Review: Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez Is Another Netflix Doc Win

It’s no secret that Netflix has been on fire it when it comes to original content these past few years. It’s said that Netflix spent over $15 billion on original content in 2019 and this year for the first time, Netflix-produced films garnered more Oscar nominations (24) than any other studio including Disney which owns nearly everything media-related in the world (take that, Mouse!). As the world’s favorite media streaming service, Netflix is hitting its stride at a time when more and more competition is trying to take a bite out of its market share.

One of the best parts of Netflix’s business model is that because they have millions of users paying a monthly fee to use their service, they have a constant stream of revenue coming in that allows them to take chances on their original content. Because of that, we are able to get content like Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez. Netflix has produced some of the most highly acclaimed true crime series of the last few years in the critically acclaimed Making a Murderer, Evil Genius and their documentary about Amanda Knox. Killer Inside fits nicely alongside these series/films.

Following the demise of once heralded New England Patriots football star Aaron Hernandez, this series tries to put together how a rising football star and role model for the Latino community could be a cold blooded killer off the field. In 2013, Hernandez was arrested initially for the murder of his fiancee’s sister’s boyfriend Odin Lloyd. Over the 3+ hour three-part series, director Geno McDermott unpacks the confounding tale of how this all happened as best as possible. McDermott and the editing team do a masterful job of tracking back and forth in Hernandez’s timeline incorporating interviews with friends, former teammates, trial footage and jailhouse phone call audio from the various people with whom Hernandez spoke while in prison. For a story that twists and turns as much as this one does, they really do a masterful job grounding the viewer and not overloading us with too much or too little information.

Many of the details of this story are very familiar, not just to football fans but to the public at large. This case was a huge deal. It was played out in public and while it wasn’t OJ Simpson-like in scale, it was still a case in the public eye for multiple years. So giving new information or drilling down on points that weren’t already well known was McDermott‘s real challenge here. He did a great job moving both forward and backward in the timeline in particular to incorporate the bombshell news that Hernandez was implicated, later indicted and tried for two additional murders.

I do appreciate that this film tried its best to tackle the why – what caused a high-profile athlete playing for the best franchise in the sport who had yet to hit his peak only being 23 years old to bafflingly murder someone from his own inner circle…and in such a stupid manner that he was so easily caught? The film visits and revisits the claims that Hernandez was gay or bisexual throughout the film with a corroborating interview with his high school quarterback, Dennis Sansoucie, that they were lovers in high school. That shame of who he really was and that should it come out it would ruin him was posited as a possible motive. McDermott interestingly knits the story of former Patriot offensive lineman Ryan O’Callaghan who came out as gay after leaving the NFL throughout the series. His tale demonstrates the weight of what being gay in the macho culture of the NFL is like and what that can do to one’s psyche. It was an interesting take and sadly a perspective that is far too uncommon.

Near the end of the film, it’s revealed that Hernandez definitely had CTE, the degenerative disorder from repeated blows to head/concussions. This, too, was listed as a possible reason. The doctor who examined his brain said it was the worst case she’d ever seen for someone his age. His family life is probed thoroughly and shows that cracks the developed after the death of his father pushed him into hanging out with the wrong crowd at the wrong time in his life. All of these things combined may have been the cause of what pushed him to do the unthinkable for someone who was legitimately on the top of his own world. It’s something that will likely never be known as the true motive died with Aaron Hernandez. The series never comes off as preachy, pushing the viewer in any specific direction as to how this all happened and why.

This is a well-made series and it has a particularly poignant end with his last recorded phone call with his fiancee Shayanna Jenkins and his then 4-year old daughter, a sad end to a life that should have been different. I will give infinite credit to McDermott for not keeping Odin Lloyd, his family and likewise Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, the two victims of a murder for which Hernandez was ultimately acquitted, in the background. They deserved at least that.

Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez premieres today on Netflix.

Here’s the trailer:

Netflix News: ‘Narcos’ Season 3 trailer premieres at the coffee & donut truck near Grand Central

Netflix unveiled the trailer for Narcos season 3 today in New York City, where this season was partially filmed, and the trailer will be shown at various locations around Manhattan today via a Narcos truck, which will also be serving white powdered donuts and Colombian coffee to passersby throughout the day. For those seeking a sugar high today, follow @NarcosNetflix for the latest truck location.

Narcos premieres globally on Netflix on September 1st.

I went to the truck this morning and it was so amazing!

They both are delicious! Check out that cash straw too!

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“Narcos” Season Three Synopsis:

Now that the bloody hunt for Pablo Escobar has ended, the DEA turns its attention to the richest drug trafficking organization in the world: the Cali Cartel. Led by four powerful godfathers, this cartel operates much differently than Escobar’s, preferring to bribe government officials and keep its violent actions out of the headlines.

For more information on Narcos visit Netflix.com/narcos

Follow #Narcos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Meet the Kings:

  • Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela (Damian Alcazar)- leader of Cali Cartel, “boss of bosses”
  • Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela (Francisco Denis)- the brains behind the rise of the of Cali Cartel and Gilberto’s brother
  • Pacho Herrera (Alberto Ammann)- the on-the-low hitman, runs the Mexican connection and international distribution
  • Chepe Santacruz Londono (Pepe Rapazote)–  runs the satellite NYC empire of the Colombian drug network

Just as Gilberto announces a bold plan to walk away from the business, DEA agent Javier Peña (Pedro Pascal) enlists the help of American and Colombian law enforcement to take it down. This season opens up a complex and ruthless world of new figures.

Other new players include:

  • Jorge Salcedo (Matias Varela)- Cali’s head of security who prioritizes his wife and kids’ protection over his bosses
  • DEA agents Chris Feistl (Michael Stahl-David) and Daniel Van Ness (Matt Whelan), who enter the operation with enthusiasm and inexperience
  • Franklin Jurado (Miguel Angel Silvestre)- the cartel’s money launderer who unknowingly puts his wife, Christina (Kerry Bishe) in mortal danger
  • David Rodriguez (Arturo Castro)- Miguel’s oldest son, who is reluctant at first to take a leading role in the cartel structure

 

This time around, all rules have changed for the narcos and their opponents – a fact many won’t realize until it’s too late.

‘Narcos’ donut & coffee truck coming to Midtown Manhattan August 3rd (Oh, I’m totally going)

On Wednesday, August 3rd, a Narcos truck will be making some drops around the city – powdered donuts and Colombian coffee (hot or iced!). Come pick yours up while you check out the new trailer for season three of Narcos, which premieres September 1, only on Netflix.

New Yorkers can chase that sugar high at the below locations. Follow @NarcosNetflix on Twitter to find out when!

    • East 42nd Street, between Park & Madison (beginning at 8am, across from Grand Central Station); then traveling to:
    • 48th Street & Sixth Avenue
    • 57th Street & 8th Avenue
    • Albany Street between S. End Avenue and West Street
    • Union Square West between 16th and 17th Streets

About “Narcos” Season Three:

Now that the bloody hunt for Pablo Escobar has ended, the DEA turns its attention to the richest drug trafficking organization in the world: the Cali Cartel. Led by four powerful godfathers, this cartel operates much differently than Escobar’s, preferring to bribe government officials and keep its violent actions out of the headlines.

Netflix News: New teaser for ‘Alias Grace’ – mini-series based on the award-winning novel by Margaret Atwood

Inspired by the historical true story of convicted murderer Grace Marks and based on the award-winning novel by Margaret Atwood, here’s a first look at the new six-hour miniseries Alias Grace:

The series will be broadcast in Canada on CBC and will stream everywhere else globally on Netflix on Friday, November 3.

The story of Alias Grace follows Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott (Kerr Logan), was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin), in 1843. James was hanged while Grace was sentenced to life imprisonment. Grace became one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder, and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail. Her conviction was controversial, and sparked much debate about whether Grace was actually involved in the murder, or merely an unwitting accessory.

Alias Grace is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Looking for Alaska, Take this Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol). The series is a co-production with Halfire Entertainment, CBC and Netflix. The executive producers are Polley, Harron, and Noreen Halpern.

Netflix News: New trailer for ‘Atypical’ takes you right back to your awkward high school days in a charming way

Atypical is a coming of age story from the point-of-view of Sam (played by Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum searching for love and independence. While Sam is on his funny and emotional journey of self-discovery, the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives while exploring the question: what does it really mean to be “normal”? Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as Sam’s mother, Elsa, who is on a life-changing path as her son gains more independence. Michael Rapaport plays Sam’s father, Doug, who desires to better connect with and understand his son. Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Sam’s scrappy sister, Casey, and Amy Okuda plays his therapist, Julia.

With eight, half-hour episodes filmed in Los Angeles, Atypical was created and written by Robia Rashid and Academy-Award winning producer Seth Gordon. Together, Rashid and Gordon serve as executive producers alongside Mary Rohlich, with Jennifer Jason Leigh as producer. Michelle Dean, who received her PhD from UCLA and worked at the UCLA Center for Autism and Research and Treatment before joining the faculty of CSU Channel Island, was also brought into the production to help guide an accurate depiction of autism spectrum disorder. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Netflix.

Netflix News: ‘Ozark’ trailer totally got the sound right

Raised in southern Missouri, aka the Ozarks, I was looking for something recognizable in the new trailer for the Jason Bateman/Laura Linney series, Ozark. There’s some footage of a lake, ok, but nothing specific. A clip starts with a couple standing outside their house. Then I heard it. The sound of bugs that’s all-encompassing. It’s something I almost miss. Almost. Oh, and the series looks good too.

A Chicago financial advisor who has been quietly laundering money for a drug kingpin, must quickly uproot his kids and move the operation to The Ozarks, after his partner is caught cheating the business.  There, he bumps heads with both a local drug dealer whose business he inadvertently interrupts, and a clan of ruffians, led by their 19-year-old niece, who want his money, all the while avoiding the eye of a tenacious FBI agent.  He must complete his laundering, to save the life of his family, as they struggle to find their own path in this seemingly foreign way of life.

The Netflix original series Ozark stars Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Julia Garner, Jordana Spiro, Jason Butler Harner, Esai Morales, Peter Mullan and Lisa Emery. Directed by Jason Bateman, Daniel Sackheim, Ellen Kuras and Andrew Bernstein. Produced by Patrick Markey. Executive produced by Jason Bateman, Chris Mundy, Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams. A production of Media Rights Capital and Aggregate Films.

Netflix News: ‘Stranger Things 2’ gets a release date & poster!

It’s 1984 and the citizens of Hawkins, Indiana are still reeling from the horrors of the demagorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. Will Byers has been rescued from the Upside Down but a bigger, sinister entity still threatens those who survived.

1953, date unknown – MKUltra comes to Hawkins and begins experimentation
1979 – Police Chief Jim Hopper returns to Hawkins
1983, November 6 – The vanishing of Will Byers
1983, November 8 – The vanishing of Barbara Holland
2016, July 15 – Part 1
2017, October 27 – Part 2

Netflix News: New series ‘Ozark’ starring Jason Bateman & Laura Linney releases July 21st

I grew up in the Ozarks, so I’m particularly interested in this series. I can’t wait to binge!

A Chicago financial advisor, who has been quietly laundering money for a drug kingpin, must quickly uproot his family and move the operation to The Ozarks, after his partner is caught cheating the business.  There, he bumps heads with both a local drug dealer whose business he inadvertently interrupts, and a clan of ruffians, led by their 19-year-old niece, who want his money, all the while avoiding the eye of a tenacious FBI agent.  He must complete his laundering, to save the life of his family, as they struggle to find their own path in this seemingly foreign way of life.

The Netflix original series: Ozark stars Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Julia Garner, Jordana Spiro, Jason Butler Harner, Esai Morales, Peter Mullan and Lisa Emery. Directed by Jason Bateman, Daniel Sackheim, Ellen Kuras and Andrew Bernstein. Produced by Patrick Markey. Executive produced by Jason Bateman, Chris Mundy, Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams. A production of Media Rights Capital and Aggregate Films.

Netflix News: ‘House of Cards’ Season 5 trailer is more scary than ever

Together We Are Strong.
Today Netflix released the official trailer for House of Cards which will launch its fifth season globally on Netflix, Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
MORE ABOUT HOUSE OF CARDS:
The fifth season of the critically acclaimed Emmy®­nominated drama  House of Cards  premieres Tuesday, May 30, 2017. The series’s Golden Globe® winning stars Kevin Spacey (as Francis Underwood) and Robin Wright (as Claire Underwood), whose characters have always been each other’s strongest allies, show cracks in their relationship. House of Cards also stars Michael Kelly, Jayne Atkinson, Neve Campbell, Derek Cecil, Paul Sparks and Joel Kinnaman.
 
Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese are showrunners for season five, and they serve as executive producers along with David Fincher, John Mankiewicz, Daniel Minahan, Kevin Spacey, Joshua Donen, Dana Brunetti, Eric Roth, Robin Wright, Michael Dobbs and Andrew Davies. Created for television by Beau Willimon. House of Cards is produced by Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix. 
 
Instagram: @houseofcards

New on Netflix: ‘Louis C.K.:2017’ Stand-up special & ‘Chewing Gum’ Season 2

Louis C.K.:2017

Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director and editor, Louis C.K. will debut two new stand-up comedy specials exclusively on Netflix, the world’s leading Internet TV network. The first of the specials, titled 2017, was filmed in Washington DC.


Chewing Gum: Season 2

Tracey Gordon is a 24-year-old religious Beyoncé-obsessed virgin. Growing up through the church, with her strict preacher Mother, she has ended up rather ‘underdeveloped’ in certain areas – but Tracey wants more. We follow Tracey as she embarks on her journey into adulthood, crashing her way through what she should and shouldn’t be doing.

Netflix News: 5 new originals release today

Crime series from Finland, Bordertown, a three-part docuseries on WWII from Steven Spielberg, Five Came Back, a book adaptation series 13 Reasons Why, an afterlife drama, The Discovery, with Robert Redford, Rooney Mara and Jason Segal and Dinotrux, a kids series. Lots to choose from!

Bordertown – Season 1

Detective Inspector Kari Sorjonen is one of the most respected officers at the National Bureau of Investigation in Finland. When his wife barely survives brain cancer, Sorjonen decides to take his family to an idyllic small town near the border of Russia, to live a quiet peaceful life. But how peaceful is life on the border between two worlds?

https://www.netflix.com/watch/80177551


Five Came Back – Season 1

Based on Mark Harris’ best-selling book, “Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War,” Netflix’s three-part docuseries Five Came Back tells the extraordinary story of how Hollywood changed World War II – and how World War II changed Hollywood, through the interwoven experiences of five legendary filmmakers who went to war to serve their country and bring the truth to the American people: John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens. Featuring interviews with Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Guillermo Del Toro, Paul Greengrass and Lawrence Kasdan, Five Came Back is directed by Laurent Bouzereau, written by Mark Harris, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Scott Rudin and Barry Diller, and narrated by Meryl Streep.


13 Reasons Why – Season 1

Based on the best-selling books by Jay Asher, 13 Reasons Why follows teenager Clay Jensen as he returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who tragically committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Will Clay be one of them? If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, 13 Reasons Why weaves an intricate and heart wrenching story of teenage life that will deeply affect viewers.

13 Reasons Why stars Dylan Minnette as Clay Jensen (Goosebumps), Katherine Langford as Hannah Baker, Kate Walsh as Mrs. Baker (Private Practice), Brian D’Arcy James as Mr. Baker (Smash) , Derek Luke as Mr. Porter (Empire), Brandon Flynn as Justin Foley, Justin Prentice as Bryce Walker, Alisha Boe as Jessica Davis, Chritian Navarro as Tony Padilla, Miles Heizer as Alex Standall (Parenthood) and Tommy Dorfman as Ryan Shaver.


The Discovery – Film

STARRING ROONEY MARA, ROBERT REDFORD AND JASON SEGEL

One year after the existence of the afterlife is scientifically verified, millions around the world have ended their own lives in order to “get there”. A man and woman fall in love while coming to terms with their own tragic pasts and the true nature of the afterlife.


Dinotrux – Kids Series

Welcome to a world of giant creatures that are half dinosaur, half construction vehicle and all awesome in Dinotrux, the Netflix original series from DreamWorks! Meet Ty Rux, a massive Tyrannosaurus Trux, and his best friend Revvit, a razor-sharp Reptool. Together, the Dinotrux and Reptools join forces for the first time ever to build a bigger, better world and battle back against the biggest and baddest of them all: D-Structs, who threatens to wreck everything they’ve built.

Netflix News: ‘Marvel’s Iron Fist’ releases first trailer

Billionaire Danny Rand (Finn Jones) returns to New York City after being missing for years, trying to reconnect with his past and his family legacy. He fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery Iron Fist.

Twitter: @MarvelIronFist (https://twitter.com/MarvelIronFist), #IronFist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarvelsIronFist
Website: www.Marvel.com for all Marvel news!

Netflix News: Season 2 of ‘Love’ returns March 10th

The second season of the Judd Apatow comedy series Love, will return on March 10th on Netflix globally.  Below please find the all new date announcement video and first look photos from the series that follows nice guy Gus (Paul Rust) and brazen wild-child Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) as they navigate the exhilarations and humiliations of intimacy, commitment, love and other things they were hoping to avoid.  In the second season, Mickey and Gus face commitment and all that comes with it as they attempt to bring order to their chaotic lives.

Season two of Love premieres only on Netflix, worldwide, on March 10, 2017.

Available in Ultra 4K

Netflix News: ‘Ultimate Beastmaster’ series is the new ‘American Ninja Warrior’

Ultimate Beastmaster is the first international competition series of its kind with six customized local versions featuring local languages, competitors and hosts from each competing country. Those countries are: Brazil, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the U.S, The series is produced by Sylvester Stallone (Creed, Grudge Match) and Dave Broome (The Biggest Loser, Strong). 

The 10-episode event series will feature 108 competitors, 18 from each country, in total. Each hour-long episode will feature 12 competitors, two from each country, who will take their shot at running one of the most physically demanding obstacle courses ever devised, “The Beast.” At the end of each episode, a ‘Beastmaster’ will be crowned and in the final episode of the season, the nine individual winners from each episode will compete against each other for the chance for one contestant to become the Ultimate Beastmaster.
 
The hosts for each country are: 
  • U.S.: Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Ridiculous Six), Charissa Thompson (Extra TV, Fox Sports)
  • Brazil: Anderson Silva (former UFC Middleweight Champion), Rafinha Bastos (Comedian, Journalist and TV Personality)
  • South Korea: Seo Kyung Suk (Actor, Comedian and TV Host), Park Kyeong Rim (Actress, Comedian and TV Host)
  • Mexico: Ines Sainz (Journalist, Sportscaster & TV Host), Luis Ernesto Franco (Actor and Producer)
  • Germany: Hans Sarpei (Former Soccer Player, TV Personality), Luke Mockridge (Comedian)
  • Japan: Sayaka Akimoto (Actress), Yuji Kondo (Sports Anchor)

Netflix News: ‘House of Cards’ returns May 30th with Season 5! See the trailer!

The fifth season of the critically acclaimed Emmy®­nominated drama House of Cards premieres Tuesday, May 30, 2017. The series’s Golden Globe® winning stars Kevin Spacey (as Francis Underwood) and Robin Wright (as Claire Underwood), whose characters have always been each other’s strongest allies, show cracks in their relationship . House of Cards also stars Michael Kelly , Jayne Atkinson , Neve Campbell , Derek Cecil, Paul Sparks and Joel Kinnaman .

Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese are showrunners for season five, and they serve as executive producers along with David Fincher, John Mankiewicz, Daniel Minahan, Kevin Spacey , Joshua Donen, Dana Brunetti , Eric Roth, Robin Wright , Michael Dobbs and Andrew Davies. Created for television by Beau Willimon. House of Cards is produced by Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix.

Netflix News: Drew Barrymore & Timothy Olyphant star in comedy series ‘Santa Clarita Diet’ on February 3rd

In Santa Clarita Diet, Joel (Timothy Olyphant, Justified) and Sheila (Drew Barrymore, Blended) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita with their teenaged daughter Abby (Liv Hewson), until Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending their lives down a road of death and destruction…but in a good way.

Santa Clarita Diet stars Drew Barrymore as Sheila Hammond, Timothy Olyphant as Joel Hammond, Liv Hewson as Abby Hammond and Skylar Gisondo as Eric Bemis.

Showrunner Victor Fresco, Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell are executive producers on the series. Nancy Juvonen is a producer. Santa Clarita Diet is a Netflix production and is available globally only on Netflix on February 3, 2017.