Nick’s Mix Review of “The Founder”

I have nothing but good things to say about “The Founder,”  the biopic about Ray Kroc, the man who made the McDonald’s restaurants a household name in the 1950s and 1960s.  Michael Keaton continues to astound me with his great acting ability playing the multi-faceted and ruthless Kroc, who met the McDonald brothers and not only franchised their idea, but outmaneuvered them and took the rights to their own name.  Keaton takes great care to give Kroc the proper interpretation, down to mannerisms, accent, and just a general sense of just how hungry he is to succeed and be rich and famous.

You probably know the story, it’s really no different here.

The script by Robert Siegel and the direction by John Lee Hancock were both very impressive.  I’ve always felt that when you do a period piece, especially a biopic, I have to be totally immersed and convinced that I care about the story.  It helps that was already familiar with the backstory of what happened here going in.  I tend to be when it comes to what biopics interest me.  This one was no exception.

It’s interesting to note that most of this film was shot in Georgia.  As several readers of this probably know, the state has been a boon for media production over the last few years.  Isn’t it a coincidence that Atlanta is probably going to be my next move career-wise?  Hmm.

I highly recommend watching this film.  It’s an interesting story and a great period piece.  It’s a win-win flick!

Nick’s Mix: “Moonlight”

It’s a very tough life growing up in an urban area with crime and bad influences surrounding you.  You are supposed to act, think, and do certain things to get by, even if you have any aspirations to actually do something else.  If you are different, especially if you are gay, you have to bury those feelings underneath a thick veneer to where nobody can see who you should be, who you really are.

The character of Chiron in “Moonlight” is a very quiet, troubled soul.  He knows he’s different, but as a young child, he doesn’t realize who he is yet.  He is growing up in urban Miami, where crime and drugs are rampant, and where he is picked on by school bullies and isn’t loved by his mother.  One day, he befriends a man, Juan, and later his girlfriend, Teresa, who tell him that he can be whomever he wants.  Chiron does have one acquaintance his age, Kevin.

The film examines three stages of his life, when Chrion is 9, then when is a teenager, and finally when he is a man.  Chiron has just about every life challenge you can imagine for a 9-year-old boy.  His mother is a drug addict buying the junk from Juan himself (much to Juan’s shock.)  In the second part, Kevin and Chiron have romantic encounter on a beach.  This was a very profound and powerful scene.  The love is short lived as the bullies at his school force Kevin to beat Chiron up as a rite of passage.  Chiron in turn lashes out at one of those bullies in class and is sent away.

Years later, Chiron gets a phone call late one night from Kevin.  He hasn’t heard from him in years.  Kevin has tried to get on the right road to having a decent life.  Chiron, not so much.  But, eventually, they meet back up and it’s left to the audience to wonder if they do, in fact, become lovers.

This is the kind of film I like to see. The writing and direction of Barry Jenkins is very, very well done.  You felt for all of these characters. It’s not very common with someone of Chrion’s background to be able to be gay and be accepted.  I can understand how he feels.  The hurt inside when you can’t find anyone to love and be yourself has to be devastating.  I know, I felt that as a teenager myself.  So for me, this aspect of his life hit very close to home.

I am quite proud that this movie has already won the Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture – Drama.  I hope that it will win a couple of Academy Awards come next month.  These kinds of personal tales are ones that are the core strength of cinema and need to be told, especially in this day and age.

Nick’s Mix Thoughts on Current Game Shows

In the mix today, my thoughts on some of the current game shows on prime time TV.   Granted, I should probably be watching “Hollywood Game Night”, but I still catch most of the others.

In the video below, I discuss my thoughts on “Match Game” and “To Tell the Truth” along with my first impression of the upcoming NBC game show “The Wall.”

Nick’s Mix – Thoughts on “This Is Us”

Oh a whim, back in September, I decided to watch the pilot of a new show called “This Is Us.”  It was kind of a blind shot in the dark for me.  I hadn’t read much about the show prior to that first time I watched it.   Boy, was I amazed, mesmerized, and blown away all at the same time.

If you want a description of the show, I won’t waist your time here.  Try Wikipedia for that.  I’ll just go right into my thoughts.

This is one of the greatest shows I have seen in the last decade.  It’s very rare to have such a high quality, family oriented drama that brings back the great hallmarks of what a TV show used to be and should be.   This is the kind of show that is touching yet modern.

The writing and editing are top notch.  It’s so impressive how they can weave and connect the past of the Pearson family to the present so seamlessly that you’re always having an “aha” moment.  For example, in last night’s Thanksgiving episode, “Pilgrim Rick,”  the hat and the ball of yarn that came from young Kate’s sweater.

I could go on for hours and hours about this show, but I promise you that if you just watch the show, you will be very impressed.  For starters, you can go here and watch it on your favorite device.  Mark my words, this show will be an Emmy contender.  Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Presenting “Nick’s Mix”!

Well, after almost eight years of doing “Nick’s Flix” on YouTube and Facebook, I felt like I wanted to rebrand, refresh and hopefully generate some discussion.  Thus, the morphing that was necessary occurred.  Ladies and gentlemen one and all, I present to you “Nick’s Mix”.

Every day, I will post a video review or an article about anything in the entertainment world that I might find interesting.  You can contribute too!  Post about something and start a discussion.  Suggest a movie, TV show, song, album or whatever that I might like.  I just want it to be an active group of open discussion.  That’s it!

You can go to the Nick’s Mix Facebook page and like it today!

Also, subscribe to my YouTube channel to see Nick’s Mix videos along with other videos that I come up with from time to time!