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Known for her star-making turns in the Avatarand Guardians of the Galaxy franchises, Oscar-winning actor Zoë Saldaña offered one of her best performances in an otherwise panned 14-year-old film that's recently reignited interest online. The Saldaña-led action thriller, Colombiana,is now a streaming hit on Tubi.

Per Flix Patrol,Colombiana is one of the top 10 films on Tubi's U.S. movie chart. The film ranks 5th on the chart, moving up three spots from its eighth-placed ranking on Jul. 11, putting it behind '90s darlings such as Forrest Gump (4th) and Titanic (2nd). The list is topped by the 2003 Stephen King adaptation, The Dreamcatcher.

What Is Colombiana About?

Coming two years after the original Avatarand three years before Guardians of the Galaxy, Colombiana sees Saldaña play a much less heroic role than she did in James Cameron's sci-fi epic or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Saldaña portrays Cataleya, a contract...

Will Trent fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 2 Episode 5 episode titled Capt. Duke Wagner’s Daughter!

Find out everything you need to know about the Capt. Duke Wagner’s Daughter episode of Will Trent, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

Will Trent Capt. Duke Wagner’s Daughter Season 2 Episode 5 Preview

In the next thrilling installment of “Will Trent,” titled “Capt. Duke Wagner’s Daughter,” tensions rise as threats against Amanda reach alarming levels. Set to air on ABC at 8:00 Pm on April 2, 2024, this episode promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats as Will Trent delves deeper into the investigation.

As the threats against Amanda escalate, Will Trent, takes center stage as he meticulously narrows down a list of potential suspects, determined to uncover the truth behind the sinister plot targeting Amanda.

Blood In Blood Out 2 was teased with a fake movie poster, sparking speculation and excitement among fans of the original film. The fake poster hinted at a potential sequel starring the original trio of Damian Chapa, Benjamin Bratt, and Jesse Borrego. While Blood In Blood Out 2 is not confirmed, the idea of the original cast returning offers potential for exploring new narratives and themes.

Blood In Blood Out is a seminal crime drama that dives deep into the lives of three Chicano cousins from East Los Angeles, and Blood In Blood Out 2 was teased at the beginning of 2024. The '90s movie explores themes of identity, family, and loyalty within the context of gang and prison culture. The epic intricately portrays the divergent paths of Paco (Benjamin Bratt), a military man turned police officer, Miklo (Damian Chapa), who delves deep into the life of crime and ends up in prison,...

From Colors to American Me, there are plenty of powerful crime movies like Blood In Blood Out for fans to watch next. Blood In Blood Out, also known as Bound by Honor, revolves around the intertwining lives of a Mexican-American family between 1972 and 1984. During their tenure in a Los Angeles street gang, this family’s lives are changed forever. The cast is led by Damian Chapa, Jesse Borrego, and Benjamin Bratt, and the film was directed by An Officer and a Gentleman’s Taylor Hackford, who received two Oscar nominations for Ray.

There are other movies about friendships being tested in the criminal underworld, like Once Upon a Time in America, and other movies about the mental toll of a life of crime, like City of God. There are other gritty crime films set in Los Angeles, like Training Day and Jackie Brown, as well as similar movies about the effect of rehabilitation on prisoners,...

Salma Hayek gets a lot of attention for her stunning looks, but her oeuvre proves she's a versatile and formidable actress. From action to drama to comedy, Hayek takes on every role with consummate aplomb. Her talent has garnered Oscar, Golden Globe, and Emmy award nominations.

Hayek started her acting career in the novela "Un Nuevo Amanecer" in the late-1980s. She then appeared in television shows, including "Teresa," "Street Justice," and "Dream On." She made her big screen debut with 1993's "Mi Vida Loca," portraying Gata -- a small yet memorable role. Her feature film debut led to bigger and bigger parts, leading her to become one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. While the 1990s saw her cultivate a reputation as a sex symbol, she's since lent her impressive acting chops to a wide range of films, such as experimental indie flicks, superhero blockbusters, and everything in between.

"Dexter" is a show with a history almost as tumultuous as that of its titular antihero. The gory crime drama follows Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood spatter analyst by day and vigilante serial killer by night. Season 1 of the Showtime drama debuted in 2006 to positive reviews and reigned as the premium channel's highest-rated series for the next four years. Seasons 2 and 4 are widely regarded as the show's best, with the latter boasting a fantastic performance by John Lithgow as the Trinity Killer, one of TV's most terrifying villains. After the departure of showrunner Clyde Phillips, "Dexter" began a downward slide that ran all the way up to its disappointing series finale, frequently remembered as one of the worst of all time. Eight years after Dexter drove his boat into the eye of a hurricane, the serial killer with a heart of gold returned in "Dexter: New Blood," a...

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced the 395 artists and executives that have been invited to join this year — about half the number of last year’s class. The 2021 class is comprised of 46% women, 39% underrepresented ethnic/racial communities and 53% international from 49 countries outside the United States. Of the 395 invitees, 89 are former Oscar nominees, including 25 winners.

Eight individuals have been invited to join by multiple branches and must select one branch upon acceptance. They include Leslie Odom Jr, Kaouther Ben Hania, Craig Brewer, Lee Isaac Chung, Emerald Fennell, Shaka King, Alexander Nanau, Florian Zeller.

Other big names among the newly invited include Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek, “Promising Young Woman” original screenplay winner Emerald Fennell and “Minari” stars Steven Yeun, Ye-ri Han and recently crowned supporting actress Yuh-Jung Youn.

In the directing category, new invitees include Janicza Bravo, Nia DaCosta, Cathy Yan, Darius Marder, Michael Almereyda, Lizzie Borden,...

Oscar winner Yuh-Jung Youn, who took Supporting Actress in April for Minari, along with a number of her recent fellow acting nominees including Maria Bakalova, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, Leslie Odom Jr., Paul Raci, and Steven Yeun, are among the new class of 395 artists and executives who have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. A number of other recent winners and nominees including both of the latest screenwriting victors, Emerald Fennell and Florian Zeller, Music Score winner Jon Batiste, and all three writers of Oscar winning song “Fight For You” including H.E.R. are also on the list from the 17 branches of the Academy. Overall, there are 89 Oscar nominees, including 25 winners, among the new class. 46% are women, 39% underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 53% coming from countries outside of the U.S. this time around.

Although receiving an Oscar and/or a nomination is a big plus,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended invitations for 395 artists and executives working in film to join the ranks of a growing membership of more than 9,000 film industry figures. Per AMPAS, “membership selection decisions are based on professional qualifications, with representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority of Academy Aperture 2025.”

Statistically, the 2021 class is comprised of 46 percent women, 39 percent underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 53 international members from 49 countries outside of the United States. Among the new class are 89 Oscar nominees and 25 winners, including “Minari” Best Supporting Actress winner Yuh-jung Youn, Best Actor nominee Steven Yeun, multi-nominated director/writer Lee Isaac Chung, and co-star Ye-ri Han, plus “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” Best Actress nominee Andra Day, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” Supporting Actress nominee Maria Bakalova, “Pieces of a Woman” Best Actress nominee Vanessa Kirby, and Supporting Actor nominees Leslie Odom Jr. (“One Night in Miami”) and Paul Raci...

Oscar-nominated actors Leslie Odom Jr., Maria Bakalova and Steven Yeun are among the 395 people who have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy announced on Thursday.

Also on the list of invites: actors Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Nicole Beharie, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Carrie Coon, Laverne Cox, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, Nathan Lane, Jonathan Majors, Robert Pattinson and Issa Rae; directors Lee Isaac Chung, Sean Durkin, Emerald Fennell, Jonathan Glazer, Shaka King, Darius Marder and Florian Zeller; and musicians Jon Batiste, H.E.R., Janet Jackson and Emile Mosseri.

Eight people were invited by two different branches: Chung, Fennell, King, Zeller, Kaouther Ben Hania and Craig Brewer were invited by both the directors and writers branches, while Alexander Nanau was invited by the directors and documentary branches, and Odom Jr. by both the actors and music branches. If they accept the invitations, double invitees must choose a single branch...

"I can taste the salt of my tears as I swallow the truth." The Big We has released a brand new 2020 trailer for an indie film titled Follow Me Home, which originally premiered at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival and opened in theaters in 1997. Written & directed by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Peter Bratt, the film stars Alfre Woodard, Benjamin Bratt, Jesse Borrego, Calvin Levels, Steve Reevis, featuring a then-unknown Salma Hayek. Drawing upon Native, African and Latino culture, Follow Me Home is a rebellious fable of four Los Angeles street artists who hatch a plan to cover the White House with vibrantly painted murals. Joined by a woman with a haunting secret, they set off on an impetuous joyride across a desert landscape steeped in magic, mystery and danger. A powerful celebration of art, history, music and community, the film challenges long-held beliefs about race and identity in America, adding an important voice to today's racial reckoning.

April 11, 2020 | Start the Film: 5:00pm Cst | Join the Q&a: 7:00pm Cst

On April 11th, film festival audiences from across North America will join together for a virtual screening of the independent film Phoenix, Oregon and filmmaker Q&a. Plus, when you purchase tickets using the link below, proceeds will be split with Cinema St. Louis.

Check Out the Trailer for Phoenix, Oregon :

Cinema St. Louis is participating in the first Film Festival Day, with 29 other film festivals across the Us, an initiative of the Film Festival Alliance, a collaborative community of mission-driven film festivals, and Theatrical At Home.

More than 175 film festivals across North America have been cancelled or postponed as a result of Covid-19. Movies unite us in a way that no other art form can and film festivals play an essential role in connecting our community to support the works of independent storytellers. Please...

In today’s film news roundup, “Phoenix, Oregon” is being offered at a discount, Fantastic Fungi Day​ is set for March 26, and the opening of Methodfest has been shifted to May.

Release Strategy

Dark comedy “Phoenix, Oregon” will launch Friday simultaneously in theaters that are still open and at home for a “matinee” discount price of $6.50.

Producers will share all revenue on a 50/50 basis with the group of theaters where “Phoenix, Oregon” would have been shown. The theatrical-at-home option will be available in the U.S. and Canada.

“Phoenix, Oregon” centers on a graphic novelist and a chef who seize an unlikely opportunity to reinvent their lives by quitting their service industry jobs to restore an old bowling alley and serve the “world’s greatest pizza.” The cast includes James Le Gros, Jesse Borrego, Lisa Edelstein, Reynaldo Gallegos, Diedrich Bader and Kevin Corrigan. “Phoenix, Oregon” is being released by Aspiration Entertainment...

To put it simply — and, yes, gratefully — “Phoenix, Oregon” is the sort of movie a lot of us need right now. It’s an undemandingly enjoyable and reassuringly predictable dramedy in which nothing, not even the sourball attitudes of its comically unpleasant malcontents, ever is allowed to get out of hand or unduly strain credibility. But it also is too playfully spiky and unaffectedly down-to-earth to come across as bland pablum.

The actors are well-cast, and almost all of them are as engaging as their roles can allow. (One of the aforementioned malcontents actually turns out to the polar opposite of a poor loser.) In short, this well-crafted indie is a thoroughly pleasant trifle that can provide VOD diversion more comforting than a cup of tea during these trying times. And if that doesn’t sound appealing, well, that’s Ok: Some people simply don’t like tea.

(Of course,...

In today’s film news roundup, Jon Bernthal is cast in “King Richard,” FilmFreeway sets a Toronto Film Festival deal and “Phoenix, Oregon” gets distribution.

Casting

Jon Bernthal is in talks to star as tennis coach Rick Macci in Warner Bros.’ “King Richard” opposite Will Smith.

Reinaldo Marcus Green is directing the drama, written by Zach Baylin, about Richard Williams helping daughters Venus and Serena Williams to become tennis stars. Smith plays Richard Williams, who enlisted Macci to train the daughters — to be played by Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton — when they were 9 and 10 years old.

“King Richard” is produced by Tim White, Trevor White and James Lassiter with Allan Mandelbaum, Jada Pinkett Smith and Caleeb Pinkett as executive producers. Warner Bros. has set the film for a Nov. 25 release.

Bernthal portrayed Lee Iacocca in “Ford v Ferrari” and is starring in “The Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark.

Fear the Walking Dead: The Unveiling/ Children of Wrath Trailer & Clip AMC‘s Fear the Walking Dead ‘The Unveiling/ Children of Wrath’ trailer & clip stars Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, Mercedes Mason, Danay Garcia, and Rubén Blades. Guest stars include Daniel Sharman, Sam Underwood, Michael Greyeyes, Lisandra Tena, Jesse Borrego, Heidi Pascoe, Michael William Freeman, Dominic Bogart, Nathan [...]

Continue reading: Fear The Walking Dead: Season 3.07 & 08: The Unveiling & Children of Wrath: Trailer & Clip [AMC]...

David S.E. Zapanta Jun 19, 2017

With 100, Fear The Walking Dead delivers its strongest, most effective season 3 episode yet...

This review contains spoilers.

See related Pokemon Go has already made $14m

3.4 100

In 100, we get a quieter, more measured post-apocalypse, which is heavier on mood and setting than it is on zombie action. We also get some quality time with Daniel Salazar (Rubén Blades), who we know somehow escaped the vineyard. He's more or less intact, save for nasty burns on his leg. More importantly, Ftwd delivers what is arguably its strongest, most effective hour to date. While I liked Nick’s long and treacherous trek to Tijuana in last season’s Grotesque there’s something different about Daniel’s journey. It somehow seems more intimate and personal. The best part of 100 is that it functions as a standalone episode with a self-contained story arc. As intriguing as the Ottos' ranch may be with its strange dynamics and black-and-white beliefs, what we get this week is a murky, morally grey area in which a new set of survivors resides.

While I generally bristle at the introduction of too many new characters, this fresh set of faces works. Daniel is a stranger in a strange land, in search of redemption. Parched and delirious, he's taken in by a group of mysterious strangers living in the remains of a battered town overrun by the dead. These locals don't seem to have much except for each other, eking out a difficult existence in the shadow of a water treatment facility that hoards its precious water. We got a glimpse of this facility in Teotwawki, and, as we know, a shrewd businessman named Dante controls it. We also know Daniel will eventually be drawn here, where he'll be reunited with Strand. But more on that encounter in a bit.

In the meantime, Daniel gets to know Efrain (played by Jesse Borrego), who has a unique way of dispatching zombies. He grants them absolution before driving a hammer through their heads with a mallet. One gets the sense Efrain's done this many, many times before, perhaps more from a sense of duty than survival. He lives humbly, in the remains of a shuttered indoor marketplace, surrounded by salvaged junk that may or may not hold special meaning for him. He's a collector of sorts, and he adds Daniel to the cluttered hodgepodge of his abode. Here, Daniel's healed physically and emotionally, though his heart remains burdened by difficult truths. Efrain senses Daniel's inner turmoil, and does his best to draw the truth out of him. They're already friends, drawn together by unique circumstances and what seems like a mutual will to live.

Like Daniel, one gets the sense that Efrain is grappling with his own demons. It's easy to imagine that life for him before and after the apocalypse are pretty much the same. Whatever or whomever he might have been before, now he finds his true calling at the bottom of the bottle. Overall, he's a very interesting addition to the Walking Dead universe, the sort of person we haven't seen much of before on either show. The closest I can think of is John Carroll Lynch’s Eastman, a dystopian philosopher we meet in Twd's Here's Not Here, who had his own dark side.

We also meet Lola (Lisandra Tena), the group's de facto medic and moral compass. She works at the dam. She doesn't approve of Dante himself, but she believes her presence at the facility guarantees the water will remain untainted. This is a moral compromise for her, a necessary evil. Beyond that, we don't know too much about her yet, but Tena is nonetheless quite effective in the role; it's obvious Lola can stand toe to toe with the Dantes and Daniels of this world.

As for moral compromise, the real strength of this episode turns on Daniel's loyalty to Efrain and Lola. He wants to protect them, even if it means getting his hands dirty. It's a mixed blessing that Dante knows of Daniel's past, immediately putting his skills to work in service of the dam. This is all well and good until Daniel is forced to bring his knack for torture to bear on Efrain, who Dante believes is smuggling water from the facility. Being forced to beat the very person who saved him presents a true moral dilemma for Daniel. How much more is he willing to sacrifice of himself in the name of the greater good? Is it any wonder that he so desperately wants to die, to escape his sins?

At the end of the world, when survival is paramount on most people's minds, to seek death is, I suppose, quite liberating. Especially in a reality where the monsters roaming the ruined countryside pale in comparison to the monsters of one's own making. That's powerful stuff. But try as he might, Daniel can't seem to end it all. So, when faced with yet another moral quandary, this time as Dante's executioner, Daniel takes it upon himself to do right by Efrain and Lola. Maybe, for once, Daniel can finally keep tabs on those he's saved, rather than those he's killed.

Read David's review of the previous episode, Teotwawki, here.

Calling all Fame fans! The cast of the hit ’80s show is reuniting for a 35th anniversary concert — and it’s for a good cause.

Stars Debbie Allen, Jesse Borrego, Cynthia Gibb, Erica Gimpel, Billy Hufsey, Carlo Imperato, Valerie Landsburg and P.R. Paul are scheduled to appear at the event, which will take place at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California, on July 13.

The evening, which marks the first concert in the U.S. by the cast members since 1985, will feature hit songs from the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama series — and will benefit The Actors Fund, a national human...

Rendering its victims motionless, sleep paralysis is a seriously scary occurrence all on its own, but throw in a sinister supernatural entity such as the one in the new movie Dead Awake, and you really have a reason to add some more coffee grounds to your daily brew. Ahead of its May 12th release, Dead Awake is teased in an unsettling new clip featuring a staircase crawl that might remind you of The Exorcist or The Grudge.

"From the creator of the iconic Final Destination franchise comes the paralyzing thriller Dead Awake. Kate Bowman (Jocelin Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones,...

Sleep paralysis can be scary on its own, but when you get it in the bathtub, it can also be lethal, as evidenced in a new clip from Dead Awake.

"From the creator of the iconic Final Destination franchise comes the paralyzing thriller Dead Awake. Kate Bowman (Jocelin Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she’s unleashed!"

Directed by Phillip Guzman from a screenplay by Jeffrey Reddick, Dead Awake stars Jocelin Donahue (The House Of The Devil), Lori Petty (Tank Girl, Point Break, Oitnb), Jesse Bradford (Bring It On,...

Taking a page from the playbook of Springwood teens haunted by Freddy Krueger, a patient in a new clip from Dead Awake is avoiding sleep, but he's managed to avoid slumber for over a year, and the psychological toll it's taken is unsettling to say the least.

"From the creator of the iconic Final Destination franchise comes the paralyzing thriller Dead Awake. Kate Bowman (Jocelin Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she’s unleashed!"

Directed by Phillip Guzman from a screenplay by Jeffrey Reddick, Dead Awake...

Fame is alive again at Lifetime, thanks to So You Think You Can Dance producer Nigel Lythgoe.

Lythgoe is partnering with the cable network for an updated version of the 1980s dance-themed drama series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Development is still in the early stages, with writer Josh Safran currently attached to pen the pilot episode about dancers attending a major performing arts academy.

Safran is familiar with the musical drama format through his work as showrunner of short-lived NBC series Smash's second season.

No cast members are attached to Fame yet, and it's not clear when it will air on Lifetime.

A Fame revival has long been in development from MGM, having first been announced back in the summer of 2012.

The 1982 television version of Fame was based on the hit 1980 film of the same, and made stars of Debbie Allen, Nia Peeples and Jesse Borrego.

Now that Dexter has concluded it’s time for a definitive ranking of the seasons. I’m braced for your blowback because season 4 is Not #1 on my list (scandal!). Be sure to check out our series finale recap and Q&A with the Dexter producers about that ending and the final season. See what you think:

Season 2: The Bay Harbor Butcher

Riveting, format-breaking season: The Big Bad wasn’t some temporary guest star but Dexter himself as hostile colleague Sgt. Doakes (Erik King) and FBI blood-hound Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine) closed in with every hour, and Dex contended with...

The festival season is in full swing which means you'll be beat about the head with movies bringing with them heavy themes, weighty ideas and possibly lengthy running times. And while that's generally right up our alley, sometimes you just need a taut little crime drama to take the edge off. Nothing flashy, but just delivering what's expected, and "Mission Park" could be the answer for those looking for just that. Written and directed by Bryan Anthony Ramirez and starring Sean Patrick Flanery, Jesse Borrego, Jeremy Ray Valdez, Walter Perez, Fernanda Romero, Joseph Julian Soria, Will Rothhaar, Vivica A. Fox and Will Estes, the film follows four childhood friends — a pair who are rookie FBI agents, the two others part of an criminal organization — who find their past catching up with them, when the agents have to go undercover to bring down their pals. And in this exclusive clip, the plan is put into motion.

In Mission Park, the ambitions of four childhood friends land them on opposite sides of the law. Rookie FBI agents Bobby (Valdez) and Julian (Rothhaar) must go undercover and face their hidden pasts in an attempt to bring down their best friends' (Perez, Soria) criminal organization. This new poster joins the trailer and first poster we added recently for the film featuring Sean Patrick Flanety, Will Estes, Vivica A. Fox alongside stars Jeremy Ray Valdez, Will Rothhaar , Fernanda Romero, Walter Perez, Joseph Julian Soria and Jesse Borrego.

Check out the new teaser trailer and poster for the upcoming award-winning indie action-thriller Mission Park starring Jeremy Ray Valdez, Will Rothhaar, Walter Perez, Joseph Julian Soria, Vivica A. Fox and Sean Patrick Flanery.

In Mission Park, the ambitions of four childhood friends land them on opposite sides of the law. Rookie FBI agents Bobby (Valdez) and Julian (Rothhaar) must go undercover and face their hidden pasts in an attempt to bring down their best friends’ (Perez, Soria) criminal organization.

The film was written and directed by Bryan Ramirez, produced by Independent Spirit Award nominee Douglas Spain (Star Maps, HBO’s Band of Brothers), co-produced by David J. Phillips (Life Happens, Green Guys), and executive produced by national real estate mogul and former star of A&E’s ‘Flip This House’ Armando Montelongo. Spain and Phillips both have featured acting roles in the film as well. Mission Park is the...

We have the new trailer as well as the poster for Mission Park starring Jeremy Ray Valdez. Directed by Bryan Anthony Ramirez, the film from Armando Montelongo Productions opens in theaters on September 6th, 2013 and also includes Walter Perez, Fernanda Romero, Joseph Julian Soria, and Will Rothhaar, and features Vivica A. Fox, Will Estes, Sean Patrick Flanery and Jesse Borrego. In Mission Park, the ambitions of four childhood friends land them on opposite sides of the law. Rookie FBI agents Bobby (Valdez) and Julian (Rothhaar) must go undercover and face their hidden pasts in an attempt to bring down their best friends' (Perez, Soria) criminal organization.

Next week in Miami, hundreds of bloggers, marketers, corporate brand reps, music and film artists will be checking in at the Eden Roc Hotel to attend Hispanicize, a social media platform for today’s Latino innovators. Now in its 4th year, the marketing, interactive, film and music conference was founded by Manny Ruiz, a PR businessman who adopted the term Hispanicize to signify the transformation and growing impact of Latino culture into traditional American mainstream and who created this convergence to amplify the success of diverse voices in social media.

In part modeled after SXSW and Ted Talks, Hispanicize aims to be a digital multi-media launchpad and idea stimulating conference tailored towards Latinos. The event’s core journalistic DNA is confirmed by guest co-chair, Soledad O Brien, who just signed off on her morning CNN show capping off a decade of reporting for the news outlet. For the second year the South Beach setting will host yacht parties, beachside receptions, breakfast and lunch networking, and 100 plus talks, featuring such entrepreneurs in social media like the Latina Mom Bloggers, panels like How Brands and Agencies are Engaging and Collaborating with Latino Bloggers and Getting on Corporate Boards. The heavily sponsored event, (Procter & Gamble is the presenting sponsor) will include a Diversity Tech Leaders Summit presented by Sprint in which the lesser-known business stories of diverse tech and social media entrepreneurs who are making their marks in digital media will be highlighted.

I have to admit I knew nothing of Hispanicize up until a couple months ago. Curious, I went on the website and I found the lingo a tad superfluous and hyperbolic. Words like iconic and mighty are used to describe the young but clearly flourishing event. Then again, this kind of grandiose speak is typical Public Relations so it makes sense given it is a partnership with Hispanic Public Relations Association (Hpra) and the Public Relations Society of America (Prsa).

I reached out to the founder Manny Ruiz to find out more about the mission of the event and found his enthusiasm and excitement for what he considers a pioneering movement infectious. It’s hard to argue that this mass tech and entertainment crossroads gathering makes for an incredible networking opportunity. Ruiz called it a “Uniting of these industries to create a symphony” and went on to note it is much more powerful for bloggers to converge at the same place with journalists, marketers, digital, music and film innovators then if you had them out there individually and remotely. Before I knew it I was put in touch with with Roman Morales, the Film Showcase Organizer and I came onboard as Programmer for the film component. A big reason I stepped in was because I was particularly attracted to presenting Us independent Latino films to an audience heavy with social media influence and bloggers, to see if it would indeed create a higher level of buzz, publicity and exposure from the community.

Along with a special screening of Filly Brown days before its national theatrical release, this year Hispanicize will screen six features including the high profile sneak preview of The Weinstein Company’s Aftershock, the horror comedy produced and starring Eli Roth, directed by Chilean filmmaker Nicolas Lopez (Que Pena tu Vida, Promedio Rojo). Also, straight from SXSW the music industry and character-driven documentary Los Wild Ones about the Wild Records label and family of Mexican rockabilly acts. With the exception of Aftershock, all the films reflect a taste of the diaspora of unique, bi-cultural Us narratives, and notably are all first features. Three of the films, Blaze You Out, Filly Brown and Mission Park are being distributed by Lionsgate labels Pantelion and Grindstone Entertainment. Meanwhile, seeking distribution is Dreamer written and directed by Salvador born Jesse Salmeron, a poignant and timely story starring and produced by Jeremy Ray Valdez about an upwardly mobile American whose paralyzed by the fear of being deported. Los Wild Ones is also seeking distribution and should find considerable traction within and outside hard core music fan circles.

My personal pride and joy however has to be the shorts film showcase. Portraying visionary quests for identity, love, truth and legacy and created by multicultural emergent voices from San Antonio, Miami, La, NYC, Oaxaca and Puerto Rico. This is the medium in which to find provocative, daring and versatile young generation of fresh voices who you can expect will blow up big soon. To name just a few, the filmmakers include Jillian Mayer and Lucas Leyva of the Borscht corporation, Zoé Salicrup Junco, the filmmaker of Gabi who workshopped her feature script of the short at San Antonio’s CineFestival’s Latino Screenwriters Project, Victor Hugo Duran the Colombia Film grad whose short, Fireworks played at the La Film Festival last year and is currently shooting his first feature in Mexico called La Victoria, and Steve Acevedo, the director of El Cocodrilo which is a powerful and urgent film about a journalist played by Jacob Vargas on the run from narcos, who participated in NBCU Directing Fellowship.

I’ll try not to go all Spring Breaker debauchery when I head to Miami next week. I’m very interested in immersing myself in the Hispanicize program to cover the dialogue and scrutinize the impact so stay tuned for my report.

See below to check out full film list and links. Hispanicize will take place April 9 – 13. For information on how to attend and the schedule click here.

Blaze You Out

(USA, 2013, 90 min)

Writers/Directors: Mateo Frazier, Diego Joaquin Lopez

Cast: Veronica Diaz Carranza, Elizabeth Pena, Q’orianka Kilcher, Mark Adair Rios, Elizabeth Pena

Logline: An unyielding young woman ventures into the ruthless underworld of the town’s heroin trade in order to save her younger sister’s life.

Dreamer

(USA, 2013)

Writer/Director: Jesse Salmeron

Cast: Jeremy Ray Valdez, Isabella Hofmann, Cory Knauf

Logline: Joe Rodriguez is an All American young man. He’s amiable, well educated and attractive. He’s graduated from college and is working and excelling in his field. He’s on his way to achieving the American Dream. That is until his employer discovers his undocumented status and the life he’s worked so hard for begins to crumble around him. He must face the possibility of losing his livelihood, his family and even himself.

Los Wild Ones

(USA, 2013, 95 min)

Director: Elise Salomon Writers: Ryan Brown, Elise Salomon

Featuring Luis Arriaga, Gizzelle, the Rhythm Shakers and more

Logline: Wild Records is an La indie music label comprised of young Hispanic musicians, it is run by Irishman, Reb Kennedy. Wild is an unconventional family, reminiscent of the early days of Sun Records, all of its musicians write and perform 50s Rock ‘n Roll. If Wild is going to continue to grow and reach broader audiences, its current business model will cease to work.

Aftershock

(USA, 2012, 90 min)

Director: Nicolás López

Writers: Guillermo Amoedo, Nicolás López and Eli Roth

Cast: Andrea Osvart, Ariel Levy, Eli Roth

Logline: In Chile, a group of travelers who are in an underground nightclub when a massive earthquake hits quickly learn that reaching the surface is just the beginning of their nightmare.

Mission Park

(USA, 2013, 120 min)

Writer/Director: Bryan Ramirez

Cast: Jeremy Ray Valdez, Walter Perez, Fenanda Romero, Joseph Julian Soria, William Rothaar, Jesse Borrego

Logline: Four friends from the rough side of town grow apart when two are consumed by a life of crime, and the other two become FBI agents sent deep undercover – to bring down those childhood friends.

Shorts Film Showcase~

#Postmodem

(USA, 2012, 13 mins)

Writers/Directors: Lucas Leyva, Jillian Mayer

Cast: Jillian Mayer, Kayla Delacerda, Amy Seimetz, Arly Montes, Jesse Miller, Shivers Thedog

Logline: A comedic, satirical, sci-fi pop musical based on the theories of Ray Kurzweil and other futurists, #PostModem is the story of two Miami girls and how they deal with technological singularity, as told through a series of cinematic tweets.

@borschtcorp

Fireworks

(USA, 2012, 11 mins)

Director: Victor Hugo Duran

Writer: Kevin James McMuillin

Cast: Roger Cruz, Alberto Castañeda, Irene Sorto, Azucena Benitez, Edgar Vanegas, Julio Duran, Victor Hugo Duran, Kevin James McMullin

Logline: During the Fourth of July in South Los Angeles, a teenage boy and his brother scour the neighborhood for fireworks in order to win the admiration of a girl.

Twitter: @victorhugoduran

Clara Como El Agua

(USA, 2012 10 min)

Writer/Director: Fernanda Rossi

Cast: Kathiria Bonilla León, Sixta Rivera, Rubén Andrés Medina, Alfonso Peña Ossoria, Stephanie Quiles Reyes, Eyra Aguero

Logline: Clara is the only light-skinned and clear-eyed girl in an all-black neighborhood. Teased incessantly, the children claim her unknown father is actually a “gringo” tourist. However, Clara was told a different story, and to find out the truth, she will venture into the magical waters of the bioluminescent bay all on her own.

Echo Bear

(USA, 2012 6min)

Writer/director: Yolanda Cruz

Cast: Joe Nunez, Hugo Medina, Tzina Carmel, Donato López, Lobo Manet

Logline: Bear, a single gay Latino man in L.A.’s Echo Park neighborhood, looks for love online. Fearing traffic, he searches locally, but soon discovers how geographic convenience can turn to heartache overnight.

Vincent Valdez: Excerpts For John

(2012, USA, 12 min)

Directed by Mark and Angela Walley

Logline: Two years in the making, this beautifully shot and perfectly paced short documentary captures the creative process of painter Vincent Valdez, as the artist works on a series of pieces dedicated to a childhood friend John Holt Jr. an Army combat medic who died in 2009 after serving in Iraq.

El Cocodrilo

(2012, 15 min)

Director: Steve Acevedo

Writer: Alfredo Barrios, Jr.

Cast: Jacob Vargas Hugo Medina Shannon Lucio Manuel Uriza

Logline: A Mexican journalist and a cartel assassin collide in a diner, with tragic consequences for both.

Reinaldo Arenas

(USA, 2012, 3:29min)

Writer/director Lucas Leyva

Shark: Alberto Ibarguen Man: Epifanio Leyva

Logline: Told from the point of view of a dying shark, 'Reinaldo Arenas' metaphorically captures the current state of the aging Cuban-American exile community, many of whom have still not come to terms with the Communist Revolution that changed their lives forever. The film culls from various Cuban films and works of literature to create not a singular voice, but a feeling of a particular moment in time

@borschtcorp

Gabi

(2012, USA 20 min)

Writer/Director: Zoe Junco

Cast: Marisé Alvarez , Dalia Davi , Roy Sanchez Vahamonde , Aris Mejias

Logline: A Puerto Rican saying haunts single women in their 30’s: “If such a woman is not married by this time, she must be a slut, a lesbian, or a prude.” This is the story of that woman...

@gabifilm...

"Dexter" Season 7 is quickly approaching, and we can hardly wait to see what's in store for us viewers this September 30th. Season 6 ended with Debra finding out Dexter's dark secret, actually catching him in the act. In honor of six seasons of Dexter ridding Miami of murderers, here is our list of seven killers we are most glad Dexter was around for.

Related Stories: All "Dexter" News Here

Warning: Content Contains Spoilers And Is Not Safe For Work!

1. The Trinity Killer aka Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow)

Season 4 is easily the best season of "Dexter" because of one thing: the Trinity Killer. John Lithgow brings to life the scariest serial killer ever to grace the screen.

I'll set the scene- Lithgow is in a bathtub full of water, sitting behind a young woman. Her face is frightened as his is soft and gentle. In one hand he holds a mirror...

“You must expect the unexpected -- she’s like mist under a door.” --Marco (Jordi Mollà), about Cataleya (Zoe Saldana) “Bastard thinks I’m an idiot, playing it all mellow and shit. If he would have yelled and screamed and threatened to kill my whole family it would have been better.” --hitman Fabio (Jesse Borrego), complaining about the tone of his exit interview with boss Don Luis (Beto Benites) Colombiana, screenwriters: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen...

Maya Entertainment, which specializes in movies for Hispanics, has acquired international rights to La Mission, a drama starring Benjamin Bratt. International rights will be available at the Berlin International Film Festival, which began today. The film, written and directed by the actor's brother, Peter Bratt, also stars Erika Alexander, Jeremy Ray Valdez, Jesse Borrego, and Talisa Soto. “Maya Entertainment is very pleased to bring such a well-regarded and critically- acclaimed film to the International market," Elias Axume, Evp, International Distribution for Maya, said in a written statement. “Benjamin Bratt delivers an amazing performance in...

Propworx has a video preview of the items that will be auctioned in the sixth week. The Caprica auctions have now been extended to nine weeks.

A heads-up to the UK fans: there is still no word on when the second half of the season will air, but if you follow @Sky1Insider on Twitter, you'll probably be the first to find out.

Other fronts:

Esai Morales will attend the CineFestival, which opens in San Antonio tomorrow. Here is what the press release says:

Television, stage and film actor Esai Morales will attend the Saturday night festivities of the The Guadalupe’s CineFestival en San Antonio, the nation’s longest-running Latino film festival, celebrating its 33rd anniversary February 3-6, 2011 at the historic Guadalupe Theater in San Antonio, Texas. The Guadalupe will proudly present the "Emma Tenayuca Award for Activism in Media," a special Premio Mesquite Award, to Mr. Morales based...

Chicago – Benjamin Bratt is a handsome man. That is undeniable when meeting the popular actor. But what he also expresses is a deep passion and intelligence, both for his work and the world around him. He was recently in Chicago promoting his new film, “La Mission,” directed by his brother Peter Bratt.

La Mission honors Peter and Benjamin’s San Francisco past, as they go back to their Mission District neighborhood to tell the story of Che Rivera (Benjamin), a macho neighborhood guy who is working hard to raise his son and forget the influences of his checkered past. The film has an authentic feel, different from the usual picture postcards associated with the City by the Bay.

Benjamin Bratt has been a working actor since the early 1990s. After getting his big break as Detective Rey Curtis in NBC’s “Law & Order,” he broke away to begin a film career,...

From April 9th through 11th, the National Latino Independent Producers (Nalip) held its 2010 conference in Santa Monica California. Big names stars from the Latino community – such as Benjamin Bratt and television anchor Soledad O’Brien – came out to support the event.

Award recipient Lupe Ontiveros, Benjamin Bratt’s brother Peter Bratt – the director of the new socially conscious La Mission – Fame star Jesse Borrego, comedian Joey Medina and many others were also in attendance.

Read more...

Growing up in the Mission district of San Francisco certainly made a distinct impression on Benjamin Bratt and his filmmaker brother Peter Bratt, so much so that the brothers made a film about their old neighborhood. La Mission, written and directed by Peter Bratt and starring Benjamin Bratt in a dynamic performance as Mission mainstay Che, takes us inside this incredibly diverse neighborhood, home to artsy hipsters, working-class folk along with thugs and drug dealers as well. Benjamin Bratt's Che belongs to the working class as a city bus driver, but he belonged to the criminal side as well, an ex-con who has now reformed. He's now a respected (and also feared) man in the Mission, raising his only son Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez) on his own and who is also admired for his gorgeous lowrider that he takes out on the weekends. When Che learns that his only...

Sundance's 25th year event is remarkably quiet, almost unreal. Allowing a look at the reality, conversations actually can take place. The late night lounge is the place to see everyone after 10 and to talk more. Filmakers Bill Benenson and Eleonore Dailly, producer Gene Rosow and marketer Jeff Dowd hosted the Obama Inauguration party which also celebrated their film Dirt The Movie. Veteran Sundance community members, Nicole Guillemet, former director of Sundance, Paula Silver, Ira Deutschman, Susan Margolin, Todd McCarthy, Sasha Alpert, Mickey Cotrell and so many others bonded with joy as we all listened to the message delivered by President Obama. John Sloss's Cinetic party and William Morris Independent's parties were not as mobbed as in years past. The two films I have heard most praised are Push and The Cove. Latino film buzz is around Sin Nombre. Written and directed by Peter Bratt and starring his brother Benjamin Bratt and Jesse Borrego, La Mission and Don't Let Me Drown starring Yareli Arizmendi, who wrote and produced A Day Without a Mexican, one of the breakout Latino hits some years ago. I would most like to see Mark Stewart's Passing Strange, a Fairfax district Los Angeleno's work about "black folks passing as black folks" and other essentialist curiosities of American life as written up in Sundance Film Festival's Daily Insider of Day 3, Sunday January 18, 2009. Peter Rainer liked Art & Copy and was surprised to learn that it was originally intended as a promotional work of ad agencies. Kirk Honeycutt remarked to Peter Rainer and me how the films are so "lab-worked over". Does the professional finish of a lab make up, improve on or only mask the faults of a filmmaker's first work? Is it like a butterfly being helped to fly (and thereby not developing its own wings) or does it make the beginning filmmaker better? Mary Jane Skalski is here with two films, Dare and Against the Current. Steven J. Wolfe, who has worked on 35 films and has produced five with Jennifer Tilley, who is now playing professional poker, had his film 500 Days of Summer already placed with Fox Searchlight for U.S. and the world, so he was able to enjoy Sundance after 10 years absence from it. Senator picked up North American rights to Brooklyn's Finest. Visit Films picked up worldwide rights to Sundance world doc competition film Kimjongilia]and Spectrum title, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. The Canadian distribution rights to Cold Souls have been acquired by E1 Films. Opening night film Max and Mary was a huge success and well attended by acquisition and studio executives. Twentieth Century Fox had a team of 8, Lionsgate's Tom Ortenberg, Steve Beeks and Jason Constantine were there along with every other buyer. The film that landed with Icon when Icon acquired Becker International will soon announce a North American distribution deal. CinemaVault acquired international rights for Spectrum film Lymelife which originally premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and was picked up for US shortly after by Screen Media. Stephen Raphael is working on the U.S. marketing for the film. HBO has acquired TV rights to Burma VJ the hit of November’s IDFA whose North American debut was Saturday at Sundance. The the film will open theatrically at New York’s Film Forum in May, well ahead of its early 2010 HBO television debut. [Sony Classics acquired North American rights acquisition of Rudo Y Cursi having its U.S. premiere at Sundance.

First off, the best news, as I predicted (in private) Duncan Jones' Moon will be premiering, yay! The comedy Adventureland starring the talented Bill Hader is playing. The sweet kid soldier film Johnny Mad Dog is playing in the spectrum section, and the Jesco White story White Lightnin' which we reported on earlier is in the Park City at Midnight section.

But where the hell is Stingray Sam?

Full list after the break.

Premieres

* "Adventureland," directed and written by Greg Mottola, stars Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds and Bill Hader in the story of a college grad who gets a job at an amusement park. A Miramax release.

* "Brooklyn’s Finest," directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin, a drama about three Brooklyn cops who come together at the same deadly location. With Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle and Ellen Barkin.

* "Earth Days," directed by Robert Stone,...

Premieres

To showcase the diversity of contemporary independent cinema, this section offers the latest work from American and international directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films.

Adventureland / U.S. (Director-screenwriter: Greg Mottola)

In 1987, a recent college graduate takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park and discovers the job is perfect preparation for the real world. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader. World premiere

Brooklyn's Finest / U.S. (Director: Antoine Fuqua; screenwriter: Michael C. Martin)

After enduring vastly different career paths, three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location. Cast: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin. World premiere

Earth Days / U.S. (Director: Robert Stone)

The history of our environmental undoing through the eyes of nine Americans whose work and actions launched the modern environmental movement. World premiere, closing-night film

Endgame / U.K. (Director: Pete Travis; screenwriter: Paula Milne)

A...