The Latest in ShowBiz News

2010/07/26 at 12:00am

4 New ‘Green Lantern’ Posters!

07.26.2010 | By Jack Rico |

For those of you that are fans of the Green Lantern and have seen the EW magazine cover of Ryan Reynolds as the green hero, I’m not sure how you feel about these new posters, but I must say I’m rather dissappointed. These bland and unimaginative illustrations hopefully are not a sign of things to come.

One thing I am glad about is that the DC, Marvel wars are starting to heat up. The Dark Knight was one of the highest grossing films ever, Superman is on its way back with Christopher Nolan consulting and now GL makes his awaited appearance.

But getting back to the posters, couldn’t someone else have done a better job? We recently unveiled Juan Doe’s new Machete comic cover, and he would have been the ideal candidate since he did DC’s Batman: The Joker’s Asylum Part IV: Scarecrow cover… and as one commenter stated about his work, “sick!“, we support that effervescent clamor! Below is his Scarecrow cover, cool huh?

Who did the Green Lantern posters? Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk. The film has a release date of June 17th, 2011. Perhaps there might be new posters before its due date in theaters.

Read the official synopsis before you check out the posters WB sent us and let us know what you think in our comments section below:

“In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan. Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax…he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.”

By Mack Chico

2010/07/26 at 12:00am

Movies

Inception: #1 at the box office!

07.26.2010 | By Mack Chico |

It was close, but not close enough. Leonardo Dicaprio established who the true superstar is against Angelina Jolie’s ‘Salt’.

“Inception” remained the No. 1 movie for the second-straight weekend with $43.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Sony’s spy caper “Salt” premiered a solid No. 2 with $36.5 million. The movie stars Jolie as a CIA operative who goes rogue after she’s accused of being a Russian sleeper agent.

Coming in at No. 3 with $24.1 million was Steve Carell’s family hit “Despicable Me.” The animated comedy raised its domestic total to $161.7 million.

The weekend’s other new wide release, 20th Century Fox’s family comedy “Ramona and Beezus,” took in $8 million to finish at No. 6. The movie is based on Beverly Cleary’s children’s books about a teenage girl and her accident-prone little sister.

“Inception” hung in strongly in its second weekend, its total down just 31 percent from its $62.8 million opening. During the busy summer, top hits often drop 50 percent or more in the second weekend and rarely repeat as the No. 1 movie.

The film will quickly shoot past the $200 million mark at the domestic box office and has a good shot at topping $300 million, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution at Warner Bros.

The ticket sales are estimates for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released today.

Sony Pictures talks up Hispanic movie audiences

By Jack Rico

2010/07/23 at 12:00am

Movies

Sony Pictures talks up Hispanic movie audiences

07.23.2010 | By Jack Rico |

TheWrap.com’s editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman had a chance to sit for a big in-depth interview with Sony Pictures Entertainment co-Chairman Amy Pascal about the business of movies. In the middle of the interview, Ms. Waxman asked Pascal about Hispanic movie audiences. Below is the excerpt and I couldn’t agree more with it!

Sharon Waxman: Let’s take a step back and look at the movie landscape. Is the 13-year-old to whatever it is 24-year-old boy still your central focus in the movie industry?

Amy Pascal: Well, it depends on the movie that you’re making and what you’re looking for. The opening weekend is now made up of an ethnically rich population, not just the 13-year-old boys. The Latino audience has become huge for movies as they have become a bigger part of the population. I don’t think we just rely on that 13- to 18-year-old boy as the only way to make a hit.

SW: When you’re talking about the Hispanic audience, are we talking about adolescent boys, or families?

AP: They are a big component in the success of family movies. With movies costing what they do, you can’t rely on any one demographic unless you’re making a very targeted movie. When you’re making “Pineapple Express” or “Get Him to The Greek” or whatever.

SW: But you’re not still thinking about that when you look at your slate, X number of tentpoles in a year.

AP: If you’re making a tentpole movie, you’d better make sure that you don’t have one demographic. You’ve gotta have general audience movies for everybody — national, domestic, young, old, everything.

SW: With greater ethnic diversity among moviegoers, does that mean you’re thinking about making more movies that will appeal to that audience?

AP: No, I wouldn’t do it that way. I think you make movies about authentic human experiences and then people find themselves in it. I would never segment movies that way.

SW: But I would think that that would be a logical thing to do, although I have noted that Hollywood has tried over the past 10 years and they have not been particularly successful when they tried to do niche movies.

AP: I really think people go to movies where they can recognize humanity and characters they relate to, and I think segmenting a movie for a certain demographic is not good to do.

Amy Pascal, Co-President of Sony Pictures

To read the whole interview, click here.

Guillermo Del Toro to direct ‘The Haunted Mansion’!

By Mack Chico

2010/07/22 at 12:00am

Movies

Guillermo Del Toro to direct ‘The Haunted Mansion’!

07.22.2010 | By Mack Chico |

Disney Pictures just sent out a press release to all media outlets announcing that Mexican director Guillermo del Toro will be directing The Haunted Mansion.

Below is the actual text from the release:

Guillermo del Toro surprised the 6,500 fans gathered today at Comic-Con with the announcement that he is currently developing a new film for The Walt Disney Studios based on the classic Disney theme park attraction, The Haunted Mansion.

“Dark imagery is an integral part of the Walt Disney legacy. After all, Disney himself was the father of some really chilling moments and characters – think Chernabog from Fantasia or Maleficent as the Dragon or the Evil Queen in Snow White,” said del Toro. “I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of my own adaptation of the original theme park attraction Walt envisioned and that remains- for me- the most desirable piece of real
estate in the whole world!”

“Millions of people from around the world visit The Haunted Mansion each year, but no one has ever had a tour guide like Guillermo del Toro,” said Rich Ross, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. “Guillermo is one of the most gifted and innovative filmmakers working today and he is going to take audiences on a visually-thrilling journey like they’ve never experienced before.”

Since August 1969, foolish mortals have dared to trespass on the macabre grounds of Disney’s Haunted Mansion. A hallowed landmark in Disneyland’s New Orleans square, it’s the dwelling place of 999 happy haunts dying to meet new visitors each day. The plantation-style of the mansion’s facade is a sweet deception for visitors. Inside, ghostly doom buggies line the hallways. Since its construction, the mysteries of the mansion have transcended the attraction with stories surfacing about horrifying encounters with the supernatural. Versions of the daunting edifice have been built at other Disney theme parks in Orlando, Tokyo and Paris.

By Karen Posada

2010/07/21 at 12:00am

Reviews

Salt

07.21.2010 | By Karen Posada |

Salt is THE summer’s action flick. No other actress can do an action film like Angelina Jolie, she gives an amazing performance in this one. We haven’t seen a movie by her since Wanted and that was pretty much a preview to what you can expect from her in Salt. The script was made originally for a male lead, it is rumored that Tom Cruise turned it down, which is a good thing because I doubt a male lead would have made it as successful. The movie will keep you guessing the entire running time up to the end. The one question running through your mind at every turn of the movie is: how will she get out of this one?

Since the beginning we realize that CIA officer Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a tough female, the movie begins with her capture by the North Korean government, they try to beat the loyalty out of her, but can’t. We shortly meet Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber)her boss at the CIA and friend, he’s along on her side throughout most of the movie trying to help her. After we get a brief backstory on Salt’s life both the private and professional sides of it, we are in Washington D.C. in CIA headquarters where we meet Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor). As a CIA counter-intelligence agent he is not sympathetic to anyone specially to Salt after she is accused of being a sleeper Russian spy and she runs away to avoid being captured. This is when the action begins and where we are left to wonder: ‘who is Salt?’

Salt is married to an entomologist who is fully aware of her career path and the risks that are involved. He is one of the few reasons we ever see this character be soft, the rest of it is all tough CIA training from the fights to her assertive actions.In fact, this female character is the one that carries all the action of the movie, the other two secondary characters Winter and Peabody do very little physical work. Salt’s independence and kick-ass attitude is what keeps her going.

Jolie prepared for this character by talking to former CIA agents such as Melissa Boyle Mahle who worked for the force for 16 years. She spoke of Jolie’s relentlessness of getting every aspect of the character right, asking her how she felt and what she went through; she learned how spies live. Although Mahle says Jolie in the film makes it look way more fun and glamours than it really is. Oleg Kalugin a former KGB member and spy said Salt is very real, and she is tough like a Russian spy. Tom Ridge former Secretary of Homeland security spoke of the realities of the film as seen by current events and how the government has dealt with it since the Cold-War.

If you are into action films this one is for you, it is pure entertainment. There’s bits and pieces of romance in the way but it doesn’t disrupt the action. You can compare it to current events but remember this is hollywood, which means that nothing is to be taken to heart. The main subject here is loyalty, towards family, country, beliefs etc; which is what keeps the movie going and will keep you wondering.

EXCLUSIVE! Robert Rodriguez’s ‘Machete’ comic cover unveiled!

By Jack Rico

2010/07/21 at 12:00am

Movies

EXCLUSIVE! Robert Rodriguez’s ‘Machete’ comic cover unveiled!

07.21.2010 | By Jack Rico |

Breaking news! Director Robert Rodriguez in conjunction with publisher IDW has teamed up with über comic artist Juan Doe to execute the covers for the new Machete comic based on the “Mexploitation” film of the same name.

The first Machete comic, issue #0, will be released in September, with issues 1-5 breaking in December.

Robert Rodriguez and his long time producer Aaron Kaufman wrote the story with Stuart Sager handling the artwork and Zach Howard doing coloring.

Enter Juan Doe. A renowned comic artist, he has drawn a variety of high-profile projects, including the first bilingual Marvel comic in history (Fantastic Four: Isla de la Muerte!), as well as works for DC (Batman: The Joker’s Asylum Part IV: Scarecrow) and Image (24/7, Popgun Volume #3).

Aside from the Machete covers, he is also working on a spate of projects, including the third groundbreaking installment of “Fantastic Four in Puerto Rico“, a series of Iron Man Legacy covers and a top secret project that will be unveiled at the NYC Comic Con in Oct. Talk about busy! Stay tuned for the ShowBizCafe in-depth interview with Juan Doe himself!

So for all you Juan Doe fans, feast your eyes on the first official comic cover of Machete below!

Let us know what you think in the comment section below or on Twitter!

Gael Garcia Bernal is on ‘The Loneliest Planet’

By Jack Rico

2010/07/21 at 12:00am

Movies

Gael Garcia Bernal is on ‘The Loneliest Planet’

07.21.2010 | By Jack Rico |

Deadline.com is reporting that Gael Garcia Bernal, the Mexican-born star of Y Tu Mama Tambien and Amores Perros, will star with Hani Furstenberg in The Loneliest Planet, an independently financed thriller that will be directed by Julia Loktev.

According to the site, shooting will begin July 26 in the Republic of Georgia.

The synopsis of the film centers around a young couple backpacking through some mountains in Europe. Their relationships is tested when they hire a local guide to to get them through the wild landscapes of nature.

Gael Garcia Bernal will next be seen starring in a comedy with Kate Hudson, Whoopi Goldberg, Peter Dinklage and Kathy Bates in Earthbound, about an ill woman who finds out she’s dying of cancer, but when she meets her soulmate, the threat of falling in love is scarier than death. He’s also casted to star in Even the Rain, Pedro Paramo and untitled Cesar Chavez project.

By Mack Chico

2010/07/21 at 12:00am

Movies

New THOR photo hits online

07.21.2010 | By Mack Chico |

Marvel has picked Comic-Con 2010 to unveil their new film THOR to a multitude of comic and film fans. The newspaper USA Today obtained a brand new picture of Thor star Chris Hemsworth trying to pick up the god-like hammer. This pic represents what the whole movie is about.

Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the Thor story, he is fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #83 (August 1962) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby.

Kenneth Branagh, the same guy who starred in Woody Allen’s ‘Celebrity’, is the director. I particularly don’t have high hopes for the film, but you never know with the Marvel guys, they can surprise you.

Here’s the pic below and a Thor Marvel cover as well… this guy is jacked!

By Karen Posada

2010/07/20 at 12:00am

DVD Reviews Reviews

Entre Nos

07.20.2010 | By Karen Posada |

Rating: 2.0

Rated: Not available
Release Date: 2009-04-25
Starring: Gloria La Morte, Paola Mendoza
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.entrenosfilm.com/

Go to our film page

If this moving story would have been more developed and the ending wouldn’t have been rushed it would be worth watching. When the filmmaker Paola Mendoza told us that the movie was made in only 18 days this explained why it was so short and felt so rushed. The emotional connection is very strong, this could have taken it farther and it would be a better film that I could recommend.

The protagonist and producer Paola Mendoza plays a convincing role, she is a woman who suffers a lot because she is married to a man that’s worthless, he can’t settle anywhere. They’ve lived in Bogotá, Medellín, the coast of Colombia, and after only living two weeks in New York City he decides to move to Miami and leave his family behind. Mariana (Mendoza) tries all sorts of things for her family to have a good future and to follow her husband to Miami, she tries selling empanadas, washing dishes, but nothing works as well as recycling cans; this is the only way she can work and be with her children at the same time. Her children Gabriel (Sebastian Villada) 10 years old and Andrea (Laura Montana) 6 years old, take their mother’s work as a game and have fun recycling. Thanks to her children Mariana is able to surpass some of the hardest moments of her life. They are her strength. Gabriel understands a lot of what’s going on and when they are kicked out of her apartment for not paying the rent he goes and works recycling by himself when he’s able, to help his mom; as a kid sometimes he’s rebellious and gives her headaches but he has good intentions.

Some of the strongest points in this movie is the family connection, it shows how far we can get if we have the support of our family even if it’s only made up of three people. Gabriel’s behavior melts anyone’s heart, although he wants to study and play he understands that helping his mom is more important. The kindness of strangers is another strong point that is shown, a woman who rents out rooms (Sarita Coudhury) who feels pity for Mariana offers her friendship and support to her when she needs it the most.

Since this story is based in Paola Mendoza’s mom real life and her own it has a lot of real elements. These elements work well and create an honest environment full of harshness with which many can identify with. Unfortunately these elements are not squeezed to its greatest to create a movie that leaves you with something. As the other producer said Gloria La Morte, they wanted to make a film that would show the real side of New York City, that wouldn’t glamorize the american dream. This was accomplished until a certain point. The rushed ending ruins the rhythm of the movie and it’s essence in itself, because suddenly it becomes a fairy tale and from one moment to the next everything is ok and they are not poor anymore and we suddenly arrive to a summery of their lives up to adulthood without a warning.

By Jack Rico

2010/07/20 at 12:00am

DVD Reviews Reviews

The Losers

07.20.2010 | By Jack Rico |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, a scene of sensuality and language.
Release Date: 2010-04-23
Starring: Peter Berg, James Vanderbilt
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.the-losers.com/

Go to our film page

An action film with some heart, family values and a Latino flair is the way I would describe WB’s new film ‘The Losers’. The genres, though, do not necessarily fit well together. It’s a fun movie, but somewhere along the way it goes through a bit of an identity crisis. Does it want to be an action film or a family film? The producers seem to think both.

Based on the 1970 comic book of the same name, The Losers is about 5 members of a CIA black ops team who are betrayed and left for dead. Their mission now is to find out who wanted them killed.

This revenge film means well. It has a cast of characters comprised of a diverse and simpatico bunch (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Óscar Jaenada and Jason Patric) that draws you into them and their plights. What most vexed me was their jobs – they’re killers for the government who have hearts of gold? Not sure verisimilitude played a role there, or at least, I don’t think director Sylvain White pulled it off well. You hate to be gripped into a storyline to then detour somewhere opposite. It’s not good storytelling and it’s what happened here. In the end, The Losers is hit and miss and it has more hits than the latter. You can forgive some of its deficiencies for some laughs and charm and some old PG-13 action.

On a side note, just like Fast and Furious, this movie has a very big Latin American feel to it that begins with the opening credits in Bolivia and lasts throughout the ending. Most of the film was shot in Puerto Rico, which we hope they film there much more. Stay for the closing credits, there some funny sketches that belong to the storyline of the movie.

To follow Jack Rico’s film review check him out on Twitter at @jackricofficial