Cinema Royale

Cinema Royale has been away for far too long while I dealt with film festivals and illnesses, which usually go hand-in-hand for me, but I'm back in time to talk about one of the awards season's biggest films. Tim Gordon join me to discuss Moonlight, the long-awaited second feature from Barry Jenkins. It's a film that is kicking all kinds of ass on the indie scene and could make an even bigger splash if there's an Oscars push behind it.

Finally, Tim and I will look at Inferno, the third (and final?) Dan Brown adaptation from Ron Howard and Tom Hanks. Plus, I'll pick Tim's brain on the best movies he saw at the Middleburg Film Festival which was held last week.

Travis Hopson is joined by Jonas Cuaron, writer/director of the intense thriller, Desierto, which takes the immigration issue in a deadly new direction. The film stars Gael Garcia Bernal as an immigrant seeking to cross into the U.S., only to be targeted by an insane "patriot" played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

It's the perfect week to be joined by Tim Gordon, my homie and president of the Black Reel Awards. We'll have a chance to discuss Nate Parker's controversial The Birth of a Nation, a film we saw way back at Sundance in January. 

With that film's arrival and potential place as a Best Picture contender at the Academy Awards, we're going to look at the black movies that may give it some competition. We'll discuss Hidden Figures with Taraji P. Henson, Denzel Washington's Fences, Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, and Loving with Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton. 

On this week's episode of Cinema Royale I'm joined by my homie Chris Bumbray of Joblo.com, who has just returned from the Toronto International Film Festival. I'm going to pick his considerably brain on the best movies from TIFF, and what we should look out for this awards season. Maybe he can also tell us what to avoid.

Plus he and I will discuss The Magnificent Seven remake starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. Since Chris was lucky enough to interview Denzel and the cast he should have some cool stories to tell about it.

All this and more so tune in to Cinema Royale!

Cinema Royale is joined by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o as she discusses her latest film, Queen of Katwe, based on the true story of Ugandan chess champion, Phiona Mutesi! Nyong'o discusses her motivation in making the film, her working relationship with director Mira Nair, playing Phiona's fiery mother, and diversity in Hollywood.

Ever since Adam Wingard's boringly-titled The Forest was revealed to actually be Blair Witch, a sequel to the terrrifying The Blair Witch Project, I've been eager to see if it can hold up to the original. Does it live up to the original? Will it make you never want to enter he woods of Maryland again? As if you would ever want to anyway?

Plus we do what nobody should do and ride with Tom Hanks in Sully, in which he plays miraculous hero pilot Chesley Sullenberger. Is it the Oscars contender for director Clint Eastwood that some expect? Or does it fail to launch?

All this and info on the latest Blu-Rays, news on the upcoming X-Men movie, the Predator sequel, and more!

I'll be joined by Flixist.com's Matt Razak to talk about this and more so tune in!

It's the 1980s all over again and damn is it sweet! I grew up on the martial arts action flicks of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kickboxer was...well, it wasn't Bloodsport, but it was still awesome. Now twentyfive years later JCVD is back and playing the mentor role in Kickboxer: Vengeance! But can this new, updated version starring Alain Moussi and Dave Bautista kick butt like the original?  Joblo.com's Chris Bumbray joins Cinema Royale so we can knock this thing out.

All this and much more, so tune in and enjoy!

The story of Barack and Michelle Obama's first date is told in Richard Tanne's spirited new film, Southside with You. Cinema Royale's Travis Hopson had a chance to sit down with Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter, who had the unenviable task of playing the Obamas, to talk with them and Tanne about the pressures of telling this story.

Cinema Royale's Travis Hopson sits down with Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black), Sarah Megan Thomas, and director Meera Menon to discuss the red-hot Wall Street thriller, Equity!

On the latest episode of Cinema Royale, we're runnin' guns with Miles Teller and Jonah Hill in War Dogs, the latest film from The Hangover director, Todd Phillips!

I'll also be joined by Tim Gordon, President and founder of the Black Reel Awards, to talk about the controversy surrounding Birth of a Nation director Nate Parker. Will prior rape charges derail what looks to be a clear Oscars favorite? What's really going on behind these sudden attacks on his character and can he do anything to stop it? Is this another case of a talented black man being torn down before his brightest moment?