Moviefone Editorial

Tag: stephanie beatriz

  • TV Review: ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2

    (L to R) Tiana Okoye as Dollface, Anthony Mackie as John Doe in 'Twisted Metal' Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.
    (L to R) Tiana Okoye as Dollface, Anthony Mackie as John Doe in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.

    ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2 receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

    Arriving on Peacock on July 31st with the first three episodes (and new episodes landing every Thursday through August 28th), ‘Twisted Metal’s second season drives in with the same level of chaotic brio as with the first.

    Starring Anthony Mackie (‘Captain America: Brave New World’), the cast also includes Stephanie Beatriz (‘Encanto’), Anthony Carrigan (‘Barry’), Saylor Bell Curda (‘Walker’) and Tiana Okoye (‘The Valet’).

    Related Article: Who Will Be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers Team in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Mike Mitchell as Stu, Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in 'Twisted Metal' Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.
    (L to R) Mike Mitchell as Stu, Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.

    First launched in 2023, ‘Twisted Metal’ is a wild, wacky, violent and creative adaptation of the PlayStation vehicular combat game franchise.

    Can Season 2, which returns stars Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz, alongside hulking killer clown character Sweet Tooth and a host of new characters keep up the momentum?

    Script and Direction

    Richard De Klerk as Mr. Grimm in 'Twisted Metal' Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.
    Richard De Klerk as Mr. Grimm in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.

    Overseen by showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith, the second season of ‘Twisted Metal’ smartly doubles down on the crazed style and tone that made the first work.

    This is never going to be Shakespeare, but the writing team deftly juggles over-the-top violence and a few more emotional twists. The introduction of a new group of racers in a tournament storyline is also handled well.

    Plus, if you were hoping that the directorial side of things was still as visually inventive and entertaining: good news!

    Cast and Performances

    (L tor R) Richard De Klerk as Mr. Grimm, Saylor Bell Curda as Mayhem, Andre De Kim as Chuckie Floop, Tiana Okoye as Dollface, Stephanie Beatriz as Quiet, Johnno Wilson as Dave, Anthony Mackie as John Doe, Mike Mitchell as Stu, Tyler Johnston as Deacon, Patty Guggenheim as Raven, Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in 'Twisted Metal' Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.
    (L tor R) Richard De Klerk as Mr. Grimm, Saylor Bell Curda as Mayhem, Andre De Kim as Chuckie Floop, Tiana Okoye as Dollface, Stephanie Beatriz as Quiet, Johnno Wilson as Dave, Anthony Mackie as John Doe, Mike Mitchell as Stu, Tyler Johnston as Deacon, Patty Guggenheim as Raven, Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.

    Mackie and Beatriz continue to make a complementary, their banter and relationship issues relatable in a world gone mad.

    And yes, while Sweet Tooth is still a largely one-note character, that note is an amusing one.

    Of the new recruits, Saylor Bell Curda makes the most impact as Mayhem, a young woman who crashes into our heroes’ lives and serves to bring some extra tension.

    Anthony Carrigan, meanwhile, is fun as loopy guru Calypso, who throws the tournament on the promise of granting the winner’s big wish.

    Neve Campbell’s Raven has been written out (budget cuts, which also explains a move from New Orleans to Canada), but the introduction of a whole group of Ravens, led by Patty Guggenheim (who stole scenes as Madisynn in ‘She Hulk: Attorney at Law’) works superbly to replace her.

    Final Thoughts

    Stephanie Beatriz as Quiet in 'Twisted Metal' Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.
    Stephanie Beatriz as Quiet in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.

    The second lap for ‘Twisted Metal’ is just as much fun as the first, and fans can be reassured that the flare for destruction tempered by humanity is just as present here.

    In a world where video game adaptations are on an upswing, this deserves to score more attention, even if it’ll never reach the depths of, say, ‘The Last of Us’ (not that it aims to).

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    What’s the plot of ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2?

    Following the revelations in the season one finale, John (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) find themselves entering the deadly Twisted Metal tournament, a sinister demolition derby hosted by a mysterious man known as Calypso (Anthony Carrigan).

    As they try to survive an onslaught of dangerous new foes and familiar faces alike, including the murderous clown Sweet Tooth, things get complicated for John when he reunites with his long-lost sister, the vigilante Dollface (Tiana Okoye).

    Who stars in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2?

    • Anthony Mackie as John Doe
    • Stephanie Beatriz as Quiet
    • Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth
    • Will Arnett as Sweet Tooth (voice)
    • Anthony Carrigan as Calypso
    • Tiana Okoye as Dollface
    • Saylor Bell Curda as Mayhem
    Anthony Carrigan as Calypso in 'Twisted Metal' Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.
    Anthony Carrigan as Calypso in ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2. Photo: Pief Weyman/PEACOCK.

    Video Game Adaptations Similar to ‘Twisted Metal’:

    Buy Anthony Mackie Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Reverse the Curse’ Interview: Director David Duchovny

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    Opening in theaters on June 14th is the new movie ‘Reverse the Curse’, which is based on the novel ‘Bucky F*cking Dent’ written by David Duchovny (‘The X-Files’ and ‘House of D’).

    The film was also written and directed by Duchovny and stars himself, Logan Marshall-Green (‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’), Stephanie Beatriz (‘In the Heights’), Evan Handler (‘Sex and the City’) and Pamela Adlon (‘Bumblebee’).

    Related Article: Director Meg Ryan and David Duchovny Talk Rom-Com ‘What Happens Later’

    David Duchovny Talks 'Reverse the Curse'.
    David Duchovny Talks ‘Reverse the Curse’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with David Duchovny about his work on ‘Reverse the Curse’, adapting his own novel, the relationship between the characters, and the challenges of acting and directing at the same time.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Duchovny, Logan Marshall-Green and Stephanie Beatriz.

    Logan Marshall-Green and David Duchovny 'Reverse the Curse'.
    (L to R) Logan Marshall-Green and David Duchovny ‘Reverse the Curse’. Photo: Vertical.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the challenges of adapting your own novel into a screenplay and were the themes you explored as an author the same as the themes you wanted to explore as a filmmaker, or did those ideas change along the way?

    David Duchovny: Well, I’ll say that I first wrote it as a screenplay, then as a novel. Then I rewrote the screenplay after I wrote the novel. So, it was a long process of figuring out that story. Movies and books do things differently. They have different strong points. So, it was trying to translate first the screenplay into a novel. Then the depth that I was able to bring to the novel, try to bring that back into the movie and still maintain the emotional power of it. The difficulties in that were none. I didn’t feel like there were difficulties. I knew the story. I knew it had power. I knew that if I could find the right tone and I had the right actors, who were both funny and deep, which my two actors are, then I knew I would be able to pull it off, even if I only had 20 days and only had so much money or whatever. Once I had Logan and Stephanie on board, there wasn’t much of a problem. Days were a problem because we all had to go fast and there were hiccups and everything, but there wasn’t a creative problem really after that.

    Logan Marshall-Green and Stephanie Beatriz 'Reverse the Curse'.
    (L to R) Logan Marshall-Green and Stephanie Beatriz ‘Reverse the Curse’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Can you talk about the friendship that Marty and Ted form with Marianna, and do you think they relate to her because they are as brokenhearted as she is?

    DD: I think what’s interesting is what happened during the shooting of the movie. Remember, a lot must happen between Stephanie and Logan in a short amount of time because they’ve got this little romcom happening during this dance of death that’s going on. But I don’t have 90 minutes of rom com. I’ve got basically seven or eight minutes of romcom within this film. I was really struggling with, I don’t want it to be too easy, and yet, it can’t be too hard. I wanted to rewrite a couple of the scenes that they had. I think the first weekend we had off, I rewrote it, and I found this line for Stephanie, which was, “Just because you get shot doesn’t mean you have to die.” What’s so weird is that I would’ve written a screenplay, written a novel, and never written that line before, but really that is the heart of her character. In many ways, the heart of the movie is in that line, which is just because you’ve been hurt, you don’t have to give up.

    David Duchovny and Logan Marshall-Green 'Reverse the Curse'.
    (L to R) David Duchovny and Logan Marshall-Green ‘Reverse the Curse’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Finally, as an actor, you have some very emotional scenes in the movie. Was it difficult focusing and emotionally preparing for those scenes while you’re also directing the movie and working with the cast and the crew?

    DD: Yeah, but that’s the gig. You know that going in. That’s hard for any actor. You drive into work, you’ve got a family, your kid needs you, and you’ve got to go do a scene. The Titanic’s going down, whatever, you’ve got to do it. So that’s the job. That’s the hard part of the job, whatever’s happening, whatever job you need to do. If you’ve got to do that scene where your heart is coming out of your mouth, then that’s what you’ve got to do. When we shot that scene by the roadside, I didn’t sweat it too much. I got there and I was like, “Oh, now I’ve got to do this. This is the heart of the character. The heart of the movie in many ways is this moment.” I think that that might’ve been helpful for me. I didn’t have time to think, “Oh, if I don’t pull this off, I’ve got no movie.” Just saying that, I get nervous in retrospect, but I wasn’t nervous then because I wasn’t thinking that way.

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    What is the plot of ‘Reverse the Curse’?

    Reverse the Curse follows Ted (Logan Marshall-Green), a failed writer-turned-Yankees Stadium peanut slinger who moves back home after learning of the failing health of his Red Sox-obsessed father, Marty (David Duchovny). While Marty strives to make amends for his past, his health drops abruptly whenever his beloved Sox lose a game. To keep his dad’s spirits up, Ted takes matters into his own hands and manufactures a winning streak with the help of a crew of dad’s neighborhood pals. In the process, Ted strikes up a bond with Marty’s charming “Death Specialist,” Marianna (Stephanie Beatriz), and the prospect of a new love reignites his ambitions. An ode to the bond between father and son, this warm and witty film demonstrates how life truly belongs to the losers, and that the longshots are the ones worth betting on.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Reverse the Curse’?

    Logan Marshall-Green and David Duchovny 'Reverse the Curse'.
    (L to R) Logan Marshall-Green and David Duchovny ‘Reverse the Curse’. Photo: Vertical.

    Other David Duchovny Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy David Duchovny Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’

    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’
    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ opens in theaters on May 27th. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

    Opening in theaters on May 27th is the big screen adaption of the popular animated series ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ entitled ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie.’ Directed by Loren Bouchard and Bernard Derriman, the movie features the voices of H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Larry Murphy, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal, Zach Galifianakis, Aziz Ansari, Gary Cole, David Wain, Jenny Slate, Stephanie Beatriz, and Oscar winner Kevin Kline.

    When a sinkhole in front of the Belcher’s restaurant ruin the family’s plans for a perfect summer, Bob and Linda struggle to keep the business afloat, while their kids try to solve a mystery that could save their family’s restaurant. The result is an animated musical comedy that will please fans of the series but may lose those not familiar with the source material.

    The movie begins by reintroducing audiences to the Belcher family as they prepare for their perfect summer. But trouble begins as Bob (Benjamin) and Linda (Roberts) are turned down for an extension on their bank loan and now have only a week to pay it back. But their ability to make the money in time is jeopardized by a sinkhole that develops in front of the restaurant, blocking patrons from entering. Soon, Louise (Schaal) finds the skeleton of a murdered man in the hole and begins an investigation to discover the real killer.

    Meanwhile, Tina (Mintz) decides to tell her crush her true feelings, Gene (Mirman) is determined to get his band to headline Wonder Warf’s summer show, and Louise’s school rival calls her a baby! But when the kids overhear their parents discussing their money issues, Louise enlists her siblings to solve the mystery of the sinkhole and save their family business.

    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’
    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ opens in theaters on May 27th. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

    Those not familiar with the series may be thrown by the casting, as several male actors voice female characters, which takes some adjustment but ultimately works for the performances. The voice cast returning from the series clearly know their characters well, and really create a sweet family dynamic. Dan Mintz is excellent as the Belcher’s oldest daughter, Tina, who is just beginning her awkward teenage years. Eugene Mirman’s Gene and Kristen Schaal’s Louise are also well voiced and add to the odd humor of the film, especially Louise who’s story helps drive the plot.

    Another male actor voicing a female character is John Roberts as Linda, who plays the classic loving yet overbearing mother. His interpretation of Linda is one of the strongest in the film and creates a very relatable character. H. Jon Benjamin is also very good as Bob, but the character’s low droll of a voice becomes too monotone at times.

    The film also includes famous actors not seen on the original series, like Zach Galifianakis, David Wain, and surprisingly, Oscar winner Kevin Klein, who play the movie’s antagonists, Felix Fischoeder, Courtney Wheeler, and Calvin Fischoder, respectively. Each actor offers a funny and interesting take on their over-the-top characters.

    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’
    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ opens in theaters on May 27th. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

    Directors Loren Bouchard and Bernard Derriman succeed in the animation and music departments, however the story, which is basically a “who done it,” is far too simple for a two-hour movie, at times over-stuffing the plot and moving focus away from the family dynamics that made the series a hit with fans.

    Much like other big screen adaptions of popular animated TV shows such as ‘The Simpsons Movie’ or ‘South Park: Bigger, Louder & Uncut,’ the film feels at times like an over-bloated episode of the television series, which may entertain fans, but could leave others lost.

    At its heart, ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ is really an animated musical, with wonderfully funny songs that work well within the context of the film, like the opening number “Perfect Summer” or Tina’s balled, “Summer Boyfriend.” But ultimately, not knowing the original source material and characters was really a detriment to enjoying the overall movie.

    In the end, ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ features strong animation, lovable characters and great musical numbers, but falls short of transcending its television source material. New audiences will only enjoy it so much, but fans of the original series will delight in the nostalgia and familiar characters.

    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’
    ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ opens in theaters on May 27th. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
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  • Zoe Saldaña talks ‘Maya and the Three’

    Zoe Saldaña talks ‘Maya and the Three’

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    ‘Maya and the Three’ is a new animated series on Netflix that tells the story of a warrior princess named Maya (Zoe Saldaña) who goes on an epic quest to save humanity. Saldaña, her co-stars Stephanie Beatriz, Gabriel Iglesias, & Allen Maldonado, writer/director Jorge R. Gutiérrez and animator/designer Sandra Equihua spoke to Moviefone about their new series.

    First up, Zoe Saldaña talks about what it’s like to work in animation.

    Zoe Saldaña interview

    Moviefone: This is such a beautiful animated series, and you’ve worked with Jorge in the past. So when he approached you, what was your reaction?

    Zoe Saldaña: I was flattered. I was so humbled and, I don’t know, I just felt so happy because he did make a promise on the red carpet of ‘Book of Life,’ and then he kept his promise. He did call. And it was wonderful because once I saw this adventure of ‘Maya and the Three,’ obviously it was going to be much more challenging, but it just, it was an adventure that I just couldn’t sort of stop thinking about it once he shared it with me.

    MF: What were some of the challenges to this role?

    Saldaña: Well, there’s a lot of fighting and when you’re only doing it using your voices as the sole instrument of performance, it takes a toll. So there were sessions in which there was a lot of drinking tea, and a lot of honey, and lemon, and green apples. But it was so much fun and Jorge is a person that it’s difficult to match his energy because he’s just, he gives 110% all the time. So though it is infectious, you’re like, “Wait, Jorge, you really want her to scream that loud?” He goes, “Yeah.” And you’re like, “Okay, well, let’s do it.”

    MF: So is it a lot harder to do a role when it’s just your voice and not your whole body, you’re not in person, you’re not able to use any facial expressions, you have no one else you’re working off of?

    Saldaña: No, it’s easy in so many ways because you get to roll into work in your PJs. You don’t even have to brush your teeth if you don’t want to. But, it has its own sets of challenges because being that your voice is the only instrument that you use, you really have to be prepared. You really have to be centered. You really have to listen to your director because a phrase can be said 3 million different ways, and you have to be able to capture it the way that the character needs to say it, right? And I’ve done so many animations now and all kinds of animations too because I’ve worked with Laika, and I’ve worked with Jorge for the second time. And I also did Vivo and I love it. I enjoy it. It’s fun.

    MF: What was that preparation like working with Jorge to develop the character of Maya?

    Saldaña: There was a lot of conversations about where he was able to share who she was, and how she came to be, and what the world was, and what his vision was. But once we got through all those conversations and I felt like, “Okay, Maya’s sinking in, like she’s already coming in and taking over,” then it just became a fun process of like, “Do it like this. Can you say it like that?” And, “What if you did it your way? What if you did it? That was a little too Queens. That was a little to this.” And then like, “Do it more like this. No, I want you to be yourself. Do it like Zoe.” So it was just, it was fun.

    MF: Who is Maya, and what is the quest she’s on?

    Saldaña: Maya is this feisty, rebellious, wholesome 15-year-old who knows exactly who she is, knows her voice, knows where she wants to be and has to fight the old stigmas of the conventional roles that women are subjected to, and she’s having a hard time fitting in those shoes. And she’s challenged one day when she embarks on this epic quest to save her kingdom and her people, and now is when she really has to learn who she truly is and whether or not she is as brave as she thought she was. And she does this all with a lot of help from great friends.

    MF: And this is a Latinx world, the culture, the mythology. So how is it to bring this out, so other kids can see maybe themselves reflected here?

    Saldaña: Oh, it’s so nice. It’s on a personal level, I get to show my sons reflections of their heritage so that they always have more than enough reasons to be proud of who they are, and how they, are and what they are. But also, I’m just as excited to get to share a lot of my culture with the world. It’s not just preaching or a lesson on Latinx sort of like mythology and Mesoamerican history, but it’s a celebration. And when you celebrate, you want everybody to be invited. And I don’t know how to talk about being Latinx more than I know how to be. So getting to show who we are in a way that is coming from a place of love is beautiful.

    Stephanie Beatriz, Allen Maldonado, and Gabriel Iglesias describe their characters.

    Moviefone: Stephanie, can you describe Chimi and tell me about bringing that character to life along with Jorge?

    Stephanie Beatriz: Yeah. So Chimi is a skull warrior. She is one of Maya’s three warriors that are going on this incredible quest. And I was really, really honored to be asked to be part of this project. I think Jorge Gutiérrez is so talented. He’s such an incredible creative mind. And what he’s kind of concocted in this world is really amazing. And Chimi is this sort of outcast weirdo that finds her home with Maya and Rico and Picchu, like, as a team. It was really fun to build her. We had an amazing time recording her, but I think the sort of most special moment for me was actually getting to see our voices, collectively, our voices, all come to life in this incredible animation. It’s been really, really amazing to see.

    MF: And Allen, tell me about Rico.

    Allen Maldonado: Rico. He’s the Afro-Latino wizard from… rooster wizard, rather. Again, he comes from a troubled past, as you will discover in the series. He has some issues that he’s dealing with in his magic, but with Maya and the Three, somehow they figure out a way, and then they battle against evil. So I’m excited for people to see how just beautiful the animation alone is, in combination with all of our performances. I think we got something special.

    MF: The animation is incredible. And Gabriel, you play Picchu, and he’s got a very big bold look, shall we say?

    Gabriel Iglesias: He’s so full of life. Not just because of his size, but he’s a warrior. He’s a big, massive warrior with a heart. He’s a gentle giant. A gentle giant is probably the best way to describe him. But yeah, trying to find his voice was interesting. Because you know, Jorge is looking at me, and he’s like, “All right, dude, we got to come up with a character for this big guy.” And I’m like, “Well, you know, I am a big guy.” And he goes, “Yeah, but you don’t sound big enough.” And I’m like, “Oh, that’s the story of my life.” So anyway, take that as you will. So getting that voice down, it took a little while. And once we had it dialed in, we were off to the races and I think that it plays very, very well, and I don’t want to spoil it, but yeah, there’s some pretty like, “Oh!” moments, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

    MF: There are some very heartfelt moments, and maybe the story doesn’t really end how you would expect a kid’s animated story to end. Stephanie, why do these three agree to go on this quest with Maya?

    Beatriz: I think all of them are searching for something that Maya sort of urges them toward. Meaning, for Chimi, she’s been really lonely most of her life. She’s an outcast in her land. So there are all these different lands in this world that we’re talking about, and she’s from the jungle lands, and she’s a complete outcast. In fact, people call her a monster. And so she’s looking to belong, I think. And I mean, I don’t want to speak for the other characters, but I think each of them is sort of missing something that’s provided with the connection that they find in this like kind of chosen family with Maya and the three.

    It’s just like, it’s really sweet how it reflects the journey of like when you’re becoming an adult or when you’re kind of finding your way as a person, you start to look around you to see how other people see you. And if you find the people that believe in you, then you’re going to be able to achieve heights and become the fullest, best version of yourself. Because other people are seeing you in a light that maybe you don’t always see yourself in that light.

    Writer/director Jorge R. Gutiérrez and animator/designer Sandra Equihua talk about what inspired the story, and what it’s like working together as a married couple.

    Moviefone: I’m excited to talk about this project. So Jorge, where did this idea for the story come from and what does it mean to you personally?

    Jorge R. Gutiérrez: Well, it was inspired by my wife, Sandra. I met her when she was 17 years old, and I thought she was a warrior woman because her dad was a doctor and her three sisters wanted to be doctors too. And she wanted to be an artist. She was a rebel. And honestly, that’s been the big inspiration for it. And also going to museums as a kid and seeing all this beautiful Mesoamerican art and all this mythology, and never seen that on screen and falling in love with fantasy movies from other countries. And going, what? Wait, why can’t we make our own fantasy movies?

    MF: How do you feel, Sandra, that he says this was inspired by you?

    Sandra Equihua: Well, that’s a lot of pressure! It’s like you’re kind of scared that one day that your wick is going to run out, and it’s going to burn out, and you’re not going to inspire anyone anymore, but I hope I keep inspiring him.

    MF: As husband and wife, how do you guys kind of work together? How did you work together on this project?

    Gutiérrez: Usually Sandra designs all the female characters. So she designed Maya and herself because she plays the queen. And I usually design the males and the monsters and anything gross. And that’s kind of how we work together. When I write, she’s the first one to read everything.

    MF: There’s a lot of back and forth.

    Gutiérrez: There’s a lot of wife truth that is brutal.

    MF: Painful wife truth.

    Gutiérrez: But it’s been a collaboration we’ve worked. We’ve never not worked together and everybody warned us, you can’t work with each other. You guys are too crazy. Well, if you can work with your significant other, your marriage is bulletproof.

    MF: Let’s talk about designing King Teca. Tell me about him and kind of what he looks like and your idea behind that.

    Gutiérrez: King Teca, people think kind of looks like me and I would agree a hundred percent with him. He looks like what I wish I could be. A giant Aztec tank, who’s a teddy bear in the China shop of life and a forever giant child.

    MF: I love him. I love him so much. Now, Queen Teca. She’s got to be the mom, because he is still the kid. So tell me little bit about designing her look and about her.

    Equihua: She was a lot of fun to do. The funny part is that once I finished designing her, where he came in, and she was like, did you know she kind of looks like a chess piece, she looks like a queen. It’s really awesome that you kind of unconsciously design her that way. And I was like, oh my God, you’re totally right. And yeah, personality wise, it does kind of bum me out that she has to be the adult. But there has to be someone to put order in this world, right?

    MF: Right. Now Jorge, tell me about doing this as a long form instead of short form. So why this series instead of making a movie?

    Gutiérrez: Originally, I wanted to do this as three movies. And no studio in Hollywood thought I could do it. Even though I kept telling them, “Hey, Peter Jackson did it with Lord of the Rings, I can do it too.” No one wanted to do it. And then Netflix said, “Hey, we are not limited by format. If you want to tell three movies worth of story, we can do it.” And so they believed in me, and I will be eternally thankful to Netflix for allowing this to happen.

    MF: Netflix has been bringing out some great things. Netflix is mainly people watching in their homes, not on the big screen. So as a filmmaker, how do you feel about that?

    Gutiérrez: I always say, I discovered Kubrick and Sergio Leone and Kurosawa on television. I did not, I was not privileged enough to get to see those movies in the big screen. So to me, that’s how we consume movies. Movies exist in the movie theater, but guess what? They live forever at home. I’m just jumping one to give it directly to people. And you can’t go to the movies to watch a four and a half hour animated movie anyways.

    Equihua: What a great opportunity, right?

    MF: Sandra, can you talk about the great opportunity to bring forward this project that allows children to see themselves in it? Whereas there’s been many animated projects where they cannot relate because they don’t see themselves.

    Equihua: The cool part about that… It’s kind of going back to what Jorge was saying is that Netflix has allowed us to see different cultures and different projects. There’s so many different projects right now that are Chinese. There’s dramas, there’s cartoons, there’s animated shorts. And it’s such a privilege to be part of that grouping. And now that we can bring that and have those kids see themselves. These kids are from Latin America that haven’t even seen them themselves before, and now they can actually see themselves. And we’re part of that repertoire. That’s so amazing.

    ‘Maya and the Three’ is now streaming on Netflix.

  • Stephanie Beatriz, More Stars Join ‘In the Heights’

    Stephanie Beatriz, More Stars Join ‘In the Heights’

    Fox

    Warner Bros.’ adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s Broadway musical “In the Heights” just added three more stars: Stephanie Beatriz (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Tony nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Dascha Polanco (“Orange Is the New Black”).

    The movie is set in New York’s Washington Heights. It’s about bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who debates whether to close his store and retire to the Dominican Republic after inheriting his grandmother’s fortune. In 2008, it won the Tony Award for best musical.

    Rubin-Vega will play Daniela, the dramatic owner of the neighborhood salon and Beatriz will play Carla, one of her employees. Polanco will play Cuca, a character who’s apparently been added for the film.

    Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton”) has already been cast as Benny and Jimmy Smits will play cab company owner Kevin Rosario. Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians“) is directing.

    Beatriz currently stars as Detective Rosa Diaz on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” Her films include “Short Term 12” and “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.”

    Daphne Rubin-Vega, ‘Jack Goes Boating’

    Rubin-Vega originated the role of Mimi Marquez in the Broadway musical “Rent.” She also appeared on NBC’s “Smash” and in the Philip Seymour Hoffman-directed film “Jack Goes Boating” and the 1998 thriller “Wild Things.”

    Dascha Polanco, ‘Orange is the New Black’

    Polanco starred as Dayanara Diaz on six seasons of Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” and also appeared in Netflix’s “Russian Doll.”

    [Via THR]

  • ‘The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part’ Is a Joyful Jumble

    ‘The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part’ Is a Joyful Jumble

    Warner Bros.

    Five years ago, the notion of a movie about Legos seemed ridiculous, but after $500 million in box office receipts and two successful spin-offs, “The Lego Movie 2” is a highly- and understandably-anticipated event sequel. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, returning as co-screenwriters and producers, hand the reigns of this unlikely but irresistible franchise off to “Trolls” director Mike Mitchell for a story that builds (no pun intended) on the foundation of the first in terms of its thematic complexity, while expanding its eclectic landscape with the energy and abandon of an eight-year-old building a playset out of random bricks recovered from the forgotten corners of her toy box. Though not quite as effective as the first film (due in small part to a less clear idea, but also to the growing abundance of Lego-themed movies) “Lego Movie 2” exudes a certain sort of overpowering, sensory-overload charm to muscle its way into audiences’ hearts even if afterward their minds may remain a bit discombobulated by the experience.

    Picking up right where the previous movie ended, Bricksburg has been overrun by destructive, childlike Duplo blocks, turning the city into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Despite this, Emmet (Chris Pratt) retains his unrelentingly optimistic outlook on life, to the growing consternation of his jaded “special best friend” Lucy (Elizabeth Banks). But when General Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz) attacks the newly branded “Apocalypseburg” and captures Lucy, Batman (Will Arnett) and all of Emmet’s closest friends, he embarks on a dangerous journey to the Systar System to rescue them from a matrimonial ceremony for Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi (Tiffany Haddish).

    Warner Bros.

    En route to Systar, Emmet encounters Rex Dangervest (also Pratt), a roguish, multitalented adventurer who agrees to help the wholesome hero save his friends. After hearing Rex’s sad story of abandonment and loneliness, Emmet soon finds himself conflicted about what to do — especially after discovering that his friends have been seemingly brainwashed by Watevra. But as Rex teaches him some new skills — not just to build Legos, but how to break them — Emmet must decide whether to embrace his new mentor’s tough, unforgiving outlook on life as his likeliest means for survival agains an impending “Amompocalypse,” or if he wants to stay the same the sweet, lovable construction worker who once believed that being special means staying true to yourself.

    If the first “Lego Movie” was a thinly-veiled tribute to, and treatise on, creativity, “Lego Movie 2” feels in many ways like a manifestation of its inspirational message: screenwriters Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Matthew Fogel and Raphael Bob-Waksberg tell a story that is literally born from the clashing imaginations of the two “real” children (played by Jason Sand and Brooklynn Prince) who have inherited their Dad’s (Will Ferrell) expansive toy collection. Unfortunately, that also means that its twists and turns, like those invented by kids with more enthusiasm than story sense, are often busy and sometimes overly convoluted, even if there are lots of fun diversions and digressions. At the same time, the film’s pop culture references — from “Mad Max Fury Road” to “Aquaman” — feel suitably organic for a pair of kids who undoubtedly have spent the intervening years between the first and second films consuming Hollywood’s biggest movies.

    Warner Bros.

    Some of the movie’s in-jokes work beautifully — especially those involving Rex Dangervest, a possible alternate-dimension version of Emmet who is a composite of Pratt’s characters from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Jurassic World,” “The Magnificent Seven,” and the persistent rumors that he was slated to play Indiana Jones at one point. But in expanding the universe and yet holding onto the idea that what Emmett and his friends are doing springs from the minds of the human characters, “Lego 2” eventually makes some leaps into “Toy Story” realms of fanciful impossibility that kind of derail the overall premise of the franchise (or at least invite more scrutiny than it needs).

    And yet, like Lord and Miller did with its predecessor, director Mitchell harnesses the limitless possibilities of a landscape that can be built, razed and rebuilt in the image of its creators for a dazzling visual and conceptual odyssey, though in this case to make an argument for cooperation, collaboration and mutual respect between disparate perspectives, both in the Lego and human worlds. Where the Lego characters continue to wrestle with their own identities, and with each other’s, the human kids do the same, trying to find an accord between an older brother’s evolving maturity, and a younger sister’s budding creativity. On screen, the end result is something discordant but joyful, unwieldy and frequently exhilarating, offering beautiful messages for kids about getting along with one another, and learning to respect different points of view. But ultimately, “The Lego Movie 2” feels like those lessons were imparted without quite being heeded by the filmmakers themselves, which may explain why the movie feels more like an exciting jumble of really intriguing parts than a unified, impactful whole.

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