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LOCKED Is Intense and Entertaining A talk with the Director

We caught up with the director of LOCKED David Yarovesky (Brightburn, Nightbooks), just before we screened the film with no spoilers. The film took nineteen days to shoot. Watch our quick interview. Synopsis: No escape. No …

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At a Screening of Dog Man the Movie

It was an enjoyable screening with two of the grandsons. The five year old said it was happy and sad at the same time. And he loved it! The twelve year old who has read …

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Unstoppable Streaming on Prime Video

Unstoppable is the inspiring true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams. With the …

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 The Speed to the BoxOffice

“Sonic 3 will beat out Mufasa, for sure!” — JimmityCritic (12) Sonic the Hedgehog 3, what a fun evening with the grandkids it was. When you have a 12, 10 and 5 year-old clap their hands at the end …

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Mufasa: The Lion King the Prequel

Mufasa: The Lion King was entertaining and the production value was amazing to watch. Set in Africa, all-new film blends live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery.  My 12 year-old grandson thought it was one …

LOCKED Is Intense and Entertaining A talk with the DirectorAt a Screening of Dog Man the MovieUnstoppable Streaming on Prime VideoSonic the Hedgehog 3 The Speed to the BoxOfficeMufasa: The Lion King the Prequel

Hulu’s “East Los High” Season 2 Premiere’s July 9

Actors Rick Mancia and Alexandra Rodriguez
©2014 Angela María Ortíz S.

For the past couple of years original programming has taking off on the web with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube and others offering shows or series. Some are really good and of course some aren’t, but there’s interest in these new adventures. The ones that are interesting are doing well, like my personal favorite; Netflix’s Orange is the New Black now in its second season and renewed for a third.

Actres/singer Vivian Lamolli
©2014 Angela María Ortíz S.

Which brings us to Hulu’s entry last year of East Los High, a modern day cross between Beverly Hills, 90210 and Glee with a predominately Latino cast and crew–in front and behind the camera. The show creators are Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya. The show had an enough fan base to return with a second season of high school angst.

A few months ago Se Fija!’s Angela Ortíz got to hang out with a few of the new cast members of the new season. Here are some of the new and a few returning cast members; Rick Mancia, Alexandra Rodriguez, Vivian Lamolli, two sets of siblings Gabriel Chavarria, Jeremy Chavarria, Alicia Sixtos, Andrea Sixtos, Vannessa Vasquez, Tracy Perez, Rene Alvorado, Jessica Meza, Ray Diaz, Ashley Campuzano, and Danielle Vega.

The new season is out on July 9 on a computer near you. Below are a few of the interviews and trailer.

“Transformers: Age of Extinction” Loud and Explosive

For the Transformers fans they’ll be happy, for a new comer like me to the franchise—I enjoyed the film even though it was much longer than I expected.

The fourth picture in the Michael Bay-Paramount CGI 3D blockbuster has made $8.7 since last evening showings in the U.S., they expect it to hit $90 million for the weekend. Take a look at the trailer:

Stars of “Love Story,” “Thelma & Louise,” “Pulp Fiction” & “West Side Story” Speak

The Hollywood Reporter has done a cool video of some stars like, Ali MacGraw, Susan Sarandon and Rita Moreno during their photo shoot for their Hollywood’s 100 Favorite Films issue.

THR surveyed Studio chiefs, Oscar winners and TV royalty to judge the best movies of all time. Check out the video below and stay till the end.

The 2014 Imagen Award Nominations go to…

The Imagen Foundation has announced the nominees for the 29th Annual Imagen (Image) Awards, honoring positive portrayals of Latinos and Latino cultures in entertainment.

The awards will be presented at a gala black-tie dinner on Friday, August 1st, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, then air as a one-hour special on PBS SoCal (TBA).

You can see the list of nominees here.

Congratulations to all!

It’s DVD Tuesday! Everything is Awesome, “The LEGO Movie” is for Everyone

The LEGO Movie, the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO adventure, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, voiced by Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, and many more.

DVD/Blu-ray Disc: Everything is Awesome Edition (3D Combo Pack). You can check out our previous post here and the video below.

Director Jaume Collett-Serra Talks “Non-Stop”

Jaume Collett-Serra and David Swayze
©2014 Angela María Ortíz S.

Se Fija! sat in on director Jaume Collett-Serra (Orphan, Unknown, House of Wax) and set designer David Swayze (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Taking of Pelham 123, The Bourne Ultimatum) as they talked about the making of the film Non-Stop.

Collett-Serra is Spanish-born but has lived in the U.S. since he was eighteen. He started out shooting music videos and from there, his career skyrocketed and he shot commercials for Playstation, Budweiser, Mastercard, Miller-Lite, Pontiac, Smirnoff Ice, Renault, Verizon and 7UP; working with such agencies as McCann-Erickson, J. Walter Thompson, BBDO, and TBWA Chiat Day.

The film is available on Netflix, VOD and on Blu-ray/DVD. It stars Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore and Academy Award®-winner® Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave.)

The interview with Collett-Serra is refreshingly frank. You can check it out below:

Latinos Invade Cable: “Major Crimes” and “Murder in the First” are New on Monday Night

Major Crimes, with Raymond Cruz, Jonathan Del Arco and Nadine Velazquez returns for another season, joined by Murder in the First with Marissa Armijo as a Latina ADA.

Raymond Cruz and Mary McDonnell
Major Crimes

The cable season, running to fill the great huge hole left by summer programming of the broadcast nets, is just beginning to get underway. We saw the return of Longmire a week or so ago, Continuum and Orphan Black are new and serving our geeky side, and now crime-fighting has a couple of new names–or at least new episodes of old names–on Monday night.

Major Crimes has been a fixture on TNT for years, and some of the characters–like Raymond Cruz’ Detective Julio Sanchez–has been around even longer than the show itself, since he was a major part of the cast of its predecessor, The Closer, from Day One. More recently Jonathan Del Arco has joined up as a coroner named Morales, and even more recently Nadine Velazquez has appeared as Deputy District Attorney Emma Rios. It’s great to see smart, tough Latinos playing roles as smart, tough Latinos, and they’re all back for another round of new episodes beginning at 9P Monday, June 9.

Marissa Armijo

And now Steven Bochco, best know for shows like LA Law and NYPD Blue, is bringing Murder in the First to TNT as a suitable companion to Major Crimes. Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson star as investigators of a particular crime–the murder of an apparent drug addict, who turns out to be a Silicon Valley bigwig–and follow this single case across an entire season. As the mystery deepens, Marissa Armijo, last seen on Criminal Minds, joins the cast as Assistant District Attorney Lopez for half a dozen episodes. The mystery begins right after Major Crimes, at 10P on TNT Monday June 9.

With little else episodic happening anywhere up or down the dial, it’s nice to the professionals back in the driver’s seat.

A Featurette for Fans of The Four Seasons “Jersey Boys”

Many of us grew up listening to the music of The Four Seasons and even though this film has no Latino connection in front of the camera, we thought we would share this Featurette from Warner Bros’ Jersey Boys. Director Clint Eastwood’s big screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of the four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic ’60s rock group. Their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the hit songs that influenced a generation, and are now being embraced by a new generation of fans through the stage musical.

“Major Crimes” Marathon Coming this Weekend

L-r: Nadine Velazquez, Raymond Cruz, Tony Denison and Mary McDonnell in Major Crimes

Major Crimes, with Raymond Cruz, Jonathan del Arco, and Nadine Velazquez, returns on Monday…preceded by every single episode of the previous season, beginning the day before.

Good news for summer viewing any way you look at it: Spike TV will lead into the third season of Major Crimes, the successful spin-off/successor to The Closer, with a 19-hour marathon of the entire previous season. It begins on Sunday, June 8 at 2A and continues uninterrupted right up to the Season Three premiere on Monday, June 9 at 9P.

Jonathan del Arco Major Crimes

The Closer/Major Crimes dynasty has been ‘Latino-friendly’ since Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons and company sauntered onto cable TV ‘way back in 2005. Raymond Cruz has been part of the team since that first episode, including time off for a memorable turn on Breaking Bad. In recent years, Jonathan del Arco joined up in 2009 as the coroner Dr. Morales, and even more recently, Nadine Velazquez has appeared as D.D.A. Emma Rios. A wide range of other Latino actors, from regulars like Gina Ravera and Stephen Martines to a long line of guest stars, have been featured as well.

Welcome news for the early summer season where there’s so little worth watching anywhere on the dial.

Jon Huertas and “Castle” co-star Tamala Jones Create Stunning Short: “The Box”

Tamala Jones and Jon Huertas The Box

We’ve always known that Jon Huertas is a multi-talented man–actor, writer, musicians, and more. And now he’s proven it again with an amazing new short.

This tense tale of a field slave and a mulatto slave in 1840 was developed by the two of them, and premieres at the Dances with Films Festival on June 4.

Huertas and Ben Cory Jones wrote the script, and Huertas co-directed along with Andrew Bikichky, a Castle camera operator. Castle assistant director Nicole Rodgers is the producer. Check out the trailer here:

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