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Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
This inspirational sports biopic just crashed the Prime Video top 10 — and it's 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Prime Video looks to have another hit on its hands with "The Fire Inside." Despite only coming to the platform a few days ago, it's already climbed into the Prime Video top 10 list. If you've not seen it before, "The Fire Inside" is a biopic about American professional boxer Claressa "T-Rex" Shields that was directed by Rachel Morrison (in her feature directorial debut) and written by Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight," "The Underground Railroad"). "The Fire Inside" might not have made a splash at the box office, but it was released to critical acclaim. Over on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, you'll see it's Certified Fresh, with a 93% critics score and an equally impressive 94% on the Popcornmeter. The movie came to Prime Video on May 27, and in the days since, it's risen through the ranks to claim 5th place on the Prime Video top 10. That's quite the feat, given it's behind the likes of "Another Simple Favor", "Twisters", and "Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning." Trying to decide whether to stream "The Fire Inside" on Prime Video? Here's a little more info about the trending movie, and a round-up of what people have had to say about the streamer's new arrival. "The Fire Inside" is a sports biopic based on the early career of American professional boxer, Claressa "T-Rex" Shields (here played by Ryan Destiny). The movie explores her life from when the Flint, Michigan native first set foot inside a boxing gym, through to her becoming the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In addition to Ryan Destiny, "The Fire Inside" also stars Brian Tyree Henry as Claressa's coach, Jason Crutchfield, plus Oluniké Adeliyi as Jackie Shields, De'Adre Aziza as Mickey, and Adam Clark as Clarence. As I mentioned, "The Fire Inside" comes highly recommended from both critics and fellow moviegoers alike. For example, The Guardian's Benjamin Lee rated the movie 4/5 stars, praising it as a "blazing boxing drama [that] packs a serious punch", adding: "The real-life victories by Shields and her coach were not easy, both pre- and post- Olympics, and what really makes The Fire Inside soar is that Morrison works just as hard to win us over." Marya E. Gates wrote: "Although the film hits a lot of the beats you'd expect, as it outlines Shields' journey towards Olympic gold, it does so with the kind of simple, lived-in details and empathy that Jenkins brought to his Best Picture winner 'Moonlight." Reviewing for Variety, Owen Gleiberman called "The Fire Inside" both "a grippingly downbeat boxing drama" and "a real rouser," adding: "The arc of the drama is built around an enormous curveball it throws at the audience. And that's when the movie really gets good." If you look at audience reactions on Rotten Tomatoes, you'll see plenty more glowing praise, too, including plenty of perfect 5/5 ratings. One user called "The Fire Inside" "a must-watch," "a raw, relentless, and inspiring masterpiece, and added: "This isn't just a boxing movie; it's a powerful story of grit, resilience and unbreakable spirit." Elsewhere, you'll see praise for the cast's performances, and buzzwords like "uplifting", "emotional" and "rewarding". Given that glowing reaction, I couldn't help but check it out for myself, and I'm inclined to agree; "The Fire Inside" gets my recommendation, too. Morrison's movie absolutely is a rousing watch, one that shines a light on Claressa's achievements with some solid in-ring action, but also worth sticking with for the grounded drama that follows her 2012 Olympic victory. Not sold on "The Fire Inside," but still looking for something new to watch? Check out our round-up of the best movies on Prime Video for tons more streaming recommendations for your next movie night.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prime Video adds two underrated 2024 movies that I love and you need to watch right now
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. To me, the best part of streaming are that great movies and TV shows that may not have made a splash upon their initial release for whatever reason can get a second chance to find an audience. This week I'm hoping we get two examples of that as two of the better movies I saw at the tail end of last year but weren't able to crack through against the likes of Gladiator 2, Wicked and more, land on Prime Video — September 5 and The Fire Inside. Both movies arrived on the streaming service on May 27 and both should be added to your watchlist real quick. September 5 was one of the best movies of 2024 that I saw, while The Fire Inside is a winning crowd-pleaser sports movie that goes deeper than others in the genre. Let's start with September 5, a journalism thriller that follows the ABC Sports broadcast crew of the 1972 Olympics that find themselves in the middle of the story of their lives when the Munich hostage situation takes place. Tim Fehlbaum directed and co-wrote the movie, which takes place almost entirely in the broadcast room of ABC Sports, using archival footage of the actual event to chronicle the story. The movie also features an outstanding ensemble that consists of John Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard, Ben Chaplin and breakout star Leonie Benesch. My September 5 review gave the movie five stars, as not only is it a gripping thriller (I was hooked to see how everything unfolded despite the fact that the event happened more than 50 years ago), but it immediately put itself with the best journalism movies of all time, All the President's Men and Spotlight. Other critics were of a similar mind, as September 5 is 'Certified Fresh' at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet audiences and awards bodies mostly ignored it. While I never would have expected September 5 to be a $100 million movie, a shifting release date that ultimately had it open limited on December 13, 2024, before releasing everywhere in the US on January 17, 2025, yielded disappointing results (just $2.5 million in the US). Major awards bodies didn't recognize it either, with the Golden Globes only giving it one nomination (even though it was for Best Picture) and the Oscars following suit (nominating it for Best Original Screenplay). The German Film Awards gave the movie its proper due, handing it nine of the 10 awards it was nominated for, including Outstanding Feature Film. At just over 90 minutes and an almost non-stop, tense thriller, September 5 can hopefully find its audience at last on Prime Video. Moving on to The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison, this is another based-on-a-true-story movie, this time about Claressa Shields, a young boxer from Flint, Mich., who became the first American woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics for boxing. Her incredible athletic accomplishment is just one part of the movie though, as it also touches on the reality that Olympic glory does not always bring the benefits you might expect. That extra bit of depth to the story (courtesy of a script from Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins), along with the chemistry between stars Ryan Destiny and Bryan Tyree Henry, are the secret sauce to this movie, which I gave four stars in my The Fire Inside review. Unfortunately again, The Fire Inside failed to register at the box office (just over $8 million) and felt like it was quickly forgotten. We need to remedy that for both The Fire Inside and September 5. I highly recommend you give these movies a chance now that they are available to stream on Prime Video.
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Claressa Shields Shares What It Takes To Win Outside The Boxing Ring
Claressa Shields, Undisputed Heavyweight Champion and Mixed Martial Artist Heavyweight Undisputed Champion Claressa Shields' power and resilience are undeniable. Shields has arguably 'been that girl' in her arena as a four-time undisputed boxer and 17-time world champion who earned a gold medal at 17 at the 2012 Olympics. Nevertheless, as a woman in the boxing industry, she has had to go up against opponents like unfair pay and double standards in sports marketing. Having won the gold twice and countless championship titles before turning 30 this month, Shields is now training herself as a businesswoman and entrepreneur outside of the ring and strategizing ways to help other women in the sport reach the million-dollar mark for their talent. Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Shields strongly desired to win and create a new life for herself and her family. In 2024, parts of her life were depicted in the autobiographical motion picture The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison, starring Ryan Destiny, and screen-written and produced by Barry Jenkins. Through the film, people get to step into a flashback of Shields' life while on her journey of overcoming adversity to become who she is today, the greatest woman boxer of all time. When asked where she draws her power, Shields said, 'I come from a strong family and line of powerful women. I'm inspired by representation, too. When I was growing up, I looked up to Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Anne Wolf, and Laila Ali. They showed me that women could be successful in sports.' Having created a successful career, Shields became the first woman boxer to earn $1 million in 2022 in a two-fight deal with British broadcaster Sky Sports. Three years later, she was still fighting for equal opportunities and was paid similarly to her male counterparts. She has also scored sponsorships and partnerships with brands such as Bose, Dicks Sporting Goods, Celsius, Everlast, and Ethika. "I'm a 17-time world champion, the only four-time undisputed champion in boxing three different weight classes. If you watch boxing, and you watch me, you know that my skills are unmatched," said Shields. In 2023, CBS reported, "TV and streaming deals are 10 to 20 times more lucrative for men than women, according to Shields' promoter, Dmitriy Salita. Male boxers make about $3 million per fight while female fighters just recently started getting seven figures for a night in the ring, while some earn more and many make much less." On February 2, Shields sold out an arena of x people in her hometown of Flint, where she defeated Danielle Perkins and became the first-ever women's undisputed heavyweight champion and the only three-division undisputed champion, male or female, of the four-belt era. That night, she earned $1.5 million. However, as one of the few women to cross the million-dollar threshold, Shields wants more money, opportunities to be on high-profile fighting cards, and advancement among her peers in the sport. "I want bigger paydays, bigger opportunities, and to be able to fight on some of these main cards with the men - even if it's being a co-main event. I'm fighting for women boxers' recognition for their accolades and greatness. I've been taking huge strides and bringing a couple of girls along with me, so we are getting somewhere, said Shields. In addition to that, she aspires to fight on a big card. "I would love to fight on the undercard of Terence Crawford versus Canelo Álverez in September co-main event TV opener." In the meantime, instead of asking for what's next, she's creating it. "When negotiating something and you don't get it, you must create it. If you want wealth, and they won't give you opportunities, create your own wealth. Figure out different avenues to make your own money," said Shields. With two Olympic gold medals, world titles, and nothing left to prove, Shields is creating new revenue streams by leaning into her creativity while building her personal brand. As her brand grows, Shields believes that access to opportunities in boxing and outside of the sport will present themselves. "There's nothing else I can do inside boxing to earn an equal pay day as the men. I've done everything as a 17-time champion and four-time undisputed boxer in the history of the sport. I fought for a million dollars a couple of times. I must keep good at my brand outside the ring and become a big star. People respect numbers," said Shields. She has amassed over a million followers on social media and began documenting her life outside the ring as an artist on YouTube. She's earning thousands of dollars as a creator on the platform and is focused on creating her own doors and table. "There have been months where I earn $5,500 on YouTube, and I knew that if I posted more, I could get up to $10,000," said Shields. To move the needle on her earnings, she said the key is to focus and silence the noise of others. "Focus on the positive. When you are entertaining negativity, it distracts you from your greatness," said Shields. Money management is another key focus for Shields. The investment to train, be promoted, and invest in your holistic well-being comes with a hefty price tag and financial discipline. "Money management is something many people lack in every category regardless of what sport you're in. Everything costs. Nobody works for you for free. Everyone gets paid - from publicists to hairstylists, makeup artists, lawyers, and managers," emphasized Shields. "When I make money, I save 75 percent and play with 25 percent." Being financially sound has allowed Shields to sustain herself at different levels of her career. Claressa Shields with members of her community outreach program. When she is not in the ring or building her brand, Shields finds time to give back through her non-profit organization, The Claressa Shields Community Outreach Program. Youth in the program learn to leverage the discipline and skill development from boxing and apply it to their daily lives to combat trauma and build mental fortitude. "I remember being told me that boxing wasn't for girls. I was 13 years old, yelling, 'I'm going to the Olympics in four years.' People laughed at me. I turned 17 and went to the Olympics, and I won a gold medal," said Shields. She often shares her story with youth to inspire them as they train their minds and bodies. Her message to others is, "Don't be afraid to be different or let people discourage you. Your dreams are not for other people to understand."
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mikey Madison Thanks Sean Baker While Accepting Spirit Awards Win: 'I'm So Grateful That You Came Into My Life'
Mikey Madison scored another win for Anora. On Saturday, the 25-year-old actress won the award for best lead performance, film, at the Independent Spirit Awards. While addressing the crowd, she thanked the entire cast and the director, Sean Baker. More from The Hollywood Reporter Most Memorable Spirit Awards Moments, From 'Anora' Winning Big to Natasha Rothwell's Emotional Speech Sean Baker Reflects on Current State of Indie Films at Spirit Awards: "The System Has to Change, Because This Is Simply Unsustainable" Spirit Awards: Kieran Culkin Wins for 'A Real Pain' as He Misses Another Awards Show 'I want to thank Sean Baker. All of this started with you. You are an incredible director, a wonderful friend, incredible chihuahua owner,' she said 'I'm so grateful that you came into my life.' Madison was up against Amy Adams (Nightbitch), Ryan Destiny (The Fire Inside), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Keith Kupferer (Ghostlight), Demi Moore (The Substance), Hunter Schafer (Cuckoo), Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow), June Squibb (Thelma) and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), who she said she was 'honored to be nominated' alongside. Last week, Madison won the BAFTA for best leading actress. Madison also addressed Baker's wife and producer on the film, Samantha Quan, for being 'the most incredible, beautiful person in the world.' Baker has been vocal about writing the role of Anora (or Ani) — a sex worker who falls for the son of a Russian oligarch — for Madison after seeing her performances in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's Scream. Anora won big at the Spirit Awards, winning best feature and best director for Baker, who gave a heartfelt speech advocating for the indie film business. Madison is nominated for best actress at the Oscars on March 2. See all of the winners from the 40th annual Spirit Awards here, and all the stars that hit the red carpet here. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The Best Anti-Fascist Films of All Time Dinosaurs, Zombies and More 'Wicked': The Most Anticipated Movies of 2025 From 'A Complete Unknown' to 'Selena' to 'Ray': 33 Notable Music Biopics
The Guardian
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Fire Inside review – Olympic boxing biopic is a knockout
This solid biopic of Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields (Ryan Destiny), who overcame systemic sexism in the sports world and a challenging, impoverished childhood in Flint, Michigan to become, in 2012, the first US female boxer to earn Olympic gold, doesn't break much in the way of new ground. But The Fire Inside, which was scripted by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and directed by cinematographer turned first-time feature film-maker Rachel Morrison, understands that, with storytelling as with fighting, sometimes all you need to do is stand firm and land the punches. Largely thanks to the raw intensity of Destiny's central performance, and to the focus on community as much as individual triumph, the film does exactly that. Not surprisingly, given Morrison's background (she was Oscar-nominated for her camerawork on Mudbound, and also shot Fruitvale Station and Black Panther), the film is strikingly photographed by Rina Yang – a wintry palette of frostbitten Michigan greys and blues that's a neat contrast to the heat of Shields's ambition and anger. In UK and Irish cinemas
