to this movie.
Before Chrissy Kessler’s (Brooke Elliott) meteoric rise to fame, the country music superstar was just a small-town girl with dreams of the big time. Now, with her record sales on a rapid decline, Chrissy is strong-armed by an unrelenting record executive to return to the hometown she left behind to perform a live Christmas concert. Accompanying her on this journey is her longtime supportive assistant Eugene (Danny Pintauro). Luke Covington’s (Brandon Quinn) quiet life is suddenly disrupted when he runs into Chrissy, his ex-girlfriend and former country music duo partner, who disappeared on him to pursue her solo career all those years ago. After a tempestuous rainstorm forces the ex-sweethearts to seek shelter in Luke’s ranch home, the two realize that the only way they’ll survive the holidays is with the other’s help.
A Country Christmas Harmony is produced by MarVista Entertainment and The Ninth House. Megan Ellstrom, Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew Executive Produce for MarVista Entertainment, and Autumn Federici and Jake Helgren Produce for The Ninth House. Brooke Elliott also serves as Executive Producer. Gary Entin and Edmund Entin write and direct.
MORE INFO: Official Site Trailer
Cleo was produced by Gunpowder & Sky for HBO Max. Van Toffler, Floris Bauer, Barry Barclay, Anne Loder, Jennifer O’Connell, and Lizzie Fox serve as executive producers. The documentary is directed by Celia Aniskovich and Jennifer Brea.
THE 
Executive Produced by Canelo Álvarez, Jay Hernandez, Phillip Braun, Jason Michael Gerber, Sherrese Clarke Soares, Alexis Garcia, Humberto G. Garcia, Christian Sosa, John Williams, Veronica B. Jones, Jennifer Kuczaj, Simon Wise, Colleen Barshop, Vincent Cordero, Carlos Osorio, Juan Pablo Solano Vergara, Simón Beltrán Echeverri, Brian Eddy, Jeff Grossberg, Jack Shemtov, Ricky Joshi, Jeff Moseley, Julio M. Quintana, Jennifer Kuczaj, Michael E. Hollingsworth, Matthew Dwyer, David E. Campbell, Tim Mahler, Carter Pope, Jesse Mandujano
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changed and no one is interested in the song – or Claude. Devastated and out of options, Wayne creates a way to get the song out to the public; not for himself, but for Claude.
BAD 
Canadian writer, director, and producer 
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and loss, yet she was saved by her inner intelligence, strength and perseverance. She went on to use this drive and determination to help young girls who are at-risk, even though she was a single mother with very little funds. It’s truly an inspirational story. Ali did a wonderful job with the role, and it was great to not only talk to her about the movie, but also the film’s director, and the real-life Ni’Cola Mitchell, on whom the movie is based. You can learn more here about Mitchell’s organization, 
Tatyana Ali stars in Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story, the emotional true story of best-selling author and inspirational speaker Ni’Cola Mitchell, who after experiencing sexual violence as a young girl, founded an organization dedicated to saving at risk girls from abuse and exploitation.
STARRING TOBIN BELL
Will is a devastated father who spends his time between court-ordered grief counseling and drinking himself into oblivion. He repeats the cycle of despair every day with no plans to stop, until he meets a mysterious stranger who gives him some old vinyl recordings. After Will listens to the records, he suddenly starts receiving messages from his recently deceased daughter. As the communications from his daughter grow more and more frequent, Will becomes convinced that these recordings hold the answer to bring his daughter back from the dead. But just as he is closing in on the truth, he starts to suspect that his counseling group has ulterior motives. After the stranger disappears, Will races against time to find him so he can get the last recording, or his chance to bring his daughter back might be gone forever.
When Cheryl (Garcelle Beauvais) gets into an argument with her daughter Lauren (Iyana Halley) over her desire to drop out of college, she initially thinks Lauren is simply ignoring her calls and texts, but Cheryl soon realizes Lauren is missing. While she attempts to get help from authorities and the media, they quickly dismiss the case, labeling Lauren as a runaway while they are all too consumed with another case – that of a missing white girl. Desperate to find Lauren, Cheryl and her 15-year-old daughter Marley (Taylor Mosby) enlist the help of a dedicated community of amateur internet sleuths to try to find Lauren. Cheryl also discovers the Black and Missing Foundation and is horrified to discover the disparity in how missing persons of color cases are treated with significant lack of media attention and law enforcement resources.
Peter Parros
Conner Floyd joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in November 2021 as “Phillip Chance Chancellor IV”. Conner was born and raised in Austin, Texas. He attended the University of Tulsa where he was three-year letter winner playing both wide receiver and punt returner for the Golden Hurricane. After college, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. His past credits include the television movies, Malicious Motives, A Kiss on Candy Cane Lane, and Help Wanted and appearances in several independent films.
