Tola Talks all things Millennial with Hollywood Writer, Ben Smith

Another great show on Columbus Day talking all things millennial with my good friend and Hollywood writer, Ben Smith.

Since moving to LA LA Land eight years ago, Ben has managed to survive by developing websites while pursing his passion as a screenwriter. He’s also become a much better writer and continues to hone his craft by taking show-runner classes at UCLA.

As a follow-up to last week’s “If I Were President”, I would raise the Federal Minimum Wage and require our unemployed receiving benefits to get their hands dirty, helping America achieve the cleanest streets in the world…no doubt!

In other news, Tola Talks Hollywood movies and gives a 5-star review to George Clooney’s The Ides of March, bestows the The Get Your Shit Together Award to a Judge in Michigan, plus “nudge” theory with this year’s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in Economic Sciences.

Check it out below…and remember to get your workout in! Peace – R

Pitch Perfect 2 Rocks + Next Stand-up at Flappers

What’s funny, sexy and exhilarating, that makes you wanna get up and dance?

Pitch Perfect 2.pitchperfect-2

And if you’re not into musicals or sequels, it really doesn’t matter – go see this film. With an amazing cast led by Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Katy Sagal, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins (who are great together), you’ll be laughing and be-bopping for at least 2 hours.

You already know I’m a big Anna Kendrick fan, but I wasn’t planning on seeing this film in the theaters until my soon-to-be 16 year-old niece said she loved it. And since I’m always intrigued when movie-goers of any age tell me they love a film…I went and loved it too. With so many great actors and so many great one-liners (no kidding, they’re great), this cool hipster musical touches the soul and makes you really wanna get up in the aisles and dance!

Kudos to Elizabeth Banks on her directorial debut. Excellent job Elizabeth, plus you’re charming, sexy, witty, ditzy and wonderful as the no-holds barred announcer, Gail. I liked Pitch Perfect 2 so much that if I were reviewing it on Tola Talks, I’d give it 2 thumbs (out of 3).

flappersstageLike I said, go see this film and bring your teenagers, it’s PG-13. And for some really good live comedy this week-end, come check-out my Stand-up show this Saturday, May 23rd from 7:30-9p in the YooHoo Room at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank. CA. It’s gonna be a blast!

P.S. Don’t leave the movie theater until the credits have rolled or you’ll miss Christina Aguilera and the gang from The Voice.

Tola Talks Rude Shoppers & The Theory of Everything

Tola Talks about Sarah Silverman, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor (RIP), Woody Allen, Cyber Monday, NFL Football, Sherlock Holmes and Michael Jackson’s best selling album of all-time, Thriller. On Movie Mondays, Rich reviews The Theory of Everything with Eddie Redmayne & Felicity Jones and talks about how anything is possible, plus gives the Get Your S#!T Together Award to all the rude and disrespectful holiday shoppers out there.

Weekdays on youtube.com/tolatalks.

‘Man of Steel’ Delivers

So you’d like to take your family to see a really good movie with a bunch of really good actors about saving Mankind that’s New Age cataclysmic yet also heartfelt and Zen.

That’s easy.

MAN OF STEEL…it’s all that and more!

Not only does director Zach Snyder (300 and Sucker Punch) capture you visually and vividly like he always does, the amazing cast keeps you riveted and wanting more. Starting with the chiseled and Zen-ful Henry Cavill complemented by the beauty and charm of Amy Adams, the talent just keeps coming. There’s Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon (loved him in The Iceman), Laurence Fishburne, Ayelet Zurer and Christopher Meloni.

So give credit where credit is due, and go see Man of Steel. Because it Delivers – just like my Emmy award-winning sound engineer, Alex Wilkinson, did on my Audiobook. Kudos to Alex!

Here’s a clip that shines some light on my childhood and bartering ways in “The Barbershop”.

Enjoy – R