One of my favorite time of the year is the holiday season. I love Christmas for many reasons, especially my grandkids and grandnephews. We always find time to watch our old and new favorite Christmas …
After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. Synopsis: Wicked, …
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, here’s an impactful new film Another Love Story, now available for streaming on TUBI. This timely film sheds light on the emotional and psychological journey of domestic abuse survivors …
My #1 grandson and I screened the new #TwistersMovie last night. And it was a long overdue date, too. The film was much better than we expected. It had its excitements that kept you on …
A few months ago I got a chance to be on the set of A Father’s Journey for the filming of a pivotal scene, the crash. It took two-and-half-hours to set up for a few seconds on screen. My invitation came from actor and first-time director, David Fernandez Jr.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing David for a few years now, watching him grow as an actor and now as a director of a project that’s very dear and personal to him.
As we all know, independent films take a long time to complete; it’s always about the money. But when you get the right crew together, things get done. Now listen in on my conversations with David, Lou and Joey as they talk about their involvement with A Father’s Journey.
Starring Lou Pizarro (Operation Repo) Mayra Leal (Machete) Joey Medina (Original Latin Kings of Comedy), and David Fernandez Jr. (End of Watch).
I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing Pepe Serna over the past few years. He’s a talented actor, an artist, and philosopher that incorporates many colors as part of his everyday life. We are glad to see him getting some attention after 45 years in the movie business.
Serna can be seen in Dave Boyle’s Man from Reno. It has been garnering good reviews (Los Angeles Times) and awards on the film festival circuit. Serna plays a small-town sheriff who is trying to solve a murder mystery with a Japanese crime writer (Ayako Fujitani).
In limited release on March 27.
Below there’s a post we did on Serna a couple of years ago, when he received the 2013 Reel Rasquache Art & Film Festival Pioneer Award. As co-director of the festival that year, it was a huge honor for me. He even honored us with a thirty-minute performance of his one-man show, El Ruco, Chuco, Cholo, Pachuco. Enjoy the read.
Pepe Serna, a constant whirlwind of activity and enthusiasm, has been one of the backbones of Latino Hollywood for decades, and one of its most recognizable faces.
Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1944, Serna was initially discovered in Roger Corman’s film Student Nurses in 1970, and soon thereafter appeared in the Hal Wallis-produced film Red Sky at Morning in 1971. Within months, he was working steadily on television dramas and comedies that have become classics: Mannix, Kung Fu, Police Story, and on and on. Along the way, he’s appeared in some of Hollywood’s most memorable films, including Scarface, Silverado, Car Wash, and Clint Eastwood’s The Rookie. He was Reno Nevada in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, he was part of Latino landmark films and television projects like Resurrection Blvd., An American Family and American Me. He even played Jennifer Lopez’ father twice, in two different CBS series in the 1990’s, before she became a superstar (for the record: SecondChances and Hotel Malibu). Read the rest of this entry »
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Daniel Craig is giving James Bond another shot (you can hear that theme song in your head right now, can’t you?), with the daughter of the legendary Cubby Broccoli in one of the producer chairs, and the ever-steady Sam Mendes directing. And this one even has the return of SPECTRE, the international organization of eeee-vil from the good ol’ days.
Look for Ralph Fiennes as M battling to keep Her Majesty’s Secret Service alive, while bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth: the Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion. Will it be any good? Well, as stavro Blofeld himself said, “This organization does not tolerate failure.” Also starring Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, Andrew Scott and Stephanie Sigman.
Sometimes we get invited to cover some cool stuff, like this event to test-drive some of Ford’s EcoBoost models. Well, I had fun. I could have spent most of the day there, checking out all the cars they had available to test-drive.
This year Ford EcoBoost Challenge expands to 17 cities, and provides participants an experience of this innovative technology that helps Ford deliver better fuel economy with a more engaging driving experience.
I got to test drive four of the vehicles on hand, including the Escape, the Fusion and my favorite ride, The Mustang. I also drove the Chevy Silverado V8—it’s fast.
Al Pacino is Danny Collins, an aging 70s rocker Danny Collins who can’t give up his hard-living ways in the film of the same name that’s just premiered. The story? Danny’s manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40-year-old undelivered letter written to Danny by John Lennon, so he decides to change course and embark on a journey to rediscover his family and begin a second act. An impressive cast here, including Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale, and Jennifer Garner. Take a look:
Danny Collins is the latest in a long, long line of movies about modern musicians, where the music itself takes a back seat to the biography. You can go all the way back to Danny Kaye as “Red” Nichols in The Five Pennies, way back in 1959, and follow the bouncing ball through the films below:
2014
2009
2007
Get On Up (2014): A chronicle of James Brown’s rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
Crazy Heart (2009): A faded country music musician is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007): Singer Dewey Cox overcomes adversity to become a musical legend. (Okay, he wasn’t real, but he should have been!)
Walk the Line (2005): A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash’s life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Read the rest of this entry »
We are always looking for something fun for the family, especially the younger ones. Here’s a little about the film…in search of a new place to call home, the Earth is taken over by an overly confident alien race called the Boov, all humans are promptly relocated while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But a resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture and accidently becomes an accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. And that’s where the adventure of a lifetime begins.
Oh (Jim Parsons) and Tip (Rihanna)
Now you can watch the Home trailer and a few extra for your enjoyment. The new DreamWorks animated film is directed by Tim Johnson and voiced by Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Jim Parsons, Steve Martin, Matt Jones and a few others.
The original soundtrack to feature Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Coffee, Kiesza, Charli XCX and Jacob Plant will be released on March 24 and the film in theaters on March 27.
Hotel Transylvania 2 (September 25) Director: Genndy Tartakovsky. Cast (voices): Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Keegan-Michael Key, and Mel Brooks.
David Zayas has starred in two series since Dexter closed up shop a year ago, but that phenomenal show and its controversial finale is still fresh in his mind. Here he re-inhabits his Dexter persona, Lt. Angel Batista, and imagines where all the characters are now…including Dexter himself.
This video first appeared in The Scene, Vanity Fair’s entertaining online publication. Illustrations are by Dan Meth.
The Wrecking Crew If you love music from the 1960s to the early 70s you need to watch this one. It’s about the studio musicians that were part of some great music most of us grew-up with. Like the likes of Cher, Brian Wilson, Nancy Sinatra, Hal Blaine, Don Randi, Herb Alpert, Roger McGuinn, Earl Palmer and more.
Cinderella There are so many Cinderella-themed movies that have been made, I didn’t know what to expect with this newest version.
To my surprise, I enjoyed it. Good direction, well acted and even the sad moments didn’t overpower the film; it balance out with some nice unexpected humor. Cate Blanchett is wickedly good.
Kenneth Branagh directs the film with a screenplay by Chris Weitz and a cast that includes Helena Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgård, Derek Jacobi, Nonso Anozie, Holliday Grainger, Lily James, Richard Madden, and Sophie McShera.
Run All Night Liam Neeson in another one of director Jaume Collett-Sera’s action film about childhood Irish mob friends who collide after Jimmy Conlon (Neeson) kills Shawn Maguire’s (Ed Harris) son. Also in the film, Vincent D’Onofrio, Joel Kinnaman, Patricia Kalember, Genesis Rodriguez, Nick Nolte, and Boyd Holbrook.
Cymbeline (Shakespeare) We have Ed Harris again, he plays a drug kingpin in this film about dirty cops and an outlaw biker gang. Also starring John Leguizamo, Anton Yelchin, Ethan Hawke, Milla Jovovich, Penn Badgley, Dakota Johnson, and Delroy Lindo.
The Cobbler In this comedy/fantasy starring Adam Sandler as a shoe repairs man that stumbles upon a magical heirloom. And that’s where all the adventure begins. The rest of the cast includes Ellen Barkin, Dustin Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, Method Man, Melonie Diaz, Yul Vázquez, Dan Stevens, and Greta Lee. Good luck Adam!
Treading Water (aka The Boy Who Smells Like Fish) The film is a quirky coming of age love story, told through the eyes of a sensitive young-man who is dealing with a rare condition that leaves him smelling like a fish. Directed and written by Analeine Cal y Mayor. And starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Douglas Smith, Don McKellar, Ariadna Gil, Zoë Kravitz, and Gonzalo Vega.
Eva A Fantasy/Sci-Fi foreign film which takes place in 2014 where humans live along with machines. “A renowned cybernetic engineer, returns to Santa Irene to carry out a very specific mission for the Robotic Faculty: the creation of a child robot.” During his decade absence, life has moved on for his love ones. Starring Daniel Brühl, Marta Etura, Alberto Ammann, Claudia Vega, and Anne Canovas.
To celebrate the release of Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb being available on Blu-ray/DVD, we got a fun afternoon with family and friends at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum learning about Iberoamerican art and of course, Dinosaurs. A dinosaur expert, Gustavo, delighted our curiosity with dino fun facts!
Fun with the familia
For fans of this franchised, you can now add the third in the series, Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb to your collection. It stars Ben Stiller, Ben Kingsley, Steve Coogan, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, Rebel Wilson and two great talents who are no longer with us, Robin Williams and Mickey Rooney. Buy it now on Amazon.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE are COMING TOGETHER…Watch at home with your BEST BUBS again and again and again!
Add The Highest-Grossing R-Rated Film of All-Time to Your Marvel Studios Movie Collection when it arrives on Digital on October 1 and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 22.
Experience all the laughs with hours of all-new exclusive bonus content including a gag reel, deleted scenes, filmmaker commentary and all-new featurettes!
Cast Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson/Deadpool), Hugh Jackman (Logan/Wolverine), Emma Corrin (Cassandra Nova), Matthew Macfadyen (Mr. Paradox), and Dafne Keen (Laura / X-23).
° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° Veep: The Complete Series. All 65 episodes from the 17-Time Emmy® Award winning series will be available to purchase on Blu-ray October 22.
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will be releasing the complete series. Get ready to binge on all 65 episodes (seven seasons) from HBO’s Emmy® award-winning original series, along with all the previously released special features. The political comedy series follows United States Vice President Salina Meyer (Julia Louis Dreyfus) and her incompetent team as they attempt to secure a legacy, but often instead become bogged down in day-to-day political games. Pre-order your copy today. Also starring Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh, Sufe Bradshaw, Kevin Dunn, Gary Cole, Sam Richardson, Sarah Sutherland, and Clea DuVall. The series was created by Armando Iannucci.
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The West Wing: The Complete Series for the first time ever on Blu-ray, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the critically acclaimed series. Get ready to binge all 156 episodes from NBC/WBTV’sEmmy® Award-winning original series.
The brilliant political drama, following an extraordinarily intimate look at an American President and the inner workings of the White House, will be available to own on Blu-ray on October 1.
Widely considered one of the best series of all time, The West Wing remains a landmark achievement in television, earning 26 Emmys, including four for Outstanding Drama Series. With its sharp writing and memorable ensemble cast, the show continues to inspire audiences with its intimate look at the triumphs, sacrifices and inner politics of the White House.
Created by Aaron Sorkin who executive produced with Thomas Schlamme, and John Wells, The West Wing stars Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, and Martin Sheen. The series was produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
The Complete Series Includes all 156 episodes from all seven seasons on 28 discs, plus over 20 commentaries, behind the scenes featurettes, unaired scenes, gag reels and more.
° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° HBO’s The Gilded Age: The Complete Second Season to DVD on October 1, 2024. The Gilded Age season 2 was recently nominated for six Emmy® Awards including Outstanding Drama Series. Indulge in all 8 episodes from the second season of the historical drama that won fans over with its charming cast and compelling storylines plus over 20 pieces of bonus content including never-before-released featurettes.
The Gilded Age season 2 cast includes Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Ben Ahlers, Michael Cerveris, Kelley Curran, Taissa Farmiga, and more.
The American Gilded Age was a period of significant economic change, conflict between old and new systems, and fortunes made and lost.
° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° FRIENDS: The Complete Series in 4K Ultra HD for the first time on September 24.
This ultimate collector’s set features ALL 10 seasons from one of television’s most popular sitcoms completely remastered–plus all new bonus content!
Pre-order your copy now.
From Warner Bros. Television, FRIENDS follows the lives and loves of a close-knit group of friends living in New York City: siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), along with friends Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).
FRIENDS marks its 30th anniversary this year, the beloved TV series continues to hold an enduring place in popular culture and hearts worldwide.
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You can also listen to any episode of all of the podcast at thebradmunson.com
