Netflix Releases First Look at Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” Film

Posted on January 25, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is keeping his latest project right under your nose…

Netflix has released the first teaser trailer for the 57-year-old Oscar-winning filmmaker’s stop-motion musical update of the classic Pinocchio tale.

Carlo Collodi’s classic charts the story of a wooden marionette who is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart of a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto.

Directed by del Toro alongside Mark Gustafson, the film will chart the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world.

The voice cast includes Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Burn Gorman and newcomer Gregory Mann as Pinocchio.

del Toro co-wrote the screenplay with Patrick McHale.

Netflix will release the movie in December 2022.

Pedro Almodovar to Direct First Full-Length English-Language Feature “A Manual for Cleaning Women”

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Almodovar is switching tongues, and he’s recruiting an Oscar-winning actress to help…

The 72-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning film director, screenwriter and producer is preparing to direct his first full-length English-language feature A Manual for Cleaning Women, with Cate Blanchett set to produce and star in the film.

Still in the early stages of development, the film is based on Lucia Berlin’s 43-part collection of short stories, examining the lives of women working a wide variety of demanding jobs.

Blanchett, Andrew Upton and Coco Francini will produce for Dirty Films, with Almodóvar for El Deseo, and Brian Oliver and Bradley Fischer for New Republic Pictures.

The film is Almodóvar’s follow-up to Parallel Mothers, the Sony Pictures Classic drama starring Penélope Cruz about two mothers who give birth the same day, and the English-language short The Human Voice starring Tilda Swinton, which was shortlisted by the Film Academy last year.

Almodovar has won two Academy Awards: He picked up the Best Foreign Language Film award for All About My Mother and the Best Original Screenplay award for Talk To Her.

Frankie Loyal Upped to Series Regular on FX’s “Mayans M.C.”

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

There are more rides in Frankie Loyal’s future…

The 51-year-old Latino actor/producer has been upped to series regular on FX’s biker drama Mayans M.C. alongside Joseph Lucero and Vincent Vargas for season 4, which is scheduled to return in early 2022.

Loyal, Lucero and Vargas took on larger roles in season 3, which saw their characters Hank Loza, Neron “Creeper” Vargas, and Gilly Lopez, respectively, flourish and develop into fully rounded characters with storylines fans embraced fully.

The trio have been a part of the series throughout its three-season run.

Mayans M.C., a spin-off series of the network’s hit Sons of Anarchy, follows a motley crew of Latino men who found a family in the motorcycle club charter Santo Padre on the California and Mexico border. While the story is about the M.C., it also features powerful female characters that are bold and powerful in their own right.

The character of E.Z. Reyes (JD Pardo) is at the center of the story as he finds his place in the gray area of a world that is mostly black and white.

It’s helmed by co-creator and executive producer Elgin James; and co-stars Clayton Cardenas, Danny Pino, Richard Cabral, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Sarah Bolger, Emilio Rivera, Edward James Olmos, Raoul Trujillo, Emily Tosta, and Sulem Calderon.

Loyal, whose character Hank serves as Sergeant-of-Arms to the M.C., guest-starred on FX’s Better Things opposite Pamela Adlon. On the big screen, he starred in The Deep End alongside Tilda Swinton and Goran Visnjic. He will next be seen in the drama feature Die Like A Man.

Lucero made his debut in the 2006 drama Gridiron Gang alongside Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, Moe McCrae, and Jurnee Smollett. He was also featured in Father G and the Homeboys, an award-winning documentary chronicling Father Greg Boyle’s work with Los Angeles’ toughest gang members. Lucero’s television credits include Dirt, ER, The Shield, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, The Closer, Shameless, S.W.A.T., and FBI.

Vargas is a veteran of the U.S. Army that served three combat deployments who continues to serve his country today for the Army Reserve. In 2009, he became a Federal Agent with the Department of Homeland Security and was a Medic with the Special Operations Group.

He has starred and produced several films including Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace (co-executive producer), Not a War Story (executive producer), and Dads in Parks (writer). Vargas pulled double duty since season 2 on Mayans M.C. as recurring star and technical advisor.

Tony Revolori to Star in Wes Anderson’s Latest Still-Untitled Film

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Tony Revolori is ready to go Wes, once again…

The third time is apparently the charm when it comes to Wes Anderson and the 25-year-old Guatemalan American actor, the breakout star of Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel.

Revolori is reuniting with the director on his next project. This will mark their third outing together after having also just worked on The French Dispatch.

Joining Revolori are Anderson alums Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Bryan Cranston and Tilda Swinton, as well as Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Rupert Friend and Tom Hanks. The film is expected to shoot in Spain.

Outside of Anderson writing and directing, not much is known about the project.

The project has gained momentum following the premiere of The French Dispatch, at the Cannes Film Festival and bows in theaters this October.

Besides The French Dispatch, Revolori can be seen next in Sony and Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. He was also recently seen in the second season of Apple’s Servant.

Revolori is wrapping up production on the first season of Willow for Disney+.

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Rights to Penelope Cruz-Starrer “Madres Paralelas” from Pedro Almodovar

Posted on April 25, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Penelope Cruz’s latest film is going global…

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Australia and New Zealand to Parallel Mothers (Madres Paralelas), starring the 46-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actress.

It’s the 13th collaboration between the distributor and director/producer Pedro Almodóvar’s production company El Deseo.

Production began in Madrid last month on the film, which reunites the Spanish filmmaker with longtime collaborators Cruz, Julieta Serrano and Rossy de Palma.

Parallel Mothers is a drama that centers on three mothers, portrayed by Cruz, Aitana Sánchez Gijón and Milena Smit.

The film expands Almodóvar’s previous depictions of womanhood by turning his focus on imperfect mothers, in a departure from his prior work exploring mothers and motherhood.

Written by Almodóvar, the film also stars Israel Elejalde.

The film is produced by Agustín Almodóvar and Esther García through El Deseo.

Sony Pictures Classics recently released Almodóvar’s short film The Human Voice, starring Tilda Swinton, in theaters alongside a digitally restored re-issue of Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It will be available to stream on HBO Max starting on April 30.

Almodóvar won two Oscars for best foreign language film for All About My Mother and original screenplay for his 2002 title Talk to Her (Hable con Ella).

Cruz has starred in several of Almodovar’s films, including All About My Mother, I’m So Excited!, Volver, Broken Embraces, and Pain and Glory.

Sony Pictures Classics Releases New Trailer for Pedro Almodovar’s First English-Language Film “The Human Voice”

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Almodóvar’s voice is being amplified…

Sony Pictures Classics has a released a new trailer for the 71-year-old Spanish filmmaker’s first English-language film The Human Voice.

Clocking in at an attention-span-friendly 30 minutes and starring Tilda Swinton, the film screened at last year’s Venice, New York and London fests and made the Oscar shortlist for Live Active Short announced last month.

Here’s the film’s synopsis and commentary written by the Oscar-winning filmmaker himself:

A woman watches time passing next to the suitcases of her ex-lover (who is supposed to come pick them up, but never arrives) and a restless dog who doesn’t understand that his master has abandoned him. Two living beings facing abandonment. During the three days of waiting, the woman only goes out to the street once, to buy an ax and a can of gasoline.

The woman goes through all sorts of moods, from helplessness to despair and loss of control. She makes herself up, she dresses up as if going to a party, she considers throwing herself off of the balcony, until her ex-lover calls on the phone, but she’s unconscious because she’s taken a combination of thirteen pills and cannot answer the call. The dog licks her face until she wakes up. After a cold shower, revived by a coffee as black as her state of mind, the telephone rings again and this time she can answer.

The human voice is hers, we never hear the voice of her lover. At first she pretends to act normal and calm, but she is always on the verge of exploding in the face of the man’s hypocrisy and meanness. “The Human Voice” is a moral lesson about desire, even though its protagonist is on the verge of the very same abyss. Risk is an essential part of the adventure of living and loving. Pain is very present in the monologue. As I said at first, it is about the disorientation and distress of two living beings who grieve their master.

Sony Pictures Classics will open The Human Voice March 12 in theaters in New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, accompanied by a digitally restored version of Almodóvar’s 1988 feature Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

Focus Features to Release Rosie Perez’s Zombie Movie “The Dead Don’t Die” in June

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Rosie Perez is preparing for the Dead days of summer…

Focus Features will release Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, starring the 54-year-old Puerto Rican actress,wide on June 14 this year.

Billed as “the greatest zombie cast ever disassembled”, The Dead Don’t Die boasts an all-star cast of Perez, Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane and Tom Waits.

Jarmusch writes and directs the film his third with Focus Features. The studio previously released the filmmaker’s highest-grossing pic in his canon, 2005’s Broken Flowers starring Bill Murray which made $13.7M.

Focus Features and Universal Pictures Internationalwill distribute the film worldwide.

Pedro Almodóvar to be a Guest Speaker at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s 50th Anniversary Gala

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Almodóvaris headed to the Big Apple for a special occasion…

The Film Society of Lincoln Center has invited the 69-year-old legendary Spanish director to be a guest speaker at its 50th Anniversary Gala on Monday, April 29, 2019 in Alice Tully Hall.

Reflecting and building upon the organization’s half-century introducing New York audiences to many of the industry’s most acclaimed and important filmmakers, the Gala will honor the Film Society’s legendary past and vibrant present, and look ahead as we extend our commitment to the film community.

Almodóvar will be joined by Darren Aronofsky, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dee Rees, and Martin Scorsese, Marielle Heller, Tilda Swinton, and John Waters, who will also be feted.

Almodóvar has a specialconnection with the New York Film Festivaland FSLC.

His film What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984) screened in New Directors/New Films, and since then he has premiered 10 films in the New York Film Festival;

The 50th Anniversary Gala will tell the story of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s semi-centennial, reflecting and building upon the organization’s half-century introducing New York audiences to many of the industry’s most acclaimed and important filmmakers. The special guest speakers will present this history alongside a collection of interviews and archival footage, photographs, and film clips that will reflect upon the organization and its role in New York City film culture. In honoring the past, the evening will celebrate a film community that is helping to shape the future of our art form.

Segarra Lands Role in Judd Apatow’s Comedy “Trainwreck”

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Josh Segarra is a trainwreck…

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican actor has landed a role in Judd Apatow’s latest comedy Trainwreck.

Segarra, who was recently upped to series regular for the second season of USA Network’s comedy series Sirens, will portray the role of Oli, a Staten Island smooth talking guy.

The ensemble cast includes Amy Schumer, Daniel Radcliffe, Tilda Swinton, Marisa Tomei, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Barkhad Abdi, Mike Birbiglia, Jon Glaser, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, Ezra Miller, LeBron James and Method Man.

Trainwreck is scheduled to hit theaters on July 24, 2015.

Bruno Bichir to Appear on FX’s “The Bridge,” Opposite His Brother Demián

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Bichir’s next role will have him working closely with his older brother.

The 46-year-old Mexican actor has landed a recurring role on FX’s critically acclaimed drama The Bridge, which stars his Oscar-winning brother Demián Bichir.

Bruno will portray a wealthy Mexican business leader to winds up involved with Marco (Demian). But the businessman may not be what he seems.

The characters are unrelated in the show, but in real life the brothers are both members of a prolific Mexican acting family.

The siblings previously worked together on projects including the movie Don’t Tempt Me and the Spanish-language feature Sin noticias de Dios (Bendito infierno).

The family is such an institution in their native country that Mexico’s MTV Movie Awards has even given out awards in the category “Best Bichir in a Movie.”

“I couldn’t be happier to work again with my brother Demian,” Bruno says. “I’m a huge fan of the show so it’s an enormous honor for me to become a part of it”.

The Bridge executive producer Elwood Reid first met Bruno last year at the show’s launch party in Los Angeles. The actor, who was there to cheer on his brother Demian, made an impression. Reid began to pursue him for a role he had contemplated for Season 2.

“We knew Bruno was a big star in Mexico,” says executive producer Carolyn Bernstein. “There is something about him that’s very charismatic and sympathetic. He’s a compelling presence.”

Bernstein says Reid had been thinking about the Bruno role for month. “It felt like a juicy role, so we approached him about it,” she says.

Bruno will appear in multiple episodes next season, but the count isn’t certified yet. “The character will unfold over time,” Bernstein says. “I don’t know how long he will be with us. That has a high impact.”

Bruno’s other credits include starring opposite Tilda Swinton in Julia.

“I’m always excited about new members on our cast and of course I’m specially thrilled to have my brother Bruno on board,” Demian says. “He is one of the finest actors I know. We’ve worked together on films and theater, but never before on a TV show. This is going to be fun.”

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