MICHAEL Movie Review + HAMLET, NEWBORN, and RICKY | SEATED Podcast | Ep. 31

Hosts Tre'vell Anderson and Ray Love Jr. are grabbing their sequined gloves and moonwalking into the theater for their review of Antoine Fuqua's highly anticipated, larger-than-life biopic, MICHAEL.

Ray and Tre'vell get into the nitty-gritty of the film's execution, unpacking how Fuqua handles the polarizing icon through the Black gaze and whether the biopic actually gives what it's supposed to give or just glosses over the messy truth. Tune in for their hella honest verdict: is this jukebox musical spectacle a "Seated," "Stream It," or a "Skip It?"

Plus, the hosts play a special edition of the Black Cinema Games titled "Fuqua Focus," highlighting the gritty, action-packed catalog of director Antoine Fuqua. Finally, they close the show with Good Vibes Only, sharing what's bringing them joy this week.

 

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:38 - Fresh Out: Hamlet, Newborn, Ricky

00:10:24 - Michael Full Review 

00:46:58 - Seated, Skip It, Stream It Verdict

00:49:09 - Rotten Tomatoes Ratings

00:50:29 - Black Critic Spotlight: Jason Miller, Editor-in-Chief of NerdSpin.com 

00:51:42 - Black Cinema Games: Antoine Fuqua (The Fuqua Focus)

00:59:00 - Good Vibes Only: Kehlani, America's Culinary Cup

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Website: https://www.seatedshow.com

Email: holla@seatedshow.com

 

CREDITS

Hosts: Tre'vell Anderson and Ray Love Jr. 

Produced by: Slayzhon and FiftyLeven Media

Editor: Ray Love Jr.

Theme Music: Buckroll

Animation: Agung Adhi

Location Partner: The WalkGood Yard ( @WalkGoodLA )

Creative Consultant: Jade Fox ( ⁨@iamjadefox⁩  )

Publicity: House of Heralds

TITLES DISCUSSED

• Bohemian Rhapsody starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy (Directed by Bryan Singer)

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci (Directed by David Frankel)

• Emancipation starring Will Smith, Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• The Equalizer starring Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Gangsta's Paradise Music Video starring Coolio, L.V., Michelle Pfeiffer (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Genius: Aretha starring Cynthia Erivo, Courtney B. Vance, David Cross, Malcolm Barrett (Created by Suzan-Lori Parks)

• Hamlet starring Riz Ahmed, Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chaddha (Directed by Aneil Karia)

• The Jacksons: An American Dream starring Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Angela Bassett, Holly Robinson Peete, Bumper Robinson (Directed by Karen Arthur)

• The Magnificent Seven starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Michael starring Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Larenz Tate, Laura Harrier, Kendrick Sampson, Juliano Valdi (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Newborn (2026) starring David Oyelowo, Olivia Washington, Barry Pepper, Jimmie Fails (Directed by Nate Parker)

• Olympus Has Fallen starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Respect starring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald (Directed by Liesl Tommy)

• Ricky starring Stephan James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Titus Welliver, Maliq Johnson (Directed by Rashad Frett)

• Southpaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, Oona Laurence (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Toni Braxton's Another Sad Love Song Music Video starring Toni Braxton (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

• Training Day starring Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Cliff Curtis (Directed by Antoine Fuqua)

 

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