11.11.2016 | By Jack Rico |
Welcome to another episode of the Highly Relevant podcast with Jack Rico. It’s a new day. The new United States of America and happy pop culture escapism are taking a back seat in this episode. I want to use this forum to talk about the reality of a Donald Trump Presidency.
11.7.2016 | By SBC Staff |
We’re beginning the second week of November (jeez, holidays are already here!) and as we march down the award season months, this particular week we see a putative award season film from Ang Lee - Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. This film has had some buzz, not only for a Lee film being released, but also because of the new technology it is using.  The movie was shot in 120 frames-per-second 3D with 4K clarity. People have already complained it looks “fake” and it is “distracting”. Nevertheless, critics are mixed about it and it looks like it won’t live up to the hype nor to “Life of Pi”.  Read More
11.6.2016 | By Jack Rico |
Thanksgiving is almost here and I had the pleasure of appearing on the TODAY Show to share my curated list of must-watch movies, television shows, and must-read books for the holiday break. Among my recommendations are the political thriller “Miss Sloane,” the “Gilmore Girls” revival, and Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower.”
Over the last three years, I’ve been part of quite a few segments on the TODAY show, but this recent one was a whole different ball game. It was, without a doubt, the most challenging yet absolutely the most visually dynamic segment I’ve been involved in. The idea was to dive into three cultural topics, all in under five minutes, spread out over three stages with three hosts. Sounds like a bit of an obstacle course, right?
I had heard that they’ve tried something similar in the past, but with a twist—there were three different contributors, one for each topic. Imagine my surprise (and honor) when the TODAY producers decided to hand the reins over to just me for all three segments. It’s a huge nod of trust, and honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful for it.
And as it turns out, this was the first time they were experimenting with this new format. So everything you saw? It was a first for the show. Kind of exciting to be a part of something new on the show.
What are your thoughts on these highlights? Stay tuned for more updates and don’t forget to catch our next segment on the TODAY Show. Follow me on Threads for the latest previews and recommendations in entertainment.
11.4.2016 | By Jack Rico |
So I think we can finally start narrowing down the Top 10 Movies Of 2016. I have not seen several of the films on this list due to the fact they have not screened yet for the New York press, but this list isn’t really an official announcement, it’s more a playful speculation, an educated guess, a curated observation of what I’m hearing from festivals, insider knowledge from studios and fellow critics’ opinions. Read More
11.4.2016 | By SBC Staff |
Here you go you superhero fiends! Watch and learn how ‘Wonder Woman’ earns her respect.
Synopsis: After leaving her all-female island, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) discovers her full powers and true destiny while fighting alongside soldiers during World War I. Read More
10.31.2016 | By Jack Rico |
On the tenth episode of my Highly Relevant podcast, I had a chance to chat with Brian Tyree Henry, a.k.a. Paper Boi on FX’s Atlanta. We spoke mainly about diversity in the arts, but we did get to the nitty gritty on the prolific usage as of late of the word ‘nigga” in television and film (music has been like that from the beginning). Aren’t we trying to eliminate the word from our vocabulary? We also conversed on his pal Donald Glover’s casting in the new Star Wars movie, his first encounter with him, his character Paper Boi, the show’s appeal, his view on Latino culture, Broadway’s lack of minority storytelling, and why Gina Rodriguez is so hot to him. Read on or listen to the interview! Read More
10.29.2016 | By Jack Rico |
On this 10th episode, I chat with the one and only Brian Tyree Henry (a.k.a. Paper Boi) of one the most acclaimed TV shows on right now – FX’s ATLANTA. We discuss everything from the reasons why the show is resonating with viewers, the new golden age of black pop culture, his affinity to Latino culture, why Broadway still lacks diversity compared to film and TV and a passionate discussion on why the use of the ’N’ word in today’s arts and culture landscape is okay with him. That plus a look at why the website Quartz decided to create a Spanish language newsletter with its senior editor Gideon Lichfield as well as horror film recommendations for this Halloween.
10.27.2016 | By Jack Rico |
Creed was one of the surprise hits of 2015, and successfully revitalized the Rocky franchise in an unexpected way. While Sylvester Stallone stole the show as an aging Rocky training a protégé, it was Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Johnson character that positioned himself to continue the series. That means that in some sense Rocky will continue, though it will do so through a new character. Coming Soon, which tends to have up-to-date information on release dates in addition to its regular film news, has said that there’s a tentative November 2017 release date for Creed 2 (which may or may not feature Stallone in a major role). Read More
10.24.2016 | By Jack Rico |
I had a chance to join Kathie Lee Gifford & Hoda Kotb on the TODAY show this morning to discuss Justin Bieber being booted in a concert meltdown… again, Donald Glover’s headline news of being cast in the new ‘Untitled Han Solo’ project, and talk about how Tyler Perry beat Tom Cruise at the box-office. Read More
10.21.2016 | By Jack Rico |
On this ninth episode, I talk about Tom Cruise’s new movie ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ with my good friend Mike Sargeant as we tackle Tom’s career, his longevity and our opinions on why he doesn’t seem to want to collaborate with another A-List actor (3:20). We also review Broadway’s new family feel-good musical Holiday Inn (24:46) as well as take a look at Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar (21:34), and I ask a New Yorker what he’s seeing, listening and downloading (27:43), plus, we recap the most important pop culture news you might have missed this week. Read More
