Flix & Picks with Brayan Mendoza

Radio111

We’re buttering up a fresh bucket of popcorn and ready to talk Movies every week on Radio111's Flix & Picks with Brayan Mendoza, a life-long Coachella Valley resident and film buff whose passion is film criticism and education. He explores the week’s best and worst films, discusses relevant film topics, interviews filmmakers and actors, and dissects all things cinema every week. With witty insight and film education, Brayan gives you honest, fun and accessible film analysis to help guide you not only into the right theatre, but to the best selections on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other online film outlets. read less
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Flix & Picks | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
09-05-2023
Flix & Picks | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Guardians are back for Volume 3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finds THE superhero team going through a lot of emotional trauma, adventure, and self-discovery. James Gunn effectively mixes comedy, action and drama in his MCU swan song. Brayan Mendoza talks about his excited feelings regarding this film's major success as an emotionally gut-wrenching superhero movie.
Flix & Picks | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
09-05-2023
Flix & Picks | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Guardians are back for Volume 3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finds THE superhero team going through a lot of emotional trauma, adventure, and self-discovery. James Gunn effectively mixes comedy, action and drama in his MCU swan song. Brayan Mendoza talks about his excited feelings regarding this film's major success as an emotionally gut-wrenching superhero movie.
Flix & Picks: Peter Pan and Wendy
02-05-2023
Flix & Picks: Peter Pan and Wendy
The latest remake on Disney+. Peter Pan and Wendy makes a great amount of changes from the original source material. Yet, it feels like a replay of the same ole story that has been popular with audiences for decades. Brayan Mendoza discusses that the film's lack of cinematic ambition.
Flix and Picks: Evil Dead Rise
25-04-2023
Flix and Picks: Evil Dead Rise
Evil Dead Rise officially leave the woods and into a Los Angeles apartment where the reunion of two estranged sisters is cut short by familiar bloodthirsty spirits. The new film in the franchise seeks to revamp and freshen up the long running cult franchise. Brayan Mendoza talks how successfully the scares are after so many years.
Flix & Picks: Renfield
17-04-2023
Flix & Picks: Renfield
Nicholas Hoult goes toe-to-toe with Nicholas Cage's Dracula as the long-suffering Renfield. The once faithful servant of the dark lord is now planning to escape his toxic workplace, and find meaning somewhere else. Perhaps, it could be with a young traffic cop played by comedian Awkwafina. On this episode, Brayan Mendoza takes a look at the campy possibilities of this film, and how the performances save the writing.
Flix & Picks: Air
13-04-2023
Flix & Picks: Air
Air is a movie about a shoe. Yes, a shoe. Specifically the Nike line of Air Jordans inspired by Basketball MVP Michael Jordan. This film covers the process of recruiting Jordan to sponsor the line, to its very creation, and Deloris Jordan's advocacy for her son. Brayan Mendoza talks about how this film about a shoe manages to be an emotional and inspiring tale.
Flix & Picks: The Super Mario Bros. Movie
11-04-2023
Flix & Picks: The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Mario, his brother Luigi and their friends Princess Peach and Toad are back on the big screen! The Super Mario Bros. adapts the classic video game with strong sense of fidelity. Chris Pratt leads the star studded cast as the title character. Can he and other actors pull off being these iconic video game characters? Or will it tarnish the otherwise beautiful animation?
Flix & Picks | Shazam! Fury of the Gods
28-03-2023
Flix & Picks | Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the first of a few films on the DCEU farewell tour before we get a soft reboot from James Gunn. The movie is rather disjointed by trying to do family subplots, Gods, teen romance and superhero hijinx all in one. Helen Mirren sells her performance as a morally complex God but can the same be said about her co-stars? Brayan Mendoza talks about how this film continues a trend of nailing the coffin of the DCEU and the end-credits scenes that make a joke out of imaginative characters.
Flix & Picks | The Last Of Us: Season Wrap
21-03-2023
Flix & Picks | The Last Of Us: Season Wrap
We've come to the end of the first season of HBO's hit new series The Last of Us. Radio111 silver screen and tube reviewer Brayan Mendoza gives us his final thoughts on this adaptation of video games to film, and what he anticipates in subsequent installments.
Flix & Picks: Scream VI
13-03-2023
Flix & Picks: Scream VI
With the success of last year's Scream(2022), filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett return to direct the sequel Scream VI. This time, Samantha Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) find themselves terrorized by another Ghostface killer in New York City. As the bodies pile up, past secrets and legacy characters Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) make their way to the surface of this meta-slasher. Brayan Mendoza talks about the movie's great sense of humor, suspense, and the absence of Neve Campbell from the cast.
Flix & Picks: The Whale
02-03-2023
Flix & Picks: The Whale
The Whale is Brendan Fraser's comeback film! His fans have been rooting for his return to the big screen and to see him succeed. He has achieved an Academy Award nomination for this film, and now its time to talk about it! However, there's controversy over the usage of the fat suit in the film. Brayan Mendoza talks about Brendan Fraser, Hong Chau and the fat suit controversy.
Flix & Picks: Winnie The Pooh Blood and Honey
28-02-2023
Flix & Picks: Winnie The Pooh Blood and Honey
Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey is the result of a copyright lapse with Winnie The Pooh finally in the public domain. Imagine a generic slasher film with terrible Winnie the Pooh costumes. Brayan Mendoza talks how the film lives and dies on its gimmick, and if the film really could be a new "midnight movie" classic.
Flix & Picks: Missing
23-02-2023
Flix & Picks: Missing
Missing is the latest film in the screenlife horror genre, starring Storm Reid. A young girl who is trying to figure out what happened to her mother. The film has many twists and turns, as typical of the genre. However Reid's performance is another step forward in her career. Brayan Mendoza talks about her performance, along with the film's fun qualities.
Flix and Picks: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
21-02-2023
Flix and Picks: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is out! Featuring the cinematic debut of the MCU's newest big bad Kang as played by Jonathan Majors. He's in fact the highlight of this otherwise mixed bag of a movie. Is Marvel cursed? Why so many mixed bag movies? Brayan Mendoza talks the ups, the downs and the bizarre of this newest installment in the MCU.
Flix & Picks: Knock at the Cabin
16-02-2023
Flix & Picks: Knock at the Cabin
Knock at the Cabin is the latest M. Night Shymalan film with Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, and Ben Alridge. The film follows a family who are harassed and attacked by a cult-like group that think they are the key to the apocalypse. Within the confines of the cabin, the film explores homophobia, religious violence, and making sacrifices. Brayan Mendoza talks about the film's many good qualities, but also why it's not a great work.
Flix & Picks: The Last of Us Episode 1-5
14-02-2023
Flix & Picks: The Last of Us Episode 1-5
The Last of Us is HBO's new Sunday Night TV series, based on the beloved video game. The series stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, who have to travel through post-pandemic America. The series features special guest appearances from Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. With special regards to the third episode, the series has been credited for breaking the "video game curse" and being just great tv. Brayan Mendoza talks about the many great performances and moments of the first five episodes.
Flix and Picks: The Golden Raspberry Awards 2023
02-02-2023
Flix and Picks: The Golden Raspberry Awards 2023
On this special episode, Brayan Mendoza discusses the Golden Raspberry Awards which awards the worst in cinema. However this year has been particularly noteworthy for the nomination redaction of underage actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong in Firestarter. The award has historically caused damage and ruination for the careers of many child actors. Should the Razzies nominate children? That, and he picks his own winners in this episode.
Flix and Picks: The 95th Academy Award Nominations.
31-01-2023
Flix and Picks: The 95th Academy Award Nominations.
In this special episode, Brayan Mendoza talks about the 95th Academy Award nominations. From the positives like Everything Everywhere All At Once dominating with eleven nominations and Michelle Yeoh being the favorite to win Best Actress. Along with the negative: the snubbing of women in the directing nominations and the Andrea Riseborough's FYC campaign controversy.
Flix and Picks: Velma
19-01-2023
Flix and Picks: Velma
Velma is an adults only cartoon re-imagining of Scooby Doo minus Scooby Doo, and more unlikeable characters. Velma Dinkley is the focus of the series as she resolves a murder at her local high school with the help of her ex-best friend Daphne. Brayan Mendoza talks about the show's inability to connect to a wider audience, and how other shows like Harley Quinn have done better at remixing old franchises.
Flix and Picks: House Party(2022)
17-01-2023
Flix and Picks: House Party(2022)
The original House Party is well known for the fun chemistry of Kid N' Play, and it's intelligent sense of humor. A remake has been long been rumored and now is finally released to little fanfare. House Party(2022) is being released for the big screen despite its initial plan for HBO MAX. Brayan Mendoza talks about the film's over-reliance on cameos, and how its ambitions should be higher.
Flix & Picks: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
12-01-2023
Flix & Picks: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Our favorite feline assassin is back in Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, and he's better than ever! Puss has to get to the wishing star before the likes of three bears, Goldilocks, and Jack Horner, and escaping the clutches of a wolf assassin. He'll need the help of his friends Kitty Softpaw and Perrito to not only get his wish, but to survive his final life. Brayan Mendoza gushes about the beautiful animation, and the film's touching messages about life and family.