Archive for the ‘Movies’ Category
14th Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
9:31 am By BiancaLaureano · Los Angeles|Movies · 1 Comment
11 Jun 2010Mark your calendars for the 14th Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival! Beginning Thursday August 19 and ending Wednesday August 25, 2010 in Hollywood, CA at the Chinese 6 Mann Cinemas. The mission of LALIFF is:
LALIFF presents feature films, documentaries, shorts and special side bar screenings. The films presented at the festival showcase a wide variety of themes by Latino filmmakers, producers, writers and actors, as well as movies that depict Latino culture. It is a competitive festival with prizes and a venue where filmmakers come together with buyers and distributors. Our Industry Office facilitates meetings and keeps a video library for Hollywood executives. LALIFF also offers industry workshops, panels, labs, networking receptions, educational programs, and hosts some of the best Galas in tinsel town. We hope you will join us!
If you cannot afford to attend the screenings consider volunteering! They are especially looking for volunteers who are bilingual. Check out the call for volunteers here.
9500 Liberty In AZ Theaters
4:54 pm By BiancaLaureano · arizona|Immigration|Movies · 1 Comment
29 Apr 2010
Last summer Mala shared with us a trailer for the film 9500 Liberty about Virginia’s Prince William County’s Anti-Immigration legislation acts that she saw at Netroots (which she is also seeking to attend this year so go vote for her to get a scholarship to attend!). She wrote:
On Day 2, I decided to make a more concerted effort to attend panels and events related to immigration and to meet up with some of the other immigrant blogger scholarship winners. After some morning blogging, it was to a lunch time screening of 9500 Liberty.
The independently made documentary by Annabel Park and Eric Byler takes the audience through Virginia’s Prince William County’s anti-immigrant and anti-Latino legislative actions and the protests against them. I thought it was really important for people to see how local initiatives across the country help add to the wider anti-immigrant rhetoric. It was also interesting to see how in progressive spaces, lip service can be paid to bloggers of color, specifically Latinos, while the hustle and dance is all about self-promotion and marketing.
Earlier this week my homegirl Elena, who lives in Surprise, Arizona, sent me an email announcing the premire of the film in Tempe, Avondale, and Scotsdale, AZ this week. Below is the screening information as it hits theaters tomorrow, Friday:
9500 LIBERTY
Tempe, AZ
9500 Liberty Theatrical Premiere
Starts Friday, April 30, 2010
Showtimes 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00*, 9:00*
Harkins Harkins Valley Art Theater
509 S Mill Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85281-3607
(480) 829-6666
* Director Eric Byler in person for Q&A after these shows on Opening Night,
Friday, April 30.Avondale, AZ
9500 Liberty Theatrical Premiere
Starts Friday, April 30, 2010
Showtimes 10:00, 12:30*, 3:00*, 5:30*, 8:00, 10:30
Harkins Harkins Gateway Pavilions 18
10250 W. McDowell Road
Avondale, AZ 85323
(623) 478-9411
Director Eric Byler in person for Q&A on Sunday, May 2.Scottsdale, AZ
9500 Liberty Theatrical Premiere
Starts Friday, April 30, 2010
Showtimes 10:40, 1:20*, 4:15*, 7:15*, 10:00
Harkins Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre
7000 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, AZ 85054
(480) 538-1707
Director Eric Byler in person for Q&A on Saturday, May 1.
I think the screening is coming at a very important time and if you are in the area please attend if you can. Both of the directors will be present to discuss the film on Friday evening. There also seems to have been an extended trailer that was created which is posted below.
VL (sorta) At The Cine: Orgasm, Inc.
9:28 pm By BiancaLaureano · Health|Movies|Women · 3 Comments
28 Apr 2010
I recently reviewed a film called Orgasm, Inc.: The Strange Science Of Female Pleasure whic I reviewed for the site RH Reality Check. The topics discussed are ones that I believe need to be ocurring in as many spaces as possible, hence a semi-cross posting here at VL.
The film synopsis as listed on the website reads:
In the shocking and hilarious documentary ORGASM INC., filmmaker Liz Canner takes a job editing erotic videos for a drug trial for a pharmaceutical company. Her employer is developing what they hope will be the first Viagra drug for women that wins FDA approval to treat a new disease: Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD). Liz gains permission to film the company for her own documentary. Initially, she plans to create a movie about science and pleasure but she soon begins to suspect that her employer, along with a cadre of other medical companies, might be trying to take advantage of women (and potentially endanger their health) in pursuit of billion dollar profits. ORGASM INC. is a powerful look inside the medical industry and the marketing campaigns that are literally and figuratively reshaping our everyday lives around health, illness, desire — and that ultimate moment: orgasm.
Check out the film trailer below
VL At The Cine: Repo Men
2:02 pm By BiancaLaureano · Movies · 4 Comments
23 Mar 2010
***Spoiler Alert***
Disclaimer: This is a review of the 2010 film Repo Men ONLY. For a discussion/review of similarities between this film and Repo! The Genetic Opera visit this piece here.
I had not heard or seen any advertisements for this film when I was invited to a screening, thus I did not know what to expect. Think Blade Runner meets Soylent Green meets Wall-E . It’s a futuristic tale that was difficult to watch, triggered many memories and emotions, and left me with little hope. It was an interesting film to have released during this historic time as President Obama signs the health care reform bill.
A film about two men, friends from childhood, Remy (Jude Law) and Jake (Forest Whitaker) who have a dangerous job of repossessing robotic body parts sick people have purchased to help them remain alive. Yes you read correctly, Remy and Jake cut out the robotic organs keeping people alive because they have fallen back on the payments of the parts. But then, when Remy has an on-the-job accident and needs a heart transplant, he finds himself on the other end of the repossession experience.
VL At The Cine: Our Family Wedding
6:26 pm By BiancaLaureano · Movies · 18 Comments
11 Mar 2010
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
It seems like it was only yesterday that Mala and I were tweeting that we were surprised we had not been invited to a screening of the upcoming film Our Family Wedding featuring America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Regina King, and Forest Whitaker. Then all of a sudden an invitation falls into my inbox! I’ll admit that when I started to see the trailers on television I just took a deep sigh as the images and storyline lead one to believe that it will focus on the racism that Latinos have towards Black people. And ya’ll know how I feel about that already.
The film follows Lucia performed by America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) who is attending Law School at Columbia University in NYC where she meets her fiancé Marcus performed by Lance Gross (House Of Payne, Meet The Browns), who is seeking a medical degree at the same University. We meet them as they are packing to head back to LA to visit family and announce they are getting married. Dating for less than one year, Marcus is excited to share his decision and love for Lucia with his single-father who raised him, Brad, performed by Forest Whitaker (Last King Of Scotland), who is one of LA’s most eligible bachelors ad a well known radio personality. Lucia however, is very concerned about telling her father Miguel performed by Carlos Mencia (The Mind of Mencia) and her mother Sonia performed by Diana-Maria Riva (Chasing Papi, What Women Want) about her wedding plans, dropping out of Law School to become a teaching to immigrant youth, and moving with Marcus to Laos for a Doctors Without Borders opportunity.
As I watched the film, I was entertained, but it became clear to me that the film was written by men because each of the multiple ways the female characters were developed (or not) and how they were portrayed as weak, sad, fearful, or chasing after men. Yet the men are angry, opinionated, and in various ways display levels of power not just within their specific communities but power over the women in their lives as well. Read more…
Another Latin American Oscar Contender Tonight : The Secret of Her Eyes
9:08 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Argentina|Entertainment|Movies · 1 Comment
7 Mar 2010Tonight is the 82nd Academy Awards aka The Oscars. Bianca already posted about one of the Latin American films up for an award in the Best Foreign Film Category : La Teta Asustada.
The other Latin American film up for the same award comes from Argentina, El Secreto de sus Ojos.
VL At The Cine: Cop Out
4:29 pm By BiancaLaureano · Celebrities|Movies|race · 3 Comments
25 Feb 2010
The good thing about the film Cop Out is that the term “coonfest” does not completely describe this film. The bad thing is everything else. I admit when I first saw the trailers for the film I said to myself “…but I’ve seen the 48 Hours films already.” Unfortunately, Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma) did not have a lot to work with regarding the script brothers Robb and Mark Cullen (Heist) wrote and gave him.
The story is about two police officers in California who have been together for nine years. Jimmy Monroe performed by Bruce Willis (Die Hard) and Paul Hodges performed by Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, First Sunday) have formed a “unique” way of attempting to solve crimes. Yet, their crime-fighting capabilities lead them to a 30-day suspension. While Jimmy worries about how to pay for his daughter, Ava’s (Michelle Trachtenberg) wedding, Paul is preoccupied with the possibility that his wife, Debbie, performed by Rashida Jones (I Love You, Man) may be having an affair with the neighbor. Instead of agreeing to have Ava’s stepfather Roy, performed by Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl), pay for the wedding, Jimmy chooses to sell a baseball card he’s had since his childhood. Upon attempting to sell his card the store is held up, his card stolen, and he convinces Paul to search for the missing card with him. This search leads them to a drug cartel run by (who else?) a Mexican crew led by Poh Boy performed by a very tired looking Guillermo Díaz (Weeds).
This Can’t Be Good, Right? Speedy Gonzalez, the Movie.
9:36 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Celebrities|children|Marketing|Movies · 22 Comments
25 Feb 2010
Can I get an “ay caramba!”?
Warner Brothers, historically known for their accurate and nuanced portrayal of people of color communities, is fast tracking a Speedy Gonzales live-action/CG hybrid feature, with George Lopez as the voice of the Mexican mouse.
Speedy, who comes with a history of stereotypical portrayals of Mexico and Mexicans, is supposedly redeemed by Lopez who is reclaiming the ratoncito and trying to make a hero out of him. Is such a thing even possible? Can one of the most famous Latinos in Hollywood now take a figure who has been used to malign an entire community/country be rebranded? Should this even happen? Or does doing this take away, erase the very reason a character like Speedy was created?
“We wanted to make sure that it was not the Speedy of the 1950s — the racist Speedy,” Ann Lopez [George's wife] said with a chuckle. “Speedy’s going to be a misunderstood boy who comes from a family that works in a very meticulous setting, and he’s a little too fast for what they do. He makes a mess of that. So he has to go out in the world to find what he’s good at.”
Martes Morning Movie : Change Up
10:21 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Dominican Republic|Dominicans|Movies · Comments Off
23 Feb 2010Today’s film clip comes to us via our friends at The Latin Americanist. It’s a trailer from a documentary called The Change Up about U.S. baseball dreams in the Dominican Republic.
Woman wants to look like Jessica Alba
12:30 pm By la Macha · Movies|Women · 3 Comments
8 Feb 2010
Speaking of Jessica Alba, the AP is reporting that a woman in China is attempting plastic surgery as a way to win her lover back. The woman wants to look like Jessica Alba.
The actress said Saturday she’s been distressed by Internet reports about a Chinese woman who is having a plastic surgery makeover to look like Alba in hopes of getting her lover back.
“I think you should never have to change yourself like that,” Alba said. “If somebody loves you, they’ll love you no matter what.”
I do think that it’s amazingly cool that Alba is speaking out against the type of “flattery” the woman in China is attempting. Hollywood seems to be a cesspool of unhealthy thinking and encouraging degrading behavior in women in particular–it’s nice to see an actor that cares enough to put the brakes on the Hollywood mentality.
I also think it’s important that Alba is not mocking the woman in China (i.e. what the fuck is wrong with her???) but pointing to the misogyny and sexism (assuming that the woman’s ex is male) that often grounds the Hollywood mentality. In other words, it’s *women* who must do anything to keep her partner–including horribly drastic surgery. Never the men. By putting the emphasis on the ex’s reaction (he shouldn’t expect crap like that out of her), I think Jessica is making a nice feminist intervention into the politics of “looks.”
Anyway. It’s a little thing what Jessica did (or maybe huge, if the woman changes her mind after hearing Jessica’s words)–but after debating Jessica’s reaction to her Latinidad–I thought it would be good to give her props for something.
Hola!
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
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