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OUR TEAM Editor-in-Chief Galaxy Print Editor Art Director Sara Hope Kent Klarks Design and illustration Supervisor Ronald Garcia Design Manager Zerologhy Copy Editor Ethan Brehm Charles Willington
Staff Writers The Greatest Writing Team in Our Universe Matthew Mclachlan Vanessa Bellew Robert Napolitano David Grand Phuong Pham Natalie Reade Michael Bernardi Ethan Brehm Moses Gamer Social Media Manager Thor the all mighty Advertising Ads@SpoilerMagazine.com Sponsorship sponsorship@SpoilerMagazine.com Press Please send all press releases to: press@SpoilerMagazine.com Please send all review material to: review@SpoilerMagazine.com Subscriptions For all subscription enquiries please contact: sub@SpoilerMagazine.com Check out our website for details on how to get our DIGITAL EDITION Circulation Do you want this magazine at your local book store, comic book hangout, toy shop, or anywhere else for that matter? Let us know, we can make it happen. circulation@SpoilerMagazine.com SPOILER Magazine is published by Spoiler Media Magazine Publishing. Nothing in this magazine can be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure all information in the magazine is correct, details maybe subject to change. All photographic material is copyright to the relevant owner and appears with their kind permission. Visuals are used in a review context and no copyright infringement is intended. All rights reserved. SPOILER Magazine is printed in the USA SPOILER Magazine 7095 Hollywood Blvd Hollywood, California 90028 “Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening” - Galaxy
INSIDE OUR y UNIVERSE x a l a by G Welcome back to another amazing issue of SPO!LER!
This month we’re honored to shine a light on the Critics’ Choice Awards and their importance in our universe. The show is presented annually by the Critics Choice Association, made up of some of the best American and Canadian critics, honoring the finest in cinematic and television achievement. The CCA has always been willing to acknowledge genre films in their past ceremonies, but this year they’ve given them their own show with the 1st annual Critics’ Choice Super Awards, which recognizes movies and TV shows in several genres, including horror, action, sci-fi, and superhero. Historically the Critics’ Choice Awards have been the most accurate predictor for the Oscars, and hopefully this latest addition helps change the landscape of awards shows for years to come. If you’re an awards show junkie like us, you’ll find some great features inside the pages of our magazine, as well as a few celebrity interviews and some other amazing content from our talented team. With this release, we’re moving from being a bi-monthy publication to coming out every month. We’re extremely excited for everything on the horizon for our brand, and hope that you stick around to experience it all alongside us! We truly appreciate everyone for making our magazine the number one magazine for this current age of the pop culture revolution. Thank you all for your undying love and support! It’s only uphill from here! I Love You All...
Galaxy Galaxy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @ComicConRadio march 2021|
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table of contents
FEATURES
22 Our Guide To The 26th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards
16 Why We Watch The Critics’ Choice Awards
28 1st Annual Critics’ Choice Super Awards
SPOILER MAGAZINE TABLE OF CONTENTS
78 Katherine McNamara
Spoiler Magazines Choice for Female TV Star of the Year
108 Siobhan Fallon Hogan
the watch 118 Star Trek
A Vision of a Better Future
94 Orlando Jones
54 At The Movies
the base 140 Sympathy for Kazaam
12 Beauty and the Beast in Tokyo Disneyland 48 Critics’ Choice Super Awards And A Few Close Calls
146 Comic Book Review www.spoilermagazine.com | Follow us on Instagram: @SpoilerMedia
72 Best Picture Nominees Double Feature Guide March 2020 |
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BY PHUONG PHAM
For theme park enthusiasts, Disney Parks have always been leading the way in technology for rides and immersive guest experiences. One of the most revolutionary attractions to come out of Disney Parks recently is The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast at Tokyo Disney Resort, which utilizes a “trackless ride” system to make guests feel like they’re part of some of the most iconic scenes from the beloved animated classic. They will feel like they’re sitting in the dining room with Belle during the “Be Our Guest” musical number, or spectators watching the Prince and Belle share a dance just like in the final scene of the film. Not only is the ride trackless, but guests board giant bowls made to look like the dinnerware from the iconic “Be Our Guest” sequence. Belle takes center stage and you, along with the dishes and silverware in the cabinets, ebb and flow to the beat of the music. From there the audience witnesses the “Something There” number which depicts the turning point for the Beast and Belle’s relationship in the film through the use of some smooth and sophisticated animatronics. Guests even get to see Gaston and the townspeople rampaging to the Beast’s castle through the
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clever use of animated shadows of angry townsfolk projected on the other side of several faux windows throughout the attraction. In addition to seeing the familiar characters of Lumiere, Cogsworth, et al., guests also witness the breathtaking transformation of the Beast into the Prince once Belle breaks his curse (this illusion is achieved much in the same way the ballroom scene in The Haunted Mansion attraction is accomplished with glass and mirrors—an age-old magicians technique called Pepper’s Ghost). Finally, guests are transported to the ballroom of Belle and the Prince, encircling them, giving the rider a 360͒ view of the couple mid-waltz. Previously, trackless rides were predominantly found outside the United States, but Disney World
in Orlando, Florida will be getting a trackless ride in the form of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Based on the Pixar film Ratatouille, this particular ride will have guests shrink down to the size of a rat and explore Gusteau’s kitchen from Remy’s perspective, complete with all the sights, sounds, and smells of a restaurant. How exactly does a trackless ride accomplish this and what does it do? For starters, the ride vehicle follows a path determined by its programming rather than an actual physical track, similarly to a self-driving car. Unlike other Disney attractions such as Mad Tea Party or Pirates of the Caribbean—both rides that don’t use a literal track— rides like Beauty and the Beast or Ratatouille are completely untethered. A trackless ride does not have a linear path that a tracked ride does and has a greater range of motion which allows trackless rides to perform movements such as doubling back, switching places, and other previously impossible maneuvers. In general, a trackless ride allows for more fluid movement, resulting in a more unpredictable and immersive experience. (In contrast, an example of a tracked ride would be Disneyland’s The Haunted Mansion.)
Some of the trackless rides in international Disney Parks are: Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (Disney California Adventure)
Disney/Pixar/Rolling With the Magic/Theme Park Insider
Pooh’s Hunny Hunt (Tokyo Disneyland)
Ratatouille: The Adventure (Disneyland Paris) – coming to Disney World in 2021 Aquatopia (Tokyo Disneyland)
Tokyo Disneyland’s The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast is certainly a significant step forward in theme park attractions. Perhaps we will see trackless ride technology expand and grow more in the future.
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By Robert Napolitano
If you’re reading this I think it’s safe to assume you’re a fan of movies and TV. And chances are you’ve seen or at least know about the Critics’ Choice Awards. The ceremony, honoring the best of the previous year’s movies and primetime television, is presented annually by the Critics Choice Association, the largest critics association in the United States and Canada. Although each year it feels like we’re hearing more and more nominee announcements for awards shows we’ve never heard of, there are still the handful of mainstays that carry actual clout. “This movie stars Oscar-winning actress...” has a lot of weight and means something, even if only in our subconscious. In Hollywood the Oscars may still be king because of the very fact that they’re voted on by industry professionals (e.g. actors, producers, directors, etc.), yet there are a few others that are arguably just as meaningful when it comes to recognizing quality in entertainment. The Critics’ Choice Awards may not have the status of the Oscars, but now 26 years in, it has become a staple during awards season, and for good reason. While most awards shows are voted on by peers and contemporaries or news journalists, the Critics Choice Association is made up of the top critics in North America whose very job is to analyze the actual quality of the shows and movies they’ve watched.
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You might always think, “Just because they say it’s good doesn’t mean it is,” especially if your favorite movies each year are nowhere to be found on the nominees list. Of course, film and television are art, and art is always subjective, but there’s still something to be said about an individual work of art that’s lauded by a strong consensus of experts. And this year with the 1st annual Critics’ Choice Super Awards back in January, the Association is one of the first to recognize that greatness should extend outside of the typical batch of “awards bait” movies and shows by awarding excellence in genres such as scifi, horror, and action, among others. Over the years it’s been said that the Critics’ Choice Awards is the most accurate predictor of who will win the Academy Awards that same year. They could very well be a sneak peak at what’s gonna go down on Oscar night. For those of you who participate in the annual Oscar pools, this is another big reason not to miss the Critics’ Choice. As entertainment lovers, we put a lot of faith in our critics. They’re our ears to the ground. They tell us what’s good and what’s not so good, and how to spend our time and money. And now this is our time to pay attention to the culmination of what those critics have to say as a whole as they reflect on the year behind them. The Critics’ Choice is the awards show that arguably epitomizes the concept of awards shows as a whole—for individuals who are experts at recognizing art to recognize art. Here are a few of last year’s nominees for Best Picture of 2019. You tell me if these guys don’t seem to know what they’re talking about:
the irishman
Directed by Martin Scorsese Starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino Synopsis - In the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family. As Sheeran climbs the ranks to become a top hit man, he also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa—a powerful Teamster tied to organized crime.
Getty Images/The Irishman/Netflix/Joker/DC/Warner Bros./ Plot Synopses from Google
joker
Directed by Todd Phillips Starring Joaquin Phoenix Synopsis - Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks—the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he’s part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
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MARRIAGE STORY
once upon a time in hollywood
Synopsis - A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling, coastto-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
uncut gems
Directed by Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie Starring Adam Sandler Synopsis - A charismatic jeweler makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. In a precarious high-wire act, he must balance business, family and adversaries on all sides in pursuit of the ultimate win.
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Directed by Quentin Tarantino Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie Synopsis - Actor Rick Dalton gained fame and fortune by starring in a 1950s television Western, but is now struggling to find meaningful work in a Hollywood that he doesn’t recognize anymore. He spends most of his time drinking and palling around with Cliff Booth, his easygoing best friend and longtime stunt double. Rick also happens to live next door to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate—the filmmaker and budding actress whose futures will forever be altered by members of the Manson Family. The types of films that typically get nominated for these big awards aren’t always for everyone, but these five in particular are pure cinematic entertainment. If you haven’t seen them, I recommend you do so ASAP. Whether we want to or not, a tiny part of us cares what the critics think. Sometimes we love a movie that the critics hate, which can make recommending it to family and friends a little more difficult. However, when we’re on the same wavelength as the critics and find a film that we both happen to love, there’s
something rewarding and reassuring about that as a movie buff. And it can even inform our own journey of appreciation for cinema. In certain cases, we may disagree about a film that critics have praised. But we might go back and watch it again with a different lens now that we’ve been encouraged to see it with a new perspective. The Critics’ Choice Awards does a great job of blending popular shows and movies with ones that might fly a little under the radar. If nothing else, awards shows will make us aware of hidden gems we’ve never heard of before, or maybe just haven’t given a chance yet. And then after spending weeks (sometimes just days) binging and catching up, we might have a new favorite show or movie to tell people about. With 2020 being an odd year for the entertainment industry, this year’s awards will be a little different as well. The 26th annual Critics’ Choice Awards will be held virtually this year, broadcasted on the CW on March 7. Here’s looking forward to the next 26 years of movies and TV, and the awards show that brings them both together in the best way possible.
Marriage Story/Netflix/Uncut Gems/A24/Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/ Sony/Columbia/Quentin Tarantino/Plot Synopses from Google
Directed by Noah Baumbach Starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver
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BEST PICTURE Our Pick: One Night in Miami The Rest of the Nominees Ranked: 2. Sound of Metal 3. Mank 4. The Trial of the Chicago 7 5. Nomadland 6. Minari 7. Promising Young Woman 8. News of the World 9. Da 5 Bloods 10. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Didn’t Make the Cut: Black Bear The Devil All the Time First Cow Onward Palm Springs Run Soul The Vast of Night
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BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
Our Pick: Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal)
Our Pick: Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman)
Nominees: Ben Affleck (The Way Back) Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Tom Hanks (News of the World) Anthony Hopkins (The Father) Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods) Gary Oldman (Mank) Steven Yeun (Minari)
Nominees: Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) Sidney Flanigan (Never Rarely Sometimes Always)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami) Tom Holland (The Devil All the Time) Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round)
Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) Frances McDormand (Nomadland)
Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) Zendaya (Malcom & Marie)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Kiera Allen (Run) Jessie Buckley (I’m Thinking of Ending Things) Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night) Aubrey Plaza (Black Bear)
One Night in Miami/Amazon/Riz Ahmed/Matt Baron/Shuttershock/Promising Young Woman/Focus Features/Paul Raci/IMDb/Yuh-jung Youn/Hook Entertainment/The Trial of the Chicago 7/Netflix
our guide to the 26th annual CRITICS’ choice awards
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Our Pick: Paul Raci (Sound of Metal) Nominees: Chadwick Boseman (Da 5 Bloods) Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7) Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) Bill Murray (On the Rocks) Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night in Miami)
Paul Raci (Sound of Metal)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Trial of the Chicago 7) Kenneth Branagh (Tenet) Shia LaBeouf (Pieces of a Woman) Robert Pattinson (The Devil All the Time)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Our Pick: Yuh-jung Youn (Minari) Nominees: Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) Ellen Burstyn (Pieces of a Woman) Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) Olivia Colman (The Father) Amanda Seyfried (Mank) Yuh-jung Youn (Minari) Didn’t Make the Cut: Toni Collette (I’m Thinking of Ending Things) Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Fatman) Riley Keough (The Devil All the Time)
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Our Pick: The Trial of the Chicago 7 Nominees: Da 5 Bloods Judas and the Black Messiah Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Minari One Night in Miami The Trial of the Chicago 7 Didn’t Make the Cut: The Devil All the Time I’m Thinking of Ending Things Pieces of a Woman
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BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Our Pick: Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)
Our Pick: Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7)
Our Pick: Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami)
Nominees: Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) David Fincher (Mank) Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods) Regina King (One Night in Miami) Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7) Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)
Nominees: Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) Jack Fincher (Mank) Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always) Darius Marder & Abraham Marder (Sound of Metal) Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Max Barbakow (Palm Springs) Aneesh Chaganty (Run) Dave Franco (The Rental) Lawrence Michael Levine (Black Bear) Darius Marder (Sound of Metal) Andrew Patterson (The Vast of Night)
Didn’t Make the Cut:
Nominees: Paul Greengrass & Luke Davies (News of the World) Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller (The Father) Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami) Jon Raymond & Kelly Reichardt (First Cow) Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)
BEST DIRECTOR
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Aneesh Chaganty & Sev Ohanian (Run)
Pete Docter, Mike Jones, & Kemp Powers (Soul) Lawrence Michael Levine (Black Bear)
James Montague & Craig W. Sanger (The Vast of Night) Andy Siara (Palm Springs)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Antonio Campos & Paulo Campos (The Devil All the Time)
Chloe Zhao/Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP/Aaron Sorkin/Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP/REX/Shuttershock/Kemp Powers/Texas Isaiah/The NY Times/Joshua James Richards/Searchlight Pictures/Collider/Mikkel E.G. Nielsen/Lux Artists/Palm Springs/Hulu/NEON
our guide to the 26th annual CRITICS’ choice awards
BEST
CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST EDITING
Our Pick: Joshua James Richards (Nomadland)
Our Pick: Mikkel E.G. Nielsen (Sound of Metal)
Nominees: Christopher Blauvelt (First Cow) Erik Messerschmidt (Mank) Lachlan Milne (Minari) Joshua James Richards (Nomadland) Newton Thomas Sigel (Da 5 Bloods) Hoyte van Hoytema (Tenet)
Nominees: Alan Baumgarten (The Trial of the Chicago 7) Kirk Baxter (Mank) Jennifer Lame (Tenet) Yorgos Lamprinos (The Father) Mikkel E.G. Nielsen (Sound of Metal) Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)
Dariusz Wolski (News of the World)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Christopher Blauvelt (Emma) Jay Keitel (She Dies Tomorrow) Robert Leitzell (Black Bear) M. I. Littin-Menz (The Vast of Night) Benjamin Loeb (Pieces of a Woman) Pedro Sotero (Bacurau) Hillary Fyffe Spera (Run)
Didn’t Make the Cut: Andrew Dickler & Matt Friedman (Palm Springs) Frédéric Thoraval (Promising Young Woman) Junius Tully (The Vast of Night)
BEST COMEDY Our Pick: Palm Springs The Rest of the Nominees Ranked: 2. The Forty-Year-Old Version 3. The King of Staten Island 4. On the Rocks 5. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm 6. The Prom Didn’t Make the Cut: Get Duked! Love and Monsters The Lovebirds
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SPOILER MAGAZINE
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Not everybody loves the types of movies that win all the awards. After all, awards shows like the Critics’ Choice or the Oscars or the Golden Globes are voted on by individuals with a lot of experience with the medium. Whether it be critics or industry professionals, they likely watch more movies than the average person and pay attention to things that the masses don’t; most viewers aren’t creating and/or analyzing film on as much of an artistic level. Moreover in this case, critics have a duty to inform a wide array of people how to spend their well-earned money and, more importantly, their time when it comes to dedicating two hours of their lives in a theater (or at home). The brand new Critics’ Choice Super Awards—a spin-off from the normal Critics’ Choice Awards—acknowledges the versatility of film to tell different types of stories while appealing to different types of audiences. Genre films aren’t always the ones that get all the attention during awards season, for reasons I won’t get into here, yet they’re seen by more people than most of the movies receiving Best Picture nods. The Critics Choice Association has
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taken it upon themselves to pave the way for other awards shows, hoping to evolve the awards culture in a new way. After all, critics review horror, sci-fi, and superhero films too—oftentimes with high regards—so why not acknowledge the excellence of these movies amongst their contemporaries? There are awards shows out there that do acknowledge some of these genres individually, but not one with this much credibility or on this big of a scale. These are legitimate critics providing a consensus for greatness in each field. While the criteria for each category isn’t exactly etched in stone yet (e.g. Does Best Sci-Fi/ Fantasy Movie get voted on based on how well it fits into the category, or can a movie win the award if it simply has traces of science fiction, even
Soul/Disney/Pixar/Bad Boys for Life/Sony/Birds of Prey/DC/Warner Bros./Da 5 Bloods/Netflix/Spike Lee//Extraction/Netflix
By Ethan Brehm
if it’s not necessarily great as a sci-fi movie? This gets even hairier when it comes to action films, which most of the time also fit into the category for superhero films. There’s also a lot of crossover with sci-fi and action, or horror), this is still a huge step for an awards show as prestigious as the Critics’ Choice, as they’re finding value in the fandom community and what we pay attention to and love. It would be great to see The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the people who vote on the Oscars) follow suit in some way. The CCA has never shied away from acknowledging these other genres in the past, with brief inclusion of some of them in their previous ceremonies, but now they’re giving these types of movies a spotlight all their own rather than making them share it (and be contrasted) with the more highbrow fare. In the past, the awards were presented on the same night as the main awards for Best Picture, Best Director, etc. But moving forward, the Super Awards will be on an entirely different night altogether. They’ve also added a few noteworthy categories, such as Best Superhero Movie, and Best Actor and Best Actress for each genre recognized. There’s also my personal favorite addition, Best Villain in a Movie. Likewise, what was once “Best Science Fiction/Horror Movie” has now been broken up into two separate categories: Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie and Best Horror Movie. In an even more unprecedented move, the Super Awards will also extend to television shows, with each category being replicated for the TV medium as well. Amazon’s The Boys took home the most awards (4, 5 nominations), while Lovecraft Country received the most nominations (6, 2 wins). Also, Patrick Stewart and Sonequa Martin-Green accepted the Legacy Award on behalf of the Star Trek franchise. The inaugural ceremony, recognizing films and shows from 2020, was held virtually on January 10 of this year and hosted by filmmaker and all around fandom icon Kevin Smith. As the geek world knows, Smith is a very important figure in our culture and the perfect man to host an event like this.
Let’s look back at the winners on the film side of the first ever Critics’ Choice Super Awards: Best Action Movie Nominees:
Bad Boys for Life
Da 5 Bloods
Extraction
Greyhound
The Hunt
Mulan
Greyhound/Apple/The Hunt/Universal/Mulan/Disney/The Outpost/Screen Media Films/(cover image): Getty/Shuttershock/AP
The Outpost
WINNER
OUR PICK
Da 5 Bloods
Bad Boys for Life
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Best Actor in an Action Movie Nominees:
Tom Hanks
Chris Hemsworth
Caleb Landry Jones
Delroy Lindo
(Bad Boys for Life)
Will Smith
John David Washington (Tenet)
WINNER
OUR PICK
(The Outpost)
Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods)
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(Extraction)
(Da 5 Bloods)
Tom Hanks
(Greyhound)
Greyhound/Apple/Getty Images/Shuttershock/AP/IMDb
(Greyhound)
Best Actress in an Action Movie Nominees:
Betty Gilpin
Yifei Liu
(The Hunt)
Blake Lively
(Mulan)
(The Rhythm Section)
Iliza Shlesinger
(Spenser Confidential)
Hilary Swank (The Hunt)
WINNER
OUR PICK
Betty Gilpin
Yifei Liu
(The Hunt)
(Mulan)
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Soul/Onward/Disney/Pixar/Over the Moon/Netflix/Shaun the Sheep/Aardman/The Willoughbys/ Sony/Wolfwalkers/Apple/GKIDS/Jamie Foxx/Getty Images/AP/Shuttershock/IMDb
Best Animated Movie Nominees:
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Onward Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
The Willoughbys Wolfwalkers
WINNER OUR PICK
Soul
Soul
Best Voice Actor in an Animated Movie: Nominees:
Will Forte
(The Willoughbys)
Tom Holland
Jamie Foxx (Soul)
Martin Short
(Onward)
(The Willoughbys)
Chris Pratt (Onward)
Terry Crews (The Willoughbys)
WINNER
OUR PICK
Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
(Soul)
(Soul)
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Best Voice Actress in an Animated Movie Nominees:
(Soul)
Maya Rudolph
(Wolfwalkers)
Phillipa Soo
(The Wiloughbys)
(Over the Moon)
Octavia Spencer
Eva Whittaker
WINNER
OUR PICK
Tina Fey
Tina Fey
(Onward)
(Soul)
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(Wolfwalkers)
(Soul)
The Old Guard/Netflix/Birds of Prey/Warner Bros./DC/ Sonic the Hedgehog/Sega/Paramount/
Tina Fey
Best Superhero Movie Nominees:
Birds of Prey
The Old Guard
Secret Society of Second-Born Royals
Sonic the Hedgehog
Superman Man of Tomorrow/DC/Warner Bros./Secret Society of Second-Born Royals/Disney/Getty/Shuttershock/AP/IMDb
Superman: Man of Tomorrow
WINNER
OUR PICK
The Old Guard
Birds of Prey
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Best Actor in a Superhero Movie Nominees:
Skylar Astin
Jim Carrey
(Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)
(Sonic the Hedgehog)
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Ewan McGregor
(The Old Guard)
(Birds of Prey)
Ben Schwartz
Ewan McGregor/Margot Robbie/Getty/AP/Shuttershock/IMDb
(Sonic the Hedgehog)
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WINNER
OUR PICK
Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
(Birds of Prey)
(Birds of Prey)
Best Actress in a Superhero Movie Nominees:
KiKi Layne
Peyton Elizabeth Lee
(The Old Guard)
(Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)
Margot Robbie
Jurnee Smollett
(Birds of Prey)
(Birds of Prey)
Charlize Theron (The Old Guard)
WINNER
OUR PICK
Margot Robbie
Jurnee Smollett
(Birds of Prey)
(Birds of Prey)
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Best Actor in a Horror Movie
Best Horror Movie Nominees:
Nominees:
Freaky
The Invisible Man
Relic
The Rental
Sope Dirisu
Pyotr Fyodorov
Michiel Huisman
Dan Stevens
(His House)
(The Other Lamb)
(Freaky)
WINNER
OUR PICK
The Invisible Man
The Rental
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(The Rental)
Vince Vaughn
Sputnik
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(Sputnik)
WINNER
OUR PICK
Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
(Freaky)
(Freaky)
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Freaky/Universal/Blumhouse/The Invisible Man/Universal/Relic/IFC Midnight/ The Rental/IFC Films/Sputnik/Sony/Getty/AP/Shuttershock/IMDb
Best Actress in a Horror Movie Nominees:
Haley Bennett
Angela Bettis
Elisabeth Moss
Kathryn Newton
(Swallow)
(The Invisible Man)
(12 Hour Shift)
(Freaky)
Sheila Vand
WINNER
Elisabeth Moss
(The Invisible Man)
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OUR PICK
Elisabeth Moss
(The Invisible Man)
Love and Monsters/Paramount/Palm Springs/Hulu/ NEON/Possessor/Signature Entertainment
(The Rental)
Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie Nominees:
Love and Monsters
Palm Springs
Possessor
Synchronic
Synchronic/Well Go USA Entertainment/The Vast of Night/Amazon/Getty/Shuttershock/AP/IMDb
The Vast of Night
WINNER
OUR PICK
Palm Springs
The Vast of Night
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Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie Nominees:
Christopher Abbott
Jake Horowitz
(Possessor)
(The Vast of Night)
Anthony Mackie
Andy Samberg
(Synchronic)
(Palm Springs)
J. K. Simmons
(Palm Springs)
J. K. Simmons/Cristin Milioti/Getty/Shuttershock/AP/IMDb
WINNER
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Andy Samberg (Palm Springs)
OUR PICK
J. K. Simmons
(Palm Springs)
Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie Nominees:
Ally Ioannides
Katherine Langford (Spontaneous)
Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night)
Cristin Milioti
(Synchronic)
(Palm Springs)
Andrea Riseborough (Possessor)
WINNER
OUR PICK
Cristin Milioti
Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night)
(Palm Springs)
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Best Villain in a Movie Nominees:
Jim Carrey
(Sonic the Hedgehog)
Kathryn Newton
Martin Short and Jane Krakowski (The Willoughbys)
(Freaky)
J. K. Simmons
(Palm Springs)
Hilary Swank (The Hunt)
Jim Carrey
(Sonic the Hedgehog)
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OUR PICK
J. K. Simmons
(Palm Springs)
Sonic the Hedgehog/Sega/Paramount/Freaky/Universal/Blumhouse/The Willoughbys/Sony/Palm Springs/Hulu/NEON/The Hunt/Universal
WINNER
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SPOILER MAGAZINE
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BY ROBERT NAPOLITANO
and better than ever. Thanks to the pandemic, it’s fair to say 2020 was a down year for the film industry. It sucks, but it’s the truth. That said, and with all things considered, there were some serious breakthrough hits this year, so shout out to the Critics Choice Association for not only putting together a strong bunch of nominees, but for expanding its taste and adding a few extra categories specifically for fans like us. With sci-fi/superheroes becoming the most watched movies in the world and now branching out more and more into television, it was only a matter of time before they started getting a bigger piece of the action come awards season. In honor of the inauguration of this new subset of the Critics’ Choice Awards (and since we are SPO!LER after all), it seemed only fitting that I put out my own list of winners. Props to all the people behind each and every nominee for putting out quality content in a year where we all desperately craved it. And no disrespect to any of the winners, but without further ado this is where I get to talk about the films that I would have chosen.
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Da 5 Bloods/Netflix/Spike Lee/Onward/Soul/Disney/Pixar/The Old Guard/Netflix/Palm Springs/Hulu/NEON/The Invisible Man/Universal/(cover image): Getty Images
THE CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS ARE BACK
BEST ACTION MOVIE Critics’ Pick: Da 5 Bloods (Netflix) My Pick: Da 5 Bloods (Netflix) It’s hard to deny the impact a film like this can have when released at the right time. Sadly racism not only in America, but all around the world is as relevant as ever so even though it’s a touchy subject, it’s one that some filmmakers will always want to touch on and for good reason. Over the years it’s become known that Spike Lee is one of the very best at his craft, and Da 5 Bloods is just more proof of that. We don’t connect with and root for these characters just because the color of their
skin, or even just because they’re five Americans who went to war to defend our country. Instead, we root for them because of their resilient bond and loyalty to each other, as well as their relatability to us as an audience. Of all the nominees this year, this wasn’t just the best action movie, but possibly the best movie period.
BEST ANIMATED MOVIE
C Critics’ Pick: Soul (Disney+) My Pick: Onward (Disney+)
However you want to rank them is fair, but I think Soul and Onward are a perfect example of 1A and 1B. Both original and very creative, both just as enjoyable a watch for adults as they are for kids, both tug on the heart strings a little harder than most of us would like to admit. Almost any other year Soul would be a clear-cut winner, but this year I think Onward edges it out. Whether you have little ones in your life or not I suggest you check both these movies out, but just be ready for two more of Pixar’s trademark emotional roller coasters.
BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE Critics’ Pick: The Old Guard (Netflix) My Pick: Birds of Prey (Warner Bros.)
This is where our opinions start to differ. When Suicide Squad was first released back in 2016 it was hit, but some heavily mixed reviews. While most fans were satisfied with its outcome it still had more than its fair share of haters. With that slight stigma attached, Birds of Prey had a little bit of an uphill climb. However, Margot Robbie absolutely kills it as Harley Quinn, and if the common comparison that calls her a blend of Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool doesn’t sell you on this film, then nothing will. It doesn’t happen often, but DC definitely got this one right.
BEST horror MOVIE
Critics’ Pick: The Invisible Man (Universal) My Pick: The Rental (IFC Films)
Both of these are pretty cool flicks and worth checking out, but The Invisible Man just feels more like something we’ve seen before. Admittedly, it’s pretty damn rare to find a completely original story in film these days, and luckily a lot of great cinema can still come out of those apparent limitations. However, even though The Rental isn’t a game-changer and very much in the vein of old school slasher movies from the ‘80s, it has characters that feel very human and a style so alluring that I find it hard for anyone to disagree that this is a strong directorial debut for Dave Franco.
BEST SCIENCE FICTION/ FANTASY MOVIE Critics’ Pick: Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON) My Pick: Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON) Palm Springs is the type of moderate budget indie film that I love to watch, and considering its stellar cast of familiar talents, it’s easy to see why. With its unique logline: “Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again,” this sci-fi/rom-com checks plenty of boxes. It’s interesting, sweet, and laugh-out-loud funny. Although tonally it’s on the opposite end of the spectrum, I’d put this right up there with Da 5 Bloods for best Super Awards nominee overall.
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BEST animated series
Critics’ Pick: Jim Carrey – Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount) My Pick: J.K. Simmons – Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)
Critics’ Pick: BoJack Horseman (Netflix) My Pick: Harley Quinn (DC Universe)
There’s something about J.K Simmons playing a bad guy that just seems to work. He’s been acting for decades—the man has even won an Oscar for it. While this might not be the Whiplash performance that garnered that Oscar, he gives a pretty damn good effort for his nuanced character, and we get to see a comical side to him that’s rarely incorporated into his more antagonistic roles.
BEST action series Critics’ Pick: Vikings (History) My Pick: Warrior (Cinemax) This is the hit TV show based on a concept that originated in the mind of the great Bruce Lee. Need I say more? It could be considered your typical kung fu movie storyline in a lot of ways, but with a strong cast, elite level action sequences, compelling storylines, and just knowing that this all started as a thought in Bruce Lee’s head makes this my clear cut winner this year.
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Since Family Guy and South Park didn’t get the critics’ recognition that I believe they should have this year (maybe because both have been around for 20+ years), I have to go with Harley Quinn out of the crop of nominees that were available. During this Superhero Era in which we currently find ourselves in Hollywood, female superheroes are just finally getting the time they deserve in recent years. Hopefully going forward, DC doesn’t decide to overcompensate with nothing but Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman projects because there are plenty of female comic book characters worthy of the big screen and TV. Although the Harley Quinn animated series doesn’t have the appeal of Margot Robbie’s psychotically erotic portrayal, its humor and dark tone make it still well worth the watch.
Sonic the Hedgehog/Sega/Paramount Pictures/Palm Springs/Hulu/NEON/Vikings/History Channel/The Mandalorian/Disney/Lucasfilm/The Boys/Amazon
BEST villain in a MOVIE
BEST superhero series Critics’ Pick: The Boys (Amazon) My Pick: Lucifer (Netflix) Lucifer isn’t technically a superhero, but since he made the list of nominee’s and I believe it to be the best of the five, I have to declare it our winner. Now five seasons deep, this is a show with an up and down history, but since being brought back to life by Netflix it’s had a resurgence. Already set to come back for season 6, the chemistry of this cast is stronger than ever, and with Tom Ellis & Lauren German still leading the way as Satan and his one true love it’s easy to see why it’s gained such a loyal fanbase over the last few years.
BEST horror series Critics’ Pick: Lovecraft Country (HBO) My Pick: The Outsider (HBO and MRC Television) Jason Bateman delivers yet again. I mean, the guy’s only been on hit TV shows since he was 12-years-old, making his acting debut on Little House on the Prairie. Obviously Ozark is looked at as one of, if not the best show out. Despite starring and occasionally directing episodes of that series, he found time to put out another hit with The Outsider. Though his screen time was limited, he played a major part in the directing and producing departments here as well, and it can’t be a coincidence that damn near every single show this man is associated with turns into a big hit. This dark psychological thriller based off of a Stephen King novel, and starring Ben Mendelssohn is a must see for any fans of the genre.
BEST science fiction/ BEST villain in a series fantasy series Critics’ Pick: The Mandalorian (Disney+) My Pick: The Mandalorian (Disney+) Few shows get the type of hype this one has received and for good reason. The Star Wars universe diving into the live-action television pool is an absolute game changer. Disney+ was destined to be a huge success, everyone knew that from the moment it was announced, but a show like this is what will eventually put it over the top. The Star Wars bar is set high, but so far The Mandalorian has lived up to the hype. You honestly don’t have to be a fan of the movies to enjoy this show, but it does make it a hell of a lot better if you are.
Critics’ Pick: Antony Starr – The Boys (Amazon) My Pick: Antony Starr – The Boys (Amazon)
This New Zealand born actor is one of the stars of TV show that blends comedy, superheroes, and sex like nobody not named “Deadpool.” Being that it’s a show produced by Seth Rogen and long-time partner Evan Goldberg you expect an immense degree of raunchy humor. Well, you get that in spades here. And although the dark humor is what audiences seem to love, it’s clearly the main characters that push the story forward and Antony Starr’s portrayal of John/Homelander, a noble hero to the public eye, but deep down an extremely powerful and sadistic leader, stands out as one of the best things about the series. He’s not only a fantastic villain, but he’s a scene-stealer.
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SPOILER MAGAZINE
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One Night in Miami/Amazon Studios
one night in miami
NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE + 5 OTHERS
Directed by Regina King Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr. In February of 1964, following Cassius Clay’s defeat over Sonny Liston, the boxer and three other American icons met together at a motel in Florida to celebrate. There is not a lot of information about the evening, and because of that, there’s a level of mythology that surrounds it. Regina King’s directorial debut, One Night in Miami, provides a fictional account of this real-life hangout between four friends who also happen to be 20th century legends, arguably the best in each of their fields. Attending this intimate soiree are Clay (Eli Goree) and his soon-tobe Muslim compatriot Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), along with iconic soul singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and hall of fame NFL running back Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). After the 30 minute mark, the bulk of the film takes place in and around this motel room where the men talk
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about many things, both heavy and light, but almost always with a subtext of race relations at that time. Based on a play of the same name, One Night in Miami is very much staged as such. Set in a minimal amount of locations, the movie is essentially one giant conversation, allowing the viewer to reflect on opposing sides of an argument, with each side acknowledging a level of credence in the other’s. The main source of contention is the responsibilities and obligations of Black men who are in a position of power within our society. For much of the conversation, Cooke and Brown seem to be on much of the
same page, both willing to exercise their power to change the perception of Black people for the public, whether it be for White bigots, young Black men who dream of similar successes, or, perhaps most importantly, ones who don’t.
On the opposing side is Malcolm X who believes that Cooke and Brown should be using their power as a platform to preach and make a difference. Cooke and Brown view what they’re doing as, in fact, making a difference, believing that NOT making enemies is more effective than practicing intimidation tactics. Malcolm disagrees. He demands for instant change right now, but Cooke knows that even if it should be that easy, it’s not, and believes that, indeed, that change will come eventually. Malcolm tells Cooke he’s wasting his power making “empty” pop songs that don’t contain any message. However, Cooke believes that it’s the music itself that will bring the unity. A lesser film would have Cooke, erroneously, apologetic about his career. The soul singer was one of the greatest minds—both musically and business-wise— that this industry has ever seen, especially up to that point. He was always seeing the bigger picture and was definitely an inspiration for an entire generation of singers. Is he mad at Bob Dylan for having a hit record with the politically-charged “Blowin’ in the Wind”? No. Why would he be? Instead, he’s mad at himself for not doing it first. A man of pleasantries with his friends, always knowing how to charm them into having respect for him, Malcolm X displays a very different persona in the public eye—one of militant and incendiary rhetoric, especially at this point in his career. The controversial activist is able to harness a charisma with his followers, but is repellant for many others. He’s friends with both Cooke and Brown, but even they find him to be tiresome at times. And as their disagreements eventually become heated, he ends up channeling a bit of that side of himself that gets the job done on the grandstand. You can agree with either Malcolm or Cooke’s approach to making a change and still not feel alienated from this movie because it doesn’t take a definitive side on the issue. And that’s what enables it to truly soar. One Night in Miami isn’t a political statement on equality, rather, quite the opposite. It shows how equality should stand as a human issue, not one tethered to a specific side. Clay tows the line between both sides, obviously expressing his loyalty to Malcolm, but also seeing where the other two are coming from. The boxer is only 22 here; he’s just a kid and is still figuring things out for himself. Goree taps into Clay’s inflec-
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One Night in Miami/Amazon Studios
tions, but also has a firm grasp on the childlike uncertainty still buried underneath the cocky exterior, born partially from the young man’s worldly accomplishments as he’s still not quite ready to deal with the responsibilities that come with them. The actor knows when to command our attention and when to step back. All four of the leads put on absolute brilliant performances, with each actor not only becoming their respective historical figure with voice and mannerisms, but in mindset as well, embodying the age-old technique of not only imagining that their philosophies are true, but believing they are. Odom Jr. not only sounds like Cooke in range and timbre, but carries the same brand of charm as the legendary soul singer. These four characters aren’t privy to what the future holds for any of them, and King and writer Kemp Powers (Soul), who adapts his own stage play, ensure that the individual futures are relatively inconsequential at this point in time, adding merely an extra layer of appreciation for those who know it. The film is about all four of them, yet at any given moment, it’s about one more than the others. When we start out, we’re sure this is about Cassius Clay—he is the most commanding. However, we soon see that, while all four men are worth noting, this is a story mostly about Sam Cooke and Malcolm X, which is fitting since they would both wind up dead from gunshot wounds over a two year period (Cooke later that year and Malcolm in ‘65). But the director moves about the story with the grace of a seasoned veteran, never losing the balance of the narrative, even once.
The first act, prior to the motel portion, sets up each character with certain events that took place months before this famous meeting. Clay is shown fighting Henry Cooper, getting knocked to the ground but saved by the bell, ultimately winning by decision. Malcolm X is talking to his wife about potentially leaving the Nation of Islam due to shady behavior by some individuals higher up. Perhaps the most heavy-hitting sequence occurs when Brown visits his White friend, Mr. Carlton (Beau Bridges), at his Georgia plantation. The two share some truly warm moments as they chat on the porch about their love and admiration for one another. However, just before the football player leaves he offers to help his buddy with moving some
furniture inside the house, to which Mr. Carlton informs him, in so many words, that he doesn’t allow Black people inside. In an instance that’s also related to racism, yet not nearly as effective for the audience, Cooke, at no fault of his own, bombs his performance at the Copacabana in front of an all-White crowd that becomes completely disinterested in watching him sing. I’m sure you know the scene. The patrons act in exactly the same way you’ve seen dozens of times in these types of situations in other films: they roll their eyes, look at their watches, begin murmuring to one another with scowls on their faces. Since we’re not sure yet where this film is going with its subject matter, we view this at the time as just ano-
ther ingratiating attempt at stirring up the viewers. However, it winds up serving a totally higher purpose which we will come to see later on. And yet, the entire setup seems to be serving this role. Almost none of these situations are ever referred to again, yet well inform our context for the rest of the film. The incident with Brown at the plantation punctuates the weight underneath his opinions later on, which should totally contradict his incredulity of the previous situation. Although he too has his inner conflicts, he can view the arguments for his side outweighing those against it. He’s perfectly content in playing the game and making the impact that he’s made up to that point. Recently deciding to venture into acting, he’s met with some skepticism from his cohorts who think that this move will be futile considering the current role of Black men in Hollywood. Even though he’s being humanized in a unique way, Malcolm X isn’t always a likable figure in this film, and we often feel the sighs from his companions. But if we learn anything from One Night in Miami it’s that
each argument needs to be listened to, and that even if you disagree with the overarching sentiment (or don’t like the person conveying it), there may still very well be iotas of truth somewhere inside, even ones that you can apply to your own opposing philosophies. Despite what we’re often told to believe—it’s not that black and white. In a beautiful turn, these four icons are never used as simple totems to represent certain levels or aspects of the argument and conversation. These are living, breathing characters with nuance and complexities that can’t just be displayed through basic roles in a story. And thanks to King and Powers the audience feels like they’re truly inside the minds of these larger-than-life individuals. King instills an energy in her shots, utilizing mirrors to expand the room and objects in the room to create motion, keeping the minimalist setting feeling lively and increasingly appealing as the film presses onward. Despite an almost-clunky first act, she justifies it every step of the way. Equally as fulfilling is the script in
this dialogue-heavy movie. Powers’ words are gripping, impossibly incisive, and could have very easily carried this film alone, even though they never have to. The greatness here comes from all angles. One Night in Miami is a thought-provoking, emotionally thrilling, and surprisingly fun ride that encourages you to think AND feel, never once asking (or worse, demanding) that you to take a side, only that you listen to the whole story.
Powers’ words are gripping, impossibly incisive, and could have very easily carried this film alone, even though they never have to.
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THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE + 5 OTHERS
Directed by Aaron Sorkin Starring Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sacha Baron Cohen Aaron Sorkin loves courtroom dramas. It’s his bread and butter. And with The Trial of the Chicago 7, the screenwriter picked one of the most mystifying and, frankly, unique court cases of the past century for his second directorial feature. Even in his least judicial films in the past, he’s found a way to make them procedural. However the circumstances that occurred within and surrounding the trial of the Chicago 7 are so unconventional and perplexing that the truth is almost stranger than fiction. Set in 1969, following Nixon’s reelection, the film focuses on a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters who were charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intent of inciting riots. It takes place over the course of the five month trial period and features flashbacks from the days leading up to the riots.
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The trial itself was presided over by a prejudice judge who basically paid no mind to the defendants, writing them off instantly, especially the only Black member on trial, Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), the Black Panther chairman who was only lumped in with the others as an attempt to establish a bias amongst the jury. Sorkin plays with levels here. Among the accused there are Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong), two “Yippies” who believe in a more transgressive approach to protesting the war, and conversely there is Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp), and others who
feel that the best way to protest violence is with a lack of violence, even if they’re still okay with some pushing of that envelope. On the other side of the spectrum there’s Judge Hoffman (Frank Langella) who despises any sort of counterculture, unfairly presiding over this trial, obviously assigned the job because of his indiscreet bias. But then there’s Richard Schultz (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), the assistant federal prosecutor on the case who disagrees with the rioting and protesting, and perhaps even the war himself, but still believes that things should be done fairly within the courtroom. His only interest here is that of doing his job, unconcerned with agendas behind the scenes. As we know, Sorkin has mastered his own brand of fast-paced dialogue which both challenges the audience’s intellect while also remaining at eye level, able to be easily absorbed, somehow, amidst intricately-meshed verbiage. His script is dialogue-heavy, but the film doesn’t move like a typical courtroom drama with familiar beats. Instead, it dances along with a perfect blend of tension and levity, without the two ever undermining one another. The writer imbues his words with an energy that’s quite beautiful. Yet amidst the voluble and quick-witted banter there are plenty of naturally placed moments of insight that feel real and unrehearsed. However, the writer’s biggest accomplishment is his talent to actually become ALL of his characters—not just the favorable ones. As the unflin-
The Trial of the Chicago 7/Netflix
ching villain Judge Hoffman, Sorkin must play the part as well. Never do the antagonist’s words come from a place of resentment for the character by our writer, but of a belief that what he’s saying is actually true. Not only does Hoffman believe what he says, but for a brief moment Sorkin has us convinced that he does too. Despite the immense political positions that both ignited these events and the government’s tampering with the sequential trial, the film ultimately plays no real political mind. This could be surrogated for the audience through Gordon-Levitt’s character, but ever so punctuated by the moving final moments, reminding us of the human issue underneath this whole ordeal. This is a movie about politics, sure, but one that sees the whole story—every angle—including the two that are backing the same anti-war position. In a most unexpected way, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is actually not intended to speak on politics of today, even if the mirrors are there. Sorkin, who first wrote the script back in 2007, only intended to tell this story from a human rights perspective, rather than as a reflection of any sort of modern parallels. There have been a plethora of recent films that do try to draw some very obvious comparisons, but there’s something commendable about focusing on the storytelling first, affecting
Stanley Kubrick’s 1957 classic Paths of Glory—perhaps even a spiritual successor—exploring the heedless hidden agendas behind big decisions as well as the people it affects. But as Kubrick’s film comes to a rather futile conclusion, Sorkin’s provides the viewer with hope and optimism—not just for a change in whatever we believe is morally right, but that certain opposing sides can come together and realize that they ultimately just want the same thing.
the audience in that way and letting them draw their own conclusion. Sorkin’s film benefits from the lack of servility. There are a lot of themes interacting throughout The Trial of the Chicago 7 that occupy our headspace, adequately mimicking the same feelings of those who lived through this time. There was a lot to contemplate; heavy things weighing on the minds of conscientious individuals who cared, but also a strong connection between a lot of seemingly tangential matters. In reality, the movie makes an anti-war stance more than it does a political one, reminiscent of
The writer imbues his words with an energy that’s quite beautiful. Yet amidst the voluble and quick-witted banter there are plenty of naturally placed moments of insight that feel real and unrehearsed.
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Directed by Kelly Reichardt Starring Orion Lee, John Magaro, Toby Jones
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first cow
NOMINATED FOR BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY AND BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Kelly Reichardt achieves her finished product so effortlessly that you can’t help but wonder if it was actually a difficult endeavor at all. The plot is so simple that it just might have written itself. However, Reichardt, along with her writing partner Jonathan Raymond, of whose book the film is based, makes the most out of the premise all while sticking closely to her minimalist intentions. Cookie and King-Lu catch word that their town’s Chief Factor (Toby Jones)—the wealthiest man in town and the only one living in a proper house—has bought a cow, the only one in the region. King-Lu has the idea of sneaking onto his property at night to steal some of the cow’s milk so that Cookie can bake some biscuits—a sweet alternative to the bland soda bread they’ve all been eating. Their product is a success, with the entire town lining up and buying out all their day’s yield. Chief Factor even becomes a fan of the biscuits, and surprisingly never wonders where they’re getting their milk. That is, until his friend, a local marine captain (Scott Shepherd), becomes suspicious.
The director puts her unvarnished American West atmosphere on full display giving us one of the most authentic and erudite portrayals we’ve ever seen, with a limited 4:3 aspect ratio no less, which feels like it should be counterintuitive to her objective, yet only serves better the smaller and more intimate scope that she’s after. This isn’t some John Wayne, Henry Fonda epic, filmed either on some outrageously impractical desert location or a studio backlot. Cinema is our only means of time travel and here we’re in an
First Cow/A24
Westerns have been around since the dawn of moviemaking, with the genre experiencing its fair share of ups and downs in popularity throughout the lineage of cinema. With its storied history and voluminous output, especially in the 1950s, you wouldn’t be wrong to assume that there are simply no more stories left to tell. After all, this is a genre that’s set in a very specific time and place in history. However, First Cow provides us with a fresh new take on the Western blueprint in both form and content, giving us one of the most authentic portrayals of the American West that we’ve seen on screen. Set in the 1820s, the movie follows a humble chef, Cookie (John Magaro), who’s traveling with a group of fur trappers in Oregon Country. He crosses paths with a Chinese immigrant named King-Lu (Orion Lee) and the two become fast friends. King-Lu offers Cookie a place to stay and the two bond over their aspirations of a better life. With American capitalism still very much in its nascent form, dreams were ruminating in the minds of those who recognized the ever-changing landscape of our country. First Cow is about the friendship between the two men and their go-getter mindset which becomes a shared vision—a simpler version of a model still used today. Their bond isn’t forced with standard beats, but we still witness it nonetheless through subtleties. First Cow has such a grasp on its subtext, and director/co-writer
actual time machine. Reichardt spends time living in this serene space for a while and builds this world while developing the plot incidentally so that we hardly notice. With the pacing of a bell curve, the director starts things out gratuitously slow, leading up to a big, gripping climax, and then falling back into more of her intentional meandering— building tension and then practically letting the air out. We can appreciate the unconventional narrative since the story is always still progressing, even if it’s not obvious. And although it’s easy to check out mentally, we can’t complain about living in this fascinating time period in the process. Despite the minimalist plot, we’re still able to find some holes, such as certain details when it comes to why Cookie and King-Lu didn’t move on to a new town sooner, or explaining how and why their lookout situation wasn’t more successful. Yet, that’s not what this film is really about. It’s serving a bigger purpose. First Cow is about the American Dream as depicted during a very specific time in our country. Cookie and King-Lu knew that in order to fulfill their own dreams, they would have to take it. They didn’t steal actual money or crops. Instead, they get hunted down for stealing an infinite, unlimited good: cow’s milk. It makes you think about what the Chief Factor has stolen, if anything, on his way to accumulating his own riches. Were those things as victimless as stealing cow’s milk? In a sort of criticism on the state of capitalism at the time as well as a statement on the untapped potential of those without the know-how to
put it to good use, it’s also important to note that Chief Factor could not get the cow to produce a lot of milk himself, unlike Cookie who developed a relationship with the animal and talked to her during the process. If Chief Factor was such a smart businessman, he would’ve seen this as an opportunity to hire Cookie rather than get rid of him, along with any secrets he possesses to his success. However, like I said, this was capitalism in its infancy. Perhaps if this were 100 years later things would’ve happened differently. First Cow is not for everyone, and may feel like a rickety excuse for a Western for those expecting more from the promised genre. But the film is a Western nonetheless; one in the most literal form. Subverting what we’ve come to know about the grandness of the Wild West, this taps more into the reality of what life was really like as opposed to a romanticized depiction of the milieu—especially in Oregon Country during the early 19th century. You won’t find any videos from the 1820s, and this film might be as close as you will ever get, so we should appreciate this we-
ll-researched portrayal on that level alone. And as a way of connecting modern audiences with these characters from that period, Reichardt and Raymond go to great lengths to show us how dreaming is one thing that still hasn’t gone out of style.
The director puts her unvarnished American West atmosphere on full display giving us one of the most authentic and erudite portrayals we’ve ever seen
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Freaky/Universal/Blumhouse
Freaky
WINNER OF SUPER AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR MOVIE - VINCE VAUGHN
Directed by Christopher Landon Starring Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton Trading time loops for body swapping, filmmaker Christopher Landon, who previously directed the horror-comedy Happy Death Day, plays around once again in the high-concept, genre-mashup sandbox with Freaky, a slasher movie take on Freaky Friday. This time, Landon follows a similar creative procedure, but with a different premise and, therefore, different moving parts.
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A killer is on the prowl and murders four high schoolers at their house late one night, stealing a cool-looking dagger that he finds on display. The other local teenagers believe this massacre to be the work of the Butcher, previously thought to be an urban legend, who stalks his victims each year during Homecoming Weekend. Millie (Kathryn Newton), a bullied high schooler, enfeebled even more so by the recent death of her father, is the last one left to get picked up after the Homecoming football game. She encounters the Butcher (Vince Vaughn), who chases her down and stabs her with the dagger which turns out to possess magical powers, giving both of them identical wounds. The next morning they each wake up to discover that they’ve switched bodies. Now Millie, in Vince Vaughn’s body, must prove to her friends that she’s not the killer. Meanwhile, the real Butcher is walking around in the body of a teenage girl—a wolf in sheep’s clothing—choosing who his next victim is going to be. Millie learns that she has to stab the Butcher
with the magical dagger within 24 hours, otherwise they will forever be trapped in each other’s bodies. The concept is intriguing enough, and probably wrote itself for the most part, but what makes Freaky entertaining is the touch that director/co-writer (along with Michael Kennedy) Landon has with the small details he adds as garnish throughout his film. He takes the what-if idea and brings us to almost every corner of it, which may not bode well for the hardcore horror fans in the audience, but definitely ensures that the story is never boring despite itself. On the surface, a body-swapping slasher seems like a premise that would be played for laughs more than scares, but there’s something
really creepy about an evil killer infiltrating your life through the body of someone you know or someone living in your own house. Unfortunately, those threatened the most by the body swap are her enemies and bullies at school—i.e. victims we don’t like or care about, thus dampening any suspense in the audience. I do wish that Landon would have tapped into, even just a little, the what-if of Millie’s family living with her as a serial killer. They never seem to be threatened by the body swap. Perhaps this could have upped the body count a little and provided us with more of a taste of those old school gore-laden genre films, yet it’s as though Landon is afraid to kill off anyone sympathetic. For horror lovers, there are thankfully still some bright moments of convention sprinkled into the otherwise-modern horror film, such as the scene where Millie, in Vince Vaughn’s body, wakes up in the killer’s lair with different-shaped knives and dissected mannequins lying all around. The atmosphere recalls Joe Spinell’s apartment in the original Maniac. Like the 1980 film, albeit briefly, Freaky takes us into the life of the serial killer himself and shows things from his point of view. Throughout the film our villain is depicted as fey, making this particular sequence all the more notable and mysterious. It goes without saying that Freaky isn’t your typical slasher, but there are enough nods and in-jokes for old school horror fans to be satisfied despite not quite getting the schlock they expected. Landon definitely
plays around with the audience’s innate knowledge of horror tropes and tries manipulating their fear because of it (e.g. the camera following a character as he bends down and then back up again—music tense—with us expecting there to be a killer standing above him each time he stands back up), but there’s never anyone behind these doors, no matter how much the director baits us into thinking there is. Freaky embraces its clichés, but uses them to subvert the audience’s perception of genre stereotypes. Usually the tall, husky man is the killer and the unassuming, petite teenager is the victim. It’s hard for us as the audience to separate the two, but credit to the actors for convincing us so easily. Vaughn, who must maintain his teenage girl demeanor for almost the entirety of the film, never backs down from the challenge, giving a unique and sustained performance
that could have easily been taken over the top. Newton, on the other side of Vaughn, is required to play polar opposites and executes on both accounts, compartmentalizing each role perfectly. Unlike Vaughn, who we only really know as Millie, we get to know Newton very well on both sides—as herself and as a psycho killer. The film is definitely more focused on the body switching aspect than the slasher one, despite its best efforts, and thus the premise doesn’t quite lend itself to an interesting 3rd act, where a slasher usually finds its legs. Instead, the result is quite predictable with some mechanical plotting, and offers little more than allowing us to see the expected result. We also never truly understand why the Butcher wants to stay inside Millie’s body, even though he’s constantly shown complaining about how “useless” and “weak” it is. The writers try to insert heart into the mix, going in and out of sentiment far too quickly at times. And it almost works. Almost. After all, Landon has a goal to his story. He wants his Final Girl to get some character development out of the whole ordeal. Millie, once cowardice and weak, ends up becoming empowered by her giant frame, which boosts her confidence. However, she still desperately wants her old body back regardless. It’s funny the way bizarre and unfortunate circumstances can often turn into an opportunity for growth and make us stronger from the challenges it presents. This is a
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theme that most films are founded in, yet very few explore the boundaries of. Freaky often plays it much too safe for a genre that once flourished by being the very opposite of safe. The film seems to have more of a grasp over what it’s trying to do on a social commentary level than in how effective it is as a slasher. In fact, all of the best slasher moments are used in the opening scene, where that group of teenagers gets slaughtered by Vaughn in a faux-Jason Voorhees mask. Yet there’s an undeniable charm that oozes from this movie, even if it’s usually directing us towards cringe-worthy cheesiness and awkward scenarios. It’s still very hard to turn down something as clever as Freaky in favor of even the most terrifying horror films these days. While not nearly as good as the progenitors that inspired it, it’s smart enough to keep us invested despite its diminishing returns. With a likable cast and a pretty fun exploration of an effective hook, we just want to keep watching to see what else will happen.
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Freaky/Universal/Blumhouse
Freaky often plays it much too safe for a genre that once flourished by being the very opposite of safe.
Meet your new sidekick gita is a first-of-its-kind hands-free robot that follows you and totes your gear.
WINNER OF BEST PICTURE OF 2019
Directed by Quentin Tarantino Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie There was a lot of change happening in America’s popular culture (and culture in general) in the late 1960s. Hollywood was seeing the last remnants of its glorious Golden Age finally trickling away for good and the much trendier New Hollywood era was well underfoot, impacting a younger audience with a sense of urgency and unvarnished honesty unlike anything they had ever seen before on the big screen. But with honesty comes reality. And the reality was the world was changing around them, for better or worse, and there were only a few ways the youth of our country knew how to handle it.
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Anyone who’s from Los Angeles or simply romanticizes old Hollywood and its history is going to love writer/ director Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, if not for what it is than at least for what it represents: a time in US history that was seeing tons of change. And with his newest film, it’s as though Tarantino presses pause between two frames of cinema, allowing us to see a blurred, yet crystalline image of both what came before and what is about to happen. Set in 1969, our story revolves around fading Western TV actor, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as they each deal with their own current status in the entertainment industry. Wistfully looking at the glory days behind him, Rick has a hard time accepting his fame’s decline.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/ Sony/Quentin Tarantino
once upon a time in hollywood
He’s being advised by notable casting agent Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) to take roles in these “new” Spaghetti Westerns shot in Italy, but Rick and his ego initially see these jobs as being beneath them. Meanwhile, Cliff’s career is actually in the gutter, but since he operates virtually outside of the public eye as an unsung hero of action flicks, he has no ego to speak of—at least not the kind that would turn down any kind of work. Cliff has a thankless job, but he never sees it that way. At least he never becomes transparent about his feelings to those around him. Rick, on the other hand, constantly seeks the public’s love and affection, sniffling about the state of his career, even though he’s still well-employed. But Cliff, accused and eventually acquitted of killing his abusive wife some time ago, has found it nearly impossible to find any sort of employment in the industry, and spends most of his time driving around town in Rick’s 1966 Cadillac DeVille. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is as good a story about friendship as Tarantino will ever give you. Not bogged down by tropes, it shows us a pretty candid portrayal of the relationship between the two “stars.” Rick and Cliff are best friends, with Cliff house-sitting for Rick while he’s on set—a nice upgrade from the humble and pre-retro Airstream he usually sleeps in at night. Rick compensates Cliff with his friendship, as he feels he, too, will soon be living outside of his means. Rick is over-reactive and the type of dra-
matic diva you may expect some of these self-absorbed actors to be like. But Cliff is his rock, reassuring his confidence every step of the way— even when it should definitely be the other way around. Moving in next-door to Rick is burgeoning film director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zaweirucha) and his wife, up-and-coming actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), a situation the Western star sees as a potential opportunity. If he gets in good with Polanski then maybe his career can get a second wind. Tarantino transforms the city into an unflinching replica of the LA of yesteryear, establishing the environment with the help of some vintage relics still intact today. Musso & Frank—Hollywood’s oldest restau-
rant—is one of the focal points of the film universe, as is the historic Spahn’s Ranch, an old Western studio lot that had already been out of commission back in 1969 and was then a spot for Charles Manson’s cult to reside. The Manson Family plays a crucial role in the movie and the inevitable culmination of this story for those who have any familiarity with it. Details which, if you’re not privy to, may cause the overall significance of this film to be lost on you. Tarantino always has a creative way of connecting two dots—a quality that’s helped him become a household name in this industry—and here is no different. He always utilizes the way that two characters meet as an excuse to further expand the universe within his film—moments which almost any other filmmaker would simply have speak for themselves. If Rick is meeting Sharon Tate, it’s done so with a pizazz and weight that carries the story along with it. These instances are absolutely never just thrown away. The director, as always, pays close attention to every aspect of the film, sprinkling in a unique touch when he sees fit. In a few scenes, he shows Dalton on the set of his new project, but instead of the standard “peek behind the curtain” conventions we typically see in behind-the-scenes sequences, Tarantino actually gives us the footage as if we were looking at the end result, but with a twist.
Instead of a polished product, we get to see the actors mess up and even hear voices off camera from members of the crew. But we never see those people off camera or the cameras themselves. On the surface these small decisions may seem inconsequential, but are crucial to the overall effectiveness of building this universe as they blur the lines between the reality of the process and the fantasy of the outcome, and how sometimes those involved also get caught up in that gray area. My only wish for this movie, and it’s a small one, is that Rick and Cliff were transformed more over the course of the story and we got to see how their fame and personal lives were impacted more after the circumstances they went through—an ambiguity no doubt intentionally left as such to create a more transcendent conclusion. However, at times, it’s hard to feel like their characters
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Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/Sony/Quentin Tarantino
actually grow throughout the film and that their supposed development isn’t only a McGuffin in itself—a means to an end. I laud the movie for being a shaggy dog story to the ultimate extreme, but some may want to care a tad more about the development of our two leads and have more weight placed behind them in connection to the overall plot, rather than feeling like they’re merely a means to an end or a window into this world of Hollywood. And that’s not to say the characters aren’t without their own uniquely specific idiosyncrasies. But Tarantino, no doubt, was most concerned with showcasing his masterful sets and building up to yet another one of his classic and though-provoking denouements. While the ending is poetic, the trajectory of our two leads is almost so much so that we feel like it’s missing something through all the nuance. And it’s because we like both guys so much that we yearn to know more about them and see them both succeed. Rick and Cliff are interesting, if not poetic, characters themselves, and our craving for more of them only speaks to that appeal. The film could also be a tad shorter—perhaps trimming down some of the on-set moments, which are admittedly still entertaining and somewhat necessary, though probably run a bit too long. But Tarantino choses to use the runtime to better build the world around these characters. And we can’t really blame him. Driving around Hollywood, we get such a sense of the rich history—and occasional tragedy—that has lived on these streets and resided behind these walls. The walls of countless dilapidated film sets still standing by no one’s will other than their own. Or in the rubble of sets that once housed great names such as Steve McQueen or Bruce Lee—sets arguably more important than most functional buildings still standing today. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is no doubt Tarantino’s consummate love letter to Hollywood—a town he’s
romanticized much like his faithful fans have. A town that’s obviously inspired his career in whole and can be seen bleeding through almost every frame he’s ever cut. Half the fun of this movie is spotting the different famous icons represented from that era. Regardless of the story, I would watch this film play out a dozen times just to revisit the mise en scène alone. And the underpinning premise following Rick and Cliff on their journey is the perfect through-line—a quintessence of what being “in Hollywood” is truly all about; a backdrop in place to loosely guide us—not force us—to our inevitable conclusion that ultimately feels earned in the best way possible. As an aside, the film is a spiritual companion piece to 2019’s other shaggy dog homage to Hollywood’s yesteryear, David Robert Mitchell’s Under the Silver Lake, with similarities in both palette and tone, as well as overall content. I can see how watching them back-to-back would be a fun double feature.
Tarantino transforms the city into an unflinching replica of the LA of yesteryear, establishing the environment with the help of some vintage relics still intact today.
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YOU MIGHT LIKE...
Da 5 Bloods Dead Presidents (1995)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Fences (2016)
Mank Barton Fink (1991)
Minari The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
News of the World
True Grit (2010)
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Da 5 Bloods/Netflx/Dead Presidents/Buena Vista Pictures/Disney/Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom/Netflix/Fences/Paramount Pictures/Mank/Netflix/Barton Fink/20th Century Studios/Coen Brothers/Minari/A24/Plan B/Pursuit of Happyness/Sony/News of the World/Universal/True Grit/Paramount/Nomadland/Searchlight Pictures
IF YOU LIKE...
Ghostbox Cowboy/Dark Star Pictures/John Maringouin/One Night in Miami/Amazon/The Two Popes/Netflix/Promising Young Woman/Focus Features/The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo/Sony/Sound of Metal/Amazon/The Rider/Sony/The Trial of the Chicago 7/Netflix/A Few Good Men/Columbia/(cover image): Getty/AP/Shuttershock
IF YOU LIKE... YOU MIGHT LIKE...
Nomadland Ghostbox Cowboy (2018)
One Night in Miami The Two Popes (2019)
Promising Young Woman The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Sound of Metal The Rider (2017)
The Trial of the Chicago 7
A Few Good Men (1992)
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inte inte INTERVIEW BY GALAXY INTRO BY ETHAN BREHM
much more revered right now than Katherine McNamara. After making huge waves from her starring role on Freeform’s Shadowhunters, based on The Mortal Instruments book series, Katherine came aboard the CW’s immensely popular Arrow during its 7th season as the titular character’s daughter and became a fan favorite instantly. But the actress’ popularity isn’t just due to her talents on screen, but her personality off screen. Her magnetism is undeniable and her kindness is completely and absolutely genuine, with fans fortunate enough to experience her charisma each year at a variety of conventions. Graduating from college at 17, Katherine’s intelligence is that of a woman much older, but her exuberance and youthful charm establishes a balance that keeps fans wanting to know even more about her. Well spoken and incisive, the actress has such a perspective for living in the moment and appreciating both the little things in life as well as the huge opportunities that she has, making the most out of both as the optimist that she is. With us, she’s able to reflect on the current state of the world and the industry as a whole, and looks at both the good and the bad with a healthy positivity that we all need to have, especially right now. Perhaps it’s the same outlook that’s allowed her to mine for the silver linings in life and help guide her towards the massive
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(same as cover source): Katherine McNamara/Freeform/Justin Stevens/John Medland/Mark Holzberg/Arrow/DC/The CW/Warner Bros./The Stand/CBS
In the fandom world, you can’t get much bigger and
erview erview success she’s been able to garner. This is just the beginning for the actress. Most recently, fans can see Katherine on the CBS All Access miniseries The Stand, based on the Stephen King novel, as the unstable Julie Lawry, becoming yet again another fan favorite. At only 24-years-old, the actress has already made tremendous strides in her career, with the momentum still moving forward, even despite everything going on this past year. But for now, we can rest assured that she has a long, long career ahead of her. SPOILER: I know nowadays you get to go to so many conventions throughout the year, but how did you feel at your very first convention? KATHERINE McNAMARA: It was probably one of the most surreal experiences of my life. It was New York Comic Con. We had just finished shooting Shadowhunters literally the night before. Alberto Rosende, who played Simon Lewis on the show, and myself had finished the final scene of the first season, then we jumped on a plane with the rest of the cast and flew to New York City and the next morning was New York Comic Con. I had never been to a Comic Con before. I didn’t
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know anything about it and the show hadn’t even aired yet. So the first experiences of audiences seeing anything that we had shot was actually directly before our panel. They aired the first seven minutes of our pilot episode for that panel audience. First of all, it was already overwhelming, because we got there and they said, “Oh my gosh, you guys, we can’t believe it—the panel is sold out! There’s standing room only.” Most of us had never even done a Comic Con panel before or anything like it, so we were already in over our heads and so excited to show the show to people, but we had no idea what to expect. And I will never forget, we were standing behind the stage—and we had never seen this footage either—and we were watching the first seven minutes of the show as a mirror image behind the screen, getting to listen to the audience’s reactions for the first time. It was so magical. I remember I was shaking. And then we just went right out on stage and had the warmest welcome and the best panel. It was such a family from that moment forward and it was just so wonderful. SPOILER: Even before the Shadowhunters pilot released to the public you had all these fans already falling in love with you. Do
you feel the Shadow community is incredible? KATHERINE McNAMARA: It really is. And it really speaks to the spirit of the Shadowfan, as we call them. They are such an incredible community and have taken everything, kind of, beyond the show, beyond us, beyond these characters, and really have created this amazing community of love and acceptance. But it all stems from the book series. I love YA books and I grew up reading them, and when I read The Mortal Instruments series, that’s what struck me most about it—it’s a message that we carried forward in the show as well: no matter who you are, no matter who you love, no matter if you have angel blood, demon blood, or something else in your veins, it’s the choices you make that make you a hero, and it’s love and the family you create that’s most important.
SPOILER: You’re named one of Vanity Fair’s Breakout Bunch, you’re a singer-songwriter, you recieved the 2018 People’s Choice Award for top female TV star for your role on Shadowhunters, you got a Teen Choice Award, etc. How does it feel being you right now? KATHERINE McNAMARA: It’s very odd this year, honestly. But above anything, I’m just so grateful. You know, I grew up thinking I was going to be an economist and I never even knew that being an actor was a job. And then I started doing theater and I absolutely fell in love with storytelling. And just the fact that I’ve been lucky enough to play some really, really wonderful characters that have changed my life and been able to touch the lives of other people, and been a part of some really wonderful work families and amazing fandoms, I can only hope that my career will continue to have a similar trajectory and I get to keep telling amazing stories and living all these different lives. SPOILER: Shadowhunters took you march 2021|
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on this path and opened many doors for you. Then Arrow, I think, solidified you as that badass person who can do anything. And then both roles really elevated you to this iconic realm in our universe. Did life change after you were on those shows? KATHERINE McNAMARA: Arrow was such a gift. Coming off of Shadowhunters, I didn’t think I would be part of another story that was that iconic. [Shadowhunters] had such a mythology and legacy to it, and the cast and crew and the fandom were such a family, I didn’t know how I was going to process that. But luckily I ended up booking Arrow and was able to throw myself right into another family and another very intense show with a legacy and a mythology. And it sort of distracted me from not having Shadowhunters in my life on a daily work basis anymore. But I was so grateful to be thrown into a show that was at such a precipice. Stephen [Amell] and Emily [Bett Rickards] had built up these two characters of Oliver and Felicity for so many years and had done so with such nuance, and built the relationship to such a beautiful point, that getting to be the result of that relationship was such a huge honor. And when I auditioned for the show, I had no idea that that’s the role they were looking for. Obviously, they were keeping all of that under wraps. The actors are often the last to know about these things [laughs]. But I didn’t even know that I was auditioning for Mia Smoak until after I had booked the part. I got a call from the showrunner, Beth Schwartz, and she called me and said, “Hey, congratulations! We’re so happy to have you part of the show and can’t wait to start working with you. By the way, everything you know is a lie. You’re actually Oliver and Felicity’s kid and we don’t even know what your name is yet, but we’re going to figure that out.” [laughs] So I went, “Wait a second, wait a second, what is happening?!” And I knew immediately, having been in the world of Comic Cons and fandoms, I knew what a big deal “Olicity” was and how beloved it was to the fans. I knew it would be
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Katherine McNamara/Freeform/Justin Stevens/John Medland/Mark Holzberg/The Stand/CBS/Arrow/DC/The CW/Warner Bros.
katherine mcnamara
such a huge responsibility, but I was ready for it. It’s exciting. I went back and I watched the entire series and I tried to pull as much as I could from the two characters and see what the amalgamation of the best and worst of Oliver and Felicity would personify as and I tried to put that into me, and I think the writers did an amazing job of giving me the tools and the backstory to do that. SPOILER: I remember this one post, you said you didn’t even know about
your role on Shadowhunters until you found out on Twitter, and then the same with Arrow. Like you said, actors are often the last to know, but that is a weird coincidence. Does this happen to you often? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I think that’s kind of the nature of the business. It all seems very glossy on the surface, but really behind the scenes, things happen so fast and everything’s constantly changing. Especially right now in film and TV, even before 2020, with all this new
media and so many new opportunities with all the streaming platforms, and also socially what’s happening. I came into this whole world of fandoms right at the time where there’s this huge resurgence of complex and interesting and badass and empowered female characters. Those were the characters I always looked for as a kid. Mulan and Pocahontas were my favorite Disney princesses because they were the ones that stood up and fought their own battles. But now, moving forward, being part of the community of all of these roles and this resurgence and this questioning of the norms of everything in the industry, it’s a very exciting time, but it also leads to a lot of last-minute things. But hey, we roll with the punches. The show must go on and we figure it out as we go along. SPOILER: Do you think Hollywood is opening its doors to strong, well-rounded female roles? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I do, actually. I see it happening more than I even realize. And it always takes me by surprise in the most wonderful of ways. It’s the simplest thing. You would think that if we are humans telling human stories that diversity would be a given—whether it’s diversity in gender, or sexual orientation, or race. But for some reason it often isn’t. I mean, I don’t think there’s anything to blame, but I think the most important thing to focus on is
the choices we make moving forward in seeking out those opportunities, even if it’s a story or time period where the roles seem limited, or the gender roles and norms are not as open as they could have been—how do you subvert that? And how do you take it and make a new play on it that someone might not have thought of? I was having a director’s meeting for a film the other day, and I was talking to these directors and producers—they all happened to be men—and we were talking about this role that I was discussing with them, and they were the ones who brought it up—and I had already been thinking about it—and said,
“You know, this role could be seen one way, but we are thinking about giving it this spin and this twist that’s not necessarily in the text, but we want to subvert what people might see on the surface of this character.” And I was so pleasantly surprised by that and so wonderfully astounded, and I really am seeing a turn in this industry. I’ve fallen into this world of sci-fi/fantasy where I’ve gotten to play roles like Sonya in Maze Runner and Clary in Shadowhunters and Mia in Arrow, and I’ve only had the most wonderful of experiences. I give the showrunners and the writers [a lot of credit], particularly because I’ve lived with Mia and Clary for much longer, they took so much care to make sure that neither character was ever stagnant and that Mia and Clary had so much room to grow, and every season I would look back and go, “Wow! Something happened here. She changed. She grew as a person, and there’s so much depth to her storyline and her journey beyond what’s happening around her.” And I’m so gratified by that. SPOILER: Do you feel, from when you first started to now, a lot of things changed in Hollywood, and do you think it’s easier these days to get on shows like Shadowhunters? KATHERINE McNAMARA: That’s a really interesting question. I don’t think anything is ever easy necessarily, but this industry is a lot more open than it used to be. I’ve been
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SPOILER: Which one of the characters that you play do you feel you’re most similar to? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I would say Clary, for sure. When you play a character, you pour blood, sweat, and tears into them. They become a little piece of you and you become part of them. So there’s a little bit of me in every one of the characters I play, and that’s something that instantly drew me to Clary.
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As soon as I read the pilot, I felt a part of her and connected with her on a level that I never really have with a character. In retrospect, my journey as a human being and Clary’s journey in the story were very much paralleled. Clary was a girl who turned 18 and got thrown into this world that she knew nothing about and had to form a family and find her power and figure out how to be part of this new world. I felt very much the same. I was 19 when I started Shadowhunters and 23 when I finished it, and I found a family. I have friends and brothers for life now because of that show. I grew up and learned so much about myself and about life. So many things happened to me during that show that it’s an experience that will be very near and dear to my heart. SPOILER: I know you’re a great traveler and you’ve been all over the world. What is it that you love so much about traveling? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I always learn something. I never thought I would leave Kansas City as a kid, and now that I have the opportunity to travel and to learn so much about the world and about other cultures and countries and people, I’m just so fascinated by humanity. I think that’s why I’m an actor. I love seeing all the beautiful places in the world and learning about the people who live there and how they view life and how they live life. I always find it to be so fascinating. It makes the world feel simultaneously larger and smaller. You feel more connected to humanity as a whole, but also appreciate how big and beautiful our world actually is. SPOILER: Who is your celebrity crush? KATHERINE McNAMARA: [laughs] I dunno, I grew up watching all the old movies from the ‘40s and ‘50s, so I guess my first celebrity crush was probably Fred Astaire. Especially growing up as a dancer, and as somebody who just loved watching this sort of grace and ease that he had. Gosh, I don’t know if I could pick one. I haven’t thought about that question in so long. Well, you know, if you say something,
Katherine McNamara/Freeform/Justin Stevens/John Medland/ Mark Holzberg/Arrow/DC/The CW/Warner Bros.
very lucky in a lot of my experiences. In the time when I started in this industry, compared to a lot of the stories I’ve heard, I think a lot of things were already in motion to change. But it’s a really nice period of time right now to see the industry being more open to unorthodox ways of getting media out there and stories coming to fruition. You have people from all ends of the industry and parts of the world and walks of life, who are coming in and getting their shot to have their story told and their voice heard. And I think that’s the beautiful thing about art, and that’s sort of why I do what I do, and what I think the role of artists is. Especially in times where the world is troubled, it’s our job to hold a mirror to the human experience and to allow people to cathartically experience the human life cycle, and also to escape at times. And there’s all these varying different things that art and storytelling serve. We live in a world where so many people are looking for the perfect selfie and Instagram likes, and striving for these almost inhuman standards of perfection, but what I love about being an actor, in particularly a lot of the roles that I’ve gotten to play, is we get to highlight the broken and imperfect and sometimes ugly parts of the human experience. When you’re covered in tears and crying over the loss of someone you love, or fighting for something that you’re going through, or struggling through any kind of human experience, hopefully it allows people to relate and to realize that everybody has ups and downs in their life, and we all have the strength within us to get through them somehow.
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katherine mcnamara they’re gonna think you like them or something like that [laughs]. Well, maybe it would help me. I am single ya know.
S SPOILER: You’re such an inspiration, but who inspires you? KATHERINE McNAMARA: Oh goodness, that’s sort of a twofold question. To pick one, for example, actresses like Viola Davis. She always uses her platform to speak about things that she cares about and really important social movements and causes. But also as an actress, she’s done so many diverse media and roles, and in her work itself, she always has this ability to go from the strongest and most powerful woman in the room to the most human and vulnerable person in a matter of seconds, and I just find that to be so inspiring. I love Sam Rockwell’s work as well because he’s played every kind of character, from lovable to vile and everything in between, and yet somehow always finds a way to humanize every person he portrays with such a specificity that I aspire to. But aside from that, I feel very lucky to have grown up in a family of really strong women who are passionate about what they do and so invigorated to educate themselves and to learn about the world—and they’re also dedicated to their families. I meet a lot of women who grew up with this sort of dilemma of, “Do I have a family or do I focus on my career? What do I do?” And that was always such a puzzling question to
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me because growing up, it was never family or career. It was always, “If you work hard and dedicate yourself to the things you care about, you can make your life whatever you want it to be.” There is no one set path. There is no choice that you have to make. I grew up surrounded by women who had done just that; who had chosen “and” instead of “or.” And I’ve always been inspired by that. I’ve seen the women in my family go through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and always come out with a smile on their face and love in their heart, and that’s something I’ve always aspired to. SPOILER: Everything you do, you do it with a smile. I heard that you’re one of the kindest people on set, and off set as well. Why does everyone always say you’re so nice? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I don’t really know. I just was raised to treat everyone with the kindness and res-
pect that you would want to be treated with. Especially on set, it’s something that I’ve always really loved and respected about this industry, that every single person in every department is an artist and an expert in their own realm, and we really, truly could not create the stories and the worlds that we create without every single person on that set doing what they love and creating their art to the best of their ability. That’s something that I knew of already, but I really learned and saw on Shadowhunters, which is why that show will always be so special to me. I’ve never been a part of a set where every department works so seamlessly and so symbiotically together and every single person there is excited to tell this story and make it better and to push each other. I have countless memories. The prop department made our cast a table on wheels that would wheel from set to set—this round table that
Katherine McNamara/Freeform/Justin Stevens/John Medland/Mark Holzberg/ Arrow/DC/The CW/Warner Bros./Shadowhunters/Freeform/The Stand/CBS
we all sat at, and the crew would come hang out with us there too. I mean, we spent 10 months a year making this show and we were in the trenches together—in the rain; in the snow; in the cold; at night; at 6 in the morning; when it’s the beginning of our day; or when it’s the end of our day—but I have so many memories of being around that table with somebody from the stunt department, and a writer, and half the cast, and somebody from props and costumes, and set deck, and we’re all talking and brainstorming and workshopping ideas, and giving each other ideas about everything. And there is no ego involved. If somebody has a creative idea that could serve the betterment of the story as a whole, it was fair game to say it and not feel weird about it. That’s something I found so beneficial, because then everybody was feeding off of each other’s energy and building this world together, which is why the show was so seamless. So I would try and take that with me, and I was lucky to have the example of people like Isaiah Mustafa and Harry Shum Jr., who had been in the industry for so long and had been part of huge legacy shows like this, who were able to show me the ropes on how to take that leadership position. I was 19 when I started Shadowhunters. I had no idea what I was doing as far as being a lead of a show. Not only being on set all the time, but also making sure everyone was happy and comfortable and feeling like they were a part of something. SPOILER: Everybody knows about your fandoms. They all know about Shadowhunters and Arrow—you can’t get much bigger than that; they’re on everybody’s TV sets all around the world. You must be so busy, what do you do with your spare time? KATHERINE McNAMARA: Well, I don’t like spare time, I’m very much a workaholic [laughs]. I’ve had to learn how to use spare time—this year especially. In a normal world, I travel in my spare time because making memories and learning are my favo-
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G SPOILER: Has COVID affected you tremendously, or have you been able to find positivity from it? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I mean, look, it’s been really tricky. It’s something that everyone has been able to find ups and downs in. I’m a stubborn optimist and I always look for the silver lining despite anything. But I think what COVID and this time on our own has done is it’s forced all of us to look at ourselves and pull all of the skeletons out of our closets and really look at it as a clean slate—not only individually, but as a society— where we can kind of take a step back and go, “Okay, what are the bad habits that we’ve gotten into and what are the things we’ve let slide for far too long? And how can we be better and how can we fix that? And how can we move forward in a way that’s going to make a real difference in making this world a better place?” It’s been really amazing to see that. I’ve done a lot of soul searching personally and professionally, and it’s given me time to do even the silliest of things. I made a home office for the first time in 10 years. I built a bookshelf and made a space for me to actually work from home, which has been amazing. And I’ve learned
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how to do so many different things, and I’ve read books that I’ve never had the chance to read and gone through and seen films that I would have never ever gotten the chance to look at otherwise. I think for me, it’s made me realize that ultimately, connection and understanding and human interaction is what feeds my soul. And again, I think that’s why I do what I do for a living, because that search for true connection is something that has kind of been the driving force in my life, I’m realizing. Ultimately, I always try and leave people with this: I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in my life, but
Katherine McNamara/Freeform/Justin Stevens/John Medland/Mark Holzberg/ Arrow/DC/The CW/Warner Bros./Shadowhunters/Freeform
rite things in the world. But this year, I’ve been doing a lot of hiking and exploring the natural spaces around where I live. I bake a lot. Something I did at the beginning of quarantine is I [laughs] did sort of a reverse trick-ortreating sort of thing—baking is very therapeutic for me—where I baked a bunch of cookies and a bunch of other baked goods when LA was still in major lockdown and I had to get out of my house. So I got in my car and I drove to all my friends’ houses around town and dropped little bags of cookies at the end of their driveways and just waved in my mask from my car and jumped back in and drove away. And just to get to see somebody’s face that was not on a screen, and be outside in LA and do something that was safe and just a little bit therapeutic, that was probably my favorite thing I’ve done all year.
I got to this point where I realized that life is all about choices. And no matter what you’re going through— whether you wake up feeling great or wake up totally on the wrong side of the bed—life is all about the choices that you make and the perspective you choose to have. Everyday we have the opportunity to choose to have a great day, or to choose to have a terrible day. And it’s all down to having the wherewithal and the strength to make that choice. And it’s not always easy. Everybody has bad days, and everybody has moments where they feel like the whole world is against them. What I think
this year has made us all realize is that we’re all in this together and this world is a weird, crazy, topsy-turvy place, but the more we can project kindness and love and unity and positivity into the world, the better everyone is going to be in the long run. SPOILER: I know you probably don’t think you’re a celebrity, but do you ever get used to being a celebrity?
KATHERINE McNAMARA: Oh no, I really don’t think of myself as a celebrity, nor do I think I ever will. I think the moment that I think of myself as a celebrity is the moment that I have a real problem. To me, I’m just an actor; I’m a storyteller. I just want to keep being a weird little chameleon and telling stories and being able to touch people’s lives and remind people what it means to be human—whether I’m in front of the camera or behind the camera or on stage,
I just hope that it makes someone feel something and I can make someone’s day just a little bit better. SPOILER: You’re on a very fine list of celebrity redheads—do you feel honored to be on that list? KATHERINE McNAMARA: [laughs] I do, actually. Whether it’s Jessica Chastain, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, all these amazing people in this world, I’m always astounded to be among them. We shot Shadowhunters in Toronto, and there’s a thing called the Toronto International Film Festival that happens every year. And it’s always exciting when you’re sequestered away—although I love Toronto—but when you’re there for 10 months and you don’t really get to be around the rest of the industry a lot, it’s exciting when the industry comes to Toronto. I think it was my first TIFF, I remember I was at some event for In Style magazine, and I looked around: Nicole Kidman on one end of the room and Amy Adams on the other end of the room and I was somehow between the two of them, and I went, “Oh my goodness, I don’t even know how to feel right now because I’m in the
presence of the greatness of the redheads.” [laughs] You know, I love changing my hair color, but I always will be a redhead inside. There’s a spiciness to it, but I love it. SPOILER: Have you ever nerded out seeing someone you love and admire? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I grew up doing musical theater and absolutely love it, and I had a chance to do A Little Night Music on Broadway for a year. And when I first got to New York, I was this bright-eyed, 14-yearold from Kansas City who just moved to New York. And A Little Night Music is, of course, a Stephen Sondheim show, and Stephen was having a party at his house for the cast and crew. And I wanted to not be the first one at the party because I was still new, so I decided, “Okay, I’ll go 15 minutes after the party’s supposed to start.” And I get to Mr. Sondheim’s home, and they show me to the room where the party is, and the only people there so far are myself, Stephen, and Angela Lansbury. And I’m going, “Okay, Legend #1, Legend #2—what am I supposed to say—a 14-year-old from Kansas City?” But we ended up having a lovely conversation. I think I just started talking about the cheese board until I could figure out what my brain was doing. Ultimately, what it comes down to is, I find the people who have had the most success, and the people who I’ve had the
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pleasure to meet who are legends in their own right, are still the most kind, human, down-to-earth people, because that’s how they’ve managed to deal with all the ups and downs that the industry can throw at you. They’re still themselves and they’re still human beings at their core and they’ve maintained their feet firmly on the ground. And I think that’s the most important thing no matter what happens. SPOILER: Do you feel all these old actors—even ones from the ‘80s and ‘90s—are being neglected? Because we had some amazing talents that rocked the world. This was a time before Instagram and Twitter. You have to imagine, these people made it worldwide without social media and platforms like that. Do you think we take them for granted? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I’m not sure. I’ve always appreciated the classics, so I have really been influenced by all of those forces regardless. I’m not necessarily up on what all the kids are doing and saying [laughs]—I’m still figuring out TikTok—I have no idea. It’s one of those things where I think it’s up to us to continue to celebrate those classics and
continue to honor the work that’s been done and the people who have paved the way and paved the path that we’re lucky enough to continue. It’s something that I loved so much about Arrow—even though it’s a very different situation—but the fact that Stephen had sort of built this legacy for so many years, and created the character of, not only Oliver Queen, but the character of the Green Arrow and what the Green Arrow stood for, and, as the hero, being the sort of lone wolf that opens up to a team, and yet still very much is an independent, sort of dark anti-hero—I felt so much responsibility to stay true to that in Mia and to carry that forward.
episode, and every detail of every storyline ever. And the fact that he would apply those things and continue to hold the show to a very high standard and make sure that everything was done in the best way that it could possibly be done, everything was in his power. Getting to work with him and learn from him and fight alongside him, he really was a dad to me on that show and was so wonderful every step of the way, in guiding me and passing the quiver, as it were. But everybody on that set was so great. And being a part of that story, and even, if you’re a fan of the DC TV shows, getting to be part of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” it’s one of those moments where you have to just pinch yourself and go, “Wait a second, I’m sorry, I’m at work right now, and there’s a couple of Supermen, and Batwoman, and Supergirl, and the Green Arrow, and the White Canary, and the Flash, and all of these incredible characters in their super suits and I’m in my super suit, and somehow we get to all fight bad guys together? What is this? This is far beyond anything I could have possibly imagined for my life.” SPOILER: Did you ever in your wildest imagination think you were gonna be part of one of these franchises? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I never ever thought I would have the opportunity to do anything like this. And I think it’s so cool. I grew up loving all
SPOILER: What was it like to work with Stephen Amell? He was so perfect for that role. Arrow could have gone on forever and nobody would have ever gotten bored with it. KATHERINE McNAMARA: It’s true. Stephen is so smart and working with him, I learned so much. I always appreciate actors who take such pride in their work and have such a specific work ethic to care and be so detail-oriented about the story. And that’s the thing about Stephen—he remembered everything from every
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G SPOILER: Outside of being Mia Smoak and the new Green Arrow, what other superhero would you like to be? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I always say I’d love to have the power to heal. Just because I feel like, when you have a superhero team, everybody always picks, like, “Oh, I wanna fly, or I wanna have laser vision, or I wanna do this or that.” But ultimately, if you’re gonna be out there saving the world on a superhero team, somebody’s gonna get hurt, somebody’s gonna trip on something—probably me—and somebody’s gonna need to be patched up, so you gotta have somebody on the team who can fix that and keep going. So that’s the role that I would love to fill. SPOILER: Aside from being an amazing actor, I know you’re a singer. What would be the theme song of your life right now? KATHERINE McNAMARA: Oh, that’s such an interesting question. My brain is spinning. I’m thinking about “Seasons of Love” from Rent [laughs] I don’t know. It’s been such a retrospective year, that it’s really just highlighted the fact that life kind of is a journey and it’s all about these moments, and all about the peo-
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ple who crossed your path and the things that come into your life. That song has been part of my life for so long. It’s certainly one that we used to belt out on our singalong nights on the Shadowhunters set. So yeah, I’ll say “Seasons of Love” from Rent [laughs]. SPOILER: What would you like people to remember about you? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I think, ultimately, if I’m to be remembered for anything, I want to be remembered for working hard, being a good
Katherine McNamara/Freeform/Justin Stevens/John Medland/Mark Holzberg/ Arrow/DC/The CW/Warner Bros./Shadowhunters/Freeform
these things. I watched the Justice League cartoons every weekend as a kid. You never imagine that it’s possible for your life, because I’m just me. You know, I’m just this kid from Kansas City who likes to tell stories and is a huge math nerd. But getting to be part of these worlds and tell these stories, it’s amazing and it’s so much fun! To be able to go to work everyday and have a blast with the people that you really care about and make such incredible friendships, and really be able to tell stories that also mean something to people and touch people’s lives and help people through, whether it’s just a distraction from their hard day at work or helps them sort through real dilemmas that they’re having in their lives, it makes me feel grateful everyday to be able to do what I do for a living and just have these opportunities, and I’m just so thankful.
person, doing something to make the world a better place, and for telling good stories. I would hope. I dunno, I love what I do, and I like to work hard, and hopefully something that I’ve put out into the world is meaningful to someone and leaves the world a little bit better than when I came to it. SPOILER: If you could dress up as anyone for Halloween, who would it be? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I’ve been thinking a lot about this. I mean, I
love Halloween, and I actually have a trunk of costumes and prop pieces in my house that I tend to pull things out of when I need a costume. I think I’m just a couple pieces away from a Michelle Pfeiffer classic Catwoman situation, which is probably, if I were to dress up, what I would go with. Just ‘cause it’s fun and I miss running around in leather all the time [laughs]. But I dunno what I’m doing this year. I’ve got some friends that are part of my quarantine pod and we all happen to love horror movies, so maybe we’ll get together with some food and some movies. Or maybe we’ll do some of my reverse trick-ortreating again. SPOILER: What celebrity would you rate as a perfect 10? KATHERINE McNAMARA: I would say somebody like Viola Davis. Or Kristen Bell. They’re just these indi-
viduals who just tend to spread light wherever they go. And they tend to just bring other people up with them and make other people feel loved. Aside from that, they tell amazing stories and seem to have incredible work ethic. They’re people who I look up to. SPOILER: What is one message you would love to give to your fans?
KATHERINE McNAMARA: I think the biggest message I could give to anybody who’s been a follower of my work or a fan of anything that I’ve done is, “Thank you.” I pour my entire being and my blood, sweat, and tears into every role that I play; every story I tell; every job that I do. And the fact that there are people out there who get excited about it and look forward to it and appreciate it and are moved by it in any way, whether it’s just entertaining or they take some deeper meaning away from it, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do what I love for a living if it wasn’t for each and every one of them. And doing these Comic Cons and traveling all over the world, I’ve gotten to meet so many incredible individuals and people with the most strength I’ve ever seen and the most incredible stories and the most interesting lives. It’s brought so much to my life and it’s been such a gift that I have eternal gratitude and awe and respect for each and every one of them. march 2021|
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INTERVIEW BY GALAXY INTRO BY ETHAN BREHM
fandom culture like Orlando Jones. The chameleon character actor is known for his versatility just as much as his talent. Yet his involvement in the fan community and understanding of its psyche has helped inform his dedication to his craft throughout the years. The actor states, “As a fan, that’s what I’ve always loved watching: people who made me forget it was them, and then suddenly I’m off on this crazy adventure.” Everyone knows Orlando for something different, and that’s just what the actor loves about the career he’s carved out for himself. It’s fun for him to see which of his array of past projects fans will bring up. Whether it be his role in Evolution or Office Space or Mad TV or The Replacements or his recent turn in American Gods or even in an iconic 7 Up commercial, Orlando has always left an indelible impression on audiences and fans alike, and has become such a mainstay in popular culture for nearly three decades. The sage actor isn’t afraid to find the humor in the ridiculous realities of life and always tries to maintain a unique perspective. This past year has seen an unfortunate absence of in-person Comic Cons, which is something that Orlando really does lament. However, this Renaissance man, who’s been working with brands determined to find ways to advance the fan experience, also sees this as an opportunity for the Cons to transcend their traditional approach; a blessing in disguise for the future of these events. Ultimately, the actor’s legacy is the time and effort he puts into each and every one of his characters, whether he’s playing the lead or a scene-stealing supporting role, his dedication to having a total grasp of the characters he portrays has helped him to amass the lengthy and successful career he’s had. And then there’s that charisma too...
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Orlando Jones/Playboy/(cover image): Orlando Jones/Brownie Harris
There may be no other celebrity who understands
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SPOILER: How are you and how is everything going in your world? ORLANDO JONES: 2021 is off to a blazing start as per usual. I don’t think anything really ever slows down. There are some breaks and some things shift, but by and large, the creative process marches on, at least in my world. SPOILER: Orlando, what got you into acting? ORLANDO JONES: For me, it really does begin with just being a fan. I think everyone entered the business the same way: They saw something and became a fan of some aspect of what it was, be it acting, directing, whatever. In my case, it was definitely watching movies with my mom because she was very much about that. And then sports with my dad. So I just floated back and forth all the time. But you get lost in the stories and suddenly you find yourself wanting to do that thing, which for me was creating characters. I’ve been blessed to have the type of career where so many people know me for so many very different things, but everyone has their thing, and they think their thing is the only thing [laughs]. SPOILER: You’re known for so many great projects. The other day we saw a Mother Goose truck and we started talking about Double Take [laughs]. ORLANDO JONES: That’s hilarious! See, to me, that’s the fun of it. I haven’t had anyone talk to me about Double Take in forever. For me it’s exciting [laughs] because I never know what it’s gonna be. If it’s a sports person, it’s The Replacements, if it’s a biker person, it’s Biker Boyz, if it’s science fiction, it could be Time Machine, it could be Sleepy Hollow, it could be American Gods, The Good Lord Bird. It’s a very odd thing that I literally don’t know—it could be Mad TV [laughs]. I have no idea. But it’s fun because they’re so different and I get to meet people with very different personalities because my fans are a very diverse group. It’s really a delightful thing at the end of the day. SPOILER: Do you think your diverse filmography is part of the reason why people have admired you for so many years?
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ORLANDO JONES: I don’t know. I don’t think of it like that. You have to understand, I don’t see it the way you see it. I have none of your vision. For me, when we’re talking about acting, I was always a big fan of Peter Sellers, the Alfre Woodards, I was fans of people who were more like changelings; who could really become someone different so that you forgot that you were watching them, which is very, very different than the mainstream movie star thing, because it doesn’t matter what movie it is, you just say that person’s name: “Oh yeah, it’s Tom Cruise!”; “It’s Will Smith!” They generally are just themselves. I didn’t come to it from that school, so for me it was always about your ability to really embody a character fully and to have people not see you—to really feel like they’re meeting a different human being and thinking about how that human being functions in the world. Because in many cases those movies weren’t written for me, they were written for a White man and suddenly they cast a Black guy. So how do you do that when there hasn’t been really any work put towards thinking about your character in any complete way? You’re just sort of this side character over here. So as much as you’re able to fill in dimension and have them feel real, like people you know, that has always been my love of it, and also obviously my biggest challenge and fear that I’m gonna mess this up [laughs]. But as a fan, that’s what I’ve always loved watching: people who made me forget it was them, and then suddenly I’m off on this crazy adventure. It was the best. That still, to me, is the best, which is why I’m still very much a 14-year-old fangirl [laughs]. That’s me [laughs]. Listen, I just got a chance to catch up on The Mandalorian. I’m not gonna lie, I was yelling at the TV. It’s no different than a sports game to me. I’m fully in. I’m that person [laughs]. I’m unapologetic about it. I’m enjoying it, I know it’s not real—that’s not the point! I’m completely that guy. So it doesn’t matter than I’m sitting alone. I’m watching Supernatural, like, “‘Destiel’ just became canon.
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Can you believe it?” And that might not mean anything to somebody else. But I understood when Sergio Aragonés first told me what Comic Con was when I was doing Mad TV. He had mentioned it to me and I was like, “Woah! People like you will be there? Then I would like to go there!” That was like 1996, and I get introduced to the Comic Con world and I watch it evolve, but was very much in it as a fan, just experiencing it through the eyes of these incredible artists who did very different things, and I always loved art. So I was excited. I was a kid who read Mad Magazine. I was on Mad TV—are
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you kidding me?—and I’m talking to Spy vs.Spy? I was losing it [laughs]. I could not believe what was goin’ on. And then to find myself in the midst of all these people who had done all of these other things, it just became a part of a world. But it was also very clear to me that people thought it was weird and there was a judgement that went along with that depending on how into it you were. And I was pretty into it, but no one thought of me in that way. They were talking about the nerds behind their back, and I’m just sitting there going, [laughs] “You’ve got this so wrong! You really have no idea who
you’re talking to right now when you’re talking about people getting dressed up in cosplay. Boy, did you miss!” Even for Halo 2, I’m in the video game and nobody cared about that stuff back then, but I was losing my mind that I got to do five hours of extra content for that game and work with the team that did Myst. I was at the Video Game Awards the first year, so to watch how these things have evolved has been crazy. But we were the nerdy guys, that’s just what it was. I still unapologetically love that, but I’m not so crazy to think that fanboys didn’t make fun of fangirls. And I was very much in the fangirl category far more than I was in the fanboy category, but I loved the same things the fanboys did. But the treatment of it was, you felt like a disenfranchised person. So there was a real connection with the Con world and everything it represented for me because I was like, “THIS I understand!” It was nice to be in a community of individuals where the fundamental force wasn’t race. The thing that bonded us all was our love of these really nerdy, genre things. And I’ve always loved the fandom community because that’s what it represents and that’s what it’s always been. Yes, there are flame wars, but by and large, the culture of it doesn’t
find itself defined by violence and putting people down for digging something that you don’t dig. And it’s why in Supernatural, Destiel becoming a part of the core of that fandom is huge because that’s just something that people were shipping that other people were mad about [laughs]. It’s not real! It’s fantasy! And it’s not being represented. So here we are, we all made it up and we love it, and we read it and we think it’s cool. No one is trying to tout it for its literary greatness. We’re touting it because there’s something that we see in the characters that we love that we never imagined would get explored by the writers of these characters, but it came from the fans. So much of my career I feel it’s been that way where fans have gotten to know me as an actor in one way, and then get to know me as a human being in another way, and I’ve always tried to be very open about that. As much as I have a crew of people who think that I hate Republicans [laughs] and all that, it’s like, “Wow, man, that would be me hating people in my own family.” My family dynamic is too diverse for me to think in those myopic terms, so because of that, it’s really about trying to spread as much joy and love in the
world as you can, and if that offends you about me then I’m good with that [laughs]. SPOILER: You think that is why many fans find it easy to connect with you? ORLANDO JONES: I’ve always wanted to be that way because those are the people who I meet, who I talk to, who are telling me about their lives. And suddenly I see a character through eyes in a way I never saw it before, and it’s all over the map. It’s Black, it’s White, it’s Latino, it’s straight, it’s gay, it’s disabled, it’s military. I can’t even name all the different fans or different worlds that fans come from and how they color it in a way that’s unique and special and powerful. I’m being educated in real time by my fans. And it’s the greatest gift anyone could’ve ever given me. And to not see that as a gift is crazy. SPOILER: I gotta bring up your Mr. Nancy hairstyle in American Gods, we know you’re not on the show anymore but they kept your hair and repurposed it for another character [laughs]. ORLANDO JONES: [laughs] Yes! The Mr. Nancy hair has been repurposed now. It’s very strange, but hilarious
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nonetheless [laughs]. A couple of fans pointed it out, man, and I laughed so hard! The gift of being in fandom is one I’m eternally grateful for because of their clarity. People always talk about what the fans don’t get, and I find that so funny. I’m like, “No, that’s not it, my friend. They get it. They completely understand it. The person who can’t understand it is you because you can only see the terms under which you defined it. You don’t realize the moment it hit the air, it doesn’t belong to you anymore, it belongs to everyone. In your world it doesn’t belong to everyone, but in my world it does, and because of that you miss these little gems along the way.” But the repurposing of the hair is hilarious. For me as a fan watching the end of Game of Thrones, as I think many have lamented, was disappointing. As a fan I understand what it’s like. It’s why I try to work so hard to make the characters as complete as I can, so what you do get of them, you get a full glimpse of them. And I’m happy that in season 2 of American Gods I was able to explore Nancy more than I was in the two scenes he was in in season 1 [laughs]. Just having the ability to be able to lay him out in season 2 was something I was really glad I got the opportunity to do. Wish I could’ve carried it further. Look, I think it’s important to identify what the most important thing is in whatever you do. And I think it’s important to try and think of that thing respectfully. There’s nothing more important in the entertainment business than the fans. The fans are literally the business. I think it’s different from my job as an actor, and maybe because I’m a marketer and a brander and a writer and I’ve done these other things, so I can’t just see it through the lens of an actor. But I do understand actors who aren’t comfortable with that. And I understand that in their creative state and the way their creative works, they can’t be open to both. It’s something that’s against the DNA of the way certain actors approach the craft. So I understand that and I don’t want to demonize those people who don’t have that
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comfort level. It’s not that they don’t like it—it’s that they have anxiety and it’s not comfortable for them. And the fact that people might think they look perfect or their character’s incredible or whatever, they still have some anxiety that they’ve had to work through in order to bring that character to life, and that’s part of what you’re watching, and being themselves is a more difficult task. To be fair, there are also people who just don’t wanna mingle with fans and have that attitude. Those individuals who are making a career choice, it’s up to fans to decide if that’s what you want to support. But for me, I came from the theater. I’m a southern boy. I didn’t grow up in a big city. I grew up where you speak to people. You walk past them, you say, “Hello,” whether you knew them or not. I think there’s a part of just the way I grew up. I grew up in the Deep South [laughs], plenty of racism to go around, right? But I still didn’t look at every White person I saw and go, “That’s a racist. That’s a racist. That’s a racist.” That wasn’t my view of the world. I think it’s really important to work to have a view of the world that allows you to develop relationships and understand that a person’s lack of understanding of something is not the same as them having this feeling. I can’t expect White people to understand racism if all you’ve done is read about it. How would you know? I don’t understand privilege simply because of being a certain race. How would I know? I’ve talked about it and heard about it, but I’ve never experienced it. And there’s a nuance there that I don’t get. I’m mindful of the fact that my biggest education to developing a complete opinion comes by listening acutely to varying points of view amongst those people who have had that experience. By listening to a full 360 point of view, you can really get a map on what’s going on by virtue of listening— following, not leading. And that’s hard to do when they tell you that you’re in charge; to realize that you’re going to have to hand over the responsibility of part of these components to someone who understands it and you don’t. And
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SPOILER:The day I knew that us nerds of the universe had gone mainstream is when Kirk Hammett from Metallica showed the world that he is an avid collector and a nerd, and on that TV show he said that he hid his passion for years, but now he is able to show it off. ORLANDO JONES: [laughs] That’s right! I knew that story! I used to do this show on FX when the network first launched, called Sound fX, and it was a one hour consumer guide to music and I interviewed all kinds of bands, just crazy stuff. And I discovered that Kirk was a nerd because I got into a conversation with him, and I [already] knew the story, so it was so funny to hear him say, “I’m finally able to share it!” I remember having the conversation with Chris Cornell—I’m a huge Soundgarden fan. [laughs] I was like, “Dude, you know who’s like a crazy collector nerd? Kirk!” He was like, “What??”
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SPOILER: There’s so many people out there who hid being a “nerd” for so long.
that’s the failing. It’s the failing of the creative process not to invite those people who really do understand those things intimately to be part of the creative process so that we can see more 360 characters and not dump all of that responsibility on the actor with often very little support to get it done. I feel like if we can achieve that as artists and we can give something truly beautiful to the fans, which is they can truly see themselves and this diversity conversation can move beyond Black and White and start to include individuals who happen to be disabled, who just have a different normal, but that’s their normal. To label them all as somehow broken humans, or give able-bodied actors the microphone consistently and allow them to play roles that a disabled actor could bring an entire understanding and dimension
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to it that I’ve never had the opportunity to see—that opens up the world for me in a way that’s powerful, that allows me to see through that artist’s eyes. That’s the magic of what this medium allows. So allowing those artists to be able to be recognized and to have their voices be heard is what diversity is about. But it’s how it affects all of us and uplifts all of us. And that part gets lost in all of the rhetoric and conversation about politics and sides. It’s the idea that when artists get to tell their stories authentically, all boats rise from that experience. And it’s a powerful experience and it’s why I love this job and would die to do it. To look at it any other way, for me, is to betray the artists like James Baldwin and Nina Simone who inspired me and who made me wanna do this.
ORLANDO JONES: I get it. Because I spent a lot of time in sports fandom, there’s a real machismo to that whole thing, and it’s got a lot of rules—this notion of the guy’s guy who pollutes the earth and waves his penis around for all to see. It’s a particular individual. It’s the same guy who claps at you while he talks to you, like he needs to get your attention. SPOILER: Don’t you miss our beloved Comic Cons? ORLANDO JONES: I’m really just missing the whole Comic Con community. I’m hoping that even if we can do it online, that there’s a wave where that group of people can be together. I say this all the time, because honestly I just think it’s funny and I mean it as a joke—I don’t mean to offend anyone—but I think it’s funny that in all the years of Comic Con that the most violent act to ever
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have happened is somebody stabbing somebody with a pen because they tripped and fell, so the stabbing was inadvertent. They fell on the pen. With all of the fun and the merriment, and the extracurricular and the alcohol, that’s the violent act at Comic Con. Super Bowl weekend, there are dead bodies and it’s the number-one human trafficking day of the year. I just wanna point out the contrast [laughs]. Comic Con is a beautiful thing, man, and more of that in the world cannot be a bad thing. I really think there’s an opportunity in tech with the conventions, which is why I was working with the Cos-
munity app, which is now fan grown, helping those companies get off the ground, just for us to be able to collect some data around it and really just understand what’s possible. My hope, as we move forward, there’s some really wonderful things on the tech side to make the experience of the Con way more seamless, and frankly to make it better curated for the individual so that they’re just getting a wildly better experience with less line time and more activity time. For me, that’s what I wanna see happen in that space, and that’s where I’m investing a lot of my time, just to make that a reality. And to also make that experience live online
as opposed to being a thing that you do once a year—to have that community be vibrant both online and offline, I think, is a better way to approach it. I’m really excited about that, and I think it’s really gonna be revolutionary because of how much we can improve the on-the-ground fan experience and allow them to take it back home. I’ve been to so many Cons all over the world. I’m like, “Come on!” You should be able to walk in with your phone and, “Blink!—straight through” [laughs]. This should be super easy. You should not be going, “Oh my goodness! The WiFi sucks in this building!” No, that’s not how it should be. You should come in and get on the network, like, “Boom! I’m on!” You’re on the network, you’re good. You’re completely plugged in. You can get everywhere. It’ll navigate you everywhere. It’s simple. There’s no way for you to get lost. SPOILER: A lot of the big conventions, I don’t think they like change. ORLANDO JONES: They don’t. They’re event promoters, so they’re thinking, “How do you promote an event on the ground locally?” For me, obviously I’m not—I’m a brander and a marketer. And when I put on an event, I want a global audience to have access to that event. And technology makes it so that’s not cost-prohibitive, but even though the event is just going to be for these people in the city to experience in person, there are still so many things that can be experienced by individuals who want to be in that event, but couldn’t make it for some reason. But you have to be thinking about them from the outset. When they started doing Comic Con, none of this existed. This is all new. And they don’t wanna hand over control to the kids. Now the unfortunate part is that it’s the Wild West, so it’s gonna happen either way. We’re in a global pandemic, so now it’s about, “How do we connect this community?” Because the community needs each other. “And how do we give this community as much of an in-person experience and not just an online
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orlando jones experience?” It gets exciting to think about what’s possible, not just as an actor and a storyteller, but as a human more than anything.
S SPOILER: Look at the studios making superhero movies. They’re doing so well because they’re thinking about the fans. That’s what you’re doing too. ORLANDO JONES: That’s how we live. It’s our love of the thing that bonds us together. For me, it’s a fun thing. Fans do crazy stuff and go out of their way for me all the time. So I’m just being a good neighbor in the community. It’s not a oneway street and I’m not the only one doing anything. Even for the people who consider themselves haters, I’m like, “Hey man, you still put a lot of energy into coming and yelling at me, so thank you for that. I’m actually not mad at you, so let’s keep talkin’.” [laughs] Throws them every time. They’re like, “Is he tryna be my friend??” I’m like, “You’re over here yelling, so we might as well talk.” SPOILER: That’s when you tell them, “Make 7 Up yours.” ORLANDO JONES: Waaay up yours [laughs].
SPOILER: How did you come up with that? Because when I think of that commercial, I think of New York City, I think of Queens. It just reminds me of that. ORLANDO JONES: [laughs] I love
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that, man. I started my advertising agency when I was 18-years-old, and I was lucky to have a bunch of clients. And for 7 Up, it was just nice to be able to be in a position creatively to say, “I wanna do this; I don’t wanna do that.” It was a fun campaign to be a part of and to do the catchphrase and all that kinda stuff. Yeah man, that one blew up on us. It was a crazy one and one I remember fondly. The funniest part about that is it only ran for one year and I worked for 8 days. And I got in trouble. I got banned from the Super Bowl. I had people calling me indecent. Kids were getting expelled from school for wearing the t-shirt. Crazy controversy. I remember watching The Today Show and Katie Couric was running the ad saying, “Is this inde-
cent?” [laughs] So it came at a price. People say I push the envelope too much. It was interesting. SPOILER: What you created with that brand was genius. ORLANDO JONES: Super fun, man. I had a great time doing it. But it was just funny that suddenly people were mad at me about it. I was like, “Wait, what?? This is hilarious! I mean, it says, ‘Make 7 Up yours.’ Come on, he couldn’t get it all on the whole shirt, that’s the joke. He split it up because he never thought about the ‘up yours.’ He’s an idiot. He’s standing in the middle of the freeway because he doesn’t understand high traffic areas and he has a soda machine in the middle of the freeway.” [laughs] He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t
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even get it! He’s an imbecile [laughs]. That’s why I loved him. That was literally the pitch: “I think he’s the CEO of 7 Up’s son. And they’ve given this guy the marketing budget, and he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing.” So that was really the character. I thought it would be really funny to just have some guy who just didn’t get it at all, and then it all went to s**t. I just thought it was so funny that he was so oblivious to the negativity. I’m a huge big Peter Sellers fan, so it was also Inspector Clouseau. I love Inspector Clouseau. No matter what’s going on, Inspector Clouseau is not in on the joke. Do you know the dog joke? So Inspector Clouseau walks into a bank and he’s waiting for his boss, the other inspector, to come down. He sees this lady standing there and she has a dog next to her. And he says, “Excuse me, ma’am, doos yur doog bite?” And she says, “What??” And he says, “Doos yur doog bite?” She says, “No.” And he leans over to pet the dog and the dog goes apes**t. And he jumps back, fearing for his life, and bumps into someone else, then looks at the woman and says, “I thought you said yur doog doos nut bite!” And she says, “It is not my dog,” [laughs] and I laughed hysterically! So for me, I was like, “Man, if I could get away with that madness…” And that for me is usually the fun of the characters. It was the same with The Replacements. Clifford Franklin, to me, is the guy who, literally one minute he’s chasing down shoplifters at the grocery store—that was his great gift because he was fast—but the truth of the matter is he’s a country boy. He gets off the bus with a box wrapped in twine. He doesn’t even have luggage. That’s how he went to the NFL. They win two games, he’s got on a mesh leather t-shirt, sunglasses, and he’s talking about himself in the third person. [laughs] THAT is Clifford Franklin. In Double Take, it was about saying, “Here is the journey of this character, this human who walks into this world as an Ivy League banker with a model girlfriend, and suddenly finds himself face to face with someone who’s 5150, not from the
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ries about the bulls**t that they hear, because people just assume that they’re some a**hole at the border and don’t know anything. I was like, “What would annoy you the most? Got it! That’s what my guy’s gonna do” [laughs]. I wanted the biggest eye roll I could get. SPOILER: Any final words to your fans?
ORLANDO JONES: “Have an incredible 2021. It’s all about perspective. If you can’t change your situation, then change your perspective.” Orlando Jones/American Gods/Starz/Lionsgate/Freemantle/Sleepy Hollow/Fox
same circumstances, doesn’t have an erudite sound or an erudite look, doesn’t particularly identify in the same way with European culture as he does with his own culture, therefore is looked at and treated a certain way—diminished. And now you two people switch places and deal with the culture clash within each other. Here’s your stupid movie and the comedy about that. But the culture clash about what’s happening between them is one that’s happening
within their culture, but also happening within the outside culture as well.” The only reasonably fun thing about that movie for me was trying to explore those things between me and Eddie Griffin and talking about those aspects, and how those aspects fall over into Latin culture as well, because suddenly you’re on the Mexico border. And suddenly Daryl Chase is trying to code switch to Latino. He’s gone from being the guy who can talk the Wall Street talk to the guy who can talk the street talk, and now he’s trying to talk Latino, but he doesn’t speak Spanish [laughs]. It’s like, “Really, jackass??” So, for me, the arrogance of this guy to attempt all of this and to be okay to really be failing at it, that’s why those characters are sort of interesting, because I can’t help but see them that way. That joke [to the border patrol] is supposed to be funny to Latinos who deal with that stuff everyday. I was looking to get that insight, so I was talking to the border crossing guys, and they were telling me sto-
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INTERVIEW BY GALAXY INTRO BY ETHAN BREHM
Siobhan Fallon Hogan/Emma McIntyre/Getty Images/(cover image): Siobhan Fallon Hogan/Carmela Caracappa
There’s a reason why Siobhan Fallon Hogan
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has had such a successful career in Hollywood. Her secret? Just be good to people. The SNL alum has worked with nearly everybody in the industry over the years and seems to make friends wherever she goes. The New York native moved to Los Angeles in the late ‘80s and then quickly got spots on The Golden Girls, Saturday Night Live, and Seinfeld, and has since amassed a filmography that spans over three decades with memorable roles on some huge projects. Siobhan has so many stories about her life that she could write a book— and she definitely should. The actress began her career performing one-woman shows where she would act out an array of characters, and to this day she never shies away from a hilarious imitation. You obviously can’t hear it in print, but just about every time she quotes somebody in this interview, she spices it up with an impression of that person. She talks to us about her upcoming screenwriting debut, Rushed, which she also stars in. The film features a few dozen actors who she’s worked with throughout her career, along with some very notable talents behind the scenes. The film sounds amazing and we can’t wait to see it for ourselves. While in the movie she’s taking on a more serious role than the ones she’s typically known for, here the actress doesn’t fail to entertain us with her fun anecdotes and refreshing non-sequiturs. She tells us all about a music box gifted to her by Samuel L. Jackson, as well as how often John Cena would eat at McDonald’s when they worked together. However, amidst all of our laughter, she also imparts to us some of the sage wisdom that comes with a life and career as eminent as hers.
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SPOILER: You have a new project coming out. Tell us what it’s all about. SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I wrote a film, it’s finished, and I’m not allowed to say who just bought it. It’s called Rushed. We shot it last October in New Jersey and upstate New York. Robert Patrick plays my husband in it. Jake Weary from Animal Kingdom is in it. Peri Gilpin from Frasier, she’s an old friend of mine and a great actress. It’s a movie about a mom who loses her son in a fraternity hazing incident. We shot it in 22 days and we had it edited in France with this woman Sabine Emiliani, who won the BAFTA for March of the Penguins. She’s a fabulous editor. So we finished it all before COVID. Then I was supposed to go to Denmark because Zentropa, who I’ve done three movies with over the years, they co-produced it with me. In March we were supposed to go do the sound in Denmark with this insanely talented composer, Kristian Eidnes Andersen, but we had to do it all remotely because of COVID,
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but we finished it. And we literally just sold it, and it will be in theaters near you in August or September. You’re like, “Did I ask a question, or are you just gonna talk?” [laughs] SPOILER: I subliminally asked, so keep on sharing. SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Okay, I’ll keep going. This movie Rushed is just literally a collaboration of so many people I’ve worked with over the years. There are only 2 people in the cast of 47 who I haven’t worked with before. Robert Patrick, this will be my third time working with him. I played his sister in the Demi Moore movie Striptease [laughs]. I was the only non-stripper. These were just all these people I kept in touch with over the years. Even these young kids. I played Fred’s mother in the TV show Fred [laughs], and Jake Weary was the next-door neighbor. SPOILER: I remember Jake from Fred. He was the bully next door. That was a great show, it should have lasted much longer.
SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: My friend David Goodman, who’s now the head of the Writers Guild, he wrote [the show]. He called me up and said, “Hey, will you play the mother?” So Jake at the time was 19. And Jay Jay Warren, who played my son in Rushed, I was in this horror film with him, and I called him up and said, “Guess who we got to play the villain [in Rushed]? Jake Weary! You ever met him?” He said, “Siobhan, you don’t remember this?? I was in Fred with you too!” [laughs] And I cast them both in my film. I went to see Adam Sandler—who I was on SNL with—and he was performing live in New Jersey. And Jared Sandler, his nephew, was his opening act. And I go, “This kid is really good.” So then I thought, “Can he act?” And sure enough, we put him on tape and he’s a fantastic actor, so he’s in the movie as well. At my age, my kids are like, “Mom, please stay away from social media and stop texting people. It always ends up to the wrong person.” So my son had this great idea. He’s very connected with music people. And we had this rapper, Fat Nick, and he came and played a drug dealer in the movie—no offense to him—but he was with Jared Sandler, and the two of them in the movie are really incredible. The scene is amazing. SPOILER: How did you get your big break in Hollywood? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I did the Harvey Pekar show, American Splendor, years ago in LA. And Jerry Seinfeld came to the show, and that’s how I got on Seinfeld, and that’s how I got on Saturday Night Live. On Saturday mornings, my father used to have us read the funnies. Then when I moved to LA when I was 25 or so, my friend Vince Waldron was really into comic books, and he’s like, “There’s this great comic book writer from Ohio, and I want you to play all the roles.” And I’m from upstate New York, so that’s a lot like people from Ohio. And we did it in LA on Hollywood and Vine, and we did this show, and honestly that’s how I got so many breaks.
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the warden, and he calls me and goes, “Siobhan, I can’t shoot until June 1st. I got a gig in Vancouver. I’m doin’ a show with John Cena.” I go, “You gotta be kidding me. John Cena was my husband in Fred.” It’s getting a little incestuous. I’ll never forget John Cena would always tell me that he would go to McDonald’s every single day. So my son, who’s an actor now, Peter Hogan, he’s in my movie as well. He just graduated college and this kid loves McDonald’s. And every time I say, “Hey now, your body’s your instrument as an actor. You better stop eating McDonald’s.” And he’ll say, “Mom, listen, you told me that John Cena ate McDonald’s every single day.” So I go, “Okay. Uncle.”
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Falcon, I’m like, “This kid is genius!” And his other movie Honey Boy, he’s brilliant. I actually wrote another film that we’re gonna hopefully shoot in June, so I gotta get ahold of that Shia and go, “Listen, it’s your mother from another film.” [laughs] “Call your mother back!” SPOILER: Do you ever keep in contact with any of your castmates from Fred?
SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Lucas [Cruikshank] will always contact me on social media. I love him, he’s a great kid. And of course Jake. And then this upcoming film I wrote about a backwoodsy jail in Tennessee, about a wannabe country singer—so Robert Patrick is in that movie, as well, as
SPOILER: What got you into acting originally? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I’m one of five siblings, and I’m the second in the family. I just loved being on stage. My biggest break was in the 3rd grade in upstate New York. There was a play called The Proud Train [laughs], and I wanted to be the conductor, but they wouldn’t let
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SPOILER: You have this very recognizable face. You’ve been in so many cool movies. You were in Holes with Shia LaBeouf, you played his mother, and you’re so funny and great in everything you’re in. And now speaking with you, you’re a lot like your characters—funny and witty just like many of them are. Do people tell you that? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: [laughs] My father is extremely funny. I remember when I was a teenager or a kid in college, I didn’t think adults matured because my father was just like a kid. So now that I’m fully an adult, I’m like, “What does that really mean?” I think once you’re “mature” it’s all downhill from there. With Holes, it’s funny because Shia, obviously, is so insanely talented. And Andy Davis, who directed Holes, we’ve become great friends over the years, he really advised me a lot during shooting. And Shia, I’m such a massive fan of his and I literally cannot get over the work he’s done recently. Like Peanut Butter
girls audition for the role of conductor, because the conductor could only be guys—what the heck? So I was the wheel of the caboose. And I got my first bad review, but I was fearless. The review was from the 6th graders and it said, “Why was the caboose going so much faster than the other wheels? Wouldn’t the train derail?” [laughs] And I was very unathletic, so I always did the plays and everything. When I was a senior in high school, I said to my father, “I wanna be an actress,” and he said, “That’s ridiculous. You hafta go to college.” So I went to this little Jesuit college in Syracuse—Le Moyne—and I did all the plays. And then when it came time senior year, I was supposed to be a teacher. So I did my student teaching, and I love kids and stuff, but then they said you couldn’t go away for spring break. So I was like, “There goes my teaching career. Because I’m going to spring break in Florida.” Then I applied to graduate school and got my MFA—a very expensive way of learning how to breathe and pretend to be someone else for two years—at Catholic University. And John Flaherty was there when I was there. He’s the best. So I went there
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and got my training, and then went to New York City where I was a big loser. I was a receptionist at a law firm, but then I started auditioning and got into improv comedy. Then this guy who was a director of this comedy club called Who’s On 1st, it was on 65th and 1st—I think it’s like a chicken restaurant now—he said, “You really should write your own one-person show.” So I just wrote all these characters who I’d want to be cast as if I were cast. So I did it in New York, then I took all my pennies and did it in LA. I got good reviews and then I got SNL, which opened a ton of doors for me.
SPOILER: Do you feel that today, with so many platforms available, fame would’ve happened ten times faster? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Here’s the deal, SNL is awesome, but it’s mainly stand-up. And I was never a stand-up. I’m an actress. Even though I love sketch comedy, it’s a different deal. And I got married shortly after my first year on SNL. And then I had three kids. But I didn’t stop working. About every eight years I do a one-woman show. Two years ago I was like, “Okay, I guess I’ll do another
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one-woman show.” But then I was like, “You know what? I don’t wanna do another one-woman show.” Because after you do a one-woman show, you go out and say, “Hey, wasn’t it really fun when we did that one scene?” But it’s just you. I was like, “I can write a movie. Why don’t I put my energy into this?” So when we shot the movie, we had 47 actors, 42 crew, literally filming some of the scenes in my house. I was like, “This is a dream come true!” You can just do anything you wanna do if you put your mind to it.
SPOILER: Sometimes the things you don’t wanna do end up paying off big or lead to something even bigger in the end. SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Yes, you look back and go, “Thaaat’s why that happened.”
SPOILER: Is there a list of characters that you still wanna come out with? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I love playing the characters and I would do anything, but with this film, for the first time I was like, “Lemme play something closer to me.” For me, I always had my bag of tricks. I could do southern, I could do hick, whatever. You have all these accents, or walk with a limp or something [laughs]. I love doing the character work, but I loved playing something closer to me as well. SPOILER: Can you share a bit of the plot of your new movie? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: It’s about a mom who has four kids and her son gets killed. And basically how the family deals with that . And how an Irish Catholic family will have so much humor with so much hurt. Basically how a funny family deals with the loss of a brother. And the mother character, what lengths she will go to when the law won’t back her up. It’s a thriller. So the mother takes the law into her own hands and goes to psychotic lengths. She’s kinda like a helicopter mom and you think she’s kind of annoying because she’s totally domineering over the kids. And then when things go wrong, she’s got her son’s back.
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A SPOILER: What would Siobhan do in that situation? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Well let’s hope I’d never be in that situation. But my father’s one of eleven, and one time, my Uncle Mickey was mad at someone who insulted his daughter. And he took the guy to lunch and said, “Hey, Bill, how ya doin’?” And he’s like, “Good, Mr. Fallon.” And my uncle said, “Yeah? Lemme tell you somethin’. I’m 74-years-old. I have no problem being in jail for the rest of my life. You mess with my daughter one more time and I’m gonna kill you.” [laughs] For me, I wouldn’t have written it if it wasn’t in my realm. When people first read it, they were like, “Woah! Oh my gosh!” SPOILER: Over the years you’ve accumulated a loyal fanbase. What is one piece of advice that you can share with them right now? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I would say, “One hundred percent, what goes around comes around. And you wanna live your life being proud of your decisions. At the time, you might say, ‘I shouldn’t have turned that role down.’ But you wanna be proud of your decisions and be a really good friend in this industry because loyalty means everything. It doesn’t matter how high up you get if you’re screwing people over to get there.”
SPOILER: And that’s why so many actors want to be in your movie. SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Pardon my language, but pray your ass off. Don’t try to go at this on your own. I was raised Irish Catholic, and I really believe that you gotta be a good person and you gotta do good for others. As an actor, it’s easy to be really self-centered, and it’s kinda gross, and you don’t wanna be like that. I remember this guy came to Catholic University to speak and he was like 38-years-old, and I was like 24 getting my master’s. And he said, “The thing about theater and film and TV is life is not a track meet. Joe Pesci was 48. One person may ‘make it’ way before another person, but don’t judge it like that.”
siobhan fallon hogan
And I thought to myself at the time, “Huh, that’s what you think. But I’m gonna skyrocket fast.” But you get to my stage of the game and it’s like, “Just do really good work. Be picky about the work. Don’t do crap. And be really good to the people you work with.” And the really good people—people like Andy Davis, and Lars Von Trier, who I’ve worked with three times—I literally sent him my script and went, “Hey what do you think of this?” A day later, “We’ll co-produce with you.” And Lars—get this one—I sent him the movie when we finished it May 30th and said, “Lars, will you watch this?” And Lars is a real character, a real genius. He doesn’t get back to me, but his assistant’s like, “I got your email.” Then he wrote to me in August and said, “Siobhan, I saw your movie. It’s the first full movie I’ve sat through in 10 years and I loved it.” That’s the kinda thing. I could’ve been like, “What the hell? I’ve worked with you three times and it took you three months to watch my movie?!” But life is interesting. You gotta be patient. And you get more patient as you get older. Have faith. You got someone watching over you. You’re not alone. SPOILER: During the COVID era many are down and depressed. Your advice should give the readers a pep in their step. SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: My father and mother, they really taught us, “Don’t feel sorry for yourself. And stop thinking about yourself.” When I was in New York City and I was a receptionist at a law firm and things were really not doin’ too well, and I was on the phone with my mother, and my father was also on the other end of the phone. And my mother said, “Siobhan, you don’t want to be too inner-directed. You wanna be other-directed. When you’re feeling badly about yourself, you gotta do things for other people.” I was like, “What the hell? You can’t even feel sorry for yourself in this family.” Then my father goes, “Hey, Siobhan, I’m watching this show right now called the Academy Awards. You’re an actress aren’t ya? I’ve never seen you on this show,” [laughs]
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SPOILER: Do you feel better now? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I got COVID, I think from one of my daughter’s friends, and I’m like, “I don’t feel very good.” My doctor says, “Your husband can’t get COVID. I’m more worried about him.” All the kids are out of the house, so I sleep in my daughter’s room—the 19-year-old—surrounded by posters of the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and I would wake up with a fever and go, “What the hell? I was never sleazy, but did I just have a one-night stand?? Where the hell am I?” There were like 5 days that were bad, but after that it was like mono. SPOILER: Do you believe in the paranormal? SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I did a movie in Winnipeg called New In Town with Harry Connick Jr. and Renée Zellweger. There were literally two hotels available and the people said, “These are the two best hotels, but we wanna tell you that one of them’s haunted.” And I go, “I’m not stayin’ there!” So then we had to go back [to Winnipeg] to do reshoots for a day or two. And my father had literally just died. He was like a hero in Syracuse. The lady at the airport saw my ticket and was like, “‘Siobhan Fallon?’ Did your father just die? Oh, he was great.” Like, everybody knew him. So I get back to Winnipeg and they go, “Lis-
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ten, Siobhan, the other hotel’s booked, you have to go to the one that has ghosts.” [laughs] So I get to the front desk and I go, “I gotta ask you somethin’, there’s not really ghosts here, right?” They go, “Yes there are. Here’s the pamphlet.” And the place is booked for Halloween for like the next hundred years. So I go into my room and I go, “Listen, ghosts, I don’t know if you’re in here, but honestly I cannot take that, so please, whatever you do, do not come out because I can’t handle it.” I’m not kidding you, I remember one night I went to bed— and supposedly there was this bride who was murdered in there, and I thought that she was at the end of the bed. SPOILER: I can tell you have a hilarious family. And I adore your east coast accent. SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: Speaking of a hilarious Irish Catholic, Chris Farley was a really good friend of mine too, and we went to the same church, and we’d both be there after a Saturday night party going, “Please forgive us, I hope I didn’t go too far.” But that Irish Catholic humor is a common thing, so I wanna give a shout out to him. He used to love to touch my hair. He’d say, “Lemme touch your hair. I just wanna touch that red hair.” [laughs] He was hilarious, and talk about genius, right? SPOILER: You’ve worked with so many amazing actors. Have you learned a lot from working with them over the years?
SIOBHAN FALLON HOGAN: I really, really have. I’ve worked with Matt Dillon three times. It’s just weird how you’ll be like, “Oh! Hi!”
Siobhan Fallon Hogan/Carmela Caracappa
and he bursts out laughing and hangs up the phone. And then my mother goes, “Hey, listen, this call is kinda expensive, Siobhan—that was mean what he said.” Then I hear my father go, “Hang up the phone! This is expensive!” I was like, “What kinda phone call is that?” I actually had COVID. Here’s the thing, things are bad, but things could be way worse.
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I was really lucky that I was able to work with Lauren Bacall and she and I became really good friends. We lived in Central Park West, right near each other, and I remember one time she said to me, “Siobhan, did you ever think that you and I would be friends?” And I was like, “No.” Because when I flew over to Denmark to film the movie Dogville with her, I had three little kids in first class [laughs], and my kids, like Cheetos, fell from the first class and rained down on everyone. And she kinda looked at me like, “Oh, God!” And then I was like, “Hi, I’m gonna be in the movie with you,” and then we became such great friends. Back in the day I did The Negotiator with Samuel Jackson, and he is a class act, and we used to talk all the time. He’s just a great guy. And he gave me a music box. And my good friend Monica Rosenthal was in my apartment in New York City and said, “This is so pretty! What does it play?” I go, “I dunno.” She said, “Well, let’s play it!” And this was like a couple years after he’d given it to me [laughs]. So we wind it and listen, and she goes, “It’s playing ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’! You’re Samuel Jackon’s friend.” And we laughed for 20 minutes straight. march 2021|
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SPOILER MAGAZINE
BY vanessa bellew
It began, as all great things do, with an idea. But its journey to becoming Star Trek shaped what the Federation and the 24th century would be as surely as the experiences of its beloved creator shaped the man behind the franchise; as surely as the franchise continues to shape our 21st century world and how we imagine our future. The question is: what will we do with it?
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Star Trek/ViacomCBS
That idea was not Star Trek.
the idea the idea Gene Roddenberry didn’t always know he wanted to create the Starship Enterprise. He didn’t even always know he wanted to be a writer. In fact, he originally set out to follow in his father’s footsteps and majored in police science before the onset of World War II. He was a pilot—first in the Army Air Forces and then for Pan Am—then a police officer, then the speech writer for William Henry Parker III, the controversial anti-corruption Chief of Police of the Los Angeles Police Department. It was then he began to advise on the writing of a television program about a crusading District Attorney, the hilariously-named Mr. District Attorney, which eventually led him to write for the show under a pseudonym. By 1956, Roddenberry resigned from the LAPD and embarked on a career as a screenwriter. Surely this is the moment, you might think, free for the first time of his former martial identities, when our intrepid hero begins to write about
aliens and spaceships and peace. But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how humans work. No, Star Trek did not come to Gene Roddenberry at a dangerously high warp, straining its engines to the brink of physics, but rather in little thruster bursts: an ethical boundary drawn here, an actor found there. Gene Roddenberry spent his early writing career on procedurals and Westerns. His time as a police officer and a pilot in the war perfectly suited him for the kind of John Wayne Americana fare that made up the majority of the network television landscape at the time. But however much he fit into the demands of these hypermasculine genres, they never quite fit into his.
He began subversively. TV Westerns at the time were expected to end in a quickdraw shootout, but while lead writer on Have Gun, Will Travel, Roddenberry began submitting scripts in which the climax was solved without violence, or in which Paladin, the main character of the show, played no part in whatever violence occurred. As Gene once said in a 1991 interview with The Humanist, “I think we sanitize violence and escape any real feeling about what it really is. Television violence has no agony in it—or anything else, for that matter. People who are shot clutch their breast with a brave little smile and die…but off-camera. Violence is an ugly thing. When it is done, it should be done for the sake of the ugliness so that you are saying to the audience, ‘This is a terrible thing, even the hero is doing an ugly thing.’ There should be a comment on that ugliness.” By the late 1950s, with a few awards under his belt, that quiet progressive streak had grown like an un-
supervised tribble nest. When asked to develop a show called Riverboat set in 1860s Mississippi that included not a single Black cast member, Roddenberry argued so much that he lost his job. Frustrated, he briefly considered moving to England, only to be offered more money and his first producing credit by an American company called Screen Gems, which also backed his first pilot. It was during this time that he began collecting the puzzle pieces that would eventually fit together to make Star Trek. The main characters of Roddenberry’s first pilot were named Philip Pike, Edward Jellicoe, and James T. Irvine. He was contacted by an actress newly arrived in Hollywood who wanted to meet with him, launching a friendship and eventual romance with the oneand-only Mother of Star Trek, Majel Barrett. His second pilot was about a lawyer, played by our very own DeForest Kelley. He first entertained the idea of a show about a multiethnic crew on a ship—though it was an airship and their mission took them around the world, not around the galaxy—in 1961 after seeing the movie Master of the World, but as the time wasn’t right for a science fiction show on TV (this writer thinks
the time is always right), he instead created The Lieutenant in 1963, set on a Marine base. The cast and crew was littered with stars that would eventually shine in the Star Trek universe: Majel Barrett, Gene L. Coon, Joe D’Agosta, Gary Lockwood, D.C. Fontana, Leonard Nimoy, and Nichelle Nichols. Nichols’ first television role was an episode of The Lieutenant in which Roddenberry openly portrayed interracial cooperation. Called “To Set It Right,” it featured a White soldier and a Black soldier finding common cause in their roles in the Marines. The Pentagon had been approving scripts for the show, but withdrew their support in the wake of the episode’s airing. The Lieutenant was canceled after its first season. But Roddenberry was already dreaming up something entirely new. That’s right, reader. He took a few of his earlier ideas, especially that one about the multiethnic crew on an airship, and set them in outer space. He called it Star Trek. Yes! you may be thinking, Finally, Roddenberry knows what he’s about! But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how humans work. march 2021|
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The fight to create Roddenberry’s ideal Star Trek began almost immediately. On one side were Roddenberry, Desilu Productions (including producers Herb Solow, Bob Justman, and, of course, Lucille Ball), his writers, the cast of the Enterprise’s intrepid crew, and history. On the other side were NBC, oppressive moral codes on what was allowed on television at the time, a strict bottom line, and an American television audience who had never seen anything like Star Trek. Though Roddenberry sold the show to Desilu Productions and then
to NBC as a space Western—”a Wagon Train to the stars”—he privately discussed his vision as something closer to Jonathan Swift’s subversive adventure story Gulliver’s Travels. The galaxy he intended to create was post-scarcity, post-sexism, post-racism, post-religion. Humanity would have achieved its fullest potential, having united centuries before upon First Contact with the Vulcan species. The reigning power in our sector of space, The United Federation of Planets, would be an intergalactic cooperative government modeled on the United Nations. Roddenberry’s crew, part of the peacekeeping and exploratory armada known as Starfleet, would not only be multiethnic; it would be multispecies. The network was less than thrilled. The mid-1960s were a turbulent time in the American political and social landscape. It was the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The infamously discarded first pilot, “The Cage,” went into production in November of 1964, caught in time between the hopeful highs and violent lows of one of the most volatile years in United States history. In July of 1964, the Civil Rights Act ordered the integration of schools across the
Star Trek/ViacomCBS
the evolution the evolution
country, and a summer of brutal race riots began in Harlem and spread quickly to New Jersey, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. By the end of 1964, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize. In the midst of this, Roddenberry put a Black woman in a position of authority on the bridge of the Enterprise. From the second pilot onward, Nichelle Nichols played Lieutenant Uhura, an African-born, Swahili-speaking communications officer. The ramifications of that choice are still being felt. The stories by now are the stuff of science fiction and television legend: Martin Luther King Jr. himself convincing Nichelle Nichols how important it was she stay on the show, a young Whoopi Goldberg running through the house yelling about a Black woman on TV who wasn’t playing a maid, and the first interracial kiss that almost wasn’t, saved from the cutting room floor by a wily Bill Shatner.
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Things were far from perfect, of course. Uhura had to wear a revealing and impractical uniform (though at the time getting to wear a miniskirt on TV was a feminist victory) and occasionally made choices or said things that were tone-deaf to the realities of being Black and a woman, even in the 24th century. The character never got an episode of her own and had shockingly few lines, but Nichols’ portrayal is ever-present and alive in the background, reacting, opinionated; fully human. In the US, the Civil Rights Movement was at its chaotic apex, the Vietnam War and the last American draft had been going for over a decade, and the Women’s Liberation Movement was just getting started. Meanwhile, the world held its breath each time Russia and the United States found a new way to test each other in a Cold War that had launched nearly the moment World War II ended and would still be going by the time Star Trek: The
Next Generation began. American children regularly hid under their desks in drills to prepare for Russian nukes. On the island nation of Japan, reconstruction in the wake of World War II and the devastating effects of nuclear war was ongoing. It was an effort spearheaded by the US, who had dropped the bombs, and whose own Japanese citizens were still struggling to recover from years of imprisonment at the hands of their neighbors and friends. In Roddenberry’s future, humanity
was beyond such things. Despite the network’s persistent protestations, Ensign Pavel Chekov, a Russian wunderkind, and Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, a Japanese American, took their positions on the bridge. Actor George Takei, who spent years of his childhood in an American internment camp for the crime of a shared ethnicity with one of America’s then-enemies, was cast as the swashbuckling Sulu. With the global social and political temperature at such a fever pitch, a more cautious writer might have made a point to avoid controversial topics. But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how humans work. Roddenberry built the perfect vessel to fly cloaked past the censors’ sensors. “[By creating] a new world with new rules,” according to his assistant Susan Sackett, Roddenberry said,
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essentially given Number One’s logic-driven personality. Leonard Nimoy took that and ran with it, wrapping it up in a blanket of Tolkien obsession and cultural Judaism until he shaped the Vulcan race into what we know and love today. Rounding out the series cast were three more White men from Earth— Captain Kirk, a Starfleet maverick from Ohio, Dr. “Bones” McCoy, a disgruntled divorcé from Georgia, and engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott from (you guessed it) Scotland—and two additional White women who appeared infrequently and rarely without controversy—the Spock-infatuated Nurse Chapel, played by the previously-ousted Majel Barrett, and
Yeoman Rand, whose sole purpose seemed to be having feelings for Captain Kirk. This trope of making sure that nearly every recurring woman on the show had a romantic interest in one of the men continued through The Next Generation with Dr. Beverly Crusher and Counselor Troi, though with much more nuance and success. With the cast set and a viable pilot in the can, Star Trek finally aired on NBC with “The Man Trap” on September 8, 1966. It ran for three seasons, finally getting canceled a mere month before man first landed on the moon. During the three years we saw of its five-year mission, the Star Trek/ViacomCBS
“I could make statements about sex, religion, Vietnam, politics, and intercontinental missiles. Indeed, we did make them on Star Trek: We were sending messages and fortunately they all got by the network… If you talked about purple people on a far off planet, they (the television network) never really caught on. They were more concerned about cleavage. They actually would send a censor down to the set to measure a woman’s cleavage to make sure too much of her breast wasn’t showing.” Of course, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov were all later additions to Star Trek. Roddenberry’s first attempt included Majel Barrett as Number One, a no-nonsense woman who was the executive officer of the Enterprise, a sadly-doomed Captain Pike, and Mr. Spock as a much more human third-in-command. When NBC rejected the pilot and recommissioned a different version (”Where No Man Has Gone Before”), they also demanded some changes. It seemed the network executives didn’t think the world was ready for a woman in any kind of command, with the added insult of that historical cliché about how it was also this particular woman. “She was too logical,” said the men in charge, “too unlikeable.” But given that her character involved a secret romantic fantasy for her captain, the legacy of her impact on representation for women if she continued in the series would have been complicated. Instead, the alien Spock was promoted to executive officer and
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crew of the Enterprise encountered everything from a deep v-neck on Ricardo Montalban to infestations of furry lumps (not on Ricardo Montalban). They traveled through time, were split in twain, fell in love, fell in lust, went into heat (and what an “Amok Time” that was!), were captured and tortured and forced to fight and/or kiss. They caught strange diseases and encountered new species, fought injustice both within and without the Federation, and occasionally played fast and loose with the Prime Directive. Kirk developed quite a reputation for going where no (hu)man had gone before, if you know what I mean. Sometimes the strange scenarios the Enterprise endured
denberry was adamant in his design to show the full flower of human possibility. Though there was sometimes violence—the producers and the audience always loved a good space battle or grappling match with a Gorn—Roddenberry was determined that his characters, when in their right minds, would reach for physical conflict only as a last resort. He wanted Star Trek to portray a humanity beyond war, materialism, and prejudice, not as an impossibility or a final destination, but as a daily struggle to transcend our animal natures. This is reflected constantly in the choices each of the characters makes, in the ways they make amends after falling short and conducting themselves in a questionable manner, or in the ways their fellows choose to trust that anomalous behaviors come from a place of secret nobility or undiagnosed illness. On Kirk’s Enterprise, there are arguments and squabbles over the
best course of action, over the moral righteousness or precariousness of their options, over the very ways in which each character sees the universe. This is most notable in the trio of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, who respectively represent that mythological storytelling triumvirate of Id, Ego, and Super-Ego—the manifestations of the pursuit of pleasure, the practical demands of reality, and the conscience. Without one of the three, the character of the entire crew is unbalanced. Without
were allegories for all the things Roddenberry wanted to discuss with the American public. Sometimes they were frothy episodic romps through Soundstages 9 and 10. Gene Roddenberry presided over his writers throughout all of it, making cuts and changing scripts with a near-papal authority. His vision was firm and his edicts absolute, often to the fervent chagrin of his crew. Rodmarch 2021|
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Bones, the relativistic morality is missing. Without Spock, the pragmatic maturity is gone. Without Kirk, nobody’s having any fun. But the three of them can also not exist without discord between them. Many of the best moments in The Original Series come down to the sometimes reluctant friendships they built over their years of service together, the respect for one another’s skills, souls, and opinions. These things did not appear magically in the first episodes; they were earned one episode at a time by the writers, the actors, the audience, and the characters themselves. It is satisfying when Spock finally has a drink with Bones and Kirk because it took us so long and so much work to get there. We weep at his sacrifice in The Wrath of Khan because he so rarely has expressed his affection for Kirk, but in that moment because we have been on this journey with them from the beginning, we feel as though we too are losing something irreplaceable when Spock promises Kirk, “I have been—and always shall be—your friend.” As Gene Roddenberry once said, “To do a science fiction series and have the characters come anywhere near human is an accomplishment.” And, ah, gentle reader, that is how humans work. The Original Series ended in 1969 after 79 episodes, despite an enthusiastic letter-writing campaign from the fandom, but it began running in syndication almost immediately. Its growing cult popularity led to the creation of Star Trek: The Animated Series, about that same Enterprise crew, which aired on Saturday mornings from 1973 to 1974. With every year that passed, more and more people discovered Star Trek in syndication, finally leading Paramount (formerly Desilu) to attempt a new series. It was called Star Trek: Phase II and included a mixture of returning characters from Kirk’s Enterprise and new characters to replace Kirk and Spock, whose actors were too expensive or no longer interested. After the Paramount television division folded, the project was repurposed
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by the head of Paramount Pictures into Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The cast of The Original Series would go on to make a total of six motion pictures from 1979 to 1991. Shatner would make a seventh with the cast of The Next Generation and, much later, Nimoy would appear in the J.J. Abrams movie reboot. In the nearly-20 years that passed between the last live-action episode of The Original Series and the official conception of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the world—and the United States especially—had gone through a drastic transformation.
After the hippies and rock and roll, after integration and assassinations, after “Tricky” Dick Nixon and second-wave feminism, the Space Race and Vietnam and recession, the late 1980s were a strangely conservative but ultimately hopeful time. Thanks in no small part to The Original Series, Americans had come to accept a certain amount of diversity in their lives and on their TV screens. No television show to come after it had been quite so progressive or inclusive, but the very existence of Nichelle Nichols and George Takei in living rooms across the country altered the fabric of society. In fact, Nichelle Nichols would go on to work with NASA to help recruit young women into STEM fields. The Western world that existed when The Next Generation was born was slightly less oppressive of women—they could more easily get divorced, apply for credit cards in their own names, serve on juries, and obtain legal abortions, for instance. There were government structures in place for people of color experiencing
Star Trek/ViacomCBS
prejudice, even if they didn’t always work in actuality. It was finally legal for interracial couples to be married. Harvey Milk had become the first openly gay politician elected to office in California. Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Justice, and Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman Justice, were appointed to the Supreme Court. Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. In the wake of Vietnam, many Americans no longer trusted their government, but they had seen how powerful the people could be when they rose up as one for a just cause. The Civil Rights Act, and its ban of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, had been in place for decades. There were young adults who could not remember a time before such a thing was the law of the land. The arc of the moral universe was long, but it seemed mostly to bend toward justice. But Harvey Milk had been assassinated after only eleven months in office. The AIDS pandemic was raging through marginalized communities, decimating a generation of artists and creatives. The Reagan administration was reluctant, even negligent, in addressing the growing epidemic due mostly to a belief that it was a “gay plague.” The LGBTQIA community also experienced (and still does) a disproportionately high percentage of abuse, violence, and murder. Women and people of color were still fighting harassment and discrimination in all areas of their lives, but especially in the workplace, where pay disparity, a lack of upward mobility, and gender- and racially-motivated aggressions were commonplace. In communities of color, the ravages of CIA-seeded cocaine and heroin were compounded by a racist War on Drugs that focused not on rehabilitation but mass incarceration. The USSR was in its final throes and would collapse entirely during the run of The Next Generation. The Cold War was soon to end and the Gulf War was soon to begin. The world had evolved and so had Gene Roddenberry. Because, ah, gentle reader, that is how humans should work. Roddenberry was the first to admit that his understanding of the world and his stances within it were in a constant state of questioning and growth, a phenomenon he called ‘The Education of Gene Roddenberry.’ He readily confessed by the end of his life that there were things he regretted march 2021|
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about The Original Series, usually regarding choices made to appease the network and the censors. By the time Paramount approached him about taking full creative control of a new Star Trek series, he had officially declared himself a secular humanist, a philosophy which posits that human beings are capable of making ethical and moral choices without the aid or judgment of religion. No one who had seen an episode of Star Trek was surprised. In his 1991 interview in The Humanist, Roddenberry said, “[My political philosophy] would have to be similar to the philosophy of Star Trek because Star Trek is my statement to the world. Understand that Star Trek is more than just my political philosophy. It is my social philosophy, my racial philosophy, my overview on life and the human condition. I have been able to comment on so many different facets of humanity because both Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation have been so wide-ranging in the subjects they’ve
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covered.” Though twenty years had elapsed in our timeline, a century had passed in the worlds of Star Trek between Kirk’s command of the USS Enterprise and her new captain, Jean-Luc Picard. Roddenberry was in a different phase of his life—the last phase of it, as it turned out. He had matured and his vision for Star Trek had matured with him. He wanted even less violence in the second series. He had learned there could be just as much drama from a high stakes trial as from a battle for life and death. This new captain reflected those changes. If Kirk was something of a space frontiersman, a Texas Ranger in the stars, Captain Picard—played by the classically trained Patrick Stewart— was an intergalactic Renaissance man (and the only non-American captain to lead a show so far). The Enterprise was still Starfleet’s flagship, the first and most essential cynosure of the Federation’s inten-
tions, but its mission was focused less on the business of risk for its own sake and more on diplomacy. There were even families with children on board this new, harmonious version of the Enterprise. The Id, Ego, and Super-Ego of Kirk, Spock, and Bones existed entirely within the person of Picard, who Roddenberry described as “an explorer, philosopher, and diplomat.” Picard, in echo of Roddenberry, believed wholly in the power of humanity to transcend its baser drives and in the personal responsibility of all beings to contribute to that transcendence. If the thesis of The Original Series was a bold vision of what we could accomplish when we work together, The Next Generation posited that individual growth was the basis for species evolution, that humanity should be judged not on its worst moments, but on what we do now that we know better, and that it is on each of us to deliver. As part of this more nuanced ideal, Roddenberry had decided with all his creative stubbornness that in the century between The Original Series and The Next Generation, human beings would have outgrown their interpersonal differences and quarrelsome tendencies. It was a noble construct, and one that required the series to become a melodrama in which all the conflict came from outside the ship and its crew. But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how humans work. From 1986 to 1991, with Gene Roddenberry at the creative helm of Star Trek: The Next Generation, his writers—many of whom were young people who had grown up watching
Star Trek/ViacomCBS
The Original Series—fought to do away with this ruling. Their reasoning was two-fold: Itwas detrimental to the quality of the show, but more importantly, it was unrealistic to think that even at their very best, humans wouldn’t struggle with themselves and with each other. How else could they grow and transcend if they were never forced to compromise with or question themselves or their friends and fellows? In many ways, it was this insistence on external conflict that arguably makes the first season of The Next Generation the weakest season of the show (the other parts involve the show finding its feet and a lot of terrible sexist and racist casting/
writing choices). In other ways, however, the mandate allowed for some incredibly progressive portrayals of people with different abilities, genders, needs, and backgrounds cooperating seamlessly in a high-stress workplace and socializing in a large community. Old lovers respected and supported each other for years through fleeting and sustained romantic pairings, through heartbreaks and violations and family issues. Trauma and illness were usually treated with weight and care. The crew was overwhelmingly compassionate and considerate of one another’s shortcomings and unique difficulties. While on Kirk’s Enterprise, Bones might refer to Spock as a “green-blooded son of a bitch,” the vast majority of the crew of Picard’s Enterprise take the time to teach and understand one another, to cater their behaviors to better serve the unity of the whole. “Star Trek,” Roddenberry once explained, “was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not
just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms.” If The Original Series was tolerance, The Next Generation was to be a special delight. This was often the case, but not always. Whereas Roddenberry once spent a good deal of his time during The Original Series fighting censorship, the network, and the producers to cast and write what he wanted, for The Next Generation, he would be one of those producers. He would have no one to blame for the final decisions and discordant notes but himself. The three highest-ranking officers on the new series, Picard included, were once again played by Whitemen (sometimes painted green). The second-in-command, “Number One,” was Commander William Riker, a man with Kirk’s heart under a philosophe’s mentorship. An Alaskan with an undiscriminating libido, Riker would ultimately value his time with Picard so much he would turn down command of his own ships to stay on the Enterprise. He would also
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grow a righteous beard. The next in line was Lieutenant Commander Data, a humanoid android and one of only three sentient synthetic beings in the known galaxy. Data, who did not experience emotions like his comrades, and his personal pursuit to better understand and emulate the humanity to which he aspired would ultimately be credited by a generation of neurodivergent fans with helping them come to terms with their own abilities and social differences. His bodily autonomy and personhood would be the subject of some of the best episodes in Star Trek canon. There were two Black men on the bridge of the new Enterprise, though Michael Dorn was playing an alien and covered in Klingon prosthetics. His Lieutenant Worf was a war orphan, adopted and raised by Eastern European humans and with a similarly complicated relationship to his native culture that Spock, a half-human half-Vulcan, had experienced in The Original Series. Though Worf began as a relief officer on the bridge, he would quickly be promoted to Chief Security Officer. Lieutenant Geordi La Forge, played by Roots actor and Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton, was the helmsman and then the Chief Engineering Officer. From the United States of Africa—specifically Somalia—and named after quadriplegic fan George La Forge, Geordi was blind from birth and used a VISOR attached to his optical cortex to see the electromagnetic spectrum. The three women who origina-
lly began on the bridge were also entirely played by White actors. Although Lieutenant Tasha Yar, who was Chief Security Officer before Worf, was initially meant to be Latina and then Asian, Roddenberry’s final casting decision put the blonde Denise Crosby in the role. A survivor from a colony planet with a collapsed government, Tasha was inspired by Vasquez from Aliens and could, according to concept, defeat most of the rest of the bridge officers in martial arts. Her biggest claim to fame—and one of the biggest
missteps in The Next Generation’s seven seasons—came in the second episode of the series, when she had sex with the “fully functional” Data to prove to audiences she was not a lesbian. The character was killed off toward the end of the first season when Denise Crosby, frustrated with her lack of development, left the show. The remaining two women were Dr. Beverly Crusher and ship’s counselor Deanna Troi, and though they would eventually have their own stories and episodes, they were introduced in the pilot mostly as love interests of Picard and Riker, respectively. Deanna Troi was a half-human half-Betazoid, making her an empath and sometimes-telepath, and was designed to be an object of sexual desire for the audience…and the producers. She would be mis- and under-used for the majority of the show’s run and repeatedly subjected to those tired sci-fi/fantasy tropes for women: rape (both physical and psychic) and mystical pregnancies. Dr. Crusher, meanwhile, was the widow of Picard’s late best friend and mother of Gary Stu boy genius, Wesley Crusher (no offense to actor Wil Wheaton, who is lovely). She was played by Gates McFadden, who spent most of the first season behind the scenes fighting the
writers about sexist content and a lack of development for the women characters, until one of the writers demanded she be fired. She was replaced during the second season with the underrated Dr. Katherine Pulaski, who was, like Bones, prejudiced against one of her crewmates and suspicious of transporter technology. However, the change was met with extreme upset by fans, and a campaign spearheaded by Patrick Stewart himself eventually brought Gates McFadden and Beverly Crusher back by the third season. The writer she clashed with left the show. And, of course, there was the eventual recurring character of Guinan as played by Whoopi Goldberg, who took quite a cut to her usual pay rates to be on the show that had once starred Nichelle Nichols. The Next Generation pilot “Encounter at Far Point” aired on CBS and in syndication on September 28, 1987, mere months after the Challenger explosion. Over the next seven seasons and 178 episodes and four movies, it would become the most financially viable and popular of any series in the Star Trek franchise, as well as the most awarded. At its worst, the show fell back into ridiculous sexist and racial stereotypes and tropes, undervalued its women, made some of its men creeps without consequence, and missed some huge opportunities to be truly groundbreaking (e.g. the androgynous race in “The Outcast” could have been played by men, as Riker’s actor Jonathan Frakes hoped).
At its best, it would spend whole episodes exploring controversial topics like torture, imperialism, gender identity and sexuality, bodily autonomy, personhood, corruption and conspiracy in government, capitalism, witch hunts, addiction, technology advancement, racial and cultural identities, post-war prejudice, gaslighting, the dichotomy between freedom fighters and terrorists, and religion, and anodyne topics like integrity, loyalty, what makes us human, mortality, family, regret, ambition, and the lingering effects of trauma…sometimes against Roddenberry’s express wishes. In between, it took us along on daring adventures, wooed us with romance, and delighted us with character-driven high jinks. The Next Generation, like The Original Series before it, changed the very landscape of television. It was, after all, one of the first shows to do a true season finale cliffhanger (”Mr. Worf—fire”), saw the beginnings of multi-episode and -season arcs, and, according to The Mary Sue, passed the Bechdel Test a progressive 44.9% of the time. Gene Roddenberry’s health was already in decline in the late 1980s as he began work on The Next Generamarch 2021|
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tion. After years of regular drug and alcohol use, he developed cerebral vascular disease and encephalopathy. Though he remained at the creative helm of The Next Generation, his final co-writing credit was in the first season, and, according to producer Rick Berman, his direct influence lessened each year. He had his first stroke in 1989, leaving him wheelchair-bound, and another in early October 1991. On October 24th, 1991, at the age of 70, Eugene Wesley Roddenberry died. His wife, Majel Barrett, was by his side. In 1985, Roddenberry became the first television writer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1992, he was one of the first humans to have their remains carried into orbit. Much of his legacy is still being written—literally, now that Star Trek is back on television—but the ways in which Gene Roddenberry changed our culture and how we tell stories has been undeniable for over half a century. Now, you may be thinking, Star Trek’s evolution has ended. How can an idea continue to grow when its creator is dead? But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how ideas work.
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the legacy the legacy With Roddenberry gone, creative control of the franchise fell to Rick Berman and recently-promoted showrunner Michael Piller, who had only just managed to establish a stable writing staff on The Next Generation after two years of chaos. The general consensus among critics and fans is that the third season was when the series finally started fulfilling its potential. It’s certainly the point at which the show began to produce consistently quality and frequently great episodes. Does it mean something that this stabilization and increase in caliber occurred largely as Roddenberry was no longer able to contribute to and control the series? While that may be part of it, the truth is much more complex. The Next Generation would not exist in the way it did at its core without Roddenberry’s insistence on the nature of Star Trek and on the progress of the 24th century, but it wouldn’t become truly great until he relinquished control.
Roddenberry was needed to design and build the ship; those who came after him were needed to make that ship fly. But it couldn’t fly while he was keeping it docked. There’s a special kind of modern phenomenon that seems to exist only in franchises like Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Harry Potter—the kinds of revolutionary creations with a clear heart, soul, and message that altered the trajectory of storytelling and defined a generation who grew up dreaming of those fictional worlds. The Originator has an Idea, often radical for its time, fights for that Idea, builds on that Idea, puts it into the world, changes everything…and over the course of life, grows beyond or away from the person they were when they first conceived of the Idea. When the Originator is next put in charge of that Idea, after decades of the Idea germinating out in the world and the world itself shifting, the Originator is surrounded by the now-grown children whose imaginations were built by the Idea, whose worldviews were structured around the essence of the Idea. The children are now the age the Originator was when the Idea was new, they know the Idea with a zeal that can only come from adolescent obsession, but most importantly, they know their world and their time with a freshness and understanding that only the young can have. The ideal is a collaboration, with both the Originator and the generation they helped shape, listening to one another to create a version of the Idea that is radical and relevant while still retaining
Star Trek/ViacomCBS
that heart, soul, and message that changed the world in the first place. But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how Ideas work. Roddenberry’s infamous attitude—and not necessarily an incorrect one—during the first two series was, “’Who knows what Star Trek is?’ I do!” But often it is the audience, the reader, the viewer who groks the true breadth and depth of a work of art, its meaning, its impact, when the artist knows only their intention. Who knew what Star Trek was? Michael Piller must have known some
of it because he ran The Next Generation through its most critically and commercially zoetic period. Ronald D. Moore, a kid who slipped a spec script to one of Roddenberry’s assistants on a tour of The Next Generation’s set and ended up becoming one of the most influential showrunners in modern television, must have known quite a bit of it. Moore’s long-time writing partner, Brannon Braga, who started as an intern on The Next Generation and eventually showran Voyager and co-created Enterprise, probably knew a good amount. Did Rick Berman, who would successfully produce all seven seasons of The Next Generation as well as create and produce Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and the tragic early-2000s run of Enterprise, know what Star Trek was? Critics and Trekkies have been debating that question for the last twenty years. Berman himself told The Chicago Sun-Times in 1994, “I don’t believe the 24th century is going to be like Gene Roddenberry believed it to be, that people will be free from poverty and greed. But if you’re going to write and produce for Star Trek, you’ve got to buy into that.”
It’s that exact opinion that led Berman to create Star Trek: Deep Space Nine with Michael Piller in 1993, when The Next Generation was still on the air. It would be the first series in no way overseen by Gene Roddenberry, the first series to take place on a space station rather than a ship, and the first series with a Black captain as the lead. Commander (and then Captain) Benjamin Sisko was unlike any Starfleet lead we’d been asked to invest in before; he was widowed in the Borg assault while Picard was assimilated, a single father to a teenage son, and a Black American man from New Orleans who would present the most succinct version of the show’s revolutionary thesis in the second season: “Do you know what the trouble is? The trouble is Earth—on Earth there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters and you see paradise. It’s easy to be a saint in paradise, but the Maquis do not live in paradise. Out there in the demilitarized zone all the problems haven’t been solved yet. Out there, there are no saints, just people—angry, scared, determined people who are going to do
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whatever it takes to survive, whether it meets with Federation approval or not.” Deep Space Nine would boldly go where no Star Trek had gone before. It would delve deep into religion, into the privilege of a Federation with a decidedly Western mentality, into who gets to be righteous, when, and why. It would take place at the edge of Federation space in the immediate aftermath of a long and traumatic Cardassian occupation of the Bajorans, whose whole way of life was now centered around fighting the Cardassians at any cost. The station on which the majority of the action takes place and the officers and civilians who reside there create a sort of chunky intergalactic cultural stew (or a wriggling intergalactic cultural gagh?), where each group is struggling to be heard, to receive justice or revenge, to survive or thrive. It is as though Starfleet has been given control of Mos Eisley, with barely enough authority to keep the cantina lights on. The crew was the most diverse of any series yet. A Black man was in charge, a White Bajoran woman was second-in-command, a White “joined” Trill woman was Chief Science Officer, and though Dr. Julian Bashir never specifically notes his ethnic background, Alexander Siddig, his actor, is of North African descent. The remaining recurring characters were Sisko’s son, a young Black man, a family of ruthlessly capitalistic Ferengis, a pair of deliciously enigmatic Cardassians, a shapeshifting head of station security, and, from the Enterprise-D, Lieutenant Worf and Chief Miles O’Brien.
Over its seven seasons and 179 episodes, Deep Space Nine took a deeply nuanced view of life when that final frontier is an actual frontier, of the complicated nature of conflict, prejudice, trauma, and war, and ultimately of what it takes to make good people do bad things. By the end of the show’s run in 1999, every sentient power in the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants of the Milky Way were decimated, their morals twisted, and their citizens forever changed. It was one of the first television shows to commit to season-spanning story arcs, effectively altering once again how we tell our stories. It passed the Bechdel Test 57.8% of
the time, and, among other things, included one of the first same-sex kisses in TV history. In 1995, following the release of the first The Next Generation movie (also starring William Shatner) and with Deep Space Nine in full swing, Berman, Piller, and final showrunner of The Next Generation, Jeri Taylor, co-created Voyager, a new Star Trek series about a science vessel and a renegade Maquis ship whose crews team up after being transported more than 70,000 lightyears from Federation space to a quadrant of the galaxy no known species had ever explored. The initial trip kills a good portion of both crews, damages the ships, and leaves them all a 75-year journey from charted space. Like Deep Space Nine, its thesis was based on the complexities of human behavior when those who have always known justice and plenty are faced with true adversity. What happens to the paragons of Starfleet when they’re stranded far away from their families, their homes, and their resources, and surrounded by rebels, criminals, and the unknown?
The show was meant to be a return to an earlier kind of Star Trek, in which the crew didn’t get along and the conflict came just as much from within the ship as outside it. The crew was a mixture of Starfleet officers, Starfleet-officers-turned-freedom fighters, and aliens from the new species being encountered in the Delta Quadrant. Captain Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, was the first woman captain to lead a show, and a straight-forward scientist trying to gain control in an impossible situation. The rest of the crew was diverse in theory, though often ethnic identities were handled clumsily and reinforced stereotypes more than offering any kind of true representation. While there is much that is commendable and worthwhile (including a staggering 86.9% Bechdel Test passage rate) in the seven seasons and 172 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, it didn’t take long for the thesis and premise to be forgotten in favor of sexier, less challenging storylines. But at least, you might be thinking, Star Trek was trying to push boundaries and create something new, even if they sometimes didn’t succeed! But, ah, gentle reader, that is not always how Star Trek works. The last of the Star Trek series Rick
Berman produced was Enterprise, a prequel set a century before The Original Series, when there was not even yet a United Federation of Planets. The captain and most of the crew were White men, with the exception of a White Vulcan woman in a skin-tight catsuit as executive officer, a Black human man as helmsman, and a Japanese woman as communications officer. Even the aliens on the crew were played by White people. In many ways, Enterprise felt like a huge step backward. It was a show without a thesis. It had
a soft rock theme song, threw its highest ranking woman into a much sexier pon farr than Spock ever endured, and was generally panned by critics and fans alike. The pilot aired just weeks after the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the aftermath would eventually influence a major plotline on the show. Despite the science fiction community’s great love for Scott Bakula, who played Captain Jonathan Archer, the show was such a flop that it effectively killed the two-decade-long run of the second coming of Star Trek. It ran for four seasons and 98 episodes. Since then, though there have been fun, high-budget movies helmed largely by J.J. Abrams and featuring the rebooted and updated characters from The Original Series, over a decade passed before anyone was allowed to blow the dust off the bridge consoles and create something new. As always, the world has changed in the interim. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Western world went into a panicked lockdown that is still going to this day. We are in our
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20th year of a series of protracted conflicts in the Middle East, which, though scaled down considerably in 2020, show no signs of truly ending. Social media and the internet have transformed the way we interact with one another, smart phones have become a pivotal fixture of our day-to-day lives, and there is no longer such a thing as privacy from the government or corporations. A foreign power hacked American elections. The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was legal, but also that corporations were people. We experienced the worst recession since The Great Depression. The United States elected its first Black President for two terms and a woman was the Presidential nominee for one of the two major political parties for the first time in the country’s history. There is a Black, South Asian woman as Vice President for the first time. An insurrection allegedly incited by a sitting President led to the only time in our 244 years that a President has ever been impeached twice. It’s only the fourth impeachment of a President in all our years as a nation. Voyager 1
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became the first human-made object to ever leave our solar system. We have successfully landed four rovers on Mars. The world is facing an unprecedented climate crisis. Instead of hiding under their desks from nuclear bombs, children now hide under their desks from active shooters. The world rose up in protest against the militarization of police and the constant violence against Black bodies. Oh, and we’re entering our second year of a global pandemic that has killed nearly 2.4 million people, resulted in mass unemployment, and, at least in the United States, threw nearly 8 million citizens into poverty while billionaires made over $1
trillion in wealth. We could use the hope of Roddenberry’s vision now, perhaps more than ever. Star Trek: Discovery debuted on CBS All Access on September 19, 2017 after a rocky development. The brainchild of Alex Kurtzman and Bryan Fuller, it takes place a decade before the events of The Original Series. The show involves the recasting of several key characters from the crew of that original USS Enterprise, including Captain Pike and Number One from “The Cage,” a young Spock, and Spock’s parents Amanda and Sarek. It follows the exploits of mutineer Michael Burnham, who is the first Black woman to lead a Star Trek series. 2020 was meant to be a banner year for Star Trek. Discovery began its third season. CBS All Access periodically dropped what they call Short Treks, mini-episodes that provide additional materials to their other series. Star Trek: Picard, which is not a prequel and follows the last adventures of an aging Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, premiered in January and is already renewed for a second season. The first animated series since 1974, Lower Decks, has a two-season order. There is already a joint commission for a children’s animated series between CBS and Nickelodeon, called Star Trek: Prodigy. A series about Section 31 will star Michelle Yeoh’s mirror universe version of Philippa Georgiou and will be the first Star Trek led by an Asian woman. There is a similar series based around Christopher Pike as portrayed by Anson Mount, named Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
There has not been this much consistent Trek activity since 1995. There has never been this much consistent Trek activity. But what does that mean? What boundaries are we seeking to push in the year 2021? Discovery has already had its fair share of controversy because of the diversity of its cast and characters, including the first openly gay couple in Star Trek TV canon and the first nonbinary actors in the show’s history. Now it seems they’ve abandoned the timeline altogether and launched into the year 3188, unmooring it almost entirely from the rest of the Star Trek universe. There are themes to explore in this extremely removed future, but what Star Trek needs now is not more distance from our current struggles, but more willingness to face them. As for the other shows? Lower Decks sets no real canon. Star Trek: Picard showed us a galaxy after the Romulan star went supernova, as depicted in the first J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movie. But there was never mention of the catastrophic Dominion War depicted in Deep Space Nine, something Alex Kurtzman insisted showrunner Michael Chabon ignore for some reason, and while it was
truly wonderful to see so many beloved characters back on screen, there were no boundaries pushed, no dark spaces truly explored, no historical firsts achieved. Star Trek can do more. Star Trek was made to do more. We need Star Trek to do more. It is a vessel designed to consider the darkest, most painful parts of ourselves, of our world, to explore the ills and injustices of our present society with the objective distance of a Vulcan scientist, the empathic heart of a naked Betazoid, and the stubborn daring of a human being. In the 1960s when Gene Roddenberry was creating the first series, 2021 seemed so far in the future that he set a terrifying eugenics war in the 1990s and a complete breakdown of our major superpowers by the mid-21st century. He placed First Contact with the Vulcans, when Zefram Cochrane tests out the warp drive, in the 2060s, 100 years from when Star Trek was born. That’s only 39 years from now. How can we take Star Trek into our vision for the 21st century? How can the vision of Star Trek lead us into a brighter future? Television these days is vastly different than it was in the early 2000s. We’re living in the golden age of streaming services and narrative risk. Shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Game of Thrones have changed the way we experience things on the small screen as surely as Star Trek ever did. Star Trek must keep up, one assumes, with the times. Star Trek must continue to evolve. The new style of Trek is exciting and cinematic with twists and turns and neverending action. The two current live-action series are piloted by their plots with the characters and dialogue strapped in for the ride. The writers and the characters are more cynical, the tone is grittier, the humans are more flawed, dependent on vice, more reminiscent of our present than Roddenberry’s future—but these choices seem to lack a deeper meaning or the drive to genuinely explore these complicated facets of human behavior. That’s not to say that Star Trek must return completely to the ponderous and episodic fare march 2021|
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of its earlier incarnations, but if Discovery and Picard have thesis statements, they have yet to reveal them. None of this is inherently bad or wrong. Certainly both series are grappling with traditional Star Trek themes in their own ways. It’s just different, as The Next Generation was different to The Original Series, as Deep Space Nine was different to The Next Generation. But as we enter this brilliant new age of Star Trek saturation, of Star Trek possibility, how can we adapt the break-neck pace of modern television with the room to think and breathe that has so long been the backbone and the spirit of the franchise in order to create something entirely new, radical, and relevant? How do we satiate a television audience used to drugs, cursing, and nudity without sacrificing the humanist optimism that is the beating heart of Star Trek? Each cultural and moral taboo we consider now, each ethical dilemma the crew of a Starfleet ship faces in 2021 is a chance for a kid watching at home to see themselves on TV for the first time, to consider the world from a unique perspective, to remember that they are not alone, to remind us all that we can do better. The year is 2021. Everything is divided, scary, and uncertain. The future is in doubt. This is exactly what Star Trek was made to do. Star Trek has always been more than a sci-fi TV show. Why not boldly go where no Trek has gone before? Not for novelty or for ratings but with purpose and intention. Not for fan service but for public service. For Roddenberry. For the next generation. For ourselves. Because, ah, gentle reader, that is how Star Trek should work.
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BY ethan brehm
if you were a kid in the ‘90s, kazaam was just another movie. Today, it’s “that movie”; infamous for how much critics hated it; the poster child for marketing over moviemaking. The 1996 children’s film was obviously not much more than a vehicle for its star, Shaquille O’Neal. But back then, every kid watched Kazaam, imagining they had their own genie who could grant them wishes and make sweet rap videos with them. We were unaware of the genre clichés that it was simply copying and pasting for our enjoyment. We only saw it as a fun ride with some cool hip hop tunes. 12-year-old Max (Francis Capra) is on the run from a group of bullies when he winds up in an old abandoned building. Hiding under a pile of cardboard, he discovers a broken boom box that releases a genie named Kazaam (Shaq). Kazaam can grant wishes, but only material things like junk food and cars. Max is always getting into trouble
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and currently having problems in school, likely due to his turbulent home life, where his mother (Ally Walker) just got engaged to her boyfriend, Travis (John Costelloe). Max’s parents broke up when he was 2 and he doesn’t know his father. Though after tracking him down, it turns out he’s a big time talent agent who specializes in pirated music. The details are fuzzy and fairly inconsequential from here on out, but you can probably guess the remainder of the film has to do with Max’s decision of what his three wishes are going to be. Never able to hang onto its story, we’re given several different plots at once, all competing for the same screen time. The setup is quick, but then director Paul Michael Glasser doesn’t know what he wants to do with the rest of the story. But the film never seems to be in a rush. Scenes continuously drag because of
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uninteresting banter. The plot often has stipulations that set events in motion, yet there’s never any importance behind them. One example is how Max refuses to make his final wishes so that Kazaam will stick around longer and protect him from his bullies, but this payoff never even happens. His bullies never become part of the plot in any substantial way. It’s a throwaway line in order to justify why the movie isn’t over in 10 minutes, with the writers, Christian Ford and Roger Soffer, never holding themselves accountable for why this detail exists in the first place. The duo toys with some interesting themes about materialism and fame, but never develops the characters properly for this to hit home effectively. Though in an odd way, the film’s sloppiness sort of works in its favor in that it keeps us guessing where the plot can possibly go next. Since it technically doesn’t adhere to one clear or concise formula, making up its own ludicrous rules as it goes along, there’s a sort of unpredictability that almost works. As a kid, it totally works. Stylistically, the folks behind the sets are geniuses. Max’s room and clubhouse make any 12-year-old salivate with envy. Our hero has a knack for building cool contraptions in his sick underground clubhouse which could only exist in the ‘90s. But still, these are just more examples of style versus substance. Although, viewing the movie with a nostalgic mindset that’s abandoned hope of all expectations of story quality, I’ll take it! The movie’s soundtrack is deceptively stacked as we’re teased with some really great background music, featuring some heavy-hitters like Usher, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Backstreet Boys, but also some under-the-radar ‘90s acts such as Shyheim, Subway, and Smart Guy alum Jason Weaver. Due to missteps in editing, we never get to hang onto any of these songs for long enough. However, we are graced with musical treasures like “We Ain’t Men, We Genie” for nearly 2 minutes. Kazaam could have simply been a kids’ genie movie adorned with
stylistic trimmings, but no. Kazaam had to star Shaq. The former NBA player-turned-actor is extremely charismatic, but Shaq, himself, can’t act. He can be silly, but he can’t deliver dialogue. The only thing saving him is how distracted the audience is by how rapidly he moves his eyebrows up and down when he talks. His chemistry with Capra is fairly good, but unfortunately their relationship in the film is never built up enough for this to mean anything. Held back by atrocious performances (there’s a reason you’ve
never seen any of the main cast in anything else) and a script that lacks any sort of clarity, Kazaam is actually not nearly as bad as its reputation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still not good. However, this infamous monstrosity just might be great in its own ridiculous way. Shaq may have made the film notorious, but he’s also probably the only reason why anyone’s still talking about it today. Everything about this movie feels like it shouldn’t work, but as nostalgia porn and guilty-pleasure entertainment, Kazaam hits the spot.
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Jambi from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie Barbara Eden plays the title character in this ‘60s sitcom which helped popularize the genie trope. The series follows United States astronaut Tony Nelson after he discovers a genie in a bottle while being stranded on a deserted island. After bringing her home, Jeannie constantly wreaks havoc in Tony’s life by using her magic at all the wrong times. Hilarity ensues.
“Wish? Did somebody say wish?” The floating blue head inside a jewel-encrusted box from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse was portrayed by John Paragon throughout the show’s run. Once per episode, Jambi would grant Pee-Wee a wish, which would range from food-related desires to making a tree grow faster to helping decide what to wish for (thus using his one wish in the process). The genie was an excellent level head (pun intended) to Pee-Wee’s manchild.
Genie from Aladdin (1992) No, and I mean absolutely no, list of genies would ever be complete without Robin Williams’ iconic portrayal of Aladdin’s blue confidant. Despite coming to blows with Disney over merchandising, the comedian has since become synonymous with the word “genie.” I mean, just type in “genie” on Google Images and see how he dominates the search results.
genies throughout movie history: genies throughout movie history: Tales of genies have been around since the early days of motion pictures. Here are a few that have stood out over the years.
The Brass Bottle (1964)
1001 Arabian Nights (1959) The Palace of the Arabian Nights (1905)
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The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
The Thief of Baghdad (1978)
I Dream of Jeannie/NBC/Universal/Pee-wee’s Playhouse/Paul Reubens/Pee-wee Pictures/CBS/Aladdin/Disney/ Once Upon a Time/Disney/ABC/Game Genie/Codemasters/Galoob Toys/The Thief of Bagdad
our favorite genies: our favorite genies:
United Artists/The 7th Voyage of Sinbad/Columbia/1001 Arabian Nights/Columbia/The Brass Bottle/Universal/The Thief of Baghdad/NBC/The Outing/Moviestore Entertainment/DuckTales/Disney/Bernard and the Genie/BBC/Kazaam/Disney/Touchstone/Wishmaster/Lionsgate
Genie of Agrabah from Once Upon a Time
Game Genie
Giancarlo Esposito plays a Disneyesque genie with one of the more intriguing backstories you’ll come across. Discovered by Snow White’s father, the genie becomes his master but quickly falls in love with the Evil Queen (Snow White’s stepmother) and eventually winds up trapped inside of her magic mirror. The TV series always presents classic fairytales with a unique spin, with this particular storyline being one of its best.
Yes, this is literally just a cartridge that allows you to cheat in video games, but if you had one of these in the ‘90s, it was like you had an actual magic lamp. Marketed as a “video game enhancer,” Game Genie modified popular games to make them easier to beat or to simply give players a different experience, leading to a somewhat groundbreaking lawsuit by Nintendo for violation of copyright law, of which Nintendo lost.
Kazaam (1996) The Outing (1987)
Disney’s Live-Action Aladdin (2019)
Bernard and the Genie (1991)
DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
Disney’s Aladdin (1992)
Wishmaster (1997)
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SPOILER MAGAZINE
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INNER CIrCLE Issue #0.2
script by: Robert Lugibihl | art by: Perry S. Yem | Colors by: Gene Jimenez This is a comic that specializes in violence and action sequences. Similar to indie movies, indie comics generally lean on the artistic side—it’s one of the things I love about them. This one, however, went the other direction while still adding a heartfelt element to its protagonist’s arc. She kicks butt, saves lives, whips around a pink Lamborghini with suicide doors, and if that’s not enough, she’s nasty on a motorcycle.
The bad
If you read enough comic books this one might come off as a little typical. Maybe it doesn’t separate itself from the pack the way you would hope for with an off-brand comic, but if you love non-stop
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action sequences—some bloody, some not—then don’t let this deter you from giving it a chance.
The Veredict
Even to an extent today, but especially back in the ‘90s, a comic with a female lead immediately felt like a fresh idea. Was it always? No, but strong female leads were so few and far between that it usually made the read feel worthwhile. This is 100% worth a read. For comparison, our protagonist is like a female Punisher. And being that he’s one of Marvel’s best (and one of my personal favorites), I consider that very high praise for a comic that not a lot of people have heard of.
Inner Circle/Mushroom Comics/Infinity, Inc./DC Comics
The Good
score
8.0
INFINITY, INC. Issue #13
Written by: Roy Thomas | penciled by: Don Newton | guest inker by: Joe Rubinstein
The Good
I really like the old school look and the way the pages are textured. Even if this is a small detail of what makes a good comic book, it’s big enough to remind you what made you start loving comic books in the first place. While the issue doesn’t bring anything new or exciting to the DC universe, I still credit the creators for making these characters, which most of us have never heard of, at least a little bit interesting.
The bad
I’m not the biggest fan of talkative comics. The more dialogue in a comic, the more likely it is to be loaded with exposition dumps, which only take away from the fun of the story. Just like films, one of the golden rules is, “Show, don’t tell.” The lack of compelling visual storytelling really bogs down our experience and makes for a much rougher read.
ple can enjoy certain elements. Despite developing a stigma in recent years, DC Comics is still the second biggest comic book universe known to man, and for that reason alone many DC fans will still enjoy reading this one. However, I certainly can’t recommend a comic that I was looking forward to ending after page 3.
score
3.0
The Veredict
I won’t go as far as calling this a bad comic. I’m sure plenty of peomarch 2021|
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Issue #14
Southern Knights/Comics Interview/Spirit of the Tao/Image Comics
SOUTHERN KNIGHTS Story by: Henry Vogel | art by: Mark Propst | Letters by: T. R. Davidson the realness of the characters that will keep you interested.
The bad
When there’s no color in a comic the artists need to go the extra mile to really make the art jump off the page. Unfortunately this doesn’t do that and it’s easily my biggest knock on the book.
The Veredict
The story. Plain and simple, the story is what works. It’s what keeps the narrative flowing even despite the clunky dialogue. The pacing allows this book to overcome its wordiness and prevents it from fading into some boring read that you can’t wait to be over. This issue is also unique in how human it is. There’s not a whole lot of action, but there are bits of superpowers and ass-kickings thrown in here and there. However, it’s
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score
6.5
Silver Surfer/Marvel
The Good
I’ve said in the past that I’m not a huge fan of black & white comics. One of my all-time favorites (Samurai Penguin) is a black & white comic, so it’s not a deal breaker. However, there’s a lot that a comic has to do to compensate in other areas. While this particular book definitely survives that uphill climb and I was pleasantly surprised to see how things played out on the last few pages, I can’t go as far as to say that I loved it. Although I would still recommend this book, even to those who aren’t into black & white comics. Don’t let that stop you from giving the #1 Super Team of the South its fair shot.
SPIRIT OF THE TAO Issue #4
Written by: D-Tron | pencils by: Billy Tan Inks by: D-Tron and Team Tron | Colors by: Jonathan D. Smith issue #11, which is my favorite. This issue is still a strong comic, just not one of the better ones in the series.
The Veredict
The Good
As with every issue of Spirit of the Tao that I’ve read, the best aspect is the art. The artists working on this book make every single drawing jump off the page and do a tremendous job keeping my eyes glued to this book, even if there are occasional moments where the story feels stale. While having a solid premise with a protagonist who’s easy to get behind, it’s still the art that helps take it to that next level.
Last time I reviewed an issue of Spirit of the Tao I compared it to a David Lynch movie because it was confusing, yet extremely entertaining and possessed the type of story that has you thinking about it long after you put the comic down. This issue doesn’t quite live up to that standard, but it’s still a very solid story and a terrifically drawn comic that can stand on its own, especially if you’re not comparing it to other issues within the series.
score
7.5
The bad
If you are new to Spirit of the Tao, there are definitely better issues to check out. I’d recommend starting with issue #1 or, if you really want to jump into the thick of it, march 2021|
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DEADPOOL VERSUS THE PUNISHER Volumes 1-5 Written by: Fred Van Lente | art by: Pere Pérez | Colors by: Ruth Redmond
The Good
These are two superhero heavyweights battling it out over five issues of non-stop action and humor. The juxtaposition of violence and comedy is at an all-time high, even for a couple of anti-heroes who are known for this dichotomy. The artwork is absolutely fantastic. Deadpool is the most consistent comic book character when it comes to the quality of the art. Even when the writer and artist change hands, the artwork always seems to be on point. This particular series does a perfect job of blending styles, perhaps because these two figures already have such similar styles to one another to begin with, making for a smoother transition. When you put these guys together you know it’s gonna be madness. Yes, they’re superheroes, but more than that, they’re just a couple of badass characters that most of us readers (and Marvel fans in general) have come to know and love. Deadpool Versus The Punisher is more than just a superhero’s journey. It’s an action-packed crime
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comedy that doesn’t let up for a second. The three most important elements in a comic book are story, artwork, and humor. And sometimes a comic book team finds the perfect way to blend all three. This series has that trifecta. While I won’t sit here and say that it’s perfect, I will say that it’s pretty damn close.
The bad
As cliché as it may sound, the only downside to this series is when it’s over. One one hand, it feels like it could’ve been a couple issues longer and only gotten better, but on the other hand, it’s a goal for a creative team to leave the reader/ audience wanting more. And that’s exactly how you feel when this series ends. If I were to find something bad about the actual series, I
would just be nitpicking for the sake of finding something negative to say. So long story short, what’s bad about this comic? Nothing.
The Veredict
The title alone shows this book has all the makings of an epic showdown. “Superhero vs. Supervillain” is the classic tale we all love to read, but there’s something incredibly predictable about “Superhero vs. Supervillain” violence, because at the end of the day it always feels inevitable that the
Deadpool/Marvel
superhero will come out on top. How many comics can you name where this isn’t the case? Yeah, they do exist, but they’re still few and far between. Now pivot to the idea of “Superhero vs. Superhero.” Suddenly it’s fair game—two guys who always come out on top, but for once one of them has to lose. It’s like when I watched wrestling as a kid. In the ‘90s damn near everyone was either Team Stone Cold or Team The Rock, but no matter who you favored, both were funny, talented,
and phenomenal at what they did. So regardless of who would win the match, the real winner was the audience. That’s how I feel when I read a comic like this one. I lean on the side of Team Deadpool and find myself rooting for him throughout each issue, but even when The Punisher is in control it’s awesome to see Deadpool with his back against the wall. One of the best things about an anti-hero like Deadpool is that we’ve seen him go up against essentially every superhero Marvel has to offer, but the series that have kept the battle strictly 1-on-1 have been the most compelling. He can slaughter the Marvel Universe over the course of four issues and we will love
every page of it, but five issues fully devoted to one anti-hero versus another is can’t-miss entertainment. Like most Deadpool and Punisher comics, this certainly isn’t one for little kids, but any comic book fan over a certain age will absolutely love this series. I’m willing to bet my reputation as a comic book critic on that statement.
score
9.5
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