THE Cruelest Mom True Story adds another level of terror to director Greg Beeman’s 2024 thriller – as the plot, which is already among most parents’ and teenagers’ worst nightmares, is based on real events. Cyberbullying has led to a tragic number of teenagers taking their own lives in recent decades, so it’s no surprise that Madelyn (Lisa Rinna) in Cruelest Mom decides to take matters into her own hands when her daughter, Mia (Briana Skye) becomes the target of relentless online harassment. Initially, Mia is grateful for the way her mother seems to jump to her defense. However, things…
Author: Tom Russell
Although the 2002 film is fiction, the 8 miles The true story is so close to the life of star Eminem (Marshall Mathers) that it almost becomes a biographical film. Directed by Curtis Hanson with Scott Silver as screenwriter, 8 miles stars hip-hop megastar Eminem as Jimmy Smith Jr., an underground rapper from Detroit who tries to escape his working-class routes by using the local rap battle scene. Taking the stage under the name B-Rabbit, Jimmy’s story in 8 miles It reflects Eminem’s life so closely that many wonder how much of the 2002 film is true. The similarities between…
Colin coming out as gay was a huge moment for LGBTQ+ representation in Ted Lasso, although something about how the Apple TV+ sports comedy handled its story didn’t sit well with me. Colin, played by Billy Harris, was a reference in Ted Lasso since the pilot, so its release in Season 3, Episode 6, “Sunflowers,” has been a long time coming. Hints about Colin’s sexuality have been conveyed to viewers since the show’s second season and were not confirmed until season three, episode 3, “4-5-1.” After so much development, some of the ways the show handled this incredibly personal story…
La Fea Más Bella ran from 2006 to 2007 and remains an incredibly popular Mexican soap opera thanks to its colorful cast of characters like Lety (Angélica Vale), Fernando (Jaime Camil), and Alicia (Patricia Navidad). Titled “The most beautiful ugly girl” in English, La Fea Más Bella continues to have a large following and had the most watched soap opera ending in the history of Mexican TV. The show was loosely based on the Colombian soap opera Hey, I’m Betty, la fea – the same program that inspired the American sitcom Ugly Betty, and the two have a similar premise.…
Since debuting as a screenwriter in 1980, the filmmaker Nancy Meyers has built an incredible career that has ensured she is considered one of the most financially successful screenwriters, directors and producers working in Hollywood today. Born in Philadelphia in 1949, Meyers entered the entertainment industry as a production assistant at CBS, working in The price is right. She eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she quickly found work in the late 1970s as a story editor for the Motown record company’s film division. His big break came in 1980, when one of his scripts was picked up by Warner…
Few actors have as much experience in renowned independent films as Tony Colletteand the Australian artist has become one of the most respected names in the industry. Toni Collette’s best films and TV shows serve as a showcase for her nearly unparalleled ability to play complex, nuanced characters, and span multiple genres and decades after her 1992 feature film debut. Stained wood. Born in 1972 and active since 1990, Toni Collette got her first role in an episode of the Australian soap opera A national practice in 1990. This was followed by Stained wood in 1992, although it was taking…
Amazon’s 2023 miniseries Daisy Jones and the Six transported viewers back to the 1970s with its incredibly authentic documentary style and catchy rock songs – and the show was so believable that many viewers wondered if Daisy Jones & the Six were a real band. Based on the novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones and the Six focused on Riley Keough’s Daisy Jones and her bandmates as they dominated the music scene in Los Angeles, gained global stardom, and ultimately fell apart due to personality conflicts and creative differences during their national tour. All about…
2023 teen comedy The Crusades may not have been a critical success, but for Millennial viewers like me, it’s a surprisingly refreshing example of how the genre has moved away from its problematic roots (and, admittedly, an exercise in self-reflection on what I used to laugh about when I was in the target audience age group). Directed by Leo Milano and starring Rudy Pankow Khalil Everage and Ryan Ashton among the cast, The Crusades doesn’t do much to reinvent the teen comedy genre as far as plot goes. However, while it may not be groundbreaking, it is extremely fun in…
ABC The newbie was a resounding success for the network and cast leader Nathan Fillion, but many viewers are surprised to learn that Fillion’s John Nolan is based on a real LAPD officer – William Norcross, who joined the force at age 44. The newbie centers on John Nolan, a construction manager who, after helping the police foil a bank robbery, enlists as the LAPD’s oldest rookie. The premise was incredibly well-received, and following Nolan’s rise from older rookie to full-fledged cop, it has kept viewers hooked for 6 seasons since its 2019 premiere, with the The newbie Season 7…
Playing Austin Miller in the Netflix comedy-drama Gina and Georgia It was a breakout role for Australian actor Diesel La Torraca, and interest in his career and the roles the young star lined up continued to grow. Premiering in 2021 with Season 3 packaging production in September 2024, Gina and Georgia It was a hit for Netflix. Among the colorful cast of characters is Diesel La Torraca’s Austin Miller, the Harry Potter Georgia’s obsessed son of Brianne Howey. During Gina and Georgia In season one, Austin was a somewhat reclusive child, struggling with changing family dynamics. Diesel La Torraca gave…