If you are looking for a heartwarming family film, Unsung Hero is coming to a theater near you on April 26. I personally thought the mom was the main unsung hero but also the whole family. As an immigrant …
We liked this western. The story and the complexity of the main characters kept you captivated. The Dead Don’t Hurt is a powerful and profoundly personal cinematic western written and directed by Viggo Mortensen. In theaters nationwide May …
A Thousand Pines, the documentary is directed and produced by Sebastián Díaz and Noam Osband, follows a season of Oaxacan tree planters traveling the United States and explores the hidden world of guest workers regrowing …
Ready for some action? Check out the trailer with Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in Academy Award-winning mastermind George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than …
Being old enough to remember when Shirley Chisholm ran for president and the feeling it left you with was, boy, she had guts! Her slogan was “Unbought and Unbossed.” —A.O. Regina King stars as Shirley …
Emmy award-winning director and producer Ed Wiseman shares with Mabel Aragon his latest project entitled, Airway: The Battle To Breathe. The documentary follows Sydney Avis, who has been struggling with forgetfulness, lack of sleep and exhaustion since she was 2-years-old.
Sydney’s journey has led her to many doctors and she’s endured numerous tests and procedures over the last few years. Although the experts have been helpful, she still searches for a permanent solution.
“This became part of her personal growth. It’s like I need to go through this. I need to breathe better. I need to feel better…She has become the grand coper of life.”
Ed and his team accompany this brave young woman as she seeks an end to her ordeal and answers to a largely undiagnosed epidemic. Follow Sydney’s progress as the cameras proceed to chronicle her challenging and uplifting moments. For more information visit Airway documentary.
Raised in the Garden State, Allison Strong has been working on her craft since she was a little girl, getting an early start performing with the Park Performing Arts Center in Union City, New Jersey.
This actress, singer/songwriter of Colombian descent is making her childhood dreams come true. At the age of 18, Allison was selected from a casting call to join the stage production of Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway. In 2014, she released her debut album, March Towards The Sun, where she sings in both English and Spanish. When asked about one of her favorite moments on screen, Allison said it was playing Adam Sandler’s daughter in the 2018 American comedy film, The Week Of, also starring Chris Rock.
“I was raised by a single parent and I always imagined, you know, what it would be like, a father-daughter dance and stuff like that. And so with him, I got to have that experience, and it was truly a genuine emotional moment for me.”
Mabel Aragon had an entertaining virtual experience during quarantine with this performing artist as she shared more about her adventures on camera, stage and goals she has yet to achieve.
Some may call it the perfect storm; when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. And, that’s exactly what Alex Mendoza, executive producer of a fourteen episode feature length anthology film entitled, COVID19…Sins & Virtues, shared with Mabel Aragon, about what he created with the collaboration of 17 different crews made up of peers, friends and family members across two countries.
The 14 episodes Anthology titled Covid19…Sins & Virtues is being produced by Mendoza and True Form Films: Yeniffer Behrens (The Way Back, Grey’s Anatomy) and Mauricio Mendoza (Resurrection Blvd, Criminal Minds). Each episode is original. Filmmakers had the freedom to choose genre, story, style and runtime. The requisites: 1) It must have been filmed with assets at hand. 2) The story must use COVID-19 forced isolation only as background. 3) The episode must relate to the randomly assigned sin/virtue as the episode’s central theme.
It took two days to get together 14 creative teams. No open call was ever issued. All episodes were written and developed in less than three weeks, with most episodes having finished principal photography as of May 15, 2020.
Participants Include: Jon Allen, Sergio Arau, Fidel Arizmendi, Wendi Bazar-Besasie, Yeniffer Behrens, Adan Bernal, Carlo Besasiem, Caroline Brethenoux, Camille Cortes, Jason Coulter, Mochi DaKat, Hernan De Beky, Kim DeVenne, Olivia DeVenne, Alejandro Edda, Jasmin Espada, César Gamiño, Frances Garcia, Emmaluna Garcia, Michael Garcia, Hugo García, Juan Gil, Falco IlCaninus, Marabina Jaimes, Arthur Koutsoumbaris, Susie Lohse, Betty Lopez, Alassandra Lopez, Eddie Martinez, Ashley Martinez, Amy Martinez, Alejandro Mendoza, Mauricio Mendoza, Julianna Mia Mendoza-Behrens, Adrian Moreira-Behrens, Miguel Paredes, Laura Patalano, Brittany Patalano, Shanay Patalano, Salim Sanchez, Jesus Schettino, Jessica Thomas-Martinez, Chuti Tiu, Alex Toedtli Mera, Oscar Torre, Savira Windyani, and Sofia Yepes.
Tony nominated filmmaker Ben DeJesus whose built a reputable career working on television projects, documentaries, branded and digital content, spent some time with Mabel Aragon discussing his latest project, Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage,which received an Emmy nomination as part of PBS’ American Masters.
“I was always aware of Raul Juliá and the amazing career he had as a Puerto Rican on Broadway, and as someone who was aspiring to something similar, there was him and John Leguizamo that I really looked up to and idolized.”
Ben also talks about his work as co-founder of NGL Studios, joined by his partners John Leguizamo and David Chitel.
Hollywood trailblazer Rafael J. Rivera-Viruet, known in the industry as Ralph Rivera, is a movie financier, executive and author originally from Puerto Rico. His book Dream Chaser–The Business of Showbiz was nominated by the 22nd International Latino Books Awards, the largest Latino cultural awards in the United States.
“This particular award makes me so humble because I’m almost 80 years old, you know, and I’m still fulfilling my dreams.”
He shared with Mabel Aragon his passion for the industry and desire for Latinos to have more opportunities in the development and creative process.
“Follow your dream, go with confidence and you will get there, and you will make changes.”
The annual Hispanicize Summit will be held virtually this year. Mabel Aragon spoke to NGL Collective Founder and CEO David Chitel and event hosts Jessica Flores and Enrique Sapene, who provided a sneak peek of some of the surprises viewers can expect from this celebration.
“We’re going to have amazing dialogue and discussions and really talk about issues that are impacting the Latinx community today, which is so important; and the fact that anybody is able to just tune in and get all this wisdom and knowledge, I think is amazing,” says Jessica Flores.
David Chitel adds, “It’s a message of unity and empowerment for the Latino community.”
List of Speakers: Aaron Walton, Alicia Menendez, Anaid Quijada, Andrekza, Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri, Anne Vasquez, Aymee Nuviola, Bamby Salcedo, Ben Lopez, Byron Salas, Carlos Ponce, Claudia Romo Edelman, Cristela Alonzo, Dash Harris Machado, DJ Chava, Eddie Olmos, Ellen Ochoa, Father Agustino Torres, Henry R. Muñoz III, Jack Rico, Jessica Alba, Jessica Molina, Jessie Woolley-Wilson, John Henry, John Leguizamo, Julian Castro, Julissa Calderon, Kim Guerra, Laith Ashley, Marcee Martinez, Mariah Angeliq, Mario Lopez, Mario X. Carrasco, Melissa Fumero, Mexican Gueys, Mike Madrid, Monica Ramirez, Natasha Alexis Martinez, Mayra Macias, Oliver familia (Andrea, Manny, Patricia and Guac), Oscar de la Hoya, Petition, RaqC, Rebecca Antonia Rodriguez, Victor Ramos, Xolo Maridueña, Yarel Ramos, and Yvette Peña.
Hispanicize takes place October 15 from 9A – 2P PST/ 12P – 5P EST. Tune in by visiting Hispanicize.
Behind the scenes of the new romantic comedy In Other Words, screened at 2020 New York Latino Film Festival.
Award-winning television and film content creators, filmmakers Patrick Perez Vidauri and Cristina Nava, along with actors Bryan McClure and Natasha Esca spoke to Mabel Aragon about their new romantic comedy In Other Words, which was screened on opening night of the 2020 New York Latino Film Festival.
“This is a love letter to Mexico and to Valle de Guadalupe because it [the story] just wrote itself,” says Cristina Nava.
Synopsis: A tech whiz named True finally lands an investor for his matchmaking app. When True matches with a beautiful woman who doesn’t speak English, he travels to Mexico to prove his algorithm isn’t dysfunctional. To get the girl and close the deal of a lifetime, he must find a way to overcome the language barrier–and his own fears and insecurities.
Released in September On Digital and On Demand and airing on HBO Latino in February 2021, the film also features former SNL alum Chris Kattan, Edy Ganem, Renee Victor, and Enrique Castillo.
DC FanDome has been expanded into two global events—the first on August 22–DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes, and a second on-demand experience in DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse on September 12, where fans can create and curate their own adventure. And–fans can now teleport their FanDome experience as both will be accessible across all mobile platforms (in addition to desktop).
DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes: On Saturday, August 22, at 10:00A PDT, fans will be transported into the DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes, an epic world designed personally by Jim Lee featuring special programming, panels and exclusive reveals from a wide variety of films, TV series, games, comics and more.
The superpowered eight-hour show will be available for fans around the world to watch exclusively 3x in the 24-hour period.
DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse: On Saturday, September 12, at 10:00am PDT, fans will be able to create their own timeline! The great thing about this event is that it will be on demand, giving you the ability to curate your own unique experience via our Official DC FanDome Online Scheduler Tool.
A lot of the content you were super excited to see from our multiple islands will now be housed here, and will be available for you to watch throughout the 24-hour period.
Fans can now choose their own adventure and will have more time to immerse themselves in all the hours of curated programming—at their own pace and on their own schedule.
This also allows us to provide the best user experience, and will now not only be available on your desktop computer but across all mobile devices.
DC Kids FanDome will also launch on Saturday, September 12, at its own kid-friendly companion site at DCKidsFanDome.com.
Murder in the Woodspasses my “three jump” test. It’s really your classic cabin-in-the-woods horror flick. Fun to watch with your friends or that one person you can cling to while watching. Like the writer de León said, “It’s not Shakespeare. It’s a fun film to have a good laugh and be scared a bit.” There are some solid performances by the cast and of course you have el veterano, Danny Trejo in the mix.
Danny Trejo
I got a chance to chat with Chelsea Rendon, Soledad St. Hilaire, and Yelyna de León. We didn’t talk much about the movie because we didn’t want to give any spoilers but I think they are fun interviews that you’ll enjoy. So watch below.
Kade Wise, Chelsea Rendon, Jeanette Samano and Jordan Diambrini
Synopsis: Murder in the Woodsis centered on a group of college friends who plan a getaway to celebrate a birthday party at an isolated cabin in the woods. Against his grandmother’s (Soledad St. Hilaire) demands, Jesse (José Julián), a loner-type, decides to go on the trip with his friends. He is immediately smitten with Fernanda (Jeanette Samano), a sweet girl from Chicago whom he hasn’t seen in years.
From REZINATE Entertainment and Yel Productions, the award-winning (lots of film fests) slasher film MURDER IN THE WOODScomes to drive-ins and theaters nationwide on August 14, 2020, with a Digital and Video on Demand release slated for September 18, 2020. Directed and produced by Mexican filmmaker Luis Iga Garza (The Call) and written and produced by Yelyna De León (Will and Grace, A Better Life), the frightening thriller stars an exclusively multicultural cast in non-stereotypical roles, including Catherine Toribio, Kade Wise, Jordan Diambrini, Kurt Caceres, Max Chavarria, and Rolando Molina.
Cast members and producers of the Telenovela style series Sangre Negra spoke to Mabel Aragon about the vision for the show, their camaraderie off set, and the future of this cross-generational saga that follows the Santos Family as they struggle between good and evil.
“Expect some amazing stuff…it’s going to blow your socks off, says Inga Madison, Executive Producer.
Viewers can enjoy the first episode of Sangre Negra on Amazon Prime. The series will air on El Rey Network in the fall.
Now, sit back and enjoy as this cast of characters reveal their personalities on and off screen.
In part one, executive producers Inga Madison and Karriem Madison, along with cast members Antonio McKay, Ricardo Herranz, Danny Arroyo, and Stoney Jackson, share with us the value of creating prominent roles for Latino and minority actors In Hollywood. Stay tuned for part two. Find out how well these actors know each other when they play a behind the scenes trivia game.
Order of actors in the Zoom boxes.
Left to Right: Top (viewers’ perspective): Inga Madison and Karriem Madison, Mabel Aragon, Danny Arroyo
Left to Right: Bottom: Antonio McKay and Stoney Jackson (appear together in part 1) and Ricardo Herranz
True Detective: Night Country new season is on Digital now. It will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD July 9, with bonus features. You can purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.
True Detective: Night Country is available now to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more.
Set in Alaska, True Detective: Night Country follows detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis), as they investigate the disappearance of eight scientists. When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, detectives Danvers and Navarro will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice.
In addition, the season also stars John Hawkes, Christopher Eccleston, Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Anna Lambe, Aka Niviâna, Isabella Star Lablanc, and Joel D. Montgrand.
Issa López is the showrunner, writer, director, and executive producer.
Favorite Shot of the Day
Podcast
You can also listen to any episode of all of the podcast at thebradmunson.com
Emmy award-winning director and producer Ed Wiseman shares with Mabel Aragon his latest project entitled, Airway: The Battle To Breathe. The documentary follows Sydney Avis, who has been struggling with forgetfulness, lack of sleep and exhaustion since she was 2-years-old. 
