The Latest in ShowBiz News

2012/03/03 at 12:00am

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

03.3.2012 | By Karen Posada |

I watched ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ in a movie theater full of kids ranging from 3-10 years of age, which gave me the perfect audience with a mix of adults to get the right movie experience for this film. This movie exudes cuteness and the right amount of singing, the bits of comedy it has just made me smile and a couple of children laugh. There was no crying or chattering in the audience, which tells me the film’s 94 minutes are the perfect amount of entertainment for its target audience. The brilliant colors and clever shapes and storyline were even more fantastic in IMAX 3D, although ‘Horton Hears a Who’ achieved the same visual greatness without IMAX 3D.

The film begins by explaining in singing our setting, Thneedville, which is a city, made of plastic entirely, there’s no nature; trees are made in a factory and the most powerful man in town and the villain, Mr. O’Hare (Rob Riggle) made his millions by selling air. A 12 year old boy, Ted (Zac Efron) who is in love with a high schooler, Audrey (Taylor Swift) who dreams of seeing a real tree; decides to go on a quest to win the girl’s affection by getting her what she wants. He travels outside of the “capsule” that is his city to the contaminated world beyond in search of The Once-ler (Ed Helms) who according to his grandma Norma (Betty White) is the only person that can lead him to the free oxygen producing trees.

Here is when we being to discover the story of The Lorax (Danny DeVito) who speaks for the trees and cares for nature. What Ted finds in his journey not only changes his life but that of the whole town and the main message of the movie comes across, that each and single one of us makes a difference and we all need to care for our planet.

DeVito’s voice is perfect with that of the furry chubby Lorax, he’s a like a wise joke cracking grandpa that teaches just in the right tone. Efron is laid back and curious just the right amount to depict a 12 year old. White is the best character, the crazy grandma that is always covering for her grandchildren. Every voice created the characters depicted on the screen and together created a very pleasant movie to watch.

The environmentalist message of the film and the dangers of industrialism are very clear; that it takes one person to care so that we can come together as a whole to save the planet and the beauty it offers. I personally didn’t care for the “love story” in the film, but it was easy to over look it, with all the other more important stuff happening, even if it was what pushed the storyline. A children’s movie that has such an inspiring and important message with enough entertainment and color is a nice treat to both parents and children to see.

By Karen Posada

2012/03/02 at 12:00am

Reviews

Being Flynn

03.2.2012 | By Karen Posada |

Watching ‘Being Flynn’ is like eating a heavy meal right before you go to bed, it is very hard to digest. The subject matter is so loaded that it took me a while to understand how I felt about the movie, and that effect on its own says a lot. The movie is entertaining up to a certain point because the story develops delicately and although it only runs for 1hour 42 minutes, there’s a precise moment in the end where if it would have finished, it would have been enough. This true-life story no doubt is interesting but perhaps it is this very element of realness what drags it down.

The film narrates the life of Nick Flynn (Paul Dano) from his childhood to his adulthood. He tells us of his absent father, Jonathan (Robert De Niro) and about his obsessiveness of being a writer. Despite many obstacles in his childhood his single mother, Jody (Julianne Moore) was able to raise a somewhat normal child. Although he does seem to be struggling, he starts putting his life on track by working at a shelter in Boston and just as he seems to be shaping his life how he wants it his father comes in to mess with any kind of confidence or goals that he may have. The struggle between these two is what carries the movie forward and what brings on the heavy sentimental tiring subjects.

Dano does a good job at capturing the very complicated life of this man who’s had very little in his favor to reach his goals. De Niro plays well the character of an arrogant, self-centered alcoholic; he really is such a versatile actor that you can almost believe him to be this character in real life. There’s no denying that the movie is most intense in the homeless shelter scenes, it is such a haunting dose of reality because of the sense that nowadays specially with the economic crisis anyone can end up in this situation.

Most true-life stories that turn into movies usually have great success because of all the elements that it combines, but in this one the sad reality is way heavier than the uplifting moments; therefore you come out depressed and pensive. The fact that it does open our eyes more to certain things we overlook such as homeless people is a very positive point of the movie but having to deal with all the other emotions it brings is too much of a burden to want to be excited about seeing this film.

By Jack Rico

2012/02/28 at 12:00am

Movies

Hugo

02.28.2012 | By Jack Rico |

I would describe ‘Hugo’, Martin Scorsese’s new cinematographic attempt, as a fairytale for adults, that takes children into account, but it is not exactly directed at them. The pace of the film tends to be less crazy than other films with the same release date (Arthur Christmas, The Muppets), and therefore, less entertaining for younger viewers. However, there’s enough visual and emotional material here to distract them.

The film is based on Brian Seiznick’s bestseller ‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ and it focuses on Hugo (Asa Butterfield) an orphan child from the thirties that lives hidden in a station in Paris and is in charge of watches. The kid will find himself involved in a mysterious adventure when he tries to repair a broken robot that his father left unfinished. One day he meets a girl (Chloë Moretz) that seems to have the key to solving the mystery of the robot.

‘Hugo’ in reality is a love letter to silent film and the importance of preserving movies for posterity. Whoever knows Scorsese’s life, will know that the film was made for his biggest passion in life – cinema. This reminds me of how Quentin Tarantino had a similar message in Inglorious Basterds. The style is not what we have come to expect from the master. First, the work is done in 3D and takes place in Paris. Secondly, the concept of the film is family oriented: he’s never done anything like it. The result is a spectacular experience, it is in itself, a dream come true.

The characters in the film are colorful and the cast’s acting seems sincere, but the one that stands out is Sir Ben Kingsley known for his masterpiece ‘Ghandi’ from 1982. The youngsters Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) and Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass) do a good job although it is obvious that the boy lacks acting chops. The cast includes Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) who shows a dramatic side for the first time, Emily Mortimer and Richard Griffiths, Ray Winstone as Hugo’s drunken uncle, Jude Law as Hugo’s father, and Christopher Lee, as a librarian.

The 3D experience is one of this year’s best. You only have to see the opening scene to understand how wonderfully Scorsese presented it.

‘Hugo’ is one of my favorite movies of the year because it is visually impressive, it uses 3D technology perfectly, the story is original and it connects me with my passion for movies, I like its adventurous plot and the characters are memorable. And of course, it is yet another chance to delight ourselves seeing a Scorsese film, one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. What a luxury!

Viggo Mortensen and Christian Bale together in…

By Jack Rico

2012/02/27 at 12:00am

Movies

Viggo Mortensen and Christian Bale together in…

02.27.2012 | By Jack Rico |

Christian Bale is seeking out Spanish speaking Viggo Mortensen to interpret the villain of his new movie ‘Out of The Furnace’ with Casey Affleck, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch and Channing Tatum in the mix to interpret Bale’s brother.

Mortensen, was brought up in Argentina and Venezuela, currently he’s finished 2 movies: ‘On the Road’ from the Brazilian director Walter Salles and written by Puerto Rican Jose Rivera and ‘Everyone Has a Plan’. Both are to be released very soon.

Bale, who seems to be moving away from successful movies such as ‘The Dark Night Rises’, is excited to start shooting. Filming will begin before the summer and before Bale starts ‘King of Cups’ from Terrence Malick.

The thriller, previously titled ‘The Low Dweller’, is a vengeance movie from the 70’s about an ex-convict who swears to get revenge on those that killed his brother.

The movie is set in Indiana in 1968 and Bale will interpret the ex-convict ‘Slim’, with legendary Robert Duvall in talks of having a supporting role. The screenplay has been compared to having a similar tone as ‘No Country for Old Men’.

‘Out of The Furnace’ was almost made in 2008 when Leonardo DiCaprio was supposed to star with Ridley Scott directing, but it was never carried out because of the screenwriters’ strike.

By Karen Posada

2012/02/27 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Act of Valor’ Fights Hard for #1 Spot

02.27.2012 | By Karen Posada |

The film based in true events of active- duty Navy SEALs, ‘Act of Valor’ premiered at number one in the box office with $27.7 million dollars. The video game like combat scenes takes the audience into the secretive world of a highly trained group of warriors.

Another movie by Tyler Perry, ‘Good Deeds’ took the second spot earning $16 million dollars, this is surprising seeing that Perry’s movies are predictable and he carries the whole movie on his shoulders being the director, star and screenwriter.

‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ jumps from number 4 last week to the 3^rd spot adding $13.5 million dollars to the $20.1 million from last week.

The Top 10 in the Box Office are:

1. Act of Valor – $24.7 mil

2. Good Deeds – $16 mil

3. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – $13.5 mil

4. Safe House – $11.4 mil

5. The Vow – $10 mil

6. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance – $8.8 mil

7. This Means War – $8.5 mil

8. Wanderlust – $6.6 mil

9. Gone – $5 mil

10. The Secret World of Arrietty – $4.5 mil

By Jack Rico

2012/02/26 at 12:00am

Movies

Oscar 2012: Hispanic Predictions

02.26.2012 | By Jack Rico |

With the 84th Academy Awards fast approaching, the preeminent film award show will showcase a plentiful roster of Hispanic film talents in a wide array of categories. But what are their chances to win and do they really have a shot at taking home Hollywood’s most prestigious film prize?

Let’s take a look at the Hispanic nominees and analyze their chances of winning.

Demián Bichir for Best Actor

Mexican actor Demián Bichir is not the favorite to win the Best Actor category this year. The winning choice lies with French actor Jean Dujardin, partly due, to his charming performance in “The Artist” and because he has won in almost every award show this year. George Clooney is also high on the list due to his close ties in Hollywood, his star power, and his dramatic acting in this year’s Best Picture nominee – “The Descendants.” But every year, the Oscar committee likes to rile things up and disagree with the masses and pundits (i.e. Roman Polanski’s win in 2002, Martin Scorsese in 2006, and most recently, Sandra Bullock in 2010). This year we could see that again with Bichir. He provided a visceral performance in “A Better Life” that captivated the attention of the Hollywood elite. If you saw all the other nominees’ movies, there is no clear cut winner. Each one has an argument against them conquering gold. The only thing Bichir has going against him is the distribution of the film. Many people have not seen “A Better Life” and it might hurt his chances come Sunday. Nevertheless, how great of a story would this be if Bichir wins over Clooney, Pitt, Oldman and Dujardin? The post buzz would be at an all-time high, ratings would peak and they would have created a new Latino mainstream star. The press would be talking about this for weeks.

Bérénice Bejo for Best Actress

In a year where Meryl Streep, Viola Davis and Glenn Close are in competition, the odd lady out is Argentinian-French actress, Bérénice Bejo, co-star of “The Artist”. Compared to her colleagues’ deep and emotional performances, Bejo’s star doesn’t shine as bright. Regrettably, she doesn’t delve into the type of acting Oscar members look for. Her chances are slim and her performance never reached the heights to overwhelm Oscar voters.

Alberto Iglesias for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Spanish composer Alberto Iglesias is an accomplished musician and has been nominated for the Oscar twice before in the same category. He is seen as a rising star and his composition in the film, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” is unique and hypnotic, not to mention the movie itself is revered in England. He has a great shot of winning. His greatest challenges will be to prevail against John Williams, who is not only nominated twice, but he is recognized as the greatest musical composer of film of all time (he composed “Star Wars”, “Indiana Jones”, “Superman” and “Jurassic Park”, to name a few). Also he must overcome Ludovic Bource in “The Artist.” Unequivocally, the most important aspect of a silent film is its music. Bource’s melodic and catchy strings have to be considered as the favorite over Iglesias.

Chico and Rita (Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal) for Best Animated Feature Film

In a category dominated by computer generated animation, the hand-drawn Spanish film “Chico and Rita” stands strong to beat the favorite – “Rango”. The jazz-filled soundtrack and score, provided mostly by master Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés, is remarkable. The story also evokes a bygone Latino era that touches the heart with its romance. Not be ignored is the Academy’s fight to preserve hand drawn animation and a win for “Chico and Rita” might just be the statement they need to make.

Emmanuel Lubezki, Best Achievement in Cinematography

Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki is the lock to triumph in this category for his work in “Tree of Life,” perhaps one of the most talked about films amongst moviegoers in 2011. His win at the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers) awards last week, more than guaranteed his Oscar gold. Lubezki, close friends with Cuarón, Del Toro and Iñárritu, created a work of art, a sight to behold with his cinematography in this film. It was perhaps the movie’s calling card apart from its convoluted plot. Also, let’s not forget, “Tree of Life” is a Best Picture nominee. You’ll see Lubezki’s work again in Alfonso Cuaron’s sci-fi feature “Gravity” in November.

Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

There are only two nominees in this category and Brazilian musicians Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown’s song “Real in Rio” is one of them. What are their chances of winning? 50/50 and that’s mathematically a fact. Their competition is Bret McKenzie for The Muppets’ “Man or Muppet” song which is strong in lyrical comedy and weak in vocals and musical production. “Real in Rio” on the other hand is a grand traditional production rooted in Brazilian musicality that makes one just want to dance. In my opinion, there is no reason why Mendes and Brown shouldn’t take home their first Oscar award Sunday.

It is going to be an exciting night as we celebrate the best of the best in movies, in particular, hopeful wins for our Hispanic compatriots. At the end of the day, it is all about talent. Talent will always trump race, color, language and sex.

Antonio Banderas to play Pablo Picasso in ’33 Days’

By Mack Chico

2012/02/22 at 12:00am

Movies

Antonio Banderas to play Pablo Picasso in ’33 Days’

02.22.2012 | By Mack Chico |

Antonio Banderas will play Pablo Picasso in Carlos Saura‘s upcoming “33 Dias (33 Days),” about the painter’s emotional turmoil as he worked on masterpiece “Guernica.”

“33 Dias” refers to the time Picasso spent on the mural, which captured his reaction to the destruction of Basque town of Guernica in 1937 by the Nazi Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War.

“[Picasso] is a character that has pursued me for a long time and I always rejected,” said Banderas. “He deserves a lot of respect because I am from Malaga, and I was born four blocks from where he was born.”

The French and Spanish language film will begin shooting next summer in Paris and Guernica. The budget is set around $8 million.

Guillermo del Toro to produce ‘Day of the Dead’

By Mack Chico

2012/02/21 at 12:00am

Movies

Guillermo del Toro to produce ‘Day of the Dead’

02.21.2012 | By Mack Chico |

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Mexican director Guillermo del Toro will be producing ‘Day of the Dead,’ a CG-animated movie. Del Toro will also present the film, which is being directed and co-written by Jorge R. Gutierrez (the co-creator of a Nickelodeon show named El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera) and is being eyed for a fall 2014 release.

‘Day of the Dead’ is described as a Romeo and Juliet-style love story set against the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead.

Music will play a key part in the movie and producers are hoping to snag an international who’s who for the soundtrack.

Reel FX who is also producing, is currently working on an animated feature adaptation of the Dark Horse graphic novel Beasts Of Burden.

Robert Rodriguez to launch new television network

By Jack Rico

2012/02/21 at 12:00am

Movies

Robert Rodriguez to launch new television network

02.21.2012 | By Jack Rico |

According to Deadline.com, Robert Rodriguez, FactoryMade Ventures CEO John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa will be launching El Rey Network, a cable television networl, looking to serve a U.S.-born Latino market they believe is underserved.

Tres Pistoleros, will be developing programming for El Rey, creating content across multiple platforms including reality, scripted and animated series as well as movies, documentaries, music, comedy and sports programming. El Rey will primarily be in English and showcase Hispanic producers, celebrities and public figures. El Rey Network hopes to launch by January 2014.

Rodriguez will continue to direct films but said he will take an active daily role in overseeing El Rey and Tres Pistoleros. Fogelman added that “well-known executives” will be announced in the next couple months to help run the new ventures.

‘Safe House’ takes the #1 spot at box office

By Karen Posada

2012/02/20 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Safe House’ takes the #1 spot at box office

02.20.2012 | By Karen Posada |

Just as we predicted last week, ‘Safe House’ takes the number one spot for the third week of February 2012 earning $24 million dollars. Denzel Washington’s action thriller not only delivers but it’s way more entertaining than the movies released in the past week.

Last week’s number one spot film, ‘The Vow’ falls to second place adding $23.6 million dollars to its earnings. The romantic movie has been the highest box office hit for Screen Gems and it was certainly popular this past Valentine’s Day week.

A sequel, ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ premieres in third place with $22 million dollars. Despite of the awful reviews this one and the first chapter of the tale received seems like many moviegoers still decided to give this one a chance.

The Top 10 in the Box Office are:

1. Safe House – $24 mil

2. The Vow -$23.6 mil

3. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance -$22 mil

4. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – $20. 1 mil

5. This Means War – $17.6 mil

6. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D – $7.9 mil

7. Chronicle – $7.5 mil

8. The Woman in Black – $6.6 mil

9. The Secret World of Arrietty – $6.4 mil

10. The Grey – $ 3 mil