Please enable javascript to view this site.

Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

The Latest in ShowBiz News

Jack Rico

By

2012/11/22 at 12:00am

Lincoln

11.22.2012 | By |

Lincoln

Imagine being able to travel back in time and see history unfold before your very eyes when Abraham Lincoln, arguably the best President in US history, fought to abolish slavery no matter the opposition, dirty politics or the burden of seeing thousands massacred for the cause. That is what master director Steven Spielberg has provided us in ‘Lincoln,’ a beautiful, powerful and lasting film that is the definitive Lincoln movie ever made. Daniel Day-Lewis not only plays Lincoln, it feels like he is Abraham Lincoln. It is almost eery.

 

If you think ‘Lincoln,’ is a movie about his life, think again. Astutely, Spielberg limits the action only to the 16th President’s tumultuous final months in office where a nation was divided by war and the strong winds of change. Due to the perpetual torment the country was going through, Lincoln was obligated to pursue a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. His choices during this critical moment is where the movie begins.

 

Spielberg has not lost his directorial touch at all. Even ‘War Horse,’ which was nominated Best Picture at the Oscars earlier this year, was aesthetically and expertly directed. But without doubt, ‘Lincoln’ is his best film since ‘Saving Private Ryan’. By using Tony Kushner’s adaptation of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, ‘Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln’ as a template, Spielberg was able to meticulously capture that period in the White House and return us to what it would have been like if we were a fly in the Oval Office. Amongst all of its virtues, the one thing that this film won’t be recognized for is for its rousing emotional fulfillment. It won’t be met with a thunderous applause or a profusion of enthusiasm the way ‘Rocky’ or even 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid’ made one feel. You’ll be a witness to history, but with mixed emotions for the  way that Lincoln had to achieve the liberty of blacks. 

 

The performances of the cast for ‘Lincoln’ are the best of the year. Expect SAG and Critics Choice awards for the ensemble. Day-Lewis is sure to win the Oscar for Best Actor, as well for other award galas, for his strong and memorable portrayal of Lincoln. Also worthy of mention is Sally Field, as Lincoln’s volatile wife, who I have not seen deliver an emotional acting punch in years, if not decades. The rest of the cast is fantastic including Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, John Hawkes, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It truly is the best ensemble cast of 2012. 

 

There are so many ways to have wrecked a biopic of a historical figure like ‘Lincoln’. All you need as proof is Clint Eastwood’s ‘J. Edgar’. Soporific is one word to describe that film, not to mention overly-acted and melodramatic at times. We are fortunate to have seen a biopic, like this one, done the right way. I feel Lincoln himself would not have objected. 

Karen Posada

By

2012/11/20 at 12:00am

Life of Pi

11.20.2012 | By |

Life of Pi

Life of Pi’ is one of those stories that takes us on an amazing adventure with its tale full of fantasy and spirit. The movie is based on Spanish born novelist Yann Martel’s book, with a shaky start it became a best-seller, has wan a number of literary awards and was adapted to the big screen by director Ang Lee who’s done a bunch of diverse and memorable films such as ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, ‘Hulk’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’. With this one the director uses all of his previous background to produce a film that’s mainly all heart, full of beautiful images and a surreal story.

 

A young Indian boy, nicknamed Pi (Suraj Sharma) survives a shipwreck and is left with a Bengal tiger as a companion. This isn’t only a story about survival, but also self-discovery and adventure.

 

The story’s main drive is spirituality because Pi is a curious boy who grows up to be just as curious about everything and he finds some comfort in God, no matter which religion or form it comes to him. This might strike a cord with many believers and might be a bit annoying to non-believers, but no matter how you see it this is an extraordinary story and there’s an interesting take when speaking about the different religions. The movie has a steady pace, it does get stretched out and slowed in the middle, but it’s bearable because of the added hallucinations or florescent images we see.

 

I saw the film in 3D, it did have images that popped out and the colors are majestic, but I don’t deem it necessary although it’s definitely an added bonus. There are countless breathtaking shots of the ocean whether it is of its computerized creatures, freak storms or of Pi’s suffering. I’m assuming the tiger used for the film is CGI, but it looked so real that you can easily feel scared for the main character every time he’s in the tiger’s presence. Being that some of the film takes part in India, it’s interesting to see how westernized Pi’s family is because that’s not something many of us would think when we think of India and its culture. There’s a brief explanation about the India, Hinduism and its culture and Pi’s life there, which gives us a good picture of it all. The colors we think about when we think of India are all there shining brighter than ever, hypnotizing the audience in more than one scene.

 

19-year-old Indian actor, Suraj Sharma is amazing, he only breaks character once, but for the majority of the film he’s able to convey the struggle this boy is in not only physically but also mentally. So much so that there’s sometimes comedy in his suffering and his reflections easily can make you shed a tear. Peter Parker aka the tiger is obviously important to the story, because without him the film wouldn’t be the same; he gives a necessary dose of danger and the interesting connection between the two. Irrfan Khan who plays older Pi, narrating the story is also key because he gives us much more than a narration; he provides extra emotion to connect the public to the film.

 

There’s a lot of fantasy in this film and it poses a question that might make some think afterward. Every scene has stunning images that will keep your eyes glued to the screen. This can be a family film for older kids who will surely enjoy the story as well as the adults of course. The plot’s push for spiritualism or God is frustrating at points, but knowing the background of it and the connection the audience gets with Pi can help you oversee that. This is certainly a very unique film, with an exceptional story that might make you shed a tear or two but will also make you smile.   

Mack Chico

By

2012/11/20 at 12:00am

Nuevo cartel del remake de ‘Evil Dead’

11.20.2012 | By |

Nuevo cartel del remake de ‘Evil Dead'

El primer cartel del remake de “Evil Dead” del director uruguayo Fede Alvarez ya se estrenó por la red. Por lo que parece, es más bien un cartel promocional que uno oficial. 

El cartel posee un texto que lo cubre todo y que dice: “El film más aterrador que usted experimentará.” Palabras pesadas para una cinta cuya versión original no asustó tanto.

De todos modos, por lo que hemos visto del primer avance del film, no vamos a negar que la cinta tenga la capacidad de asustar.

Bruce Campbell, el protagonista de la película original, ahora es el productor de esta nueva versión y los nuevos protagonistas serán Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernández, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas y Elizabeth Blackmore.

“Evil Dead” se estrenará el 12 de abril de 2013.

 

Jack Rico

By

2012/11/20 at 12:00am

Exclusive: John Ortiz to do Ozzie Guillen biopic

11.20.2012 | By |

Exclusive: John Ortiz to do Ozzie Guillen biopic

Puerto Rican actor John Ortiz, who can currently be seen in David O. Russell’s Oscar buzz film ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ and who is known for his roles in ‘Miami Vice’ and ‘Fast and Furious,’ exclusively told ShowBizCafe.com that he is in the early stages of developing an Ozzie Guillen biopic baseball movie in the form of ‘Moneyball’. Guillen, the former Chicago White Sox manager who managed the team between 2004 to 2011, is considered one of the most controversial managers in recent baseball history. 

When we asked Ortiz if he was interested in directing anytime soon, he revealed he was working on a baseball movie:

“Ozzie Guillen and I are going to meet when I’m in Chicago. I don’t want to make a straight up baseball movie, but something along the lines of “Moneyball”. It’d be a lot more than just 9 guys on the baseball diamond. I want to do something where we focus on the profession of him being a baseball manager, how complex of a man he is, the culture, immigration, Chicago, Miami, [Fidel] Castro, there is so much there. I’m fascinated with him, I think he’s such a charismatic dude and people seem to love him or hate him. So I think he’d be a great subject for a movie.”

John Oriz in 'Silver Linings Playbook'

Ortiz, who plays Ronnie, a stressed-out married man in ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ is still unclear whether he will direct, produce or star in the film. It could be one of them or all of them, but he says he will have a better sense of his role in the movie as the project gets closer to pre-production. Ortiz would be perfect for the Guillen role since they have a similar look and Ortiz possesses the acting pedigree from the theater to give the character weight and credibility.  

For those who are unfamiliar with Ozzie Guillen, he is a well-known Venezuelan baseball player since his days as a top flight shortstop for the Chicago White Sox back in the 80’s and 90’s. But later in his career, he became a controversial and larger-than-life personality as the manager for the same team he played for, including the Miami Marlins earlier this year. Amongst his polemic on various issues, he called a Chicago Sun-Times columnist a homosexual slur, said Asian players are treated better than Latino players, and was quoted as loving Communist dictator Fidel Castro, which infuriated Cubans residing in Miami. Despite his quarrels with the press, Guillen is an accomplished baseball mind. In 2005, he became the first Latino manager in major league history to win a World Series.  

Ozzie Guillen

Ortiz made his film debut as Al Pacino’s young cousin ‘Guajiro’ in Carlito’s Way. He went on to appear in over 30 films including Pride and Glory, El Cantante, American Gangster, Before Night Falls, Amistad, Ransom, and Narc.

What other Latino baseball player do you guys think should have a movie based on their lives? Our money is on the Yankee’s Alex Rodriguez and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson should play him. Leave us your comments below.

Karen Posada

By

2012/11/19 at 12:00am

Silver Linings Playbook

11.19.2012 | By |

Silver Linings Playbook

‘Silver Linings Playbook’ is an eccentric, unexpected, crazy fun experience; there are some trying moments but the “silver linings” make it all worth it. This movie is certainly intense and it goes from one extreme to the next, you never quite know what to expect from the characters or situations and that’s what makes it so entertaining and unpredictable, which is the key to the whole story. It’s safe to say that most people don’t know anyone like these characters, most have serious emotional damage that makes them be socially awkward, but that’s their charm and intended or unintended humor. Director David O. Russell certainly knew how to tap into the story’s potential and use it in a way to draw in the audience.

 

Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) is struggling after spending some time at a mental institution and trying to better himself in order to get back with his wife. He starts from zero moving in with his parents: Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver), who are trying their best at helping him. Another challenge presents itself when Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) a woman who has also had some rough times shows up in Pat’s life.

 

The camera work is yet another interesting thing about the film, it zooms in an out in certain scenes and it tends to sometimes do a 360 of an actor adding originality to the film. The script has different analogies and outlooks shown mainly in the form of awkward dialogues, which help explain the plot and give substance to the film while giving us something to think about. The story develops in such a fascinating way that we can easily see why Pat is the way he is, because of his unique parents and household practices as well as his friends.

 

Everyone is fantastic; Cooper combines his charm, good looks, humor and sometimes jerk like personality to give us a man struggling to find the right footing. Lawrence at such a young age (22) acts way beyond her years, this is definitely one of the best roles I’ve seen her in. De Niro who hasn’t given much to talk about in years here is an important part of the film, as it wouldn’t be the same without him, he’s a combination of the psycho in his character of ‘Meet the Fockers’ with a twist of reality in a character much up to our expectations. I can sit here and describe how great Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, Paul Herman and Shea Whigham were; but all I will say is that each one of them truly added necessary parts to the story.

 

I have to talk about John Ortiz who plays Ronnie, Pat’s best friend and is coupled up with Julia Stiles (it was a pleasure seeing her in this film!). Despite Ortiz’s character being outside of the family, he’s just as crucial and demented as the rest of them, maybe even more. His character gives diversity to the film and shows us the angle of a man many would think sane and normal because he has conformed to society’s standards and demands by settling down and having a baby, but he easily provides us with some more extra laughs showing us how stressful “normal” can be.    

 

Sometimes there’s too much going and you just want to scream at the screen to calm everyone down, but perhaps that’s a good thing. I was left with one or two unanswered questions, which bothered me, although it didn’t change how I felt about the film.

 

I enjoyed the strangeness, awkwardness and downright craziness of this movie; most of these people should definitely be locked up! But that’s what made them so entertaining. I have a number of favorite scenes and moments from all the ups and downs, but mainly ups the movie gives us. This certainly is a dramedy to enjoy and recommend, because no matter how sane some of us think we are there’s no such thing as a perfect person or perfect family.

Mack Chico

By

2012/11/19 at 12:00am

Colombiana Zulay Henao joins Tyler Perry movie!

11.19.2012 | By |

Colombiana Zulay Henao joins Tyler Perry movie!

According to Blackfilm.com, Colombian actress Zulay Henao has been cast as the second of four female leads in Tyler Perry‘s next movie ‘Single Mom’s Club,’ joining Perry, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and William Levy.

In addition to writing, directing and producing, Perry is expected to star in the film, which follows a group of single mothers from different walks of life who are brought together by an incident at their children’s school. They bond and create a support group that helps them find comedy in the obstacles of life, as well as their inner strength to overcome their personal challenges.

 

Henao will play the role of Esperanza and paired with Levy’s character Manny.

Perry will produce along with Ozzie Areu and Matt Moore. Production will start at the end of the month in Atlanta, where Perry’s production company is based.

Henao’s film credits include ‘Hostel: Part III,’ ‘Boy Wonder,’ ‘Takers,’ ‘Illegal Tender’ and ‘Fighting’ with Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard. The Colombian native had a starring role opposite Omari Grandberry in the 2007 dance film, ‘Feel the Noise,’ which was produced by Jennifer Lopez. She recently shot ‘White Space,’ a sci-fi action-horror film starring Holt McCallany.

Lionsgate will release Tyler Perry’s Single Mom’s Club on May 9, 2014.

Zulay Henao

Karen Posada

By

2012/11/19 at 12:00am

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ is #1!

11.19.2012 | By |

'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2' is #1!

The commotion around ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ got it to debut at number one with $141.3 million dollars, making it the movie with the eight biggest opening weekend ever. This final chapter of the saga has received great reviews, which will surely lead it to earn more than $700 million worldwide; which is about the average each one of the series has achieved. With Thanksgiving weekend coming up, it will no doubt get there.

The latest James Bond film ‘Skyfall’ dropped to number two with $41.5 million dollars. Despite loosing a lot of steam from last weekend it still will be the highest earning Bond film.  

Now that ‘Lincoln’ opened wide this past weekend it reached the third spot with $21 million dollars. There has been a lot of talk about this Steven Spielberg film being a runner up for the Oscars; the public seems to agree with all the critics’ reviews.

The Top 10 Movies in the Box Office are:

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $141.3

2. Skyfall – $41.5 mil

3. Lincoln – $21 mil

4. Wreck-It Ralph – $18.3 mil

5. Flight – $8.6 mil

6. Argo – $4.1 mil

7. Taken 2 – $2.1 mil

8. Pitch Perfect – $1.3 mil

9. Here Comes the Boom – $1.2 mil

10. Cloud Atlas – $.9 mil

Jack Rico

By

2012/11/16 at 12:00am

Peliculeando: Breaking Dawn 2, Silver Linings Playbook

11.16.2012 | By |

Peliculeando: Breaking Dawn 2, Silver Linings Playbook

Este viernes en Peliculeando por X96.3FM, Univision Radio, Luis Jimenez habla con Jack Rico sobre sus críticas de SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, con Robert De Niro, Jennifer Lawrence y Bradley Cooper, y el último capitulo de THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2. ¿Cual recomiendo que vea? Escuche ahora mismo!

Además, hablamos de la película de terror THE WATCH, SAVAGES y BRAVE para la familia en blu-ray.

Este segmento en español es el único en los Estados Unidos que se dedica a hablar de críticas de cine. Peliculeando será transmitido cada viernes a las 9:50AM dando las críticas y recomendaciones y más recientes estrenos cinematográficos EN ESPAÑOL! Ustedes pueden escuchar nuestro segmento de cine a través de ‘The Luis Jimenez Show’ cada viernes a las 9:50AM por Univision Radio ‘X96.3FM’ en Nueva York o por la red mundial visitando la página: http://luisjimenezradio.com ‘The Luis Jimenez Radio Show’ on ‘X96.3FM’ en New York, FM 97.7 Fort Myers, 98.5/101.1/100.3 FM, 890AM Boston, 1400AM Lawrence / Lowell Haz cliq al vídeo para escuchar el más reciente 

Karen Posada

By

2012/11/15 at 12:00am

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2

11.15.2012 | By |

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

Well it is finally here, the end of ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -Part 2’, something the fans of the books have been waiting for seven years when the first “Twilight” book came out, for the movie fans it has been a four year investment. This series has taken the world by storm and it certainly goes out with a bang. Bill Codon who also directed ‘Part 1’ improves the story almost making it his own with the help of scriptwriter Melissa Rosenberg.  The people in the theater I watched the movie with couldn’t contain their excitement, they began cheering when the credits began to roll in the introduction and I knew it would be hard for them to walk out of the theater hating the outcome of the film. This is the best movie out of the whole franchise, for the fans of both the books and the movies this will not be a disappointment, the director is truthful to the source material while enhancing some of the scenes for the good of the film.

 

The movie picks up right after Renesmee’s (Mackenzie Foy) birth, Bella (Kristen Stewart) is starting her new life as a vampire and her husband Edward (Robert Pattinson) couldn’t be more thrilled. After dealing with some issues with Jacob (Taylor Lautner), The Cullens and the wolves live in harmony, but not for long. Once again they find themselves in trouble with the Volturi who threaten to harm Renesmee. In order to save her The Cullens decide to call upon their acquaintances for support. 

 

The fourth book(half already explained in Breaking Dawn-part 1) has the most concepts that are far-fetched and hard to accept, so seeing them play out in the big screen makes many people laugh although that’s not their purpose; I admit a lot of them are ridiculous and this coming from someone who loved all four books. It tries to explain imprinting, superpowers, immortal children and some vampire history. The tension some scenes are meant to have are laughable, because of the soap opera element the series has always held and although these actors have shown they can act in other movies, here they haven’t improved much as a lot of the lines they deliver feel flat and emotionless. Since the story gets more complicated Bella becomes a narrator throughout the movie, which is a little off-putting but does help, especially for those not familiar with the books. Renesmee is a computerized baby and as weird as she looks I understand why they couldn’t use a real baby, since she’s described as a unique child and she’s more advanced than a regular baby. But as she grows they continue to use a computerized face, which I thought was unnecessary because they seemed to be using Foy’s body, but finally towards the middle of the film we get to see Foy’s real face.

 

If you are seeing this final chapter then you are clearly a fan and are willing to open your mind to the new concepts. There’s just not comparison with the first film of the franchise and this last one, as they both have completely different budgets and directors, and it shows. The introduction to the film is a blend of beautiful white and red backgrounds that set the stage for the film. The camera work does a great job at showing the different world Bella lives in and how acute her senses are. It perfectly shows how Bella feels and the audience had fun laughing at things that were expected and are overacted such as an argument between Bella and Jacob, because of his imprinting. This has a lot more intended and unintended humor than the other films and everyone seemed to enjoy that. This is no longer a film for teenagers but more so for young adults, the sex scenes get even hotter than the last film and the jokes are also a bit more mature.

 

Everyone was excited about seeing their favorite vampires once more, The Cullens: Carlisle (Peter Facinelli), Esme (Elizabeth Reaser), Alice (Ashley Greene), Jasper (Jackson Rathbone), Emmett (Kellan Lutz) and Rosalie (Nikki Reed). This movie introduces a whole new set that the audience was just as static about, I won’t name all, but the ones that certainly stood out were: Irina (Maggie Grace), Jane (Dakota Fanning), Elazar (Christian Camargo) and Zafrina (Judith Shekoni). Seeing them all come together is what makes this movie, their preparation for the stand off against the Volturi is entertaining, but the final scene when the tension builds and no one knows what will happen will take everyone in the theater by surprise.

 

I couldn’t have imagined a better way for the franchise to end, although I read the books it was refreshing to see what the director did with what he was handed. The crystal clear images of the beautiful setting add a nostalgic and memorable tone to the film. There are some scenes where you can clearly see the CGI, but they are easy to overlook, the baby is one of the toughest ones to get used to though. For anybody that’s ever enjoyed this story whether it was in print or the big screen, get ready to live out this last chapter in a more sophisticated, fun and thrilling way than all the other chapters.  

Mack Chico

By

2012/11/15 at 12:00am

Benicio del Toro to be Pablo Escobar in ‘Paradise Lost’!

11.15.2012 | By |

Pablo Escobar. The Colombian druglord who is considered one of the greatest villains in history is coming to Hollywood’s big screen and Benicio del Toro will play him in “Paradise Lost”.

This will be the first Escobar movie that will made of him, even though Telemundo’s current hit novela, “Pablo Escobar, El Patrón del Mal” is like a mini-movie.

His story has been trying to lift off the ground by various directors: The Grey director Joe Carnahan, The Lincoln Lawyer director Brad Furman, and actors were supposed to play him such as: Javier Bardem, Edgar Ramirez, but no go. It’s been in development hell.  Read More

Select a Page