The headline-grabbing basis entails Wooden’s combat for victims of home violence and sexual assault along side a coalition of different survivors, which efficiently lobbied to increase the statute of limitations on such instances in California.
At size, Wooden describes assembly Manson, a.okay.a. Brian Warner, when she was 18 (he was 37), the beginnings of their romance and disturbing allegations about how she was abused, together with a music video by which their interactions prompted concern amongst members of the crew. Manson declined an interview, however his authorized counsel supplied an in depth assertion to the filmmakers saying that he “vehemently denies any and all claims of sexual assault or abuse of anybody,” and that former companions had “weaponized” consensual relationships into “fabricated horror tales.”
Directed by Amy Berg (“The Case in opposition to Adnan Syed”), a lot of the documentary is dedicated to Wooden discovering her voice to talk out, acknowledging her apprehensions about doing so. She was “terrified” to call Manson publicly, she says, including that doing so dangers “retraumatizing your self” and “placing a goal in your again.” Within the second half, she meets with different alleged survivors of purported abuse by Manson, a phase that drags on a bit too lengthy.
“Phoenix Rising” proves most compelling in the course of the first half, which features a step-by-step breakdown of widespread patterns that home abusers observe to manage and intimidate victims. That chapter incorporates Wooden’s household points and historical past, transferring to Hollywood after her dad and mom separated and changing into a baby star, showing within the extraordinarily edgy “13,” a stark unbiased movie about troubled teenagers.
Wooden, who was 14 whereas capturing the film, discusses her discomfort with sure scenes, together with one by which she needed to make out with a 23-year-old actor. After that position, she recollects being provided numerous “Lolita”-type components, and notes that Manson referenced the film once they first met.
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Documented with house movies and excerpts from Wooden’s diary, that part particularly presents a damning have a look at kids raised on film and TV units, a problem Wooden beforehand addressed within the 2020 HBO documentary “Showbiz Youngsters,” which in some respects serves as a companion to this.
The documentary clearly comes with a particular mission in thoughts, shining gentle on the problem of home violence by way of the lens of Wooden’s advocacy. Towards that finish, HBO is partnering with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community) and different organizations to make sure that the embers stoked by “Phoenix Rising” do not finish there.
“Phoenix Rising” will air March 15-16 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, which, like CNN, is a unit of WarnerMedia.
It is hard to describe how utterly joyless and devoid of imaginative ideas The Electric State is. Netflix’s latest feature codirected by Joe and Anthony Russo takes many visual cues from Simon Stålenhag’s much-lauded 2018 illustrated novel, but the film’s leaden performances and meandering story make it feel like a project borne out by a streamer that sees its subscribers as easily impressed dolts who hunger for slop.
While you can kind of see where some of the money went, it’s exceedingly hard to understand why Netflix reportedly spent upward of $300 million to produce what often reads like an idealized, feature-length version of the AI-generated “movies” littering social media. With a budget that large and a cast so stacked, you would think that The Electric State might, at the very least, be able to deliver a handful of inspired set pieces and characters capable of leaving an impression. But all this clunker of a movie really has to offer is nostalgic vibes and groan-inducing product placement.
Set in an alternate history where Walt Disney’s invention of simple automatons eventually leads to a devastating war, The Electric State centers Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), a rebellious teen orphan desperate to escape her abusive home. Like most kids around her age, Michelle’s world was turned upside down during the brutal human / robot conflict that began with thinking machines demanding equal rights as sentient beings. But whereas most of her peers lost loved ones specifically because of the war, an ordinary car crash is what tears Michelle’s family apart and leads to her being adopted by loutish layabout Ted (Jason Alexander).
With her parents and brilliant younger brother Christopher (Woody Norman) seemingly dead, Michelle doesn’t feel like there’s all that much to live for. Much like her chaotic adoptive home life, school feels like a prison to Michelle because of the way children are expected to learn everything using Neurocasters, bulky headsets that transport wearers into virtual realities. Though many people like Ted gleefully strap their Neurocasters on, the technology disgusts Michelle, in part because of how they were first created as tools to give humans an edge in the machine war.
Given how people still live in fear of being attacked by the few surviving robots sequestered in the Exclusion Zone, Michelle can’t fathom why other people are so game to tune the real world out. Michelle herself is constantly looking over her shoulder in case a bloodthirsty machine finds its way into her room. But when one of them actually does, she’s charmed by the fact that it looks like one of her favorite cartoon characters. And she’s shocked when it tells her (through canned catchphrases from the cartoon) that Christopher is actually alive.
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Though Michelle’s new robot friend looks very much like one of Stålenhag’s illustrations, its vocal impairment makes it read as a cutesy spin on the live-action Transformers’ take on Bumblebee. As it urges Michelle to follow it on a mission to find Christopher, you can almost hear the Russos and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely patting themselves on the back for creating a character who encapsulates everything about The Electric State’s war-torn world. It’s a damaged thing that just wants to be seen as a person and given the chance to live its life in peace. Those details could have made for an interesting narrative if there were any more depth to them or if Brown could muster up even an ounce of chemistry with her CGI companion. But The Electric State is much more concerned with simply showing you as many of its broken machines as it possibly can.
Outside of a multitude of cultural references meant to remind you that it’s set in the ’90s, and shots of Neurocaster users lying passed out on the street like junkies, The Electric State never feels very interested in doing the kind of worldbuilding necessary to make movies like it work. Instead, it simply spells out that the inventor of the Neurocaster, Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), is a villain who wants Colonel Marshall Bradbury (Giancarlo Esposito) to capture Michelle’s robot. And Bradbury’s chasing after the pair gives the film a way to show how littered The Electric State’s world is with the rusted frames of machines destroyed during the war.
The movie becomes that much more of a slog once Michelle crosses paths with boring smuggler Keats (a profoundly charmless Chris Pratt) and his wisecracking robo-friend Herman (Anthony Mackie), who make a living selling things they scavenge from the Exclusion Zone. Unlike Brown’s Michelle, Pratt and Mackie actually do manage to come across as people who have lived through a sort of apocalypse and become much weirder due to their general isolation from the outside world. Their knowledge of the Exclusion Zone and access to vehicles makes them perfect to get Michelle and her robot to their destination. But the sheer number of jokes about Twinkies and Big Mouth Billy Bass (again, this is the ’90s) that The Electric State has Keats spit out is enough to make you root for Bradbury.
Image: Netflix
Part of the problem is that The Electric State is never all that funny, though the movie certainly thinks it is as it starts to introduce some of its more unusual robot characters like mail-bot Penny Pal (Jenny Slate), spider-like fortune telling machine Perplexo (Hank Azaria), and their leader, Mr. Peanut (Woody Harrelson). You can almost imagine The Electric State working if it were more focused on the lives of the pariah machines — all of whom are somewhat evocative of Sid’s horrific creations in Toy Story.
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But rather than tapping into those characters’ potential, the movie spends its last third rushing headlong into tiresome action sequences that fall far short of what you would expect from such an expensive project. Ultimately, The Electric State leaves you with the distinct sense that Netflix greenlit it assuming that the Russo bros. + IP + a bunch of well-known actors would = a movie people would reflexively want to watch. But that math simply doesn’t add up, and this feels like an instance where you’d be much better off just reading the book.
The Electric State also stars Colman Domingo, Ke Huy Quan, Martin Klebba, Alan Tudyk, Susan Leslie, and Rob Gronkowski. The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
Unlike his character Jackie Moreno in the Netflix sitcom “Running Point,” Fabrizio Guido wasn’t much of a basketball connoisseur before booking the gig. He’s more into pugilism.
“I constantly compare acting [to] boxing,” said the 25-year-old Angeleno about getting the call informing him that he would be portraying Moreno, a concessions worker for the fictional Los Angeles Waves who finds out he’s the product of an affair and, in turn, the youngest and newest member of a basketball family dynasty.
“I remember I just threw both hands up in the air like if I had just been boxing 12 rounds and it was the knockout I had been looking for.”
The comedy series, which premiered Feb. 27, stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, the only sister in a family of brothers who is often overlooked but is unexpectedly appointed as the new Waves president.
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The revelation that Jackie is a love child and the fifth Gordon sibling is one of the many blips Isla encounters as she looks to prove herself in a male-dominated industry.
Much like his new half-sister, 19 year-old Jackie is looking to prove himself as a new member of the Gordon clan. Though an outsider in the family, Jackie’s comedic chops have rendered him a fan favorite for his off-the-cuff lines and seamless delivery.
Humor is a skill Guido has crafted in previous roles as Mikey Gutierrez in Netflix’s series “Mr. Iglesias,” as Dennis (a.k.a. Baby Joker) in the Laura Steinel film “Family,” and Mr. Jensen in Paramount’s “Good Burger 2.”
De Los spoke to Guido following the announcement of “Running Point‘s” renewal for a second season.
The following Q&A has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
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Tell me more about yourself. Where did you grow up?
I am L.A. born and raised. I was born in Montebello. To be honest with you, I’m at a point in my life where I can’t exactly claim anywhere ’cause I moved around a lot as a kid. I spent a lot of time in Whittier, Pico Rivera. I lived in Culver City at one point and in San Diego for a couple of years. My formative years were spent in Alhambra, near City Terrace, so that whole East [L.A.] community.
How did you land the role of Jackie Moreno?
It was a very traditional kind of process. An audition came my way from my team; it was “Running Point.” The role was Jackie Moreno, who was a 19-year-old kid from L.A., Boyle Heights specifically.
They wanted someone with very strong comedic chops. I feel like that was a big focus for the role. I read it and fell in love with this character. I felt like I could bring more to what the page had to offer, and that’s not a knock on our writers. This is an essence I’m familiar with, a culture I’m familiar with.
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I was told the audition went really well. They said I was their top pick. I wake up a day later, and my phone is blowing up. My DMs are full of an open casting [call] that [co-creator] Mindy Kaling put out for the same role. I was like, “I thought we were tight!”
I just said thank you to everybody sending the casting call my way, and I was like, you know what, I’m happy. I’m actually really happy about this. I feel like it’s a perfect opportunity to just attack the impostor syndrome and get it out of the way. I was like, “I gotta feel like I earned it. Fine. This is perfect. Let’s go against the world. Let’s do this.” Bam. I sent [in the tape]. I just felt like the role was mine.
Walk me through the day when you got the news that you booked Jackie Moreno?
I can’t describe it, but I felt like a workhorse blocking out a lot of the noise.
I constantly compare acting to boxing. I’m not talking about getting beat up or it being a fight. When I say fight, I mean the beautiful sport that is boxing. I just felt like a fight for these 12 rounds. I remember I was home alone, and my agents had spoken to my mom.
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The call came in from my mom. She’s on the other side of the phone crying, “They want you for this show.”
It was exactly the project I wanted.
What are some personal elements that resonate with you and your character?
For starters, it was definitely the cultural aspect. I knew Jackie might have to dabble in some Spanish and I was like, “perfect.” A huge part of this character’s life is his relationship with his mom and what it’s like to deal with her loss. I love the layers of that. I think everybody deals with loss. I’m slightly older than Jackie, so I had to dial it back to a younger part of me that I felt like was enthusiastic and ready to learn.
And you got to work with Keyla Monterroso Mejia in one of the first scenes. How was that?
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I was just talking to her last week. She gave me a call. She’s the absolute best. I was so excited to get the chance to work with her ’cause I feel like you get to see a side that’s not always seen in that style of comedy.
Keyla Monterroso Mejia as Ana Moreno and Fabrizio Guido as Jackie in “Running Point.”
( Netflix)
Tell me how you were able to form an onscreen relationship with your older, rich and white siblings?
I think in the same way as Jackie — I don’t want to say I wanted to be accepted but I had a thirst to understand them. I feel like that thirst for me personally [was] as an artist. I would sit in, hearing them talk. I would listen to the life experience that they have. They’re so easy to get along with, so funny.
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(Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix)
Oftentimes, we would schedule little lunches when we could get all together as a family. I had the opportunity to work with each one of them in one-on-one scenes. So that lent itself to get into more focused conversations with them.
Did the cast give you any advice?
I often found myself kind of seeking Brenda Song for advice on sports, ’cause she’s really, really knowledgeable, and I’m not as knowledgeable as Brenda.
So I would talk to her about trade rumors and stuff, and she served as a great guide, and that kind of transitioned into like, “Hey. How do you know when a project’s right for you? How do you know how to make these moves?” Brenda has just been amazing in giving me her opinion about things and how she’s moved through her career.
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My other siblings, I love ’em because they’re a joy to be around. Their advice has just all been about life, relationships.
You’ve worked closely with comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias on his show “Mr. Iglesias” and have also done some stand-up comedy yourself. Do you see yourself staying in the comedy realm?
[Stand-up] comedy is my newest passion thanks to Fluffy. I’m not exactly looking to do anything with this. I just wanna do it for my own fulfillment. I’m going to go up there and have fun. That’s my goal every time I go up. I get super nervous about something, and I’m like, “Hey, you have nothing to prove, nothing to gain.”
I would love to go on tour. I love every time I get invited to open for someone I admire. I love being out late at night with other comics and hearing their set, coming up with jokes, spending my days writing. It’s a huge and very important part of my life right now.
There’s this clip of you as Dennis, a.k.a.Baby Joker from the 2018 film “Family,” that has been circulating social media. I also notice it in the comment sections of “Running Point” promos. What do you think about that?
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It came out of nowhere honestly. I had done that film a couple of years ago. It’s a fantastic film. It’s just been really cool to watch this video resurface. Now, anything that gets posted about “Running Point,” there’s always some sort of Baby joker comment. People love Dennis! I’m glad it’s bringing views to the film because I’ve always felt it’s such a strong comedic film, and I just want to give Laura her flowers.
What was your reaction to “Running Point‘s” Season 2 renewal?
I was asleep, and my phone just started going off with congratulations. I thought this may still be coming from people that are just watching. Then it was an article that revealed it got renewed for Season 2. It was a good, really exciting morning, but still, I was like, “Is this true? Like, what’s going on? How come Netflix hasn’t called?” But I guess they were just super open and ready to rock and roll with this one.
Story: After losing his eyesight during a botched operation in Kashmir, a soldier preparing to start a new life with his fiancée finds his world upended when two dreaded criminals enter their home looking for stolen diamonds.
Review: Written and directed by KD Sandhu (also featuring him as the antagonist Rolex), opens with a covert operation in Kashmir. A courageous soldier, Jaideep (Udhay Bir Sandhu), is gravely injured and left blind as the mission turns out to be a trap. He finds solace in a happy life with his fiancée, Jennifer (Farha Khan), who harbours a secret from her past. When her history resurfaces, it leads to tragic consequences, forcing Jaideep to confront his enemies despite his blindness.
While the premise holds promise, the film’s execution falls short. The narrative struggles with diluted storytelling and relies on gimmicky effects, failing to deliver an engaging experience. It attempts to maintain tension, particularly through action sequences between Jennifer and Rolex’s aide Sophia (Akanksha Shandil), but quickly loses momentum. The second half feels drawn out as Rolex and Sophia relentlessly torment Jaideep for the location of diamonds stolen from a terrorist syndicate. The connection between this and the Kashmir trap that cost Jaideep his career and vision remains inadequately explained.
The film’s central idea—a blind soldier trapped in his home with ruthless criminals, each trying to outwit the other—had potential. The script introduces mind games, with Jaideep attempting to manipulate Sophia against Rolex, but weak character development, exaggerated dialogues, and uninspired treatment dilute the impact. The eventual discovery of the diamonds feels farfetched.
Performances are largely unremarkable. Udhay Bir Sandhu, Farha Khan, KD Sandhu, and Akanksha Shandil are passable, with the two leading ladies executing action scenes effectively. Featuring York, Armenia, and other locales, Siddharth Akki Baiju, Arjun Kathuria, Pravesh Kumar, and Gautam B handle cinematography well, but Ujjwal Roy Chaudhary’s music fails to leave a lasting impression, as songs also pop up randomly.
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Blindsided had a promising idea lost to flawed execution, making it a forgettable watch.
