Spider-Man: Homecoming (Movie Review)
06.29.2017 | By Andrea Huswan |
The 1-4-0: #SpiderManHomecoming is hands down the best Spider-Man reboot to date. Read More
06.29.2017 | By Andrea Huswan |
The 1-4-0: #SpiderManHomecoming is hands down the best Spider-Man reboot to date. Read More
09.29.2015 | By Adam Garcia |
The 1-4-0: With #TheWalk, Robert Zemeckis creates an amazing—and moving—3D experience about Philippe Petit’s high wire performance between the Twin Towers. Read More
12.18.2014 | By Jack Rico |
**On December 10th, 2014, a few critics were invited by Sony Pictures to watch THE INTERVIEW. I was one of them. Here are my thoughts on the now historic and controversial action-comedy, which most likely will never be seen.
The 1-4-0: #TheInterviewMovie is an above-average comedy which though isn’t a masterpiece, did provide some hearty laughs and a memorably cool Kim Jung-un character. Read More
07.31.2014 | By Jack Rico |
Ever since Justin Timberlake reunited with *NSYNC at the MTV VMA’s last year, the reality of an actual reunion seeped into the collective conscious of fans and music pundits all around. Pop culture at that moment, was bursting at the seams. Many have been anxiously waiting for a “surprise” news report to surface saying that the band came back together, and today, something that has all the traits of a “surprise” arrived, but alas, it is as fraudulent as BuzzFeed’s Benny Johnson. Read More
07.15.2014 | By Mariana Dussan |
It seems that in a span of about of about 70 years, the world has nearly forgotten where the roots of Rock lay. Today in 2014 it’s almost hard to imagine the genre as heavily influenced by African Americans, and as one that was born and raised predominantly by the sounds of those same black musicians. Luckily, today a group of 8th grade boys from Brooklyn might give us a chance to remember a legacy long forgotten.
05.15.2014 | By Mariana Dussan |
On May 13, Epic Records, in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, released “XSCAPE,” new album featuring eight never-before-heard tracks by the late artist. Read More
05.15.2014 | By Mariana Dussan |
On May 13, Epic Records released “XSCAPE,” a new Michael Jackson album of never-released music by the internationally beloved music icon and King of Pop. Read More
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.
07.1.2010 | By Jack Rico |
So the search is finally over. After auditioning various candidates for almost one year, Sony Pictures has its new star. His name is Andrew Garfield. Who? That’s what I said, but let’s hope he doesn’t end up like Brandon Routh (Superman Returns). It’d be a pity.
Deadline.com released a press release from Sony regarding the matter:
CULVER CITY, Calif., July 1, 2010 – After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.
Today’s confirmation culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the next actor to play Peter Parker. Garfield will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.
The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most successful in film history and the three previous motion pictures have collectively grossed more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office.
On selecting Garfield, director Marc Webb said, “Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.”
Commenting on the announcement, Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, President of Columbia Pictures said, “Spider-Man is a classic superhero — a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Andrew Garfield. From the first time we saw him in the upcoming film The Social Network, to his glorious screen test, which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker.”
Producer Avi Arad added, “I’m incredibly excited about Andrew Garfield. In the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us into the future.”
Producer Laura Ziskin said, “We are thrilled to have Andrew Garfield for this new incarnation of Spider-Man under Marc Webb’s direction. We were fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men. In the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor, Andrew had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen.”
The selection of Garfield was revealed at a press event in Cancun, Mexico for international journalists attending a media tour promoting upcoming films from Sony Pictures Entertainment. B-roll footage of the announcement will be available via satellite later this evening — see uplink times coordinate information below.
Garfield is fast becoming one of the most respected and sought-after young actors working in the industry today. In a short career, spanning only five years, he has already been directed by, and starred alongside, some of the greatest names and received a BAFTA for a role that won him international praise.
Garfield most recently worked with director David Fincher on the upcoming film The Social Network. He previously starred for Spike Jonze on his robot love story I’m Here, which premiered at Sundance this year. He plays the lead male opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go, due for release later this year.
Other notable screen credits include Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus playing opposite Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, Robert Redford’s Lions For Lambs, where he starred alongside Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; Revolution Films’ “Red Riding Trilogy – 1974” directed by Julian Jarrold, where he lead a stellar cast including Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey, and his unforgettable portrayal of a young ex-con in John Crowley’s “Boy A,” for which he earned the best actor BAFTA in 2008.
Garfield’s career began in theatre and in 2006 his performances in “Beautiful Thing” (Sound Space/Kit Productions), “The Overwhelming,” and “Burn / Chatroom / Citizenship” (Royal National Theatre) won him the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard awards and the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics Circle Theatre Awards. Other notable theatre credits include “Romeo and Juliet” (Manchester Royal Exchange) and “Kes” (Manchester Royal Exchange), for which he received the Most Promising Newcomer Award at the Manchester Evening News Awards 2004.
04.14.2010 | By Jack Rico |
I was just sent this press release for the new Cantiflas box set coming out on May 11th. Sony is distributing it and we’re talking about it. After my exclusive scoop on Oscar Jaenada playing Cantinflas on the biopic movie, the buzz on Cantinflas has officially started!
Here’s more on the DVD releases which is probably worth your money.
Mario Moreno, aka “Cantinflas” created a simple, universal character whose roundabout phrases and meaningless speeches confounded those around him, but delighted Spanish-speaking audiences for decades. On May 11, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will debut seven comedy classics starring the beloved Mexican comedian that have never before been released on DVD: A Volar Joven, El Circo, El Gendarme Desconocido, El Mago, El Senor Fotografo, Los Tres Mosqueteros, and Si Yo Fuera Diputado. In addition, four titles are being re-released: El Bolero de Raquel, El Analfabeto, El Padrecito, and Su Excelencia. Each title in the Cantinflas collection will be available separately for $14.94.
Mario “Cantinflas” Moreno, whom the legendary comedian Charlie Chaplin dubbed “the funniest man in the world,” began his career in the 1930s in the “carpas” (tent shows) in Mexico City. After early attempts to find his comedic voice, he embraced his own heritage as a lowly slum dweller and audiences enthusiastically endorsed this comic persona. With his tiny mustache tipping the corner of his mouth, a cockeyed cap over dark, disheveled hair, dirty vest and a rope for a belt, Cantinflas became the idol of the masses by satirizing the police and politicians.
As a pioneer in the Mexican film industry, he helped usher in its golden era. His foray into American cinema landed him a Golden Globe® as Best Actor for his role in Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), but his comedic presence shined brightest in his Spanish language films. People everywhere identified with the struggles of this winsome ragamuffin, and when he died in 1993, thousands endured a violent downpour in order to touch his casket as it lay in state. His funeral was a national event, lasting three days and attended by the presidents of Mexico, Peru, and El Salvador, and the United States Senate held a moment of silence for him.
El Gendarme Desconocido (1941, aka The Undercover Policeman)
Cantinflas captures three bandits who had robbed a bank the night before. Considered a hero, Cantinflas is given the title of Agent 777 because of his ability to disguise himself in many different forms. In his ultimate assignment, he transforms himself into a wealthy jewel collector to set up a group of gangsters. The film has a runtime of 108 minutes and is not rated.
Los Tres Mosqueteros (1942, The Three Musketeers)
Cantinflas sneaks into a cabaret where an actress is in the audience. He persuades her to dance with him, but, at the same time, thieves steal her valuable necklace. The actress is grateful when Cantinflas retrieves the necklace. When she invites him to the studio where she is filming The Three Musketeers, he is mistaken for an extra. The film has a runtime of 136 minutes and is not rated.
El Circo (1943, aka The Circus)
Cantinflas is a lowly jack-of-all-trades in a circus. He is infatuated with its glamorous female star, and his hapless bumbling disrupts the performances and the circus falls on hard times. The only thing that can save the circus is a daring trapeze act. Cantinflas volunteers to do the act and is hilarious on the trapeze, creating such a sensation that a wealthy man decides to buy the circus. The film has a runtime of 90 minutes and is not rated.
A Volar Joven (1947)
Cantinflas is a member of the Military Aviation Academy on a 24 hour leave. He goes back to the ranch where he left his sweetheart and his former employers. While there, his employers try to marry him off to their daughter whom he finds unattractive. To avoid having to marry the girl, Cantinflas tries every trick in the book to get himself in trouble. The film has a runtime of 113 minutes and is not rated.
El Mago (1949, aka The Magician)
Cantinflas goes from the streets of Mexico to the fabulous palaces of the Far East. Overnight, he becomes a Caliph, then a magician, then several other fascinating characters, each one providing another facet of Cantinflas’ unique human comedy. The film has a runtime of 100 minutes and is not rated.
Si Yo Fuera Diputado (1952)
Cantinflas stars as the owner of a barber shop, who is studying law with the help of Tio Juan (Andres Soler), once a very successful attorney who is now too ill to practice. Before long, Cantinflas begins his law practice and goes on to win many cases. Eventually he runs for office against the local political machine. The film has a runtime of 95 minutes and is not rated.
El Senor Fotografo (1953, aka Mr. Photographer)
Cantinflas, a photographer, is captured by gangsters while trying to steal flowers for his girlfriend. The gangsters mistake him for the assistant to a scientist who has discovered a formula for a new atomic bomb. Cantinflas convinces the gangsters that a rubber ball he is holding is the real atomic bomb. The film has a runtime of 100 minutes and is not rated.
El Bolero de Raquel (1957)
After arriving late and tipsy to his friend’s funeral, Cantinflas is left in charge of his friend’s son by the widow. Cantinflas and the boy, Chavita, meet Chavita’s teacher, who convinces Cantinflas that he should also go to school. When Cantinflas meets the teacher again they confess their love. The film has a runtime of 101 minutes and is not rated.
El Analfabeto (1961, aka The Illiterate One)
Cantinflas plays a young illiterate who receives a letter informing him that his rich uncle has passed away leaving him a great fortune. However, he’ll need to learn to read and write before understanding the letter. The film has a runtime of 128 minutes and is not rated.
El Padrecito (1964, aka The Little Priest)
Cantinflas stars as the new priest in a town set in its ways. Thinking he is going to take the place of their beloved priest, none of the townspeople like him. While there, he stirs up controversy with his eccentric way of doing things. The film has a runtime of 130 minutes and is not rated.
Su Excelencia (1967, aka His Excellency)
Cantinflas works at the embassy for his native Los Cocos, distributing visas to those wishing to visit his homeland. At this time, the world is divided into two sections: those countries that are red and those that are green. Because both sides are evenly matched and Los Cocos has the deciding vote, Cantinflas becomes the Ambassador of Los Cocos and both sides try to persuade him to join them. The film has a runtime of 133 minutes and is not rated.
