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Tasting Menu begins without offering much detail about its story or thematic effort, and it ends without ever showing its cards. It’s the story (sort of) of the last night at the world’s best restaurant, which is closing for uncertain reasons, and with the owner/chef’s future unknown. Said chef, the world-renowned Mar Vidal (Vicenta N’Dongo), thinks it’s time for a change, though the decision to close the restaurant has rocked the culinary world.

But, there is only a sideways sense in which the film can legitimately be said to have anything to do with this restaurant, this night, or this chef. The official synopsis only talks about Marc (Jan Cornet) and Rachel (Claudia Bassols), who happen to have a reservation that they made a year ago. Despite having split up several months ago, they decide they can’t miss the historic last night. It might be awkward,...

Finger Food: Gaul’s Latest Effort Staunchly Unappetizing

Spanish filmmaker Roger Gaul (known for his 2002 debut, the co-directed Smoking Room) returns with this Irish co-produced venture, Tasting Menu, its cast dictated primarily by geographic funding. Utilizing the banal workings of several intersecting storylines over the course of one evening, this petit bourgeois offering is as unabashedly pretentious as it is stilted, attempting to jackdaw cinematic magic via food porn and various romantic clichés. Several notable cast members are as poorly served as their lesser known counterparts, an ensemble that can’t ever emulsify as neatly as Javier Clavo’s screenplay so desperately wants it to.

Chef Mar (Vicenta N’Dongo) is a reluctant celebrity in her realm, owner of a highly successful restaurant that seats only thirty and is booked for months in advance. However, after finding herself in a creative rut, she decides to close the restaurant, much to...

So sloppy it can't even adequately follow through on cooking its various plot strands to completion, Tasting Menu concerns the dreary goings-on at the closing night of world-renowned chef Mar's (Vicenta N'dongo) seaside Barcelona restaurant.

There, a motley collection of guests engage in lifeless mini-dramas, from author Rachel's (Claudia Bassols) reunion with her ex-husband, Marc (Jan Cornet) — a meeting complicated by the surprise arrival of Rachel's obnoxious editor boyfriend, Danny (Timothy Gibbs) — to a widowed countess (Fionnula Flanagan) showing up with her husband's urn and involving herself in Rachel and Marc's affairs, to two Japanese investors (Togo Igawa and Akihiko Serikawa) suffering through the company of a grating Spanish guide (Marta Torn&eac...

Title: Tasting Menu Menú degustació) Magnolia Pictures Director: Roger Gual Screenplay: Roger Gual, Javier Calvo based on an original idea by Sílvia González Laá Cast: Jan Cornet, Claudia Bassols, Vicenta N’dongo, Andrew Tarbet, Fionnula Flanagan, Stephen Rea, Togo Igawa, Marta Torné, Akihijo Serikawa, Timothy Gibbs, Screened at: Review 1, NYC, 4/3/14 Opens: April 18, 2014 “Tasting Menu” might be compared by some to “Babette’s Feast,” Gabriel Axel’s film about a remote, 19th Century Danish community whose religious views forbid them to eat more than gruel but who are upended by a fantastic meal prepared by their French housekeeper. But Roger Gual’s movie does not center on food. That’s too bad. [ Read More ]

The post Tasting Menu Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Cuttingly sharp and incisive Sf horror; a chillingly polite film about the fascism that rises quickly up in a moment of fearful crisis. I’m “biast” (pro): eager for some fresh zombie movie meat…

I’m “biast” (con): …but tired of the same old leftovers

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

In a slightly alternate universe to our own, the world has been coping with a zombie plague with a retroviral drug that keeps the infection at bay in those who carry the virus. It’s a clear parable for HIV/AIDS: the first outbreak occurred in the early 80s, the retroviral was first created — from live (undead?) protein harvested from full-blown zombies — in the 1990s, and today being one of the “Returned” is chronic but manageable… as long as an infected gets the medication daily. But fear of and prejudice toward the Returned never really abated,...

Manuel Carballo’s new zombie movie, The Returned, was released to theaters and VOD yesterday. We’ve previously shown you the poster, photos, and videos, and we’re now giving Daily Dead readers an exclusive look at the brand new trailer:

“Directed by Manuel Carballo, The Returned is set in a post-zombie world where a treatment called the “Return Protein” can stop the spread of the virus if injected quickly after infection, but cannot cure it. With daily injections, the “Returned” are able to live relatively normal lives, but with brutal attacks at the hands of Anti-Return groups and rumors that protein stock is running low, the world is again on the brink of chaos. In the midst of this turmoil are Alex (Kris Holden-Ried) and Kate (Emily Hampshire), a young, successful and enviable couple that are hiding a long held secret – Alex is Returned. Suspicious that a government order...

ComingSoon.net has your exclusive first look at a clip from The Returned , the thriller opening in limited theaters on Friday, February 14. The Manuel Carballo-directed film stars Kris Holden-Reid, Emily Hampshire, Shawn Doyle and Claudia Bassols. The Returned is set in a post-zombie world where a treatment called the "Return Protein" can stop the spread of the virus if injected quickly after infection, but cannot cure it. With daily injections, the "Returned" are able to live relatively normal lives, but with brutal attacks at the hands of Anti-Return groups and rumors that protein stock is running low, the world is again on the brink of chaos. In the midst of this turmoil are Alex (Kris Holden-Reid) and Kate (Emily Hampshire), a young, successful and...

The dead will once again walk the earth in the new U.S. theatrical trailer for the upcoming post-zombie world thriller, ‘The Returned.’ The film, which will be distributed into theaters and on VOD on February 14 by levelFILM, was directed by Manuel Carballo. ‘The Returned,’ which was written by Hatem Khraiche, stars Kris Holden-Reid, Emily Hampshire, Shawn Doyle and Claudia Bassols. The horror thriller comes from the producers of the hit horror franchise, ‘[Rec].’ The official synopsis for ‘The Returned’ has been released by levelFILM: ‘The Returned’ is set in a post-zombie world where a treatment called the “Return Protein” can stop the spread of the virus if injected quickly [ Read More ]

The post Zombies Once Again Walk the Earth in The Returned Official Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.

The 25th Galway Film Fleadh is to open with Spanish dramedy Tasting Menu, directed by Roger Gual, and close with John Banville adaptation The Sea, directed by Stephen Brown.

Ciaran Hinds, Charlotte Rampling, Natascha McElhone, Rufus Sewell, Bonnie Wright and Sinead Cusack star in Independent-produced The Sea, about a man dealing with the loss of his wife.

Tasting Menu, which stars Fionnula Flanagan, Stephen Rea, Claudia Bassols, Jan Cornet, Rodrigo Cortés and Togo Igawa, follows a couple whose romantic evening at the world’s best restaurant takes an unusual turn.

Producers on the latter are Zentropa and Subotica.

The 25th Galway Film Fleadh runs from July 9-14.

Emulsion Trailer. Suki Singh‘s Emulsion (2011) movie trailer stars Sam Heughan, Claudia Bassols, Lex Shrapnel, David Ajala, and Mem Ferda. Emulsion‘s plot synopsis: “Emulsion is a Psychological Thriller about a man looking for his missing wife. When Isabella mysteriously disappears from a car park her husband, Ronny, becomes obsessed with finding her. In an [...]

Continue reading: New Trailer for Psychological Thriller Emulsion...

Tagline: "Last night he dreamt that somebody loved him." It has been awhile since there has been any news on Suki Singh's Emulsion. Two teasers have been released for this production in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Now White Lantern Film has released a second poster for the film, featuring star Sam Heughan with actress Claudia Bassols. Emulsion is a neo-noir styled feature that focuses on a lost romance. Ronny's (Heughan) wife , Isabella (Claudia Bassols), has disappeared and a host of unsavoury types are standing in his way. Actor Mem Ferda plays Egor, one of several men who want to hide the truth of his wife's disappearance. Ferda says of the film's style and story: "Emulsion has a definite Lynchian quality and a distinct cinematic style, which sets it apart from other thrillers." The trailer below shows some of the film's mysterious styles. And, a release date for Emulsion is expected soon.

UFO International has released the first trailer for their upcoming disaster film Vampyre Nation. This is an action piece set in a horror universe, where vampires live peacefully with humans. Then, something goes wrong. The vampires are being hunted and the "Vampire Crimes Division" wants to know who that hunter is. Vampyre Nation has now been completed and a release date will be announced shortly. UFO International and the SyFy Network have developed a long-term working relationship. So, expect to see Vampyre Nation on this channel shortly. The first trailer for the film is hosted below. Release Date: 2012-2013. Director: Todor Chapkanov. Cast: Andrew Lee Potts, Ben Lambert, Neil Jackson, and Claudia Bassols. The official trailer for Vampyre Nation is here: *this title will release on French television via the SyFy Network late in 2012. Source: Vampyre Nation at UFO Films  |  |  Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen...

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One In The Chamber

Stars: Cuba Gooding Jr., Dolph Lundgren, Billy Murray, Claudia Bassols, Louis Mandylor | Written by Benjamin Shahrabani, Derek Kolstad | Directed by William Kaufman

The latest in a long line of Cuba Gooding Jr. starring hit-man movies that seem to be inspired by Collateral, (although less so than the previous flick we reviewed, Hit List), this time round Cuba takes on the one man mountain that is Dolph Lundgren. Set in Prague, One in the Chamber sees skilled assassin Ray Carver (Gooding Jr.) hired by gang leader, Bobby Suverov (Leo Gregory), to eliminate his competitiors, the Ivanov brothers. However when Demyan Ivanov (Mandylor) escapes Suverov hires an eccentric Soviet killing machine known as ‘The Wolf’ (Lundgren), to take out the surviving Demyan, as well as Carver. However in a bizarre turn of events, Ivanov hires his brothers killer, Carver, to eliminate the Suverov brothers. With twists and double-crosses a plenty,...

Here's a clip from the Cuba Gooding Jr thriller One In The Chamber, which also stars Dolph Lundgren and Claudia Bassols. Set in Prague, Gooding stars as an assassin hired by the Mafia to work for a gang he once tried to annihilate. Lundgren stars as another assassin hired to take on Carver (Gooding's character). Directed by Will Kaufman (who also directed Gooding Jr in The Hit List) the film's DVD/Blu-Ray release date is set for August 21st. Here;s the full synopsis: In Prague, two skilled assassins make themselves available for hire to the Mafia. However, when one assassin, Carver (Gooding) takes a job with a gang he was once hired to eliminate, it...

Gwyneth Paltrow may be one of Hollywood's go-to leading ladies, but she also makes a mean bruschetta. THR reports the "Country Strong" actress is currently in negotiations to star in the indie "Blood, Bones & Butter" -- based on Gabrielle Hamilton’s foodie memoir.

The movie --which seems in some ways similar 2009's "Julie & Julia" -- will follow Hamilton’s peculiar road to becoming a chef. The successful foodie is the proud owner of Prune, a restaurant in New York City. Prune has been described as a destination for "unpretentious American home-cooking with eccentric, multicultural influences."

Paltrow, whose own cookbook "My Father's Daughter" was released in the spring of last year, credits her love of cooking to her late father Bruce Paltrow.

"He loved food, we loved to cook together," she told Epicurious. "We would watch the Food Network together when it was actually instructive and instructional. And we would always...

Network: CBS

Episodes: Eight (half-hour)

Seasons: One

TV show dates: January 12, 2012 -- March 1, 2012

Series status: Cancelled (ratings)

Performers include: Rob Schneider, Cheech Marin, Claudia Bassols, Diana Maria Riva, Eugenio Derbez, and Lupe Ontiveros.

TV show description:

On this comedy series, Rob (Rob Schneider) is a successful landscape architect who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Formerly a life-long bachelor, Rob has a whirlwind romance and marries Maggie (Claudia Bassols), a young, beautiful, and smart book translator. She's way out of his league and he knows it.

After eloping to Las Vegas, Maggie and Rob must break the news to her overprotective and judgmental parents -- sarcastic Rosa (Diana Maria Riva) and cynical Fernando (Cheech Marin). Shocked by the news that they've eloped, the family remains skeptical of Maggie's choice for a husband. The exception is her...

Perhaps I could be considered a philistine when it comes to vampire flicks but they the majority of them just simply bore me. And with the recent introduction of more vampire romanticism its lowered my expectations even more. Of course every now and again a game changer comes along and completely changes my attitude. However, UFO Films' 'True Bloodthirst' isn't likely to be one of those from looking once agsain at the trailer ahead of its premiere next week on SyFy. The Todor Chapkanov helmed flick, where the title alone borders on copyright infringement, stars Andrew Lee Potts ('Primeval'), Neil Jackson ('Make It or Break It'), Ben Lambert and sexy Spanish hottie Claudia Bassols -belown ('Rob'). 'True Bloodthirst' will screen on SyFy on Saturday 14 July in the Us. You can check the trailer below....

Syfy has a new Original Movie heading our way on Saturday, July 14th, entitled True Bloodthirst; and we have a look at the trailer for the flick, in which humans and vampires must band together against a new hybrid type of super vampire.

True Bloodthirst is directed by Todor Chapkanov, written by Rafael Jordan, and stars Andrew Lee Potts ("Primeval"), Claudia Bassols ("Rob"), Neil Jackson ("Make It or Break It"), and Ben Lambert (Vampyre Nation").

Synopsis:

Bucharest, Romania. The not-too-distant future, but an entirely different city. The human population is dwindling. The vampire population, meanwhile, is exploding. Having emerged from the shadows a decade earlier, vampires now walk openly amongst the human population, as a precarious peace exists between the two. A peace made possible by the introduction of a synthetic blood substitute, dispensed by the Romanian government, making traditional vampire feeding, and preying on humans, no longer necessary. But even so,...

We announced Cuba Gooding Jr.'s involvement in this Mob/Assasin action-thriller a little less than a year ago. Directed by Will Kaufman (who also directed Gooding Jr in The Hit List) and set for a DVD/Blu-Ray release this August 21st, One In The Chamber also stars Dolph Lundgren and Claudia Bassols. Set in Prague, Gooding stars as an assassin hired by the Mafia to work for a gang he once tried to annihilate. Lundgren stars as another assassin hired to take on Carver (Gooding's character). I'm sure there's a lot of guns, car chases, explosions and even some martial arts to get your testosterone pumping! Synopsis: In Prague, two skilled...

Michelle Rodriguez, Benjamin Bratt, Cesar Milan, Cheech Marin and other Latino stars celebrated Latinos in the media at the Impact Awards and CineMovie spoke to the honorees and guests on the red carpet about portrayals of Latinos in Hollywood and what being Latino means to them. 

The National Hispanic Media Coalition (Nhmc) presented the 15th Annual Impact Awards in Beverly Hills in February. Rob Schneider and Claudia Bassols, stars of CBS's "Rob" were host of the annual gala of Latino talent. Cesar Millan, Benjamin Bratt, Michelle Rodriguez, Efren Ramirez, Aubrey Plaza, director Chris Weitz (A Better Life), and music artist Taboo were honored at Nhmc's night at the Beverly Wilshire. The annual fete celebrates outstanding Latino performances, as well as recognizing exceptional service and commitment to the Latino community.

On the

Read more...

The premise of the new CBS sitcom ¡Rob! is only interesting if you’ve never heard of Fools Rush In or Guess Who or the Meet the Parents trilogy or perhaps if these are the only movies that you’ve ever truly enjoyed. After a six-week courtship, Rob (Rob Schneider) has eloped with Maggie (Claudia Bassols), having never met her mother and father. Being introduced to the in-laws under these circumstances would probably be distressing for most people but it is particularly so here because Maggie is Mexican-American and Rob…isn’t. Awk-ward! What’s worse, Rob is apparently unable to have a normal conversation with someone whose ethnic background is different than his. “I’m a huge fan of Mexican culture,” he says, trying to endear himself to his father-in-law Fernando (Cheech Marin). He continues: “This dip is excellent. I believe it’s called guacamole.” Was this the kind of woo he was pitching when he...

According to South Park, comic actor Rob Schneider has played an animal, a woman, a carrot, and a stapler. And who could forget his rousing turn in Da Derp Dee Derp Da Teetley Derpee Derpree Dumb? (For the record, Schneider has only played an animal and a woman, so far. Though Da Derp Dee Derp… seems like it has the potential to be a hit, no?)

Now the SNL vet/frequent Adam Sandler collaborator has added another title to his resume: Newlywed Ocd Landscape Architect Who Is Also Actually Kinda Racist And Will Accidentally Sexually Harass Your Grandmother. (Stapler doesn’t sound so bad now,...

The pilot episode of "Rob" (Thu., 8:30 p.m. Est on CBS) was all about Rob (Rob Schneider) meeting Maggie's (Claudia Bassols) family for the first time. In other words, viewers will have to wait until next week to see what kind of voice the show intends to have -- should any of them choose to come back for a second helping.

As a newly-married couple who've only known each other for six weeks, "Rob" is in very familiar sitcom material. Already writers played with her upsetting his "neat freak" routine around the house, and certainly other quirks will manifest as they continue living together. But the biggest friction looks to come from her family, who live nearby. And the biggest and easiest place to mine for jokes so far is the culture clash between Rob and Maggie's Mexican-American family.

Schneider's wife is from Mexico, and he credited her with...

The pilot episode of "Rob" (Thu., 8:30 p.m. Est on CBS) was all about Rob (Rob Schneider) meeting Maggie's (Claudia Bassols) family for the first time. In other words, viewers will have to wait until next week to see what kind of voice the show intends to have -- should any of them choose to come back for a second helping.

As a newly-married couple who've only known each other for six weeks, "Rob" is in very familiar sitcom material. Already writers played with her upsetting his "neat freak" routine around the house, and certainly other quirks will manifest as they continue living together. But the biggest friction looks to come from her family, who live nearby. And the biggest and easiest place to mine for jokes so far is the culture clash between Rob and Maggie's Mexican-American family.

Schneider's wife is from Mexico, and he credited her with...

Rob Schneider is nothing if not confident. At the Television Critics Association Winter press tour, the former "SNL" star and lead in "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo" compared his new series "Rob!" to such TV classics as "All in the Family," "Fawlty Towers" and "I Love Lucy." But how does it really stack up?

The series, which is loosely based on Schneider's own life, follows Rob (Rob Schneider) and Maggie (Claudia Bassols), who elope after knowing each other for a very brief period. The wrinkle comes in because Maggie is from a large Mexican family who a) don't know Rob and b) when they meet him, don't like him. And the more Rob attempts to get in their good graces, the worse it gets.

In the pilot, Maggie needs to tell her family that she ran off to Vegas and got hitched. This family features Cheech Marin as her father Fernando,...

Chicago – After an absolute train wreck like ABC’s “Work It” and something that comes close to disaster in NBC’s “Are You There, Chelsea,” there’s something nearly-satisfying about a mediocre sitcom like “Rob!” The latest effort to find a hit in the coveted post-“Big Bang Theory” slot is certainly better than the last two (“S**t My Dad Says,” “How to Be a Gentleman”) but that is the definition of faint praise. This is still mediocre comedy, the kind of show that you might enjoy if you stumble upon it but that you don’t need to set a Season Pass for any time soon.

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

Rob Schneider has always looked uncomfortable on film in comedies like “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” and “Grown Ups,” but he was often very funny in his time on “Saturday Night Live” and even delivered on the short-lived “Men Behaving Badly.

A smart rule for a new TV series is sell, but stay grounded. Apparently Rob Schneider didn't get the memo as it relates to his upcoming CBS comedy "Rob!" Before an episode even airs, Schneider compares the program - which centers on his character, his new wife (Claudia Bassols) and her extended Mexican family - to three classic comedies.

"It's 'All in the Mexican Family' and I'm Basil Fawlty," he says making reference to multi-Emmy winner "All in the Family" and the British comedy "Fawlty Towers." Schneider, while at the Television Critics Association Winter press tour, didn't stop there explaining that the show was essentially "I Love Lucy" with the leads reversed.

Cheech Marin, who plays Rob's father-in-law, echoes this sentiment when discussing his character.

"He's kind of in the Archie Bunker range and that's exactly how I wanted to portray him," Marin says. "He's not the bleeding heart liberal.

Rob Schneider may be the star of the new CBS "Rob!" but his wife came up with the show's concept. The comedian stopped by "The Talk" (weekdays on CBS) on Tuesday with his co-stars Cheech Marin and Claudia Bassols, and discussed how the show was born. "My wife, she's from Mexico, this show was her idea," he explained. Throwing on his best Mexican accent, Schneider recounted that she told him, "You know, Robert, you should do a show where you marry a Mexican girl," but Aisha Tyler interrupted him to call out his accent. "Are you married to Al Pacino, Rob?" she joked.

The show follows Rob as he struggles to fit in with, and win over, his Mexican wife's extended family. Cheech Marin plays Rob's wife's father, and after Schneider talked about how excited he is to be working with the legend of stoner comedy, Marin quipped that,...

Filed under: Reality-Free, TV Previews

In his new sitcom, 'Rob,' which arrives Jan. 12, everything seems to be going well for Rob Schneider's character. At first.

After a whirlwind romance, the landscape architect ends his bachelor status by eloping with a gorgeous woman named Maggie (Claudia Bassols). Then comes the hard part -- winning over Maggie's overprotective, close-knit, Mexican-American family.

The comedy, which Schneider based in part on his real-life marriage to Mexican TV producer Patricia Azarcoya Arce, also stars Cheech Marin and Diana Maria Riva as Maggie's wary parents, Eugenio Derbez as Hector, the family's black sheep and Rob's only ally, and Lupe Ontiveros as Maggie's Abuelita.

As you can tell from the clip below, getting used to Maggie's family won't necessarily be easy for Rob.

 

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CBS has announced its midseason schedule for 2012. The network revealed on Monday (November 14) that the Rob Schneider comedy ¡Rob! will make its debut on Thursday, January 12 at 8.30pm. The series - which also stars Cheech Marin, Claudia Bassols, Diana Maria Riva, Eugenio Derbez and Lupe Ontiveros - focuses on a man who marries into a Mexican-American family. Meanwhile, Rules of Engagement is expected to return to its Thursday evening 8.30pm time slot later in the season. CBS also announced that the third season of Undercover Boss will premiere on Sunday, January 15 at 8pm. Each episode of the reality series follows a senior executive of a company as they work (more)...

The wait is over! The new comedy ¡Rob! starring Rob Schneider will bow Jan. 12. The comedy is about a lifelong bachelor who marries into a tight-knit Mexican-American family and stars Cheech Marin, Claudia Bassols, Diana Maria Riva, Eugenio Derbez and Lupe Ontiveros.

The Schneider comedy replaces Rules of Engagement, which will return to its Thursday time period later this season.

CBS will also premiere a third round of Undercover Boss on Sunday, Jan. 15, replacing The Amazing Race (which will also return midseason at a later date).

For more:

NBC reveals midseason debut dates...

CBS has picked up Rob Schneider’s family comedy as a mid-season series replacement, Deadline is reporting. The untitled series, which didn’t make the cut for the Fall 2011 prime-time schedule, will include eight episodes. The network liked the comedy enough to order a revamped second pilot that featured major casting changes and several backup scripts. The multi-camera series, which is Schneider co-wrote with Lew Morton, is based on the actor’s real-life experiences. Schneider will star as Rob, who just married into a close Mexican-American family. Claudia Bassols will play his wife, Maggie, while Diana Maria Riva will portray his mother-in-law, Rosa. Both roles were recast from the original pilot. While...

Filed under: TV News

Rob Schneider's CBS comedy is a-go for midseason placement.

According to Deadline, the order is for eight episodes.

The untitled project, which Schneider and Lew Morton co-wrote, is based on the actor's real life. Schneider plays Rob, a bachelor who has recently married into a very close-knit Mexican-American family.

Claudia Bassols plays Schneider's wife, Maggie, and Diana Maria Riva plays his mother-in-law, Rosa. Cheech Marin plays his father-in-law.

 

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CBS has added a comedy starring "Saturday Night Live" alum and frequent Adam Sandler co-star Rob Schneider to its midseason slate.

The show, which Schneider also co-created, is about a guy who's been on his own for most of his adult life and marries into a close-knit Mexican-American family. It's loosely based on his own life.

Spanish actress Claudia Bassols will play his new wife in the series. Cheech Marin, Diana Maria Riva, Eugenio Derbez and Lupe Ontiveros are also in the cast. Schneider, Lew Morton ("SNL," "NewsRadio") and Eric and Kim Tannenbaum ("Two and a Half Men") will serve as executive producers.

The untitled show was in the mix for a pickup in May at CBS' upfronts. The network didn't commit right away but ordered a new pilot with several roles recast. That one passed muster and will join the rookie-cops drama "The 2-2" as the network's midseason entrants.

Rob Schneider's comedy has been picked up for midseason, an individual familiar with the production confirms to TheWrap. The as-yet-entitled series will star the "Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo" actor as Rob, a seemingly confirmed bachelor who marries into a tight-knit Mexican-American family. The series co-stars Cheech Marin, Lupe Ontiveros (from "As Good as It Gets") and Claudia Bassols. Also read: From 'Alcatraz' to 'Chicks & Dicks': 6 Pilots We Want Greenlit (and 3 We Want Killed) Schneider will write and executive-produce, along with Lew Morton, of "Futurama" and "Big Lake." Jamie Widdoes is...

Rob Schneider is officially returning to primetime. CBS has handed a midseason series order to Schneider’s untitled family comedy. I hear the pickup is for eight episodes. While it was tracking well, the pilot didn’t make the cut for a fall series order at the upfronts, but CBS liked it enough to order a revamped second pilot that included major casting changes as well as several backup scripts. The multi-camera comedy, which Schneider co-wrote with Lew Morton based on the actor’s real-life experiences, stars Schneider as Rob, a confirmed bachelor who has just married into a tight-knit Mexican-American family. Spanish actress Claudia Bassols plays his wife, Maggie. Diana Maria Riva plays his mother-in-law, Rosa. Both roles were recast from the pilot, as was the role of Schneider’s father-in-law, now played by Cheech Marin. Remaining from the original cast are Schneider, Eugenio Derbez as the wife’s...

This is an early look at an upcoming post-apocalyptic vampire thriller titled Vampyre Nation. This film is from the man who made Weather Wars and Monster Wolf, Todor Chapkanov. Vampyre Nation stars Andrew Lee Potts ("Primeval"), Neil Jackson (Push) and Ben Lambert. In the future, vampires and humans live in a cold war atmosphere, where a synthetic blood substitute keeps the bloodsuckers at bay, temporarily. This truce will last for only so long.

Chapkanov's previous films Weather Wars and Monster Wolf were both shown on the SyFy Network and this title will also likely show on this channel, in 2012. This director also completed work on Miami Magma, which was shown on television. Have a look at all the details for this production below, courtesy of UFO International.

The synopsis for Vampyre Nation:

"Bucharest, Romania: the not-too-distant future, but an entirely different city. The human population is dwindling. The vampire population,...

Exclusive: Diana Maria Riva and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols are set to co-star opposite Rob Schneider and Cheech Marin in the Schneider's untitled CBS comedy, which is shooting a new pilot for midseason consideration as part of a recent order that also includes several backup scripts. The multi-camera comedy, which Schneider co-wrote with Lew Morton based on the actor's real-life experience, stars Schneider as Rob, a confirmed bachelor who has just married into a tight-knit Mexican-American family. Bassols will play his wife Maggie and Riva his mother-in-law Rosa, roles played in the original pilot by Nadine Velazquez and Ada Maris, respectively. Riva's age (she is younger than Schneider, who plays her son-in-law, and way younger than Marin, who plays her husband) suggests a possible trophy wife scenario. This completes the recasting of the CBS Studios/Tannenbaum Co. project, with new cast members Marin, Riva and Bassols joining pilot regulars Schneider,...

Director Suki Singh (Spotters) has released his first trailer for Emulsion. The clip is very Lynch-esque, with surreal shots of two separated lovers. The clip is just over a minute long and if you like your thrillers with a little bit of style, then you will enjoy this clip. All the details on Emulsion are below.

*Note: there is a UK release date, but no North American confirmed release.

A plot summary for Emulsion here:

"Emulsion is a Psychological Thriller about a man looking for his missing wife. Ronny Maze and his wife Isabella stop at car park in Bournemouth to get some rest after a long drive. Rony wants to make a call home but he realizes his mobile battery has gone flat, so he makes a call from a local phone box. When he returns back to the car park, he finds the car door is open and...

Emulsion Alt PosterAs well as a second darkened poster, more exclusive production details are coming this way on Suki Singh's kidnap thriller Emulsion. The latest news reveals that British actor Mem Ferda (Revolver, The Devil's Double) makes a cameo appearance as a cockney gangster Egor, as well as being on board as an executive producer. In a recent interview Ferda revealed that it was wonderful to play a character with a London based accent: "I often play Eastern European gangsters, so it was very refreshing when director Suki suggested that I play Egor, with an accent closer to my way of natural speaking" (see Mem as Egor below). Other cast members include Sam Heugan (Young Alexander the Great), Claudia Bassols (Paintball), and Lex Shrapnel (Flyboys). The film will be released in 2011. More info' on this crime thriller is below, along with the Emulsion homepage for more details.

Tagline:

"Last...

Emulsion Movie Poster 2010Emulsion is a kidnap thriller from director Suki Singh (Spotters), which completed shooting in late March, 2010. Shot in Bournemouth off the south-coast of England, Emulsion is a story about abduction and confinement as character Ronny Maze (Sam Heughan) searches for his recently disappeared wife, Isabella (Claudia Bassols). Ronny finds her in not quite the same condition he left her. An early movie poster and plot summary are available here with cast and crew info' below.

A plot summary for Emulsion here:

"Emulsion is a Psychological Thriller about a man looking for his missing wife. Ronny Maze and his wife Isabella stop at car park in Bournemouth to get some rest after a long drive. Rony wants to make a call home but he realizes his mobile battery has gone flat, so he makes a call from a local phone box. When he returns back to the car park,...

[Our thanks to Mike Leeder of Impact Magazine for passing on his first impressions of Jean Claude Van Damme’s The Eagle Path.]

Hi Todd, I thought you and everybody at Twitch might be interested in hearing a bit more about Jean-Claude Van Damme’s 2nd directorial outing “The Eagle Path”, formerly known as “Full Love’.

I had the great pleasure of watching the first cut of the movie recently, with Jean-Claude in Hong Kong literally a day or so after he completed editing. I’d previously visited the set in Thailand and been shown several scenes during editing, but this was the first time he screened the full cut of the movie to anyone.

The plot has already been discussed in a couple of newspieces, and as for the title change, “The Eagle Path” title is very relevant when you see the movie. The movie looks very big, with cinematography by Doug Milsome who shot “Full Metal Jacket’, and some great camerawork from Ross Clarkson. The film has a very good ‘visual...

To follow up the critical success of Jcvd - one of my personal favorites from the past year - Jean Claude Van Damme has been hard at work on his directorial effort Full Love. We brought you the first stills from the film all the way back in October and with word that the film has completed editing and undergone a name change - it is now known as The Eagle Path - a new block of stills have appeared online.

Jean Claude Van Damme fresh off the critical acclaim he received for “J.C.V.D”, now is directing, writing, producing and starring in “The Eagle Path” Aka “Full Love”. In the film he portrays “Frenchy”, an emotionally lost Ex-gi turned taxi driver somewhere in South-East Asia where he crosses paths with “Sofia”, played by Spanish actress (Claudia Bassols), a woman whose mysterious life mesmerizes him drawing him into...

Gwyneth Paltrow, Mario Batali, and a few of their celebrity friends like Bono and Helena Christensen got together last night at the Queen Sophia Spanish Institute in NYC to celebrate the debut of Mario and Gwyneth's Spain . . . On the Road Again. The PBS travel food show premiered over the weekend and has already been picked up for a second season in Italy — but that's not Gwyneth's only project. She's also just launched a website called Goop.com, which is dedicated to nourishing one's inner self. Gwyneth is all about sharing her passions these days, and at yesterday's event she opened up about her love of food and family. She said: On being her own chef: "I cook all the meals for my house. I love to cook. [...] We have a wood burning pizza oven in our garden. Right now the weather is nice in London, so I'm using that oven a lot.

MADRID -- Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow and three companions are setting off today on a real-life road trip around Spain in "Spain: On the Road Again", produced by Charles Pinsky's Frappe Prods. for PBS.

Chef and TV personality Mario Batali, New York Times dining and travel columnist Mark Bittman and Spanish TV actress Claudia Bassols will round out the foursome that will travel to unidentified destinations around Spain, "showcasing the country as it has never been seen before," Pinsky said.

"We want to do a show where we show what Spain is all about, both food and culturewise," Pinsky said. "We're looking for the most real and wonderful Spain."

Split into couples and traveling in cars, Paltrow, Bittman, Batali and Bassols will explore Spanish food, fashion, hotels, spas, nightlife, music and art.

According to Pinsky, Batali and Bittman are more focused on food and wine, while Paltrow and Bassols are expected to pursue fashion, spas, museums and shopping.

"The idea is to put a man and a woman in each car and see who prevails.