From the first time I saw Sonia Braga, in Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, I’ve been a fan of her work. Now I get to add her new film, Aquarius to my list of favorites. There are some wonderful scenes in this film, even with the dark undertones in it.
Below is a wrap video interview with Braga and director Kleber Mendonça Filho talking about the making and rating of this film in Brazil.
Synopsis: Aquarius, is about an aging woman who refuses to succumb to a formidable group of developers trying to force her out of her apartment. But, looking deeper, it’s the story of a woman who has remained powerful—and sexual—well into her later years.
“Women of any age don’t lose their sexuality” — Sonia Braga
The story: A visually spectacular and unabashedly emotional drama from director Juan Antonio Bayona (The Impossible, The Orphanage). 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikely ally when the Monster (Liam Neeson) appears at his bedroom window one night.
We got to be part of a 15-minute sneak peek of the upcoming Marvel feature, Doctor Strange, and when it was over, all we could say was, WOW!
L-r: Producer Kevin Feige and director Scott Derrickson AMC Burbank 16
Producer Kevin Feige and director Scott Derrickson were in attendance to introduce the footage to the diehard fanboys in attendance, eager for the next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And one other cool thing: Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) appeared in a pre-recorded clip, and said at the start of the preview that there’s more than an hour’s worth of footage that was made specifically for IMAX presentations.
The film is an origin story on how Dr. Strange, an arrogant neurosurgeon, becomes The Sorcerer Supreme. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Doctor Strange, here’s a little back-story on him.
Doctor Strange vol 4
Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange (Doctor Strange) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist and character conceptualist Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Strange Tales. A former neurosurgeon, Strange serves as the Sorcerer Supreme, the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats.
This is a film that you have to watch on an IMAX 3D screen. It is quite a spellbinding experience. The look was described perfectly by director Scott Derrickson as “psychedelic trippy visuals” from the Marvel comics. And without spoiling it, there is also a very funny Stan Lee cameo.
The film also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams,Tilda Swinton, and Mads Mikkelsen. Doctor Strange hit theaters on November 4. — A.O.
Giveaway! In FIVE CITIES, we have 30 pairs (4 cities) and 15 pairs (1 city) of an advance screening of Ouija: Origin of Evil!
Download a first-come, first-served screening pass by clicking on the link to your city below. Screenings will take place on Tuesday, October 18 (Have your pass ready to show at the door). GIVEAWAY CLOSES MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 at 8A (PT).
Follow the instructions in your pass and share your excitement using #Ouija, #OuijaOriginOfEvil and #SeFijaOnline. ENJOY!
Soraya Machado Powell screened The Birth of a Nation, written and directed by Nate Parker. It isa far different version than D. W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (originally called The Clansman) from 1915.
Nate Parker and Tony Espinosa The Birth of a Nation
Here is what she had to say: “Set against the antebellum South and based on a true story and part of our American History, it is about Nat Turner, an enslaved Baptist preacher who lived on a Virginia plantation owned by Samuel Turner. With rumors of insurrection in the air, a cleric convinces Samuel that Nate should sermonize to other slaves, thereby quelling any notions of an uprising. As Nate witnesses the horrific treatment of his fellow man, he realizes that he can no longer just stand by and preach. On August 21, 1831, Turner’s quest for justice and freedom leads to a violent and historic rebellion in Southampton County.
“I highly recommend this movie. It may not be appropriate for children under 14, as it is graphic and bloody.”
The film stars Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Aja Naomi King, Aunjanue Ellis, Gabrielle Union, Dwight Henry, Colman Domingo, Tony Espinosa, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Esther Scott.
In this thriller, Rachel (Emily Blunt), is devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.
Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Édgar Ramírez, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Lisa Kudrow, and Laura Prepon.
GOYA products approached us to do a fun cooking post for Latino Heritage Month. And I thought, why not, I love to cook!
In this, my third and last food post, I’ll describe the new dish I cooked and the products I used. And you can check out my first post on how I got into cooking here and my second post here.
I have one more shout out to make, and it’s to my brother from another mom, Brad Munson, a writer who can write about anything. And who also can whip up an amazing meal. Our friendship goes back thirty-five-years and over those years, I’ve had some great dishes made by him. And of course, many talks about foods and cooking. Check out his website here.
Our third and last dish is based on a typical Panamanian Sunday meal (I forgot the plantains). I made rice and gandules verdes (pigeon peas) cooked in coconut milk and a very tasty curry chicken. A taste of my Caribbean roots in this beautiful city I love, Los Angeles.
I used Goya products and used the IMUSA cooking Caldero pots we got.
You can check out more of IMUSA products at their website, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Enjoy the images. — A.O.
Masterminds Masterminds, is much funnier than I expected. I truly laugh so many times and I wasn’t the only one.
The actors are so over the top, they are superb. I would watch it again.
Synopsis: In this action comedy inspired by true events, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre), David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work-crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime.
Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash…only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most.
Deepwater Horizon This year’s big disaster movie is based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, the story chronicles the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history.
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, Kate Hudson, and directed by Peter Berg.
Mrs Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children I think this is one of director Tim Burton’s best film in quite a while. It is based upon the best-selling novel, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” Which is part of a series of books for young adults. In Burton’s film, we get an unforgettable motion picture experience.
Synopsis: When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.
Starring Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Allison Janney, Terence Stamp, Rupert Everett, Judi Dench, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Queen of Katwe is in theaters nationwide now. Check out our previous post here.
Ash vs. Evil Dead is one crazy, fun ride, and it’s about to enter its second season of bloody good fun on STARZ. It turns out that Ray Santiago, who plays one of Ash’s dedicated (and slightly insane) sidekicks is kind of crazy-fun himself, and we had a chance to talk with him recently about working on with legends on this strange and sensational series.
AvED is a direct continuation (thirty years later) of the horror cult classics Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 (and to a lesser degree Army of Darkness, boomstick notwithstanding), and Ray’s character, Pablo Simon Bolivar, has been on board since Season 1, Episode 1, right alongside Ash himself (Bruce Campbell) and the equally amazing Dana DeLorenzo, not to mention the truly legendary action-actress Lucy Lawless. Yeah, Xena herself who joins the show full-time for Season 2.
Ray Santiago
You can tell in the first two minutes of talking with Ray that he is one smart dude who ‘gets’ the attraction to this more-than-a-little-insane series. He’s also a damn hard worker who clearly loves his partnership with a couple of living legends on one of the most physically demanding action shows being produced today, After all, AvED is almost entirely created with practical effects–masks and models and make-up appliances–not with CGI and green screens. This is hard work, people. It’s also one of the bloodiest and most violent shows you’ll see this season (but in a good way), so all that effort is well worth it.
We had a chance to talk about the filming of the second season in far-off New Zealand, his experiences with the dedicated and surprisingly sweet cast, and got a few hints about all the incredibly cool stuff that’s going to be happening in Season Two. We also got a chance to watch the first couple of episodes of the new season, and seriously: long-time fans and curious newcomers will not be disappointed. This show is hot–if anything, even hotter this season than last.
Ray Santiago
Here’s the conversation we had, between our horror-loving friend Brad Munson and Ray himself. Don’t miss the second season premiere Oct. 2. And you can watch all of the first season for free and without verification on starz.com right now, and even see the Season 2 opener for a limited time.
One lucky winner will win these two items from IMUSA and GOYA in celebration of Latino Heritage Month.
A cloth tortilla warmer makes it easy to serve fresh, warm tortillas at any meal. The tortilla warmer is for microwave use and keeps tortillas or breads warm for up to 1 hour with a built-in insulated pouch.
The perforated food safe PVC barrier inside the pouch allows the moisture to escape slowly, preventing the issue of sweating inside. In addition, the polyester/cotton exterior features attractive and trendy designs, adding to its visual appeal on the table. Having cold tortillas minutes after heating won’t be a problem any longer!
“Goya’s Happy, Healthy Celebrations Cookbook” is a bilingual cookbook packed with 30 healthy MyPlate Latin recipes for every celebration!
Would you like to win these? Then just click here to send us an e-mail with your name and address.
We’ll draw the winner at 12N (PT) on Wednesday, OCTOBER 12.
From the first time I saw Sonia Braga, in Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, I’ve been a fan of her work. Now I get to add her new film, Aquarius to my list of favorites. There are some wonderful scenes in this film, even with the dark undertones in it.
