Moviefone Editorial

Tag: justin-h-min

  • ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’ Cast Interview

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    Available on digital January 27th is the new comedy thriller ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance‘, which was directed by Jason Biggs (‘American Pie’) and stars Biggs, Meaghan Rath (‘Being Human’), Justin H. Min (‘The Umbrella Academy’), Anna Konkle (‘Rosewood’), and Arturo Castro (‘The Menu’).

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath about their work on ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’, their first reactions to the screenplay, why Biggs wanted to direct, Rath’s approach to her character, her experience working with Biggs as both an actor and director, balancing the right comedic tone, if Biggs will direct again and what he learned from this experience.

    (L to R) Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath star in 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'.
    (L to R) Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath star in ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: Moviefone’s 2026 Movie Preview: Theatrical and Streaming Releases

    Jason Biggs as “Kevin” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
    Jason Biggs as “Kevin” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).

    Moviefone: To begin with, Jason, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to direct this movie?

    Jason Biggs: I read the script, and it was originally offered to me just to play the role of Kevin. My agent said to me, “I think you may want to direct this one,” because we had been looking for something to direct for a few years. What I loved about it was that it was unexpected for me, I think. As an actor there are connections that people make for me, and I thought that would have extended to my first time directing as well. I even had an opportunity to direct something that was much more like ‘American Pie’, and I ultimately thought, “I’d rather challenge myself in a different way and try to do something that was a little unexpected.” So, when I first read the script, I was like, “My God, this is really great”. It’s the kind of movie that I like to watch. I’m a big Coen Brothers fan and it felt like it had that tone to it, and it was populated with similar characters, structure, gore, and comedy. So, for me, it was like, I really wanted to direct this. It felt like the right one for me. I don’t think I anticipated just how difficult it was going to end up being, but it was a challenge that I took on, and here we are.

    Meaghan Rath as “Suzie” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
    Meaghan Rath as “Suzie” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).

    MF: Meaghan, what was your first reaction to the screenplay, and did you recognize immediately that this would be a great part for you to play?

    Meaghan Rath: Yes, absolutely. I was in shock when I was reading it because I really felt a connection and an urge that I needed to play her. I thought that there would be so many actors that want to take that on, because it is a terrifying challenge with of all the emotions that she goes through, but also playing those tonal shifts. I felt that it weirdly combined a bunch of different skills that I had from previous shows that I’ve done. So, it felt like it was right for me, and it felt like it was mine, and it was.

    (L to R) Jason Biggs as “Kevin” and Meaghan Rath as “Suzie” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
    (L to R) Jason Biggs as “Kevin” and Meaghan Rath as “Suzie” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).

    MF: Meaghan, what was it like working with Jason on set as both an actor and as a director?

    MR: I felt very safe. We got on well just from the beginning and it’s so nice to be able to have that comfort with somebody that you’re getting on this runaway train with. It was 20 days. It was such a grueling shoot, and it was mostly nights. To have somebody that you knew that you could trust to take you through it, and not just as a scene partner, but as a director, figuring out this character, because it was very overwhelming. I came on not long before we went into picture, so I didn’t have that much time with it. It was nice to have somebody to figure it out with that I knew that I could rely on. So many times, during the shoot, I was like, “I don’t think we got it.” We had such crazy time restrictions, but he always gave me another take if I wanted it. So, that’s really something.

    (L to R) Justin H. Min as “Stu Cho” and Jason Biggs as “Kevin” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
    (L to R) Justin H. Min as “Stu Cho” and Jason Biggs as “Kevin” in the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).

    MF: Jason, can you talk about the challenges of balancing the right tone of comedy and suspense?

    JB: They’re in lie the biggest challenge, for sure. Meghan kind of alluded to it. It’s performance, its lighting, its shots, it’s the edit for sure, and the score. I always wanted it to feel as grounded and real because it’s a high concept movie. It’s a guy who fakes a break-in with his friend to win his wife back, and it goes wrong, and someone’s dead. It’s a high concept, but I felt like we would have the best chance of making it work if we kept it grounded. Because there’s a very broad version of this movie, for sure. But the version I wanted to see and make was as grounded as possible, because then I always thought that we would be able to go to some more extreme places, and ultimately be able to tie it together more organically in the end. So, yes, there’s laughs and very clear comedic moments, but there’s gore, there’s the thriller, and there’s the whodunit. It was the challenge of this movie, between the performances and everything else, and even right until the end, until the score was placed in. That was the sort of the final thing that we had to do. They did such a great job. So, that was the final thing, and it’s fascinating how much that helps connect everything. Anyway, that was part of the fun challenge for me.

    (Center) Director Jason Biggs on the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
    (Center) Director Jason Biggs on the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).

    MF: Finally, Jason, do you think you will direct again, and if so, what have you learned from making this film that you will take with you to your next project?

    JB: Yes, I would love to direct again. That’s saying a lot because this was a very hard shoot, as Meaghan said earlier. It was ambitious and very difficult at times. But for me, the moments that I will take from it, particularly working with Meaghan and the other actors and having that interaction, giving notes, having them change their performance. That was, for me, a high. It was such a great thing. So, I want to do it again. What have I learned? An insane amount. I mean, there is so much that I will take onto a next project if I get the opportunity. From little things to a big thing like, letting go, and being able to let go. You can’t get stuck. If you don’t get the shot, you just don’t get the shot. I remember missing shots and thinking, “That’s it. How am I going to put it together? It’s going to be impossible. Like, without that shot, there’s no way that this could work,” and that’s just not the case. There’s always creative solutions and ways around it. So, not getting as caught up in that, I think, maybe, is a big lesson to take.

    'Untitled Home Invasion Romance' will be available on digital January 27th.
    ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’ will be available on digital January 27th.

    What is the plot of ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’?

    As a last-ditch attempt to save his failing marriage, an actor (Jason Biggs) stages a home invasion during a romantic getaway weekend.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’?

    • Jason Biggs as Kevin
    • Meaghan Rath as Suzie
    • Arturo Castro as Ernie Guerra
    • Justin H. Min
    • Anna Konkle
    (Right) Director Jason Biggs on the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, 'Untitled Home Invasion Romance'. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
    (Right) Director Jason Biggs on the Comedy, Thriller, Action and Crime film, ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).

    List of Movies & TV Shows Featuring Jason Biggs:

    Buy Jason Biggs Movies and TV on Amazon

  • ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Season 4 Cast Interviews

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    Premiering on Netflix August 8th is the fourth and final season of the popular superhero series ‘The Umbrella Academy’, which stars Elliot Page (‘Juno’), Tom Hopper (‘Space Cadet’), David Castañeda (‘End of Watch’), Emmy Raver-Lampman (‘The Beekeeper’), Robert Sheehan (‘Mortal Engines’), Aidan Gallagher (‘Modern Family’), Justin H. Min (‘After Yang’), Ritu Arya (‘Polite Society’), and Colm Feore (‘Thor’).

    Related Article: Emma Roberts and Tom Hopper Talk Prime Video’s ‘Space Cadet’

    Tom Hopper and Aidan Gallagher star in Netflix's 'The Umbrella Academy' season 4.
    (L to R) Tom Hopper and Aidan Gallagher star in Netflix’s ‘The Umbrella Academy’ season 4.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Hopper and Aidan Gallagher about their work on ‘The Umbrella Academy’ season 4, their reaction to the final scripts and if they met their expectations, what the show has meant to them personally, what they’ll miss most about the series, and working with showrunner Steve Blackman.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hopper, Gallagher, Robert Sheehan, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, and showrunner Steve Blackman.

    Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves in 'The Umbrella Academy'.
    (L to R) Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves in ‘The Umbrella Academy’. Photo: Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix © 2024.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Tom, what was your first reaction to the screenplays for the final season and did they meet your expectations?

    Tom Hopper: I thought the screenplays of the season, just what I recognized straight off the bat, they were funnier. There was across the board, they were much more comedic and fun, but then they never lost what the deeper meaning of what the show is all about, which is the family and their struggles. It’s through those themes that is why it’s so great as a show. But I loved it, and my concern really was that we were going to be able to tell this story in 6 episodes instead of 10 to really finish it off, but I thought Steve Blackman did a great job at sculpting it.

    MF: Aidan, what was your reaction to the final screenplays and the direction your character would take this season?

    Aidan Gallagher: Well, we don’t receive them all at once. As we’re shooting, we’ll get further and further episodes, but there is a pitch meeting where they’ll talk about arcs, so at least you know where you’re going, and you can lay the foundation for your path. But that kind of makes it better as a viewer because by the time you get around to watching the show, a lot of it feels like a new thing to you, and you don’t know what the sets look like or how the performances are edited. By the time everyone’s done their bit in collaborating, you’re left with something you didn’t expect, which is wonderful. The screenplays specifically of just reading the scripts, I was incredibly happy for the arc that Five goes on this year. I thought it was a universal thing and just an interesting place to find and leave the character.

    Aidan Gallagher as Number Five in 'The Umbrella Academy'.
    Aidan Gallagher as Number Five in ‘The Umbrella Academy’. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    MF: Aidan, how much were you told about your character’s arc before you started shooting season 4?

    AG: When we’re approaching a new season, there is a pitch meeting of what we’re told is going to happen on a story arc level, but we don’t know everyone else’s bits. We just know our own character arc. So, there’s a day-to-day thing of you arrive on set with the crew and try and make the best of the scene, and it is only as good as everybody else around you, and we have incredible production and cast, and every day I just try not to bring that down and try and maintain the bar of excellence.

    MF: Tom, what has it meant to you to be part of this series and work with this cast?

    TH: From day one it’s been a real gift for me personally and as an actor. I think if you get one gig like this your entire career where it hits all the boxes like this one has, then I think you’re very lucky. I feel very fortunate. It ticks the box in terms of success, the fun we have on the show, how it comes across, the whole shebang, and the friendships you’ve made. We really created a family environment on this and became so tight as people on and off camera. So, it’s been such an amazing journey.

    Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves, Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves, Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts in 'The Umbrella Academy'.
    (L to R) Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves, Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves, Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts in ‘The Umbrella Academy’. Photo: Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix © 2024.

    MF: Aidan, what will you miss about working on this show?

    AG: The experience of getting to work on this show over the course of from 13-years-old to, I think I was maybe 19 or 20 when we left off shooting, but it’s a big chunk of your life. I learned a lot. I get to work with some incredible people. It’s a hard thing to sum up, but I’m going to miss the specific way that that all felt. Everything in life has its own colors that come together to make the way that you feel and your own perspective of it, and I’m never going to get that exact combination again. So, I’m just trying to appreciate it while it’s fading away.

    MF: Finally, Tom, what was it like working with showrunner Steve Blackman on this series and watching him execute his unique vision for the show?

    TH: Steve’s just been the best. He’s become a very close friend as well. His ability to collaborate and give us freedom as actors has been, I think one of the best things about the experience really. We’ve been able to play and really find these guys ourselves and bring ourselves to these roles. He’s given us that license. But he’s very good. He’s so talented at sculpting out a show and giving us the best material to work with. As I said at the beginning, it’s truly a gift, what he’s created for us here. I’m very grateful to Steve for the opportunity to come and play this role and get to play with these guys.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Season 4?

    The Hargreeves siblings (Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, and Justin H. Min) have scattered after the climactic showdown at the Hotel Oblivion led to a complete reset of their timeline. Stripped of their powers, each is left to fend for themselves and find a new normal — with wildly varying degrees of success. Yet the trappings of their uncanny new world prove too hard to ignore for very long. Their father Reginald (Colm Feore), alive and well, has stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye, overseeing a powerful and nefarious business empire. A mysterious association known as The Keepers holds clandestine meetings believing the reality, they’re living in is a lie and a great reckoning is coming. As these strange new forces conspire around them, the Umbrella Academy must come together one last time — and risk upsetting the shaky peace they’ve all endured so much to secure — to finally set things right.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Season 4?

    • Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves
    • Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves
    • David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves
    • Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves
    • Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves
    • Aidan Gallagher as Five Hargreeves
    • Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves
    • Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts
    • Colm Feore as Sir Reginald Hargreeves
    • Nick Offerman as Dr. Gene Thibodeau
    • Megan Mullally as Dr. Jean Thibodeau
    • David Cross as Sy Grossman
    Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves, David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves, Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves, Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts in 'The Umbrella Academy'.
    (L to R) Elliot Page as Viktor Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves, David Castañeda as Diego Hargreeves, Justin H. Min as Ben Hargreeves, Ritu Arya as Lila Pitts in ‘The Umbrella Academy’. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    Other superhero TV Shows:

    Buy Superhero TV Shows On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Shortcomings’

    Justin Min as Ben and Sherry Cola as Alice in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Justin Min as Ben and Sherry Cola as Alice in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    Opening in theaters on August 4th, ‘Shortcomings,’ directed by Randall Park, reaches for authenticity in the way its characters’ foibles are portrayed, but ultimately falls short itself with a blandly solipsistic, mopey main character and side stories that feel like they’d be much more interesting as the central narrative.

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    What’s the story of ‘Shortcomings’?

    Justin Min as Ben and Ally Maki as Miko in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Justin Min as Ben and Ally Maki as Miko in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    This is essentially the story of Ben (Justin H. Min), a struggling filmmaker, who lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko (Ally Maki), who works for a local Asian American film festival.

    When he’s not managing a struggling arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola), a queer grad student with a serial dating habit.

    When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices, and begins to explore what he thinks he might want –– mostly relationships with other women in his orbit. Alice, meanwhile, ends up moving to New York herself after an incident at school.

    Who else is in ‘Shortcomings’?

    Justin Min as Ben, Ally Maki as Miko, Timothy Simons as Leon in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Justin Min as Ben, Ally Maki as Miko, Timothy Simons as Leon in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    The cast also includes Tavi Gevinson, Debby Ryan, Sonoya Mizuno, Timothy Simons, Jacob Batalon, Theo Iyer and Scott Seiss.

    Related Article: 10 Things We Learned at the ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Press Conference

    What works about ‘Shortcomings’

    Jacob Batalon as Gene and Scott Seiss as Lamont in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Jacob Batalon as Gene and Scott Seiss as Lamont in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    Randall Park has been a reliable performer for years, someone who has long proved he has what it takes in front of the camera. Switching effortlessly between leading roles in the likes of TV’s ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ or the Netflix romantic comedy drama movie ‘Always Be My Maybe’ and character pieces such as roles on ‘The Office’ and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (where he’s more normally found in the ‘Ant-Man’ films as enthusiastic FBI agent Jimmy Woo, Park has developed a recognizable comic style and a following enough to give him a shot at directing.

    ‘Shortcomings’ is his first step behind the camera (though he has a production company and backs projects he sometimes appears in) and, as director, he proves to have a handle on at least what makes characters tick.

    Adapting –– with a script from the writer himself –– Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel, Park sets his story among the arty hipsters of Berkely and Oakland, the Bay Area vibe effectively created on screen here.

    And kicking off with a spoof scene of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (starring Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu and Ronny Chieng), he and Tomine quickly set out their stall, looking to explore the sort of romantic entanglements that usually come with white faces attached. It might not be always subtle, but that at least works –– we see Ben struggle with others judging him for dating white girl Sasha (Ryan) and helping Alice by pretending to be her boyfriend so she can avoid the usual interrogation at a family wedding (even if they have to hide Ben’s Japanese heritage from her parents, though even that would be preferable to them finding out she’s queer).

    Park nudges his characters through their various storylines, anchored by Ben’s malaise and Alice’s struggle to find herself. But there is a problem, and it’s largely Ben.

    What are the movie’s problems?

    Tavi Gevinson as Autumn in 'Shortcomings.'
    Tavi Gevinson as Autumn in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    The biggest issue with the movie is its central character. All plaudits for breaking away from the “model minority’ image of quietly well-behaved Asian-Americans. Ben is certainly flawed and human but despite the best efforts of Min to bring him to life, he comes across as a whining, self-centered moron that no woman would want to get near, let alone the parade of attractive people who deign date him.

    It gets to the point where you’re desperate for the movie to pivot away from Ben’s story and go and explore Alice’s life more deeply or even Gene (Batalon) and Lamont (Seiss), the two goofballs who work the concession stand at the cinema Ben manages. These two characters, who feel like they walked out of a Kevin Smith movie (and you can sense the New Jersey filmmaker’s influence all over ‘Shortcomings’) make for more entertaining company in a couple of minutes than almost all of Ben’s scenes. Even if they do represent a little more self-indulgence from Park and Tomine –– they refer to Marvel movies and Batalon, a co-star in the most recent ‘Spider-Man‘ trilogy of films, name-drops the character at one point.

    Full marks to the director and writer for trying to make the character feel authentically human instead of a stereotype, but the dial has been turned too far towards frustrating. And with Ben as the focal point of the movie, it makes for a more uncomfortable experience than anything approaching entertainment. Yes, he’s supposed to be annoying, but there’s zero growth and little evidence until right at the end that that’s even possible. Meanwhile, people around him are living much more interesting lives, even cinema employee Autumn, with whom Ben has a brief, unsuccessful dalliance. Subverting the manic pixie dream girl cliché, she’s a punk anarchist performance artist whose current work in progress is taking a picture of her urine-filled toilet every morning.

    ‘Shortcomings’ has enough to recommend it, even if you do find the main character to be a repetitive, time-wasting bore. There’s fun to be had exploring the world that these people live in, and the challenges they face when romantic issues and cultural boundaries clash. It’s just unfortunate that it doesn’t look more deeply into such ideas, choosing instead to indulge the central figure’s dull quest for the perfect relationship or his opinions on essentially anything.

    As a debut, it’s still an impressive one and if Park finds a subject he can bring to life without the frustrations of the human black hole at the center of this one, he’ll have something to truly enjoy. ‘Shortcomings’ might have a few of its own, but it also shows solid potential.

    ‘Shortcomings’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

    Stephanie Hsu as Mrs Wong and Ronny Chieng as Mr Wong in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Stephanie Hsu as Mrs Wong and Ronny Chieng as Mr Wong in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

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    Buy Tickets: ‘Shortcomings’ Movie Showtimes

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    ‘Shortcomings’ is produced by Topic Studios, Tango Entertainment, Roadside Attractions, Picture Films, and Imminent Collision. It is set to release in theaters on August 4th, 2023.