Relationship Expert Tracy McMillan brings 'Family or Fiancé' Season-2 on OWN

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network's hit reality series "Family or Fiancé" from Bunim/Murray Productions will return to Saturday nights with all new episodes starting January 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The series hosted by relationship expert Tracy McMillan follows engaged couples who bring their disapproving families together for three days under one roof.

In this high-stakes social experiment, the couples and extended families participate in activities designed to strengthen their bond, unpack their differences, and show some very complicated relationships in a whole new light. In the end, the families' concerns might leave the couples to reconsider their unions, or revelations might cause any concerns to fall away.

Tracy McMillan returns as the voice of reason to work with the couples on ways to deal with their relationship problems and family issues head on in order to help resolve the conflicts that could undermine their future together.

Here are exclusive videos of Tracy Answering some important questions

Tracy McMillan talks about love, marriage relationships and her OWN Reality TV show 'Family or Fiance'

Tracy McMillan talks about love, marriage relationships and her OWN Reality TV show 'Family or Fiance'

Tracy McMillan talks about love, marriage relationships and her OWN Reality TV show 'Family or Fiance'

"Family or Fiancé" is executive produced by Gil Goldschein, Jonathan Murray, Julie Pizzi, Erica Ross, Jonathan Singer, and Erika Bryant of Bunim/Murray Productions in partnership with OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for a premium scripted and unscripted programming from today's most innovative storytellers. OWN's original scripted series include popular dramas "Queen Sugar," "Greenleaf," "The Haves and the Have Nots," "If Loving You is Wrong," "Ambitions" and "David Makes Man." OWN's Saturday night unscripted programming lineup includes "Iyanla: Fix My Life," "Ready to Love," "Love & Marriage: Huntsville," "Family or Fiancé" and "Black Love." OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery, Inc. The venture also includes award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime on WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs.

About Bunim/Murray Productions

Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP) is the leading producer of innovative entertainment content. The Emmy Award-winning company is widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World, which recently moved to Facebook after 32 seasons on MTV. BMP continued to innovate with the first reality game show, Road Rules (MTV), in 1995; the first reality sitcom, The Simple Life (E!), in 2003; and the first reality soap opera, Starting Over, in 2003. BMP's current programming includes Keeping up with the Kardashians, Total Divas and Total Bellas (E!),The Challenge (MTV), Born This Way (A&E), Kim Kardashian West:  The Justice Project (Oxygen), The Real World and Ball in the Family (Facebook Watch), Endless Summer, Stranded with Sam and Colby (Snapchat), Miz and Mrs. (USA Network), Family or Fiancé (OWN), Crystal Maze (Nickelodeon) and Emily's Wonder Lab (Netflix). BMP has also produced They Call Us Monsters (PBS), Valentine Road (HBO), Pedro (MTV) and the Emmy Award-winning Autism: The Musical (HBO) for BMP Films. Based in Glendale, CA, the company was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim, who were inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame in 2012. The company joined Banijay Group in 2010.

NBC CROWNS FRANQI FRENCH AND RENE VACA WINNERS OF ITS 16th ANNUAL STANDUP NBC COMPETITION

  • Nationwide Search for Comedians of Diverse Backgrounds

  • Awards Pair with NBCUniversal Talent Holding Deals

  • Competition Makes History by Choosing Two Winners in Its 16th Year

NBC has crowned comedians Franqi French and Rene Vaca as the winners of its 16th annual StandUp NBC competition, the network’s annual nationwide search for comedians of diverse backgrounds. This marks the first time in the celebrated program’s 16-year history that two winners have been chosen in a single year.

French and Vaca have each been awarded a talent holding deal with NBCUniversal and a headlining spot at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) annual convention where they will perform for talent bookers from across the country. They will also split the responsibility of headlining the regional semifinalist showcases in five cities across the country at next year’s StandUp NBC.

“Franqi and Rene were standouts in our showcase this year. They are hilarious, relatable and fearlessly share their personal stories. We couldn’t choose just one winner, so we decided to name them both,” said Grace Wu, Executive Vice President of Casting, NBC Entertainment. “We are excited for Franqi and Rene to join the rich legacy of comedic talent who have emerged from StandUp NBC.”

French and Vaca were chosen from eight finalists, including Mike Head, Pedro Gonzalez, Katie Hughes, Andre D. Thompson, Sam Morrison, and Kenice Mobley, all of whom will be considered for feature spots at NACA. They were among 650 stand-up comedians who auditioned last year through open calls in Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, and New York as well as online submissions. 

French, Vaca and this year’s finalists join Michelle Buteau (“The First Wives Club”), Deon Cole (“Grown-ish,”), Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out”), Hasan Minhaj (“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj”), Phoebe Robinson (“2 Dope Queens”), Amanda Seales (“Bring the Funny”) and Dulcé Sloan (“The Daily Show”) as alumni of StandUp NBC.  

A finale showcase hosted by NBC “Bring the Funny” finalist and comedian Tacarra Williams was held at the Improv in Hollywood late last year. The finalists performed their sets in front of an audience of NBCUniversal television executives, casting directors, agents, managers, and industry tastemakers.

FRANQI FRENCH

An award-winning talent, Franqi French regularly performs coast to coast with appearances at the DC Improv, Kennedy Center, Hollywood Improv and the world-famous Comedy Store. French has shared the stage with Donnell Rawlings, Fortune Feimster, Todd Glass, D.L. Hughley, and Nicole Byer, among other talented comedians. She has made guest appearances on WeTV, TVOne’s “The Roland Martin Show,” and has headlined the Bentzen Ball as well as the Black Women in Comedy Festival in Brooklyn. She is currently based in Los Angeles and is actively seeking representation.

RENE VACA

Rene Vaca was born and raised in the Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. After his father was incarcerated, he started his own landscaping business at 15 and soon attended the University of California, Merced. Vaca has since been pursuing his dream in stand-up comedy and has shared the stage with revered industry comedians such as Willie Barcena, Bill Burr, Ken Jeong, Amir K., Jamie Kennedy, and Joey Medina. He is actively seeking representation.

ABOUT STANDUP NBC (NBC TALENT INFUSION PROGRAMS)

Now in its 16th year, StandUp NBC is the annual nationwide search for stand-up comedians of diverse backgrounds. Every year finalists are selected from open casting calls in various cities across the country as well as from online submissions. They perform at a final showcase in front of an audience of television executives, casting directors, agents, managers and industry tastemakers at a Los Angeles comedy club. The winner is given a talent holding deal with NBCUniversal and offered a spot on the nationwide tour with the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). Previous StandUp NBC winners and alumni include Tone Bell (“Little”), Michelle Buteau (“The First Wives Club”), W. Kamau Bell (CNN’s “United Shades of America”), Deon Cole (“Grown-ish”), Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out”), Hasan Minhaj (“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj”), Amanda Seales (“Insecure”) and Dulcé Sloan (“The Daily Show”). StandUp NBC is part of the NBC Talent Infusion Programs (NBC TIPS) that promotes and encourages people of diverse backgrounds to become the next generation of storytellers. For more information, visit NBCUniTIPS.com..

ABOUT THE NBC TALENT INFUSION PROGRAMS (NBC TIPS)

Since 2000, NBC has been dedicated to discovering and nurturing the on-screen and behind-the-camera talent of diverse and inclusive backgrounds through the NBC Talent Infusion Programs (NBC TIPS). NBC TIPS are amongst the most extensive and robust diversity and inclusion programs in the television industry. They feature more than 20 programs, including Writers on the Verge, Diverse Staff Writer Initiative, Female Forward, Alternative Directors Program, Emerging Director Program and the StandUp NBC nationwide search for stand-up comedians. Program alumni are celebrated producers, writers, directors and actors in the entertainment industry who have gone on to win Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG Awards and include Alan Yang, Mindy Kaling, Deon Cole, Lil Rel Howery, Keto Shimizu, Natasha Rothwell, Danny Pudi and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. For more information, visit NBCUniTIPS.com.

Chat with Ian Somerhalder about V-Wars and more!

Ian Somerhalder talks about V-Wars

Ian Somerhalder is an actor, environmentalist, and humanitarian. Next up, Somerhalder will be seen starring in V-WARS on Netflix which will be released on December 5th, 2019. He will serve as an executive producer on the series and has also directed several episodes of the premiere season. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Somerhalder will star as Dr. Luther Swann, a scientist trying to save the world from a deadly outbreak that has fractured society.

We had a chat with Ian Somerhalder, here are some highlights:

  • “This has been such a passion such a legitimate journey for me and for my team and for my producers. From the beginning I mean this is 15 months of my life and the last 11 months in house production this fine-tuning I knew we make some special.”

  • Ian further said, “You guys know me I did 107 episodes of VAMPIRE DAIRIES it was my life. People always say I am an actor I pretend to be someone I make-believe all day I disagree I will say as an actor I try and tell truth all day because you cannot make-believe situation but you try to find truth whenever you say.”

  • As a producer and lead actor, and his involvement, Ian says, “It’s not just being an actor you're producing its part of your DNA it’s like your baby.”

Watch part of the interview here and also, listen to the whole conversation below:

SYNOPSIS:

Dr. Luther Swann (Ian Somerhalder) enters a world of untold horror when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend, Michael Fayne (Adrian Holmes), into a murderous predator who feeds on other humans. As the disease spreads and more people are transformed, society fractures into opposing camps pitting normal people against the growing number of these “vampires.” Swann races against time to understand what’s happening, while Fayne rises to become the powerful underground leader of the vampires.

  • V Wars” Launches Globally on Netflix on December 5, 2019

About Ian Somerhalder:

Ian Somerhalder is an actor, environmentalist, and humanitarian. Next up, Somerhalder will be seen starring in V-WARS on Netflix which will be released on December 5th, 2019. He will serve as an executive producer on the series and has also directed several episodes of the premiere season. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Somerhalder will star as Dr. Luther Swann, a scientist trying to save the world from a deadly outbreak that has fractured society. Previously, Somerhalder starred as Damon Salvatore in the CW hit television series THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, which ran for 8 seasons. In addition to acting in the show, Somerhalder also took on the role of director in both seasons 7 and 8.

Currently Somerhalder and his wife actress, Nikki Reed have a pod deal with Warner Bros TV to produce new content for the network under their production company RARE BIRDS PRODUCTIONS. Somerhalder also appeared in an episode of the groundbreaking and Emmy award-winning climate change documentary series, YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY.

From 2004 to 2010, Somerhalder starred as Boone Carlylye in ABC’s Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning drama, LOST which earned him a Teen Choice Award nomination for Choice TV Breakout Performance.

Somerhalder’s television credits include SMALLVILLE, YOUNG AMERICANS and TELL ME YOU LOVE ME. His film credits include THE RULES OF ATTRACTION, THE TOURNAMENT and HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A WOMAN.

Somerhalder is also the Founder/President of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF) which was established in November 2010. The purpose of the Foundation is to advance science; promote the conservation of natural resources for the benefit of the entire community; provide relief to the poor, distressed, and underprivileged; and support other organizations conducting activities under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Somerhalder was born and raised in Louisiana, and he currently resides in Los Angeles.

For “V Wars” cast, trailer and first look, click here.

FAST FACTS:

  • SHOWRUNNERS: William Laurin & Glenn Davis

  • STARS: Ian Somerhalder (Dr. Luther Swann), Adrian Holmes (Michael Fayne), Jacky Lai (Kaylee Vo), Peter Outerbridge (Calix Niklos), Kyle Breitkopf (Dez), Laura Vandervoot (Mila Dubov), Kimberly-Sue Murray (Danika Dubov)

  • DIRECTORS: Brad Turner, TJ Scott, Kaare Andrews, Marita Grabiak, Bobby Roth, Ian Somerhalder

  • EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: William Laurin, Glenn Davis, Brad Turner, Eric Birnberg, Thomas Walden, James Gibb, Ian Somerhalder, Lydia Antonini, Matthew McCluggage, Paul Harb, Ted Adams, Jonathan Maberry

  • PRODUCED BY : High Park Entertainment in association with IDW Entertainment

  • EPISODES: 10 episodes

  • GENRE: Horror/Thriller

  • FILMED: Toronto

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“MENTAL SAMURAI,” THE FIRST-EVER OBSTACLE COURSE FOR THE MIND, HOSTED AND PRODUCED BY ROB LOWE, TO PREMIERE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, ON FOX

MENTAL SAMURAI, a thrilling new competition series that pushes every aspect of human intelligence and mental agility, debuts Tuesday, Feb. 26 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Hosted and produced by Rob Lowe, from A. Smith & Co. Productions, Warner Horizon Unscripted & Alternative Television and Apploff Entertainment, the show is the first-ever obstacle course...for the mind.

Each episode of MENTAL SAMURAI is an epic television event, as contestants battle the boundaries of their minds to answer questions accurately with speed and precision. Not only does the course test their acumen in categories of knowledge, memory, puzzles and sequencing, but players will also have to contend with being physically transported around the set at high speeds in a specially designed capsule capable of rotating 360 degrees. In MENTAL SAMURAI, people from all walks of life will compete, and underdogs will triumph, in the game that anyone can play, and almost no one can win.   

MENTAL SAMURAI is produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions, Warner Horizon Unscripted & Alternative Television and Apploff Entertainment. Arthur Smith, Toby Gorman, Jeff Apploff and Noah Bonnett serve as executive producers. Rob Lowe serves as a producer. “Like” MENTAL SAMURAI on Facebook at facebook.com/mentalsamurai. Follow the series on Twitter@mentalsamurai and join the conversation using #MentalSamurai. Check out photos and videos on Instagram @mentalsamuraiFOX/.

About A. Smith & Co. Productions

A. Smith & Co. Productions creates some of the most innovative, highly rated and high-quality programming for the domestic and international television marketplace. The company has produced more than 4,500 hours of award-winning programming, with budgets totaling well over one billion dollars across more than 50 networks and platforms. Current productions include HELL’S KITCHEN, MENTAL SAMURAI, “The Titan Games,” “American Ninja Warrior,” “American Ninja Warrior Junior,” “American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja,” “Unsung,” “Inside the Label,” “SciJinks,” “NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown,” “The Dunk King” and “Death by Magic.” Past hits include “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Ellen’s Design Challenge,” “Full Throttle Saloon,” “Wizard Wars,” “Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura,” “UFC Countdown,” “Joe Rogan Questions Everything,” “Paradise Hotel,” “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” “The Swan,” “Trading Spaces,” “Celebrity Duets,” “Pros vs. Joes,” “American Gangster,” “The Game of Dating,” “Skating with Celebrities” and many others.

For more information, visit www.asmithco.com.

A. Smith & Co. Productions creates some of the most innovative, highly rated and high-quality programming for the domestic and international television marketplace. The company has produced more than 4,500 hours of award-winning programming, with budgets totaling well over one billion dollars across more than 50 networks and platforms. Current productions include HELL’S KITCHEN, MENTAL SAMURAI, “The Titan Games,” “American Ninja Warrior,” “American Ninja Warrior Junior,” “American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja,” “Unsung,” “Inside the Label,” “SciJinks,” “NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown,” “The Dunk King” and “Death by Magic.” Past hits include “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Ellen’s Design Challenge,” “Full Throttle Saloon,” “Wizard Wars,” “Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura,” “UFC Countdown,” “Joe Rogan Questions Everything,” “Paradise Hotel,” “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” “The Swan,” “Trading Spaces,” “Celebrity Duets,” “Pros vs. Joes,” “American Gangster,” “The Game of Dating,” “Skating with Celebrities” and many others.

For more information, visit www.asmithco.com.

A. Smith & Co. Productions creates some of the most innovative, highly rated and high-quality programming for the domestic and international television marketplace. The company has produced more than 4,500 hours of award-winning programming, with budgets totaling well over one billion dollars across more than 50 networks and platforms. Current productions include HELL’S KITCHEN, MENTAL SAMURAI, “The Titan Games,” “American Ninja Warrior,” “American Ninja Warrior Junior,” “American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja,” “Unsung,” “Inside the Label,” “SciJinks,” “NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown,” “The Dunk King” and “Death by Magic.” Past hits include “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Ellen’s Design Challenge,” “Full Throttle Saloon,” “Wizard Wars,” “Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura,” “UFC Countdown,” “Joe Rogan Questions Everything,” “Paradise Hotel,” “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” “The Swan,” “Trading Spaces,” “Celebrity Duets,” “Pros vs. Joes,” “American Gangster,” “The Game of Dating,” “Skating with Celebrities” and many others.

For more information, visit www.asmithco.com.

21ST CENTURY FOX GLOBAL INCLUSION UNVEILS 2018 “FOX WRITERS LAB” PARTICIPANTS

Fox Writers Lab 2018 Participants

21st Century Fox Global Inclusion today announced the participants in its seventh annual Fox Writers Lab. The FWL is a highly selective writers’ initiative held at the Fox Studios in Los Angeles, CA, that takes eight writers through an immersive four-month curriculum that strengthens the pipeline of original storytellers on Fox television shows.

This year’s Fox Writers Lab participants and their representatives are:

  • Anthony Florez
  • Felicia Hilario (Abrams Artists Agency)
  • Milton Liu (Jeremy Tenser Limited)
  • Jenny Deiker Restivo (Artillery Creative; The Gersh Agency)
  • Aiah Samba (Stories International)
  • Elizabeth Stamp
  • Jai Tiggett (Gray Krauss Sandler Des Rochers)
  • Tesia Walker

The writers will receive detailed feedback and guidance on their scripts through interactive “master classes” and will engage in guest speaker sessions with experienced writers, showrunners and directors to discuss case studies of their films and television shows, and learn about their writing processes. They also will be coached by Joe Rogers at Executive Reboot LLC, and receive mentoring from executives at Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox 21, FX and 20th Century Fox Television. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive priority staffing meetings for the established Fox Writers Lab Staff Writer position on Fox entertainment productions.

In addition, at the conclusion of the intensive:

  • One finalist will be named the 2018 Fox Writers Lab Fellow. The Fox Writers Lab Fellow will be awarded the following: either a purchase and development deal on his/her original script or a “first-look” deal from Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) or any of its affiliated entities; one-on-one creative meetings with network and other Fox entertainment business heads, as well as senior cross-divisional current and development executives; and priority staffing efforts across Fox entertainment properties. 
  • All lab participants will receive staffing meetings for current FOX entertainment series and a first-look agreement to option their original and new scripts.

Notable alumni of the Fox Writers Lab include Lena Waithe, Emmy Award-winning writer of “Master of None” and creator, executive producer and writer of “The Chi”; Ed Gonzalez, co-writer of feature film “All Eyes on Me”; Cindy Fang, staff writer on “Rush Hour” and “Fresh Off the Boat”; JaSheika James and JaNeika James, executive story editors on EMPIRE; and Ester Lou Weithers, staff writer on EMPIRE and “Pitch.”  

21CF Global Inclusion nurtures diverse voices and stories, both in front of and behind the camera, through a variety of partnerships, initiatives and programs,includng the Fox Writers Lab, Fox Television Directors Lab and the Fox Filmmakers Lab.

Hulu Inks Deal with NBCUniversal for Hundreds of Episodes of TV Favorites Including 30 Rock, Parenthood and More

Hulu Inks Deal with NBCUniversal for Hundreds of Episodes of TV Favorites Including 30 Rock, Parenthood and More

New Licensing Agreement to Mark Premiere of Paul Reiser’s Comedy Series, There’s Johnny and SVOD Premiere of Syfy’s Face Off, as well as the U.S. Streaming Debut of the complete Made in Chelsea Library

SANTA MONICA, CA (September 27, 2017) – Following a groundbreaking licensing agreement that marked the streaming debut of iconic series Will & Grace, Hulu and NBCUniversal Television and New Media Distribution today announced a new agreement that will make Hulu the exclusive SVOD home to all episodes of Emmy Award winning comedy series, 30 Rock, beginning October 1st, as well as add hundreds of episodes of shows for the whole family to Hulu.

In addition to bringing the complete library of the critically acclaimed and Emmy Award-winning comedy series from creator and star Tina Fey - 30 Rock - to a new streaming home, the new deal includes a full suite of premium programming that will become available to stream on Hulu:

30 Rock. A three-time Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Comedy Series as well as a critical darling, 30 Rockcomes from the brilliant mind of creator and star Tina Fey, whose character Liz Lemon is asked by her ultra corporate boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) to somehow make the fictional program “TGS with Tracy Jordan” a success. Working with an oddball staff, no budget and no sleep, Liz keeps up the good fight against long odds. Also starring Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, Judah Friedlander and Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock aired for seven seasons and arrives in its entirety on Hulu on October 1st.

Parenthood. The family favorite, hit drama series will stream in its entirety in early 2018 on Hulu. The critically-acclaimed series, which aired for six seasons, has remained popular with viewers since its finale. Parenthood is a one-hour drama from Award-winning executive producers Jason Katims, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.  It follows the trials and tribulations of the very large, colorful and imperfect Braverman family and features stars including Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger and Joy Bryant. 

There’s Johnny. Paul Reiser’s highly-anticipated series, There’s Johnny, will make its debut on Hulu. The deal marks the premiere for the NBCUniversal period comedy, set in the world of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” circa 1972, starring Tony Danza.

Made in Chelsea. The first 13 seasons of the BAFTA award-winning, reality television series from the UK will make their US SVOD debut on Hulu. Since its premiere, the hit series has captivated audiences in the UK and resulted in many spin-offs. Through the deal, the complete series will be made available to stream in the US on Hulu later this year.

Face Off. The first 10 seasons of SYFY’s hit reality competition series, Face Off, will become available to stream on Hulu. The series will make its SVOD debut in early 2018. Face Off follows special effects make-up artists as they participate in elaborate challenges for a grand prize and the honor of being Hollywood's next great effects artist.

The new deal expands Hulu’s growing library of premium programming with even more hit series from the NBCUniversal Television library. Earlier this month, Hulu and NBCUniversal announced a joint agreement that made all episodes of the Emmy-winning, iconic series Will & Grace available to stream for the first time ever. Hulu is also home to top series from NBC including This Is Us, Blindspot, and the Emmy-winning Saturday Night Live. 

About Hulu

Hulu is a leading premium streaming service that offers instant access to live and on demand channels, original series and films, and a premium library of TV and movies to millions of subscribers in the U.S. Since its launch in 2008, Hulu has consistently been at the forefront of entertainment and technology.  Hulu is the only streaming service that offers both ad-supported and commercial-free current season shows from the largest U.S. broadcast networks; libraries of hit TV series and films; and acclaimed original series including Emmy Award-winning series The Handmaid’s Tale, The Mindy Project, The Path, 11.22.63, the Golden Globe® nominated comedy series Casual, as well as the upcoming Future Man, Castle Rock, Marvel’s Runaways and The Looming Tower. In 2017, Hulu added live news, entertainment and sports from 21st Century Fox, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Scripps Networks Interactive to its offering – making it the only TV service that brings together live, on-demand, originals, and library content all in one place, across living room and mobile devices.

About NBCUniversal Television and New Media Distribution 

NBCUniversal Television and New Media Distribution is responsible for the sales and distribution of NBCUniversal product to all forms of television within the U.S. and Canada.  This includes current television and film product as well as content from NBCUniversal's vast library (Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Universal Television, Universal Cable Productions, NBC Late Night properties, etc.) distributed in basic cable, pay cable and subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) markets. The division is also responsible for the sales of NBCUniversal content to non-theatrical markets including airlines worldwide. 

Netflix in June : A review

In this post, I will review (some) added shows and movies on Netflix for the month of June. What you should watch and what you can avoid.

MOVIES:

  • CAKE:

I was really excited to see this movie because of the many appraisal it received concerning Jennifer Aniston’s performance. Of course I loved her in Friends, and then she sort of disappointed me with a lot of not so good, dumb movies, with a few exceptions. She became mostly known for roles in what I call heavy comedies, that are hard to digest, where most of the humor revolves around poop, falling, farts, burps and so on..

Cake is not a great movie. The premise is pretty interesting though: A woman, Claire, played by Jennifer Aniston, becomes obsessed with a young woman ( Anna Kendrick)  from her chronic pain support group that has recently committed suicide as she has to overcome her own difficulties.

***Spoiler alert

Claire, we learn, has had a horrible car accident that has left her in constant pain and handicapped, but most horribly, that killed her young son. Her refusal to deal with the pain eventually also led to her separation from her husband. And that’s where we are.  She is mean, angry, in pain, addicted to painkillers and incapable of dealing with her emotions. She is trying to shut everyone out of her life, and has successfully done so, apart from Silvana, her maid, that is trying to help and protect her, even taking a lot of risks doing so.

Claire becomes obsessed with this young woman, Nina, from her support group that committed suicide and has many visions involving her (although stopping the mix wine/ pain killers might be a good idea for it to stop). Claire decides to know more about her life and a strange relationship blossoms between her and Nina’s late husband. They are both desperately hanging on to life but he is doing so in a much more grounded way, he has not given up on life, mainly due to his young son. He tries to help Claire as much as he can and both give each other hope of a better tomorrow. Of course the parallel is obvious between the two women. One killed herself and left her son and husband grieving for her. The other had her son killed in a car accident and was left by her husband. What are Claire’s reasons to wake up every morning? What has she left to live for?

The story deals with grief, hope and love but in such a way that we are not sure what the film is trying to convey. There is no clear direction in the movie and we are left wondering where this is headed.

There are a lot (too many) shots of Claire in her bed, hallucinating and in pain. The shots involving Nina are a bit cliché, she is dressed perfectly, talks with a smooth voice. Some of the narratives are not subtle, like the whole metaphor of the cake with the introduction of a runaway teenager that does not add anything to the story.

Sure the acting is pretty solid from Jennifer Anniston, but I would not say it is mind blowing. Why is it that every time a story involves some kind of tragic past and/or physical alterations from glamour criteria ( loss of weight, gain of weight, shaving head, scars etc..) people judge it as great acting and expect an Oscar nomination? The movie has to be great, the character has to be deep and complex. In that case the characters are a bit too cliché and are not very well established.  Their complexity is not understood. The movie does not work very well.

Rating : 2/4

  • Beyond the lights

This movie as everything a good romantic Drama should have : beautiful people, true love, obstacles, and drama.

The movie is about a pop star, Noni, with a controlling manager/mother, who is on the verge of becoming a huge star. She meets Kaz, a boy with a good heart and strong principles that is about to enter politics. Their world could not be further apart and their relationship would hurt both of their careers.

This movie is about the star system, about what sells and what does not. It is about a lot of today’s singers in a way, how they are manipulated, marketed, sexualized to sell, sell, sell. It does not matter if they feel comfortable in that persona labels create for them, or if they are happy. People have to believe they are, they have to sell the American dream, the illusion.

Noni meets Kaz, someone that truly cares about her for the first time and her principles evolve, which, no surprise here, does not please the many investors in her career.

Kaz also represents the hypocrisy of the political system. It is not good for his campaign to be seen with a pop star, it would show him as someone looking for fame, someone that enjoys drama when in fact he is a grounded, good hearted person, in love and trying to help the person he loves. People are labeled and both words despise each other.

Sure there are moments that are a bit soapy but I thought this would be a bad romantic drama and  it proved out to be a really entertaining movie, touching on a lot of subjects and allowing a (brief) look in the backstage of fame and politics, with the final message being to accept yourself for who you are ( which is always a nice message to convey).

Rating : 3/4 

  • THE BEST OF ME

I was not expecting much when I started this movie but I still was shocked by how bad this was. It is horribly bad. It is basically about two persons that haven’t moved on since they were 17 after what seems like 3 months of romance.

 They are so stuck in the past, which would be fine if the movie showed the pathetic aspect of it but no, it is somehow seen like a really good thing. Everything about it is really dull.

They admit they still love each other after having talked for 10 minutes total, about 20 years after their teenage fling.

Using very subtle flashbacks to their teenage years (where the guy actor looks nothing like the older one, apparently people shrink with age) It tries to involve drama. The main guy (I don’t even remember his name, let’s call him lover boy) has a horrible family he tries to escape from but they really want him bad and are ready to kill for that (for whatever reasons..). There is a semi- violent scene and his best friend is killed after a fight. Lover boy goes to prison (along with his father) and of course, teenage girl is in love and says she will wait for him. But he breaks it off (duh) because, obviously, she is not going to wait like 8 years for him to get out.

But apparently, even though she has “moved on” in the meantime, and has had 3 kids (not out of love is an understatement), she is still pissed at him for breaking it off 20 years later because « she would have waited for him ». This is just ridiculous.

The bad guys are still there, and still pissed at lover boy, who is truly too nice to be trusted. And guess what? The bad guys are bad like really really bad, they’re the scar of the Lion King, even though their end game is never really clear (guess they are really dumb too).

So in the end, SPOILER ALERT, Guess what? They kill lover boy at the same time lover girl’s son has an accident and I kid you not, lover boy’s heart saves lover girl’s son. So basically, her lover’s heart now is inside her son, creepy right?

I mean this movie is so bad, the characters are such cliché; it feels like it was made by a 10 year old because life is simple and true love is eternal. I understand why they kill him off in the end because should they have started really being together, I wonder how long it could have lasted given the fact that they barely know each other and that all they talk about, and have in common is their 3 month romance when they were kids. But seriously, dialogues are bad, characters are bad, just stay away.

Rating : 1 /4

  • NIGHTCRAWLER :

This movie is very hard to review for me. I admit it is an exceptionally well-filmed movie, every shot is just pure and jaw droopingly beautiful. The character Lou Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal is mesmerizing and the dialogues are poignant. The music is just right.

However, this is not my kind of movie. It reminded me of Drive in its amazing direction but I just do not really fall in love with those kind of movies. I think, after a little soul searching, that I am just too much a fan of dialogues, of knowing he complexity and self awareness of characters.

This movie is about a « reporter », or more precisely a man, with a camera that films local news but is not afraid to go further than anyone else. He will trespass scene crimes, break the law and even create drama himself, in order to get the best ( aka the goriest, most violent) shots.

This film is definitely a critic of today’s voyeurism, especially in the news, with more and more crude and disturbing images being broadcasted. It is a critic of our society that likes it, that always ask for more of it. People are so curious about death, about violence; think about how many people tried to see the corpses or the injured when an accident took place near you, and even you wanted to see as well. I do not know if it is part of our nature, because we wonder about death, or something that has been reinforced due to us being accustomed of seeing those images on the news. Anyways, today, these are the « money shots ».

But the movie is not only about that, it is most and foremost about Lou Bloom, someone that appears to everyone like a great worker, even sympathetic, reaching for the stars, making his own luck ( an American dream embodiment) that is ultimately a manipulative, vicious person, devoid of any empathy.

The camera follows him without making us empathize with his character, and we are able to condemn his actions and judge him very easily, distancing ourselves from such a horrible person. But the truth is, how horrible is he? and how horrible are we if we condemn the means but not the finality, if we watch his images and ask for more?

This emphasizes the paradox we are in concerning most things in the world today, we condemn child labor and exploitation but still buy 5 dollars shirt. We condemn global warming but still do not take our own bags to the grocery store and so on.

The movie is truly a piece of art so I would recommend it, even though, as I stated before, this is not a movie that really touched my sensitivity. Characters that are too distant, storylines that are too distant, and therefore when I have a hard time identifying in the story tends to just affect me less. But that’s just me.

Rating: 4/4

***

TV SHOWS:

  • Orange Is The New Black

Yes! Orange Is The New Black is back and it is so so good!!

The second season had disappointed me a little but this season was really great. It incorporated much more background on the characters and they became way more complex.

The first episode really sets the tone; the show had previously been criticized for not showing enough the reality of female imprisonment and the strain on family that prison results in, especially for the mothers imprisoned, not being able to have their children visit due to different constraints. This season treated much more about motherhood, being afraid for one’s child’s development, being afraid to be a bad mother or a bad example. It deals with a lot of different aspects of motherhood: Dayanara and her concerns for her unborn child, Gloria and Sophia that are facing their rebellious teenagers, Jessica that has a forced separation with her child or even Pennsatucky dealing with her abortions. All of this added so much humanity to their characters and we really understood how powerless those women are in situations that directly affect them. The gang war is more or less over, leaving them with more time to actually think about the outside world and what awaits them.

The flashbacks were amazing, giving us so much more insights as to who the characters are- especially the one about Pennsatucky that was heart breaking.

There is also more solidarity within the prison, old hatches have been buried and all seem very eager to look forward, to be better and do better. All, except for Piper who becomes more and more attached to the prison. She feels like she has finally found herself, and she is not a nice girl anymore. Shocker, Alex is actually the one trying to stay out of trouble and that ultimately leads to a feud between them.

Prisoners are looking for hope and a cult starts, under the presidency of Morna.

There is also a lot of backstory into the guards, the prison system, with Caputo doing everything he can to keep the prison afloat, without ever being thanked for it.

This season depicted much more all the weaknesses, faults and contradictions of the whole prison system. It showed us the limits of the system, a system that is a capitalistic system after all, lead by money, lead by people with their own ego ( like when the one counselor that actually manages to create trust with the prisoners is fired over Healy’s ego), lead by unqualified people. A lot of the episodes directly demonstrated the numerous pitfalls in the prison system, inability to deal with addiction, inability to counsel adequately and to listen, inability to treat the prisoners like human being even.

This season was really a lot more about empathizing with the characters; it was about showing them as human, complex people and created much more occasions to relate to them. This season was about change, redemption and hope. Not to say that there was not drama and humor, it is still hilarious and a dangerous trigger to binge watching behaviors.

If all of that isn’t enough, watch it at least to get the whole buzz about the latest addition to the cast, Ruby Rose.

Rating 4 /4

Note: These ratings and review are personal opinion of the author.

TV - Comedy Central

Here is another “look” at something new.  This time it’s for a new late night series on Comedy Central which is the place to find laughter!

This time, you can laugh late-night and you can laugh BLACK with the very smart, very funny upcoming series premiere of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.

Good news, it’s coming in 2015!  Mark your digital reminder for January 19th and tag Comedy Central.

Replacing The Colbert Report, the very funny Wilmore will air original episodes four nights a week. In anticipation for the series debut, check out the first promo below. 

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX6xoYMNJfw

Website:

http://www.cc.com/shows/the-nightly-show