Awards Season is On!

It’s that time of the year. When we start looking back at the last year and going over the films, documentaries, animations, foreign, etc. that we got to watch.

Here at Se Fija!, we have fun choosing our favorites from the actual films we got to watch. With the pandemic, its been tricky. In spite of that; here are our top picks.

We hope you like our choices and if you haven’t seen them, try and check them out. You can find many of them on the streaming networks.

Jurassic World Dominion! Summer of 2022!

Jurassic World Dominion arrives in theaters June 10, 2022.

This original 5 min prologue to Jurassic World Dominion, directed by Colin Trevorrow, rockets audiences back 65 million years into the past to experience the world before humans existed—and offers a glimpse of a world in which dinosaurs are living among us. The story will continue in theaters in the Summer of 2022.

The usual suspects are back, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard star as Owen Grady and Claire Dearing and are joined by Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, who reprise their roles as Dr. Ellie Sattler, Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ian Malcolm. The film also features BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Mamoudou Athie (Oh Jerome, No), Dichen Lachman (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It).

Watch Being the Ricardos Official Trailer — Coming for the Holidays

“[Aaron] captured the heart of my mother, my father, their relationship.” — Lucie Arnaz

We are looking forward to watching this film. Amazon Studios will release Being the Ricardos in theaters on December 10, and globally on Prime Video, December 21, 2021.

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

Synopsis: Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) are threatened by shocking personal accusations, a political smear and cultural taboos in Academy Award®-winning writer and director Aaron Sorkin’s behind-the-scenes drama Being the Ricardos. A revealing glimpse of the couple’s complex romantic and professional relationship, the film takes audiences into the writers’ room, onto the soundstage and behind closed doors with Ball and Arnaz during one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy

Starring Jake Lacy, J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale, and Alia Shawkat. Written and directed by Sorkin.

House of Gucci Official Trailer

The Gucci family had it all. She wanted more. When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge—and ultimately murder.

Watch the new House Of Gucci trailer now, starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, Camille Cottin, Jack Huston, Jeremy Irons, Mãdãlina Ghenea, Reeve Carney, Youssef Kerkour, and directed by Ridley Scott.

Only in theaters this Thanksgiving.

New Season of The World According to Jeff Goldblum On Disney+

Disney+ debuted the official trailer and key art for the second season of the Disney+ original series The World According to Jeff Goldblum, from National Geographic and produced by Jane Root’s Nutopia.

Jeff Goldblum is back—and he’s as curious as ever. In this season of The World According to Jeff Goldblum, Jeff uncovers surprising secrets behind a whole new host of topics—including DOGS, MAGIC, FIREWORKS, MONSTERS and MOTORCYCLES. While meeting a new cast of fantastic characters, from passionate fans to experts unveiling life-changing new technology, Jeff discovers just how these topics have shaped the world we live in.

The first five episodes will launch exclusively on Disney+ Day (November 12). Disney+ Day is a global celebration that will come to life across The Walt Disney Company on Friday, November 12, with new content releases, fan experiences, exclusive offers and more.

Gloria Garayua Talks Acting for True Beginners

Gloria Garayua and Angela Ortíz 

Gloria Garayua has been part of the television, film and live theatre scene for over 18 years. We’ve seen her on television, in commercials and in films, including recurring roles in Reckoning, Bounty Hunters, Wake Up America, Animal Kingdom, How To Get Away with Murder, and Grey’s Anatomy. She has guest starred in Snowfall, Criminal Minds, NCIS: LA, WeedsBonesRizzoli & Isles and so many others. Now the actress and acting coach has created a video series that addresses the needs of true beginner actors, suitable for everyone from pre-teens to adults. 

Check out our conversation with Gloria. We talked about her new project, Acting for True Beginners, which fits her perfectly. We also had a little fun at the end, doing some screen shots.

“Why should you buy my series? Because I am not only an acting teacher but I am also a working actress! Check out Maid, streaming on Netflix now! I’m in episode 9!”
     Gloria Garayua

The series consists of 17 short individual lessons presented in lecture format with captions of key fundamental vocabulary. There is also a 10-minute video quiz for self-testing after the completion of the series. The series can be purchased for streaming as a self-guided study from the comfort of the actor’s home, and can be re-watched at the student’s convenience.

How to get the course:

• Go to gloriagarayua.com

• Click on “Online Video Series”

• Click on “Sign up for Online Video Series”

• Sign up for member access (free to sign up)

• Pay through credit card, Paypal, or Apple Pay

• Price: $29.99 / monthly streaming

• Free guidebook, download with purchase!

Live Theatre is Alive! The Nun and The Countess at CASA 0101

We rarely do pieces on live theater, but we wanted to share some information on Macha Theatre Co., The Nun and The Countess, which premiered at at Casa 0101 in Boyle Heights, on Friday, October 22. It was a SOLD OUT evening. The play has a limited run. Its last show is, Sunday, November 7, 2021.

The Nun and The Countess, is brought to you by producer, director, writer and award-winning playwright, Odalys Nanin. It is based on the novel Sor Juana’s Second Dream by Alicia Gaspar de Alba. And co-directed by Corky Dominguez.

Synopsis: This is the story of the passionate romance between Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, a 17th Century Mexican nun and the Countess Maria Luisa de Paredes, Vicereine of Mexico. Nanin stars as legendary Mexican nun Sor Juana, who wowed a Countess (played by Genevieve Joy and alternate Lee Ann Gutierrez) with poems that still live today. Read the rest of this entry »

“Night of the Living WTF”?

“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.”

By Maud

All right, ghosts and ghouls, it’s that time of year when we ready ourselves with spooky vibes and spooky aesthetics–a time to scare the ever-loving bejesus out of your significant other or fellow hydro-homies with a choice of horror films and anthologies. 

Thank goodness the market is full of delicious, tantalizing blood-curdlers at your fingertips. But that doesn’t mean all of them are good. In fact, when it comes to this new “retelling” of a classic, I’d say ‘keep on searching, ’cause you ain’t gunna find satisfaction in Night of the Animated Dead. 

First I’d like to note that I am quite familiar with the original Night Of the Living Dead by the legendary George A. Romero and the many, many, M A N Y retellings that it has undergone over the last few years. I remember a time when they did a scene-by-scene live-cast of the, side by side. Live. You cannot joke about this–it was a BIZARRE experience. For those of you who have been living under a metaphorical boulder, Night of the Living Dead is a zombie horror cult classic where we briefly follow Barbara and Ben as they experience a horrific phenomenon and “try their best” to survive amongst the onslaught of somewhat intellectually functioning zombies–an effort that ultimately proves to be fruitless. You want the official synopsis? Sure:

In Night of the Animated Dead, siblings Barbara and Johnny visit their father’s grave in a remote cemetery in Pennsylvania when they are suddenly set upon by zombies. Barbara flees and takes refuge in an abandoned farmhouse along with stranded motorist Ben and four local survivors found hiding in the cellar. Together, the group must fight to stay alive against the oncoming horde of zombies while also confronting their own fears and prejudices.   

But enough about this introductory shit: lets get BRUTAL. 

First of all who the hell asked for this????? Like??? Who??? Whoever did, you were clearly deprived of any sustenance, love and affection. 

I’m all for a great animated story. However, this was just a gosh-darn waste of potential and most likely budget cuts being obvious as all hell. When I think of the word “retelling,” I think of a story being retold with some dynamic charm, or changes being adjusted into it without compromising the integrity of the story. Couple that with the freedom that animation offers, and you’d think there’d be some exciting scenes and key moments to see in this version.

No. No not here. Not today, Satan. 

In the beginning, I recognized the style. It’s somewhat akin the animated adult comedy series Archer but like…Bad. The bland voice acting and the kinda sorta Scooby Doo-esque stylistic choices that accompanied it did us no favors whatsoever. It seemed like the main focal points were just the background settings and the sprinkling of SOME Read the rest of this entry »

Panamanian International Film Festival Los Angeles Back In Person!

This is a film festival that I heartily support. They showcase so many different types of talent in the film and art world. And this year, I look forward to the collaboration of these two long standing film festival, PIFFLA and ELAFF.

October 8 @ RALEIGH STUDIOS

The Panamanian International Film Festival in Los Angeles (PIFFLA) and East Los Angeles Film Festival (ELAFF) come together as Take 2, the 2021 in-person edition, showcasing features, documentaries and short films from Latino filmmakers throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Take 2 will also include live performances, youth workshops, industry panels and more. The Festival kicks off on Thursday, October 7 at Self Help Graphics in East Los Angeles with a full day of workshops for kids and teens and outdoor evening screenings.

Buy tickets for Self Help Graphics. Take 2 continues October 8-10 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Purchase tickets for Raleigh Programs.

“With Take 2, PIFFLA and ELAFF are teaming up to amplify our shared cultural missions by engaging diverse audiences from the Los Angeles Latino community and far beyond,” says Carlos Carrasco, PIFFLA Founder and Creative Director.  “PIFFLA is in its 7th year and ELAFF has been connecting with the community since 2008. The festivals are partnering under the ELAFF non-profit umbrella.”

October 10 @ RALEIGH STUDIOS

“The East L.A. Film Festival continues its mission to heal children and their families through art and film,” says Juan Escobedo, director of the East L.A. Society of Film and Arts (TELASOFA). “We created the TELASOFA initiative because we believe in the relationship between creative arts and health outcomes. Through our partnership with PIFFLA, we’ve combined resources to expand services to the Boyle Heights and East L.A. areas by working with youth in producing art, photography and film.”

Carlos Carrasco
and Juan Escobedo

TAKE 2 PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS Click here to view entire program.

The Panamanian International Film Festival in Los Angeles is part of a collective alliance of film festivals in Panama, including The Hayah International Short Film Festival, Panama’s Low Budget Film Festival (Festival de Cine Pobre Panalandia), ACAMPADOC International Documentary Film Festival, Cine Animal, and Bannabáfest.

NOTE: In accordance with L.A. County COVID Guidelines, all in-person live events require audiences to wear a mask indoors. In addition to wearing a mask, you must present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours, along with a photo I.D.

Update! Great news for the At Last Film

UPDATE: Not only did they reach their goal, the short has been doing the festival circuit for the past year. Now, on September 3rd, it will be streaming on HBOMAX. Congrats to all!

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We don’t do a lot of these type of posts but when we do, it is because we believe in the project and the people involved. Read below and watch the video to find out more and hopefully you can donate to this project.

At Last is a film about a timid high school girl who reveals her truth during the most important night of the year, the prom.

The film is by writer/director Lorena Gordon (Times Like These, Lessons in Romantics). Here’s her statement: “I am the writer and director of, At Last. This is a personal film I wrote and am so passionate about making it and sharing it with an audience. I like telling powerful and compelling stories, and giving a voice to those who need to be heard and seen on screen. Film is such a powerful medium, and as a storyteller it’s our responsibility we use that power for good.” Read the rest of this entry »

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