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John Leguizamo casted in Kick Ass 2, The Counselor

By Jack Rico

2012/08/03 at 12:00am

Movies

John Leguizamo casted in Kick Ass 2, The Counselor

08.3.2012 | By Jack Rico |

Finally! Colombian actor John Leguizamo (Ice Age) has just signed onto two films: “Kick-Ass 2” and “The Counselor.”

According to Deadline, Leguizamo will play a man named Javier in “Kick-Ass 2,” and will be the lead bodyguard of Red Mist, the film’s main villain. The movie will see the return of Aaron Johnson (“Savages”), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (“Fright Night”), Chloe Moretz (“Texas Killing Fields”) and Nicolas Cage (“The Rock”).

His role in Sir Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” has been revealed to be that of a low-level drug dealer. The film is about a lawyer living on the Texas border who tries to play a little in the drug game to make some extra money.

The Counselor is quicky becoming the superstar Latino movie to be in with Cameron Diaz, Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem and Rosie Perez already on board. That is a total of five Latino names in one movie. Hollywood is definitely making headway with Latino actors, especially directors from Spain and Mexico. Let’s hope they keep it up.

Penélope Cruz, Almodóvar reteam in ‘Standby Lovers’!

By Mack Chico

2012/06/12 at 12:00am

Movies

Penélope Cruz, Almodóvar reteam in ‘Standby Lovers’!

06.12.2012 | By Mack Chico |

Penélope Cruz is back with Pedro Almodóvar to star in the Spanish film “Standby Lovers.” No word yet on who’ll she be playing, but what we do know is that film is a comedy about an affair on an airplane. Sounds funny already!

She’ll be joining a very good cast of Spanish actors: Lola Duenas (“Volver”), Cecilia Roth (“All About My Mother”), Paz Vega (“Talk To Her”) and Javier Camara (“Talk To Her”) plus newcomers, Carlos Areces, Raul Arevalo and Jose Maria Yazpik.

After she films “Standby Lovers” later this summer, she’ll officially join Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor”, a very awaited film with an elite cast composed of: Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Cruz’s husband Javier Bardem. No official word yet on her role, but she might be playing the part of Laura, the counselor’s fiancé. This film will mark the second time she works with her Bardem after the very lauded Vicky Cristina Barcelona from Woody Allen. She won her first Oscar Award for her performance with him. She was hilarious in the movie.

“The Counselor” is written by Cormac McCarthy and centers on the titular character who tries to make some quick money through a drug deal, with things going terribly wrong in the process.

Ricky Martin to perform at Broadway’s Tony Awards!

By Karen Posada

2012/06/04 at 12:00am

Movies

Ricky Martin to perform at Broadway’s Tony Awards!

06.4.2012 | By Karen Posada |

New York, NY (June 4th, 2012)- The Tony Awards just announced all the performances to be seen this Sunday, June 10 for the 66th Annual Tony Awards. This spectacular night will have more entertainment than ever seen before, it will have presentations by Nominated Musicals for this year’s Tony 2012 including: Evita with Ricky Martin and Elena Roger; Follies with nominated Tony actor Danny Burstein; The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess with Tony nominees Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis y David Alan Grier; Jesus Christ Superstar with nominated Tony actor Josh Young; Leap of Faith with Raúl Esparza; Newsies, with nominated Tony actor Jeremy Jordan; Nice Work If You Can Get It with Tony nominees Matthew Broderick y Kelli O’Hara; and Once with Tony nominees Steve Kazee, Cristin Millioti y Elizabeth A. Davis.

There will also be presentations by nominated plays, such as: End of the Rainbow with nominated Tony actress Tracie Bennett; One Man, Two Guvnors with nominated Tony actor James Corden and Peter and the Starcatcher with Tony nominees Christian Borle and Celia Keenan-Bolger. The show will also have a presentation by Corbin Bleu and the cast of Godspell and Ghost The Musical with Bryce Pinkham, Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman.

Don’t miss the Tony Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, broadcast live, from the Beacon Theater on CBS, Sunday, June 10 from 8:00-11:00 p.m. (ET/PT time delay)

First poster of Robert De Niro in ‘Red Lights’

By Jack Rico

2012/05/29 at 12:00am

Movies

First poster of Robert De Niro in ‘Red Lights’

05.29.2012 | By Jack Rico |

Here is another sign that Hispanics are climbing the Hollywood echelons …. Spanish director Rodrigo Cortés has a new thriller entitled RED LIGHTS where the legendary actor Robert De Niro one of the protagonists. Here is the first movie poster showing De Niro.

A psychological thriller which explores the human brain’s perception mechanisms and the diffuse frontiers between belief and science, RED LIGHTS starts out from the experiences of two rationalist scientists (Cillian Murphy and Sigourney Weaver) who dissect phenomena from the metapsychic world, and the clash of forces with a world famous psychic they bring about. They must deal with the possibility of the supernatural when they meet with renowned psychic Simon Silver (Robert De Niro). The past and the present of each the protagonists contain still unrevealed shadows, setting in train a dark story of growing tension, full of unexpected twists and turns.

The film was at Sundance Film Festival and had good reviews, but they say that the ending really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Cortes is expected to set the end when the film opens this summer.

“Red Lights” also stars Elizabeth Olsen and Toby Jones and opens July 13.

‘The Avengers’

By Jack Rico

2012/04/30 at 12:00am

Movies

Incredible… “I Fell Asleep During The Avengers”

04.30.2012 | By Jack Rico |

The article was taken from a Spanish language article we wrote back on May 4th, 2012.

Mientras nos acercamos más a la gran fecha de 4 de mayo, día en que se estrena THE AVENGERS, una de las películas más esperadas en la historia del cine, recibimos una reseña del filme de un anonimo/a ansioso por hablar de que pensó del largometraje.

Desconocemos si es una “ella” o “él”. De todos modos, lo que importa aquí es la opinión, una que se ve muy sincera. Vale la pena mencionar, que ShowBizCafe.com no apoya los comentarios siguientes y solo es puesto como nota editorial. Gracias a la anomima o anonimo que nos entregó la nota:

“Tuve la oportunidad de ver la película “The Avengers” antes de que saliera en cartelera y no la desaproveché. Después de todo, se trata de “una de las películas más esperadas de este año” y aunque no soy un gran fanático de todos los superhéroes, hay algunos que me llaman la atención. Quería ver con qué iba a salir Hollywood esta vez.

Una vez sentado comienza la película. Con todas las ansias y esperando que me sorprendiera, ocurre lo impensable: me quedé dormido en los primeros 5 minutos.

No se si fue que todo empezó muy rápido o, por el contrario, muy despacio que me desconecté de la película. De pronto fue que vi varios superhéroes que no conocía y que son los que se roban gran parte del comienzo. Menos mal fueron unos pocos minutos en los que mis ojos se mantuvieron cerrados.

Una vez que recobré mis cinco sentidos empezaron a aparecer un par de superhéroes que ya conocía y hasta me sorprendí al ver a uno que sigo desde mi niñez.

Ahora si empieza la acción, que está muy buena pero que para mi concepto a veces se torna un poco ruidosa. Tanto que me saca de estar disfrutando la película a pensar que “está como un poco duro el volumen” entre explosión y explosión.

Me gustó mucho la idea de que sea en 3D porque definitivamente hay una diferencia abismal con las pantallas “regulares” que estamos acostumbrados a ver. Lástima que sea a través de unas gafas que personalmente después de unos minutos me comienzan a fastidiar y pienso en quitármelas para descansar así como me quito mis lentes de sol cada vez que me molestan durante el día y me encuentro con que no se puede ver bien la pantalla sin ellas. Miro a mi alrededor y veo a todo el público con unos lentes súper anticuados, como viendo a muchos Woody Allens observando una película. Me parece que ahí falló la tecnología.

Volviendo a la película, por supuesto Hollywood sale triunfador como estamos acostumbrados. Una vez nuestros superhéroes se ven derrotados y casi ya sin fuerzas, salen a relucir aquellas cancioncillas a las que muy bien acostumbrados estamos y que nos recuerdan que ahí no termina todo y que al fin y al cabo ellos son superhéroes y los buenos siempre ganan.

Me entretuve viendo la película excepto por aquellos minuticos en que mis ojos estuvieron ausentes. Tiene mucha acción aunque muy predecible y se la aconsejaría a aquellas personas que de una forma u otra les gusta lo relacionado con superhéroes. De otra manera creo que sólo despertarán cuando escuchen las explosiones.”

Ibero-America has its first Online Film Festival

By Jack Rico

2012/04/17 at 12:00am

Movies

Ibero-America has its first Online Film Festival

04.17.2012 | By Jack Rico |

On April 16, 2012, the First Ibero-American Online Film Festival iber.film.america, promoted by filmotech.com, came to a close. Internet users across Ibero-America were able to see, free-of-charge, legally and online, a selection of fourteen films which have participated previously or have received awards at other film festivals, such as San Sebastian, Venice and Sundance.

For the three weeks the festival took place, its website had more than 126,000 visitors from all countries which make up the Ibero-American region, with the greatest numbers coming from Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.

Award Winners

Medianeras (Sidewalls), by Argentine director Gustavo Taretto and produced by Rizoma Films (Argentina) Eddie Saeta (Spain) and Pandora Films (Germany), has won the Critics’ Award, selected by the First Edition iber.film.america Jury, composed of the film journalists and critics Hugo Chaparro Valderrama, Jean Christophe Berjon, Joel Poblete, Marcelo Stiletano, Nicolás Kusmin and Toni Ulled Nadal.
The film, an Argentine, Spanish and German co-production, stands out for the ability with which its director and script-writer, Gustavo Taretto, defends humor as one of the most efficient mechanisms to portray the dramas of modern human kind: the lack of communication in large cities, the loneliness not out of choice, the fruitless search for love and the second, third, and even fourth chances. Performing in the film’s leading roles are Javier Drolas and Pilar López de Ayala.
The film’s producer, Hernán Musaluppi, will be an honored guest at the EGEDA Ibero-American Audiovisual Forum, being held April 24-26, 2012 in Panama City, Panama, where he will receive an award that comes with $3,000 in prize money.
Contracorriente (Undertow), by Javier Fuentes-León and produced by El Calvo Films (Peru), Dynamo (Colombia), La Cinefacture (France) and Neuecameofilm (Germany), has won the People’s Choice Award, with this film receiving the highest number of votes by users via a facebook app voting system created especially for the Festival.

This film, which is the Peruvian filmmaker’s debut work, tells the story of Miguel, a young fisherman living in a coastal town in northern Peru whose love is divided between his wife and a gay painter.

All festival film viewers participating in the selection of the People’s Choice Award were included in a raffle before a notary public for a trip to Los Angeles to attend the 18th annual Recent Spanish Cinema series and ten year-long passes for free viewing of the online movie portal filmotech.com

The list of raffle winners can be found on the festival’s website: www.iberfilmamerica.com

Results from participation in the Festival during the three weeks it was held show the success of this first edition of iber.film.america, a pioneering initiative of filmotech.com, with support from the ICAA (Spanish “Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts”), FIPCA (acronym in Spanish for the “Ibero-American Federation of Cinematographic and Audiovisual Producers”) and the Instituto Cervantes.

Exclusive: 5 Questions with ‘Bad Ass’ dude Shalim Ortiz

By Jack Rico

2012/04/11 at 12:00am

Interviews Movies

Exclusive: 5 Questions with ‘Bad Ass’ dude Shalim Ortiz

04.11.2012 | By Jack Rico |

What does it take to be a ‘Bad Ass‘ in Hollywood? Just ask Puerto Rican-Dominican actor Shalim Ortiz (Heroes), who seems to wear it as a badge in his young, but prolific acting career. From the USA to Mexico and back, English or Spanish, this bilingual, bicultural actor is working towards making a name for himself rather quickly in the tough turf of the acting business.

His latest cinematic effort is an indie action movie called ‘BAD ASS‘ starring Danny Trejo (Machete). A Vietnam veteran who becomes a local hero after saving a man from attackers on a city bus decides to take action when his best friend is murdered and the police show little interest in solving the crime. Ortiz plays the young Trejo, who went to war and is down on his luck. But don’t mess with him, he might just break your neck. Read More

F. Javier Gutiérrez to direct ‘The Crow’ remake

By Jack Rico

2012/01/25 at 12:00am

Movies

F. Javier Gutiérrez to direct ‘The Crow’ remake

01.25.2012 | By Jack Rico |

With so many problems to reboot the film ‘The Crow,’ Relativity Media studio, Dimension Films and producer Edward R. Pressman, finally announced that they have signed an agreement with Spanish helmer F. Javier Gutierrez (Before the Fall) to direct the remake. The successful 1994 film became a popular cult hit starring Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee.

Gutiérrez’s directorial debut, the Spanish-language apocalyptic thriller Before the Fall (Tres Dias), became an international and award-winning sensation after premiering at the Berlinale Film Festival in 2008. In Spain, the film won Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay at the 2008 Malaga Film Festival, the Miradas Award (TVE) for Best Motion Picture of the Year, and garnered nominations from the Spain Critics Awards. In Europe, the film was a finalist for the 2008 European Film Awards and won main prizes in such science-fiction and fantasy film festivals as the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, the Trieste Film Fesitval, and later in the U.S., picked up four awards at Los Angeles’ famed Horror Festival “Scream Fest” in 2009 (for editing, Gutiérrez’s directing, cinematography, and actor Victor Clavijo). The film also ranked #3 on the “International Watch List 2008”. Gutiérrez is currently developing Dimension Films’ sci-fi thriller The Greys.

The Crow adaptation will be a gritty reboot of the iconic character Eric Draven, who returns from the grave as The Crow on a mission to avenge his wife’s murder, so that his soul can finally rest. The original film is known for its breakthrough visual style as well as its unique production design and cinematography. The project is currently in development; start of production, targeted release dates and casting to be announced.

Pressman is currently in development on a reinvention of the iconic action film Bloodsport written by Robert Kamen (Taken) and to be directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt). The latest feature from Pressman, The Moth Diaries, directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho), will be released by IFC Films later this year.

Javier Bardem says no to ‘Despicable Me 2’

By Mack Chico

2012/01/25 at 12:00am

Movies

Javier Bardem says no to ‘Despicable Me 2’

01.25.2012 | By Mack Chico |

There were some early rumors last year that Oscar winner Javier Bardem was going to have a role in Universal Studio’s sequel to Despicable Me. But looks as if he is no longer interested in the role.

He was reported to be in negotiations about voicing a villain called El Macho who is a larger than life luchador and the baddest Mexican to walk the Earth, but looks like commitments to ‘Skyfall‘, the new James Bond film releasing 2013, as well as Terrence Malick’s currently untitled project with Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams.

So who is replacing Bardem in the movie? The word is that Universal Studios is doing a wide search for Latino and non-Latino actors. I’m sure they’ll audition the usual suspects. Kudos to Universal though for actually creating a Latino animated character which are rarely seen these days, even though WB’s ‘Happy Feet 2′ went towards that direction as well. It’s in Universal’s best interest since the original ‘Despicable Me‘, which was in 3D, had 25% of the box office coming in from Latino audiences.

Leave your comments below of whom you’d like to see replace Javier Bardem as the Mexican villain ‘El Macho’.

‘Despicable Me 2’ has a release date for 2013.

Bichir nominated at 2012 Independent Spirit Awards

By Jack Rico

2011/11/29 at 12:00am

Movies

Bichir nominated at 2012 Independent Spirit Awards

11.29.2011 | By Jack Rico |

Mexican actor Demián Bichir and the half-Dominican, half-Puerto Rican transgender actress Harmony Santana have been nominated for awards at the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The films they represent are ‘A Better Life’ and ‘Gun Hill Road’, respectively.

Also, if you’re just becoming curious on what films are creating buzz in Hollywood come awards season, check out the rest of the nominations:

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)
50/50 Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen
Beginners Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy
Drive Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
The Artist Producer: Thomas Langmann
The Descendants Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Mike Mills – Beginners
Jeff Nichols – Take Shelter
Alexander Payne – The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive

BEST SCREENPLAY
Joseph Cedar – Footnote
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Tom McCarthy – Win Win
Mike Mills – Beginners
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash – The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Another Earth Director: Mike Cahill
Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker
In the Family Director: Patrick Wang
Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van den Houten, Patrick Wang
Margin Call Director: J.C. Chandor
Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto
Martha Marcy May Marlene Director: Sean Durkin
Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond
Natural Selection Director: Robbie Pickering
Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling Another Earth
J.C. Chandor – Margin Call
Patrick deWitt – Terri
Phil Johnston – Cedar Rapids
Will Reiser – 50/50

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not listed
Bellflower Writer/Director: Evan Glodell
Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw
Circumstance Writer/Director: Maryam Keshavarz
Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee
Hello Lonesome Writer/Director/Producer: Adam Reid
Pariah Writer/Director: Dee Rees
Producer: Nekisa Cooper
The Dynamiter Writer: Brad Inglesby
Director: Matthew Gordon
Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Jones, Mike Jones, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Lauren Ambrose – Think of Me
Rachael Harris – Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye – Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD
Demián Bichir – A Better Life
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
Ryan Gosling – Drive
Woody Harrelson – Rampart
Michael Shannon – Take Shelter

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jessica Chastain – Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston – 50/50
Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana – Gun Hill Road
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Albert Brooks – Drive
John Hawkes – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer – Beginners
John C. Reilly – Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll – Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Joel Hodge – Bellflower
Benjamin Kasulke – The Off Hours
Darius Khondji – Midnight in Paris
Guillaume Schiffman – The Artist
Jeffrey Waldron – The Dynamiter

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
An African Election Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz
Bill Cunningham New York Director: Richard Press
Producer: Philip Gefter
The Interrupters Director/Producer: Steve James
Producer: Alex Kotlowitz
The Redemption of General Butt Naked Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion
We Were Here Director/Producer: David Weissman

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
A Separation
(Iran) Director: Asghar Farhadi
Melancholia
(Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany) Director: Lars von Trier
Shame
(UK) Director: Steve McQueen
The Kid With a Bike
(Belgium/France/Italy) Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Tyrannosaur
(UK) Director: Paddy Considine

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 15th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
Chad Burris Mosquita y Mari
Sophia Lin Take Shelter
Josh Mond Martha Marcy May Marlene

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 18th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Simon Arthur Silver Tongues
Mark Jackson Without
Nicholas Ozeki Mamitas

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 17th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Heather Courtney Where Soldiers Come From
Danfung Dennis Hell and Back Again
Alma Har’el Bombay Beach

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Margin Call Director: J.C. Chandor
Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci