Meet Alan Ng, Disney’s Worst Nightmare
Siskel & Ebert, those iconic film critics, were like the gateway drug for an entire generation of movie aficionados. And guess what? Alan Ng is no exception. This editor-in-chief of FilmThreat.com got hooked on their epic battles playing out on his TV screen and knew he had found his calling.
But becoming the next Siskel or Ebert wasn’t a walk in the park for Ng. Life had a way of throwing curveballs, bills had to be paid, and dreams of critiquing films had to take a backseat. It wasn’t until the 2008 housing crash hit that Ng found himself reconsidering his professional path. Instead of going back to the dreaded office job, he thought, “Hey, why not give this film criticism thing a real shot?” So he started blogging.
As fate would have it, Ng crossed paths with Film Threat founder Chris Gore at a “Futurama”-themed gaming event. And boy, did Gore have a suggestion for Ng—send him some writing samples. Ng didn’t just prove he could blog about films; he proved he could run a website too. From managing editor to Editor-in-Chief, Ng climbed the ranks at FilmThreat.com. Not too shabby for a film fanatic who just wanted to share his thoughts.
Now, let’s rewind a bit and talk about Film Threat itself. This little rebellion against Tinsel Town began in 1985, birthed by Gore and Andre Seewood. It was a counter-culture magazine that delved into indie filmmaking, explored race relations, and the dark underbelly of Hollywood’s casting couch. They didn’t have much in terms of resources, but boy, did they punch up.
Fast forward to today, and things have changed—a lot. The indie filmmaker’s toolbox has expanded exponentially. Now, you don’t necessarily have to rely on the Hollywood system to get your vision out there. There are tools available to you to make your own movie, damn it! Sure, La La Land still matters, but the industry has a tendency to dilute the stories being told. If you go down the Hollywood road, you end up telling their stories, not yours. And that’s just not right.
Film Threat is knee-deep in the culture wars now, and it’s all personal for Ng. As a Chinese-American, he remembers the struggles he faced in the 1980s when trying to find work as a person of color. We’ve come a long way since then, but race is suddenly front and center. It’s like we’re stuck in a never-ending loop of conflict, constantly at odds with one another. It’s almost like we’re living in a real-life version of “Flash Gordon,” where all the tribes are at war. And that’s just messed up, man.
That brings us to Ng’s latest project, “The D-Files,” an investigation into the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) trappings at Disney. It all started when Ng watched Disney’s latest animated film, “Wish,” and let’s just say it didn’t live up to his expectations. He wasn’t shy about expressing his disappointment on the Film Threat podcast, breaking down the trailer scene by scene. And he didn’t hold back.
But here’s where things get interesting. Ng started receiving emails from current and former Disney employees. Anonymously, of course, because speaking out against DEI practices can be career suicide. These brave souls confirmed everything Ng had said. Turns out, things aren’t going so well at Disney animation, and the floodgates of discontent opened wide.
So there you have it—Alan Ng, the man who dared to take on Disney. With Film Threat as his trusty sidekick, he’s shining a light on the not-so-magical reality behind the beloved company. But will there be blowback? Will the Disney empire strike back? Will Ng’s career suffer? We’ll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, grab your popcorn, folks. It’s going to be one wild ride as Alan Ng fights the good fight against the forces that be, armed with his wit, insight, and the power of Film Threat. Brave the culture wars, my friends, and let’s see what happens next on this Hollywood rollercoaster of truth. Lights, camera, action!
