Michael Lee

'Black Phone 2' Movie Review - That's It LA "Black Phone 2" is the kind of sequel that reminds you not every successful horror movie needs a follow up.

#BlackPhone2 starts with trauma and tension, but once it drifts into dream logic and over-explaining it loses the grounded fear of the original.
Here’s my review of the film at ThatsItLA: thatsitla.com/black-phone-...

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You Review - That's It LA If I Had Legs I’d Kick You lingers long after it ends because it denies the audience escape just as it denies Linda.

Few films capture the chaos of motherhood like Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Rose Byrne delivers a harrowing performance as a mother crushed by caregiving guilt and exhaustion trapped in a system that keeps failing her. #IfIHadLegsIdKickYou #RoseByrne

thatsitla.com/if-i-had-leg...

‘In Your Dreams’ Director Alex Woo on Family, Fantasy, and Nightmares “So dreams are where you can break the rules, but the story still has to feel true.” That’s how director Alex Woo sums up the delicate balance at the heart of Netflix’s In Your Dr…

Zombie breakfasts. A snarky stuffed giraffe. The Sandman.
#Netflix’s #InYourDreams (Nov 14) turns dream logic into a heartfelt story about siblings trying to keep their parents together.

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#MarvelZombies fails to deliver fresh ideas beyond visual shock. The stakes feel abstract rather than emotionally grounded, boiling down to a tired “world ends if we don’t deliver the MacGuffin.” Even the voice acting comes off phoned in. I was left disengaged.

Halloween Comes Alive at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park is one of the resort’s most beloved annual traditions, drawing families, Disney fans, and Halloween lovers from near…

From haunting thrills at #Disneyland Park to the soul-stirring traditions at Disney California Adventure’s Plaza de la Familia, see how the Disneyland Resort celebrates #Halloween storytelling. My @disneyland #halloweentime coverage at @TheNerdsofColor

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Of Course ‘Weapons’ Is About Something Audiences are arguing over the meaning (or lack thereof) behind Zach Cregger's horror hit — but the truth is there's no such thing as a correct answer when it comes to the film.

My latest on Weapons and the anti-analytical insistence in some circles that the film is about nothing or only about one thing. #Weapons

www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...

#FreakierFriday puts another fun spin on the generational gap and body-swapping comedy. The family dynamic expands in this hilarious sequel keeps its heart w/ Tess & Anna, while making room for some Gen Alpha chaos. Expect nods to its predecessor, fun eater eggs, and great music.

‘The Bad Guys 2’ Cast and Director Interviews: Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Brooks, Awkwafina, Fun Chaotic Folks The Bad Guys 2 is bigger, funnier, and has totally unhinged heists and action sequences. We got to talk to the cast and crew of the DreamWorks sequel: Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Kitty Kat (Danielle B…

I caught up with the cast and crew of The Bad Guys 2 for a round of interviews about unhinged heists, redemption arcs, and tapping into their inner animals. #TheBadGuys2 #DreamWorksAnimation #Animation #VoiceActing #FilmPress #Interviews

thenerdsofcolor.org/2025/08/01/i...

#TheBadGuys2 is smart, stylish, and sincere. The stakes are higher. The animation is slick. And the humor is sharper. While story about bad guys reforming themselves amid their reputation catching up to them hits hard, the action sequences are the reason you go to the movies.

So much for this being a family movie.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Marvel’s Family Adventure Excites - That's It LA The Fantastic Four: First Steps delivers a refreshing return to form, blending retrofuturism, heart and family into a fun superhero adventure

#FantasticFour blends retrofuturism, chemistry, and a soaring Giacchino score into something fun. Some of the jargon and subplots drags, but the emotion and spectacle deliver. The cosmic action set pieces are out of this world. A true return to form.
thatsitla.com/the-fantasti...

#TheFantasticFour is a fun, vibrant intro to Marvel’s First Family. Packed w/ retrofuturism, heart, and family feels, it’s a fresh, crowd-pleasing kickoff fans old & new can celebrate. The score lifts every moment, and the chemistry shines. It’s just a good time. #FantasticFour

'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Review - That's It LA I Know What You Did Last Summer is a safe bet, one that leans heavily on nostalgia without taking the risks like other recent horror reboots

I Know What You Did Last Summer is more reunion tour than reinvention. Bloody and nostalgic with some fun nods, but not enough bite to stand out. A safe slasher that never quite gets its hooks in. My review
thatsitla.com/i-know-what-...
#IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer #HorrorMovie #moviereview

Director Daniel Chong on Hopping from ‘We Bare Bears’ to Pixar Feature Debut Disney and Pixar have released the first trailer for Hoppers. Written and directed by Daniel Chong (We Bare Bears), the forthcoming animated film stars Piper Curda as Mabel, an animal lover wh…

For The Nerds of Color, I got to interview Daniel Chong about his upcoming @Pixar directing debut #Hoppers. We chatted about jumping from tv to film, that Avatar reference and Missy Elliot needle drop, and how the movie was originally about penguins.

thenerdsofcolor.org/2025/07/16/d...

Superman is not just an immigrant, but specifically an undocumented immigrant who adjusted his immigration status when he was adopted by an American family. That was his path to citizenship.

As more journalists are driven out of their jobs, I keep hearing this drumbeat of "it's ok -- they can start their own newsletter or publication." Some can. But becoming your own business is a huge job, and will eliminate many talented reporters from the public sphere. Here's why. (1/5)

Superman: A Hero's Journey Reimagined with Depth - That's It LA Superman isn’t trying to be the darkest or the most bombastic superhero movie out there. It isn’t trying to redefine the genre or chase trends

#Superman isn’t just another reboot. It’s a soulful, emotionally rich reimagining that honors the myth, explores identity and the immigrant experience through a superhero’s lens, and reminds us why the Man of Steel still matters. My review at @thatsitla

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#HowToTrainYourDragon does the impossible and brings Berk to life with emotional depth, breathtaking IMAX scale, and flight scenes that soar. It expands the story without losing what made the original magical. So while it may look familiar, in a way it also feels brand new.

#PredatorKillerofKillers is an ambitious, world-building brawl that spans multiple time periods before culminating on the Predator’s homeworld. Each setting adds a layer of depth and nuance to our history while reimagining humanity’s most brutal eras through the lens of the hunt

Now that the reviews are out, I’ll say it: I would’ve loved to see Ving Rhames as the guy always dropping his snow cone. It would have been a perfect way to bring back the original voice cast in the live-action Lilo & Stitch.

I also liked how #LiloandStitch reimagines Ohana, adding new phrases and expressions that deepen the character arcs and celebrate the spirit of Aloha.

#LiloandStitch is a cute reimagining that mostly captures the original’s spirit through a modern-day lens. Lilo and Nani’s relationship feels even more heartfelt. It’s still raw, real, and central to the story’s emotional core. Of course Stitch brings hilarious chaos

Another Simple Favor Review: A Stylish, Suspense-Filled Sequel - That's It LA Another Simple Favor is yet another devilishly fun noir murder mystery that works thanks in no small part to Kendrick and Lively's chemistry

Anna Kendrick & Blake Lively are back—and still dazzling. #AnotherSimpleFavor may not be as sharp as the first, but it’s devilishly fun. Stylish, twisted, and full of flair. My review only at @ThatsITLA
thatsitla.com/another-simp...

The process of selecting a new Pope

‘Andor’ Season 2 Chronicles the Humanity of a ‘Star Wars’ Revolution Star Wars prides itself on blending epic storytelling with groundbreaking visual effects while exploring timeless themes of heroism and redemption. It’s a galaxy we all know and love — …

Andor S2 is less about myths and more about ordinary people pushed to the edge, fighting a war no one wants to see. It shows us the cost of rebellion—and the price of hope. It honestly doesn’t get better than this. My review at @thenerdsofcolor.bsky.social thenerdsofcolor.org/2025/04/21/a...

Promotional still of Cassian Andor in Andor season 2

#ANDOR S2 is one of the most ambitious pieces of sci-fi storytelling I’ve ever seen. It illuminates many complex aspects of repression & rebellion, while still bringing the adventure and thrills.

It also couldn’t be more timely. It’s a staggering work, brimming with power and emotion. I loved it.

a poster for star wars antor shows a man welding ALT: a poster for star wars antor shows a man welding

#Andor Season 2 is PEAK Star Wars! It is beautifully rendered, shot, performed, designed, and executed. Also, it highlights how rich the galaxy far far away is, even without The Force

Beyond thrilled to have finally revealed @ABRAMSbooks’ The Art of Star Wars: Andor (The Complete Series), written by yours truly, on today’s Lucasfilm Publishing panel! The book covers both seasons of the show and will hit store shelves in March of 2026!
www.starwars.com/news/star-wa...

The Wedding Banquet Is A Beautiful Asian Queer Love Story - That's It LA In Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet, the fight for marriage equality is the beating heart of the tale of queer love within the Asian community.

Andrew Ahn’s #TheWeddingBanquet is a tremendous generational reimagining. Layered w/ queer love stories, cultural specificity, and emotional payoff, it reimagines the original for today’s world. My review at @thatsitla.

thatsitla.com/the-wedding-...