New York city native Grace Randolph has made a national name for herself as one of the few female movie reviewers. Her fans named her the “Queen” of YouTube movie reviews.
Grace is the creator of Beyond the Trailer which has an impressive 840K+ subscribers and over 660 Million views and growing!
Her news coverage has more views than almost every other movie & tv news channel on YouTube, including channels run by large websites.
Grace got her start in improvisational comedy at NYC Upright Citizens Brigade, which was founded by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh.
The multi -talented Grace launched Beyond The Trailer with Next New Networks as their very first independent Creator.
Grace felt her voice and perspective was unique and she wanted to add it to the conversation. She is also a Rotten Tomato reviewer.
The rest is history as they say, Beyond The Trailer is a YouTube success and is viewed globally.
Grace took the time to do a Q and A with our editors.
Elucid: How do you feel the movie industry is looking for 2020?
Grace Randolph: Crazy busy and super competitive, and I'm not just talking about the movies coming out but where they'll PLAY!
There are so many different types of moviegoing experiences in NYC right now, from regular theaters to Lincoln Square's genuine IMAX to all the Dolby Theaters popping up - even to a dine in theater like iPic which just went bankrupt! Will Alamo Drafthouse buy them out and takeover their theaters?
Plus, with all these streaming services popping up like daisies in 2020, that's going to force ALL movie theaters to up their game. Like the new monthly passes at AMC and Regal, which totally changes how you feel about moviegoing.
So, while I know what movies are coming out in 2020, but I'm not sure what the moviegoing experience will be - and that's exciting.
Elucid: Sequels are releasing like Top Gun, why do you feel movie audiences yearn for 'classic' films of the 80s and 90's?
Grace Randolph: Well FIRST OFF, Tom Cruise is timeless!
But to answer to your question, everyone likes to romanticize a previous era. The one the adults grew up in and their kids keep hearing about. And for a long time with the Baby Boomers it was the 50s and 60s, and now we're finally moving to the 80s and 90s.
I don't know what happened to the 70s. I guess they can join the Great Depression on the Hollywood bench. Eras that are too REAL don't make for particularly fun movies and TV shows.
Elucid: Out of all the films you have reviewed, do you have a personal favorite?
Grace Randolph: Rear Window, which is the very first film I ever reviewed - as in, wrote my first paper on in film school! Alfred Hitchcock's classic has so many layers to it. It's a movie about relationships, which is fascinating once you realize it! Dissecting that movie made me fall in love with dissecting movies. Plus, as a native New Yorker who grew up in an apartment building herself, it's very relatable!
Elucid: How do you choose the films/ TV shows to review?
Grace Randolph: A lot of what I do is about generating DISCUSSION, so I cover the movies and TV shows people want to TALK about. For instance, I absolutely love The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but nobody wants to talk about it - at least not online. So, there are few movies and shows that I watch as a "civilian". But for the most part, because my personal tastes align with my viewers, when I'm watchin' I'm workin'!
Elucid: Do you attend NYC local film festivals?
Grace Randolph: I JUST got my credentials for The New York Film Festival, and I can't wait to review Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, which is premiering there this year. A New York filmmaker's New York story debuting at New York's premiere film festival? Now THAT'S movie magic. It's also very New York, and very old school, to have to get there an hour and a half early to stand on the press line at Lincoln Center because it's first come first serve even for press.
Elucid: What plans do you have for your hugely successful YouTube channel this coming year?
Grace Randolph: I'm going to dive into streaming, just like the industry and viewers! How easy is it do what Netflix does? We're all going to find out as almost every major studio will be launching a streaming service over the next year.
And while I cover TV shows now, there's a tsunami of them headed towards me! Remember, covering a streaming show - especially those where the entire season is released at once - is like reviewing a six, eight or even ten-hour movie! But I'm ready for it!
You can watch Grace’s very entertaining reviews on Beyond The Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/user/BeyondTheTrailer
