Posted by Elena del Valle on July 2, 2010
Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel in a scene in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Photos, video: Abbot Genser, Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Last month, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films released Prince of Persia the Sands of Time (see Watch video – Bruckheimer, Disney release Middle Eastern themed adventure movie). They are at it again. On July 16, 2010 they will release yet another remake of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Directed by Jon Turteltaub the movie stars Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci and Toby Kebbell. The publicity staff released few details and made no advance copies available for screening. Scroll down to watch a trailer.
According to the Internet Movie Database, the movie was filmed in Brooklyn, New York City, and Bryant Park, Manhattan. Those with a long memory may recall the nine-minute segment by the same name in Fantasia, Disney’s well known animated eight part feature set to classical music and produced in the 1930s. The story itself was derived from Goethe’s poem Der Zauberlehrling. In it wizard Yen Sid’s lazy assistant tries to work magic to avoid chores. He gets into trouble because he does not know how to properly control the magic he sets into motion.
In 1980 there was a 22-minute Sorcerer’s Apprentice animated film narrated by Vincent Price. In 2002, there was another film by the same title starring Robert Dav and Kelly LeBrock. Cage and Bruckheimer have a history of working together. This is Cage’s seventh collaboration with the producer following The Rock, Con Air, Gone in 60 Seconds, National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets and G-Force.
Official poster of the film – click on image to enlarge
In the movie, Dave (Jay Baruchel) appears to be an average college student until Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage), a sorcerer, recruits him as his reluctant assistant. This is followed swiftly by a crash course in magic. Of course it couldn’t be all fun and no danger. Dave has to battle the forces of darkness, in Manhattan, relying on courage he didn’t know he had to survive his training, save the city and get the girl.
Posted by Elena del Valle on June 25, 2010
A scene from The Last Airbender – click on image to enlarge
Photos, video: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies
The Last Airbende is an avatar able to manipulate the four elements, Air, Water, Earth, and Fire in the hopes of restoring balance to his war torn world. That’s a heavy burden for a young boy to carry. It is no wonder the story is from children’s television. M. Night Shyamalan wrote, produced, directed and converted an animated Nickelodeon TV series into an action film starring Dev Patel, Jackson Rathbone, Nicola Peltz, Cliff Curtis, Shaun Toub, Aasif Mandvi and Noah Ringer. The Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies film opens in theaters nationwide July 1, 2010. Scroll down to see a trailer.
A scene from The Last Airbender – click on image to enlarge
In this first film of the story Aang (Noah Ringer) is caught in the middle of a struggle between his world’s four nations when the Fire Nation declares war against the others. After a century without hope Aang discovers he is the lone Avatar who can manipulate the four elements. The hairless young boy teams up with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to find a way toward peace.
Manoj Nelliattu Shyamalan, known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Academy Award-nominated Indian American film writer, director, and producer. He is best known for the 1999 film The Sixth Sense, starring Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment, which grossed $600 million worldwide.
Posted by Elena del Valle on May 28, 2010
Nora’s Will poster
José looking through binoculars in Nora’s Will
Photos, video: Menemsha Films
Cinco días sin Nora, titled Nora’s Will in English, is at first glance a film about love and what happens when a woman controls events from the grave, well some events in the lives of her loved ones anyway. On closer inspection, the Spanish language movie with English subtitles provides an opportunity for introspection withing a sad background, peppered with comic moments, of thorny issues relating to death, interpersonal relationships, selfishness, jealousy, professional ethics, suicide and society’s attitude toward it, Jewish and Catholic rites of passage, and hypocrisy that transcend a family’s life.
First time director Mariana Chenillo dedicated 92 minutes to the Mexican movie, first shown in 2008 and now being released by Menemsha Films in select theaters in South Florida. It is scheduled to be in theaters in New York in September and available on DVD later this year.Scroll down to watch a trailer of the film in Spanish with English subtitles.
Nora’s Will stood out at this year’s Ariel Awards held in Mexico City in April. At the event, the Mexican Film Academy named Cinco Dias Sin Nora Best Picture of the Year, Best First Work, and Best Original Screenplay. The judges also recognized its cast, score and make up with awards for Best Actor (Fernando Luján), Best Supporting Actress (Angelina Peláez), Best Original Score and Best Makeup. Chenillo, who wrote and directed the film, is the first woman director to win an Ariel Award for Best Picture.
Jose and Nora in their youth in Nora’s Will
Before dying, Nora, a Jewish woman, develops a plan to make José, her ex-husband, take care of her corpse. What she didn’t plan was that someone discovers a mysterious photograph forgotten under the bed. The incriminating photograph leads to an unexpected outcome which the movie maker designed to remind viewers that “the biggest love stories are sometimes hidden in the smallest places.” But is it a love story?
Director Mariana Chenillo
Chenillo, born in Mexico City in 1977, entered the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica of Mexico City in 1995, where she specialized in film directing. Since then, she has worked as a script girl, production manager, and as a production coordinator with several film directors. As a teacher, she has worked at the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica since 2005.
She was able to make the film with grant funding from the National Fund for the Arts and Culture (Jóvenes Creadores 2003-2004), the TyPa Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Hubert Bals Fund, the Mexican Film Institute, the Project Development Program for Operas Primas organized by the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica, and the FIDECINE public fund. The movie was shot in October and November of 2007.
Posted by Elena del Valle on May 21, 2010
The Prince of Persia poster
Photos, video: ThinkLatino, Andrew Cooper SMPSP, Disney Enterprises, Inc. Jerry Bruckheimer Inc.
Current thorny political issues with Iran notwithstanding mega successful Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney Enterprises teamed up to make the Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time, a Middle Eastern themed adventure movie based on a video game and due to be released in theaters nationwide May 28, 2010. Scroll down to watch a trailer of the movie.
Like its namesake video game the movie follows an adventure seeking prince and a princess working together to prevent an angry despot from possibly destroying the world. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan, the young prince, and Gemma Arterton, as the mysterious princess Tamina. They join forces to protect a powerful and ancient dagger capable of reversing time and allowing its possessor to rule the world.
Also in the film, directed by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), are Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina. The screenplay was by Boaz Yakin and Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard from a screen story by Jordan Mechner. The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, John August, Jordan Mechner, Patrick McCormick and Eric McLeod.
Gyllenhaal and Arterton in Prince of Persia
Academy Award-nominated Gyllenhaal is winner of the 2006 Best Supporting Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the National Board of Review. He also earned Oscar and Screen Actors Guild SAG Award nominations for his performance as Jack Twist in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain. Gyllenhaal recently completed production on Duncan Jones’ Source Code opposite Michelle Monaghan, and Ed Zwick’s Love and Other Drugs opposite Anne Hathaway due to be released by Twentieth Century Fox November 24, 2010.
Arterton made her feature-film debut in the role of Kelly, the head girl in St. Trinian’s, directed by Oliver Parker and Barnaby Thompson. In 2008, she played Agent Fields in Quantum of Solace, starring Daniel Craig in his second outing as Agent 007, as well as in the title role in BBC’s adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Arterton had a supporting role in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla, and appeared in Pirate Radio.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 12, 2010
DeeGee album cover
Photos, song:DeeGeeWorks
Chester (Wilfredo Martes), LuLu (Lourdes Santiago), Papito (Juan Morales) and DeeGee (Miguel Bonilla) known collectively as DeeGee will release DeeGee, their first independent urban Latin music album next month. The first single from the album, Cavernicolas, is being played in radio stations in the United States, Costa Rica, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Israel, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. Scroll down to listen to Cavernicolas.
Martes, a rapper, is originally from the Domincan Republic. Morales, a native of Brooklyn of Puerto Rican descent, has experience as a tropical music singer in the studio and stage. Santiago, from Puerto Rico, is a vocalist and song writer.
DeeGee (Miguel Bonilla)
Bonilla, originally from Colombia, plays piano and drums, produces, arranges, and handles synth programming for DeeGee. He studied at the Juilliard and Manhattan schools of music. According to promotional materials, in 1990, Bonilla joined the Tito Nieves Orchestra and traveled extensively. Later he was piano player for Marc Anthony’s Band for two years before working with La India. Prior to launching DeeGee’s first album he worked in music production.
Click on the play button to listen to Cavernicolas from the DeeGee album
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 19, 2010
Roberto Carlos in concert
Photos: AR Entertainment
Beginning April 10, 2010, Brazilian crooner Roberto Carlos will tour the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and Peru while celebrating his 50 years in the business. Eight of the 15 concerts will be in the United States.
This cycle of presentations began with a historical concert last April in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, Brazil, the city where Roberto Carlos was born and where his career began when he was nine years of age. The artist, who has sold over 100 million records according to promotional materials, went back to his city after a 14-year absence, with a concert at the local stadium in Sumaré.
This year he will celebrate his birthday in public at the Radio City Music Hall in New York on April 16. Known for songs such as Qué Será De Ti, Amada Amante and Cama Y Mesa, Roberto Carlos has performed more than 24 concerts in 20 cities of Latin America and Brazil as part of this tour. This new stage of the tour begins on April 10 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, and ends on June 5 in Panama City.
Roberto Carlos
The venues where he will perform are April 14 at Boston Agganis Arena, April 16 in New York City Radio City Music Hall, May 4 in Lima, Peru’s Estadio Explanada Monumental, May 8 at the Mexico City Auditorio Nacional, May 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico, May 15 at the Monterrey Arena de Monterrey, May 22 at the Chicago Rosemont Theater, May 23 at the Toronto Massey Hall, May 26 at the San Diego, California San Diego Sports Arena, May 28 at the San Jose, California HP Pavilion, May 29 at the Los Angeles, California Nokia Theater, May 30 at the Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara Bowl, June 3 at the Costa Rica San Jose Ricardo Saprisa, and finally June 5 at the Panama Panama City Arena Roberto Durán.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 15, 2010
Batista debut album cover
Brooklyn born singer song writer Batista must be feeling pretty good. Batista, his bilingual debut album, is due for national release by Wu Latino very soon. The New York artist of Dominican background described the album as having “scores fused with elements of tropical rhythms favoring bachata, as well as elements of pop/rock and U.S. urban tendencies.” The new recording has 12 tracks in Spanish and English. Scroll down to listen to Todos Unidos, a single from Batista’s album.
The music ranges from bachata, experimental, tropical, bolero and reggaetón. The first single released is the track Dame Tu Amor, a Spanish language variation of the classic Bee Gees hit How Deep is Your Love, rewritten and arranged to a bachata rhythm by Batista. Batista relies on traditional bachata instrumentation, electric guitar and bass, bongó and güira as well as technology via sequences and samples to modernize the bachata sounds, according to promotional materials. The single Todos Unidos was designed to be a tribute to Coldplay’s Viva La Vida.
Batista
“I follow the music, what’s in my heart; I write what I hear internally. One day my inspirations may direct me to write a romantic love song or a bachata and another time an R&B score or a more upbeat composition. It’s all about how I feel at the time and not about using a particular formula to create a song or bind myself to a specific style or form of music,” said Batista. “In this recording, most of the selections that I included are geared towards the tropical market and to the Latin world’s music audiences. In reality, this production is a tribute to my Dominican culture and the music of my parents, which is also a big part of me. As I continue to grow as a songwriter/singer, my other musical colors and flavors will surface, taking me to other stages in other markets.”
As a young man Batista built his own recording studio and learned about the business of music before becoming a producer for local artists. He was influenced he says, by rock, pop, urban and Latin genres and artists such as BonJovi, Inxs, Leo Dan, Camilo Sesto, Social Club and Juan Luis Guerra.
Although the album is not for sale yet,
Dame Tu Amor, a previously released single, which was in the top position on the pool charts for two weeks is available for purchase on iTunes.
Click on the play button to listen to
Todos Unidos from the
Batista album.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 12, 2010
Click on image to enlarge
Photos, video: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Our Family Wedding, a new Fox Searchlight Pictures film, opens today in theaters nationwide starting a black and Latino cast and a family theme. Some of the actors are America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Forrest Whitaker, Diana Maria-Riva, Regina King, Anjelah N. Johnson, Lupe Ontiveros, Taye Diggs, and Charles Q. Murphy. Scroll down to watch a video with film premier highlights and film moments.
Marcus (Lance Gross) and Lucia (America Ferrera)
Lucia (America Ferrera) and Marcus (Lance Gross) are newly engaged. As they plan their union they learn the hard way that the path to the wedding involves family related challenges. Saying “I do” can be rife with familial strife. According to promotional materials, their fathers (Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia), two highly competitive men with big egos, stand between them and their special day.
Lucia’s mother (Diana Maria Riva) is busy planning the wedding of “her” dreams. Only Angela (Regina King), the groom’s father’s best friend and lawyer manages to keep her cool when the madness reaches a crescendo.
The film was directed by Rick Famuyiwa from an original screenplay by Wayne Conley and Malcolm Spellman and Rick Famuyiwa with story by Wayne Conley. It was produced by Edward Saxon and Steven J. Wolfe.
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 8, 2010
Alice in Alice in Wonderland
The Red Queen
Photos, video: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
With the exception of Edward Scissorhands and Bettle Juice, I’m not much of a Tim Burton (film director) fan. His dark quirky style makes me want to run away from the theater. And Alice in Wonderland is a bit of an acquired taste. Having said that, Disney’s soon to be released Alice in Wonderland in 3D looks colorful and intriguing in the trailers (no screener was available). It makes me think of Cirque du Soleil. Scroll down to watch a trailer.
A scene from Alice in Wonderland
The cast includes familiar faces like Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter as The Red Queen, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Marton Csokas, Tim Pigott-Smith, Lindsay Duncan, Geraldine James, Leo Bill, Jemma Powell, Mairi Ella Challen and Mia Wasikowska as Alice.
Linda Woolverton based her screenplay on the Lewis Carroll classics Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. In the modern day tale, a 19-year-old Alice returns to the fantasy world she first encountered as a young girl to find her childhood friends, the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat and Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter.
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 4, 2010
Marked 4 Life album cover
Photos, song: HardKandy Records Inc.
L.J. (Stephen Sebastioa) and D-cypl (Chris Collins) were born in Livingston, New Jersey into broken homes. Little did they know that years later life would bring them together. L.J. began rhyming in the Portuguese section of Newark he called home with his friend Vic at the age of 15. D-cypl loved music since he was a little boy and began rhyming when he was 14. Scroll down to listen to Bandeiras Remix, a song from Marked 4 Life, their debut album.
L.J. and D-cypl
In 2000, L.J. and D-cypl teamed up. That same year they met Murdock, a rap entrepreneur that influenced their music, before L.J. went off to college. Two years later, soon after L.J. and D-cypl got together again, they got a break from a record label. They were featured in In The Name of Hip Hop Vol.1. The duo believe in “brotherhood, kindness, and truth.”
Click on the play button to listen to Bandeiras Remix.
