Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

A29
PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 6 april 2018
Netflix 'On My Block' hits race, poverty with teen humor

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS California. "Ruby. That was
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — me," Gonzalez said. "This is
Film and television produc- the story of my childhood.
tions about the inner city I grew up in a large Mexi-
typically follow the same can-American family and
formula: life is depressing, a lot of what he's experi-
addicts lurk at every corner encing I experienced."
and students can barely do Those struggles include
homework without ducking how to share rooms with
to the rat-a-tat-tat of drive- siblings and dealing with a
by bullets.Teen dramedy live-in grandmother, said
"On My Block," a new series Gonzalez, who cites 1980s
recently released by Netflix, movies "Sixteen Candles"
attempts to turn that blue- and "The Goonies" as his
print on its head by tackling greatest influences.
race and poverty with John "When I think of my child-
Hughes 1980s-style humor hood, it wasn't bleak and
and away from the themes gloomy," Gonzalez said.
of hopelessness found in "It was filled with a kind of
films like 1991's "Boyz n the hope. That's what I wanted
Hood." to project."
The 30-minute, 10-episode Genao, who comes from
series is part of a growing a Dominican-American
number of productions family in Jersey City, New
about people of color in Jersey, said he was imme-
the United States. It comes diately attracted to the
on the heels of the success- show's writing and could
ful Pixar-animated, Oscar- identify with Ruby's Mex-
winning movie "Coco" and ican-American upbring-
the highly successful Mar- This image released by Netflix shows, from left, Brett Gray, Sierra Capri, Jason Genao and Jessica ing. "I grew up in a kind of
vel Comics' adaptation Marie Garcia in a scene from "On My Block." rough neighborhood, too,"
of "Black Panther." It also Associated Press Genao said. "But this show
comes as more Latino and was doing something so
black advocates are de- lence is real but it's not their ling their coming-of-age cal teen dilemmas. Those different than everything
manding more diversity in only concern. How to dress problems in the comfort of problems include Jamal we have seen."
productions. for the freshman dance or a living room or an outdoor faking injuries to avoid The creators were com-
Set in a fictional working- keep a secret sometimes lunch table. playing football despite his bining the innocence of
class Latino and black takes priority. "Don't look. Keep walk- dad's desires and Monse Hughes with the experienc-
Southern California neigh- Most of the time, Ruby ing," Jamal tells the group later worrying about her se- es of children living in the
borhood, the series follows Martinez, played by Jason as they walk by a gang- cret boyfriend's link to the inner city, Genao said. “This
a group of quick-witted Genao, and his friends — initiating beating in an al- gang, Santos. is not going to be a one-hit
teens as they work through Monse Finnie, played by Si- ley. "Why would anybody Sometimes, the teens stop wonder.”
typical issues of love and erra Capri, and Jamal Turn- get jumped into 19th Street and try to guess the caliber Gonzalez said he hopes
acceptance while doing er, played by Brett Gray (gang)?" of the guns when they hear “On My Block” does its part
their best to avoid (and — navigate dating, chem- "Agreed. Who wants a life- gunshots. to push Hollywood to do
ignore) the gang violence istry exams and sexuality. time commitment at our Eddie Gonzalez, the show's more productions featuring
and constant police pres- When they are confronted age?" Ruby asks. co-creator, said the series people of color. “We don’t
ence around them. with violence, they run so A few minutes later, they is loosely based on his life need to be saved,” he said.
Yes, the inner-city turbu- they can continue tack- are back to discussing typi- growing up in Compton, “We need to be heard.”q

Review: Faustina Masigat

shows she's a singular voice

By STEVEN WINE bargain-bin guitar, and "you" and two with "I." The
Faustina Masigat leans in on her austere approach ex- missing partner provides in-
her debut album. The Or- tends to the arrangements, spiration for the material as
egon songwriter's breathy which makes every orna- Masigat sings about heart-
alto sometimes drops to a mentation that much more break and healing, honesty
near whisper, and she's so powerful. Support comes and deceit, cold baths and
close to the microphone primarily from The Minus 5's cold apartments.
that P's pop; T's too. Forte is Tucker Jackson, who pro- At times the music recalls
not her forte. vides washes of pedal steel Joan Shelley, Kat Edmond-
Listeners will lean in, too, that enhance the beauty son or Margo Price, but
for a concise 11-song set of the music. Masigat is a singular voice.
that connects because The songs are duets with The title of the final song is This cover image released by Mama Bird shows the self-titled
it's refreshingly free of fluff. the second voice absent "Words Left to Say." She's debut album by Faustina Masigat.
Masigat performs with a — three tunes start with just getting started.q Associated Press