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Holiday Films Are in the Works!

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 …

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Watch the Featurette Wicked on Singing Live

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, …

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Another Love Story in Honor of Domestic Violence Awareness

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 …

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Despicable Me 4 with One of My Little Minions

We enjoyed it! 

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It Was A Twisters Night

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 …

Holiday Films Are in the Works!Watch the Featurette Wicked on Singing LiveAnother Love Story in Honor of Domestic Violence AwarenessDespicable Me 4 with One of My Little MinionsIt Was A Twisters Night

Fun Activity Books for Download

We have a few fun activity books for Call of the Wild and Spies in Disguise. You can download for a kid in your life. Just by clicking on the images of the ones you want.

 

 

 

LOLA Phase 2 Crowdfunding Campaign

We like to support interesting and meaningful projects and we try to help where we can. Read below and see if you can give a helping hand.

At the end of the day, they will hit the 3rd day in their @seedandspark #lolasjourney phase 2 Crowdfunding campaign. They have been told that they need to raise 30% by the end of the day to be successful–so they need your help!

Please share the link to their campaign and follow if you truly care about LatinX and multicultural representation that stays always from stereotypical tropes and instead tells a story that will impact many, many people.

Synopsis: LOLA is a story about the plight of a plus-sized woman and the discrimination she faces in her relationship, friendships, and the medical community-until she finds her inner power amidst the noise and learns to both love and accept herself. Written and directed by Ana Lydia Monaco and executive producer MC Sundeen.

Ana Lydia Monaco

About the team. Our team is composed of a primarily female cast and crew, with cross-spectrum of diverse filmmaking professionals.

The project leads are both Mexican-American women filmmakers.

The cast is representative of CIS LatinX Females, CIS LatinX Male, CIS White Male, CIS Asian Male, CIS African American female. The cast is also inclusive of diverse ages ranging from 24+ and body sizes.

The crew is representative of Both LGBTQ/Non-Gender Conforming and CIS LatinX Females, CIS LatinX Male, CIS Asian Males, CIS Asian Females, LGBTQ/Non-Gender Conforming Asian, LatinX and African American They, CIS White Females, and CIS White Males. The crew is also inclusive of diverse ages ranging from 24+ and body sizes.

José Yenque, Actor, Producer and Humanitarian

José Yenque

José Yenque talked with Mabel Aragon about his acting career and his beloved non-profit, Arts for a Better Tomorrow (ABT), the organization serves underprivileged youth in Los Angeles, Tijuana and San Diego.

Yenque is a native of New York, who was introduced to the theatre early in life thanks to his mother, renown stage actor Teresa Yenque. Her example inspired him to give acting a try in his youth, and he found it to be a positive venue for overcoming self-doubt and shyness.

“We use the arts together with elements of CBT to help youth believe in themselves again while providing coping tools to help them overcome trauma and learning barriers. This helps them to excel academically and in life as emotionally healthy global citizens.” — José Yenque

Now sit back and watch his back and forth about his adventures in the business and his passion. He said, “sometimes the roles he plays are therapeutic.”

In part one, the producer, writer and award-winning actor shares his passion for his humanitarian work and why he loves playing a villain, a role he plays so well. Stay tuned for part 2. Will Yenque’s next film be a musical? In part two; he talks about his character in Traffic, opposite Benicio del Toro, and why working with his mom, Teresa Yenque on The Blue Diner was so special.

Stay Safe! Stay Inside! But If You Must Go Out Protect Your Eyes

Hey everyone! When going outside stay safe! Wear a mask, keep your distance, use sunblock and wear Vogue Eyewear by Gigi Hadid to protect you eyes (and look fabulous). Taking care of ourselves is how we take care of others.

Hollis Tyde

You can buy your sunglasses from SmartBuyGlasses, with one of the largest selections of styles, you are sure to find the perfect pair. In SmartBuyGlasses buying glasses online has never been so fun and easy with the 3D Try-on Software, you can try several pair before buying them. Also with the free Lens Scanner App you easily get your current prescription by scanning your glasses anywhere, anytime in just few minutes. — H.T.

BingeWorthy on Netflix

What we’ve watched on Netflix…If you haven’t watched these. You might want to check them out. Streaming now on Netflix.

LA Originals (documentary). Photographer Estevan Oriol and artist Mister Cartoon turned their Chicano roots into gritty art, impacting street culture.

In the Dark (first season). An irreverent blind woman in her twenties, Murphy drifts through life in a drunken haze. She has only two friends—Jess, her understanding roommate, and Tyson, a teenage drug-dealer who saved her from a violent mugging. Starring Perry Mattfeld, Brooke Markham, Thamela Mpumlwana, Keston John, and Kathleen York. Created by Corinne Kingsbury.

The 2nd season started this past week on the CW.

Unorthodox is a limited series (4 episodes). A woman flees an arranged marriage in Brooklyn to start a new life abroad, then her past catches up with her. Starring Shira Haas, Jeff Wilbusch, and Amit Rahav. Directed by Maria Schrader.

Sergio (movie). United Nations diplomat Sérgio Vieira de Mello must fight for his life when a bomb blast in Baghdad, Iraq, cause the walls to come crashing down. Starring Wagner Moura and Ana de Armas. Directed by Greg Barker.

A Nice Jewish Couple Ran Circus of Books — A Netflix Doc

For decades, a nice Jewish couple ran Circus of Books, a porn shop and epicenter for gay LA. Their director daughter documents their life and times.

For over 35 years, the gay porn shop Circus of Books gave Los Angeles’ LGBT+ community a space to socialize and celebrate themselves without judgment. Executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Circus of Books is the debut documentary from artist Rachel Mason, who finally asks the least radical people she knows- her parents- how they became American’s biggest distributors of gay porn. Only on Netflix April 22.

Carlos Gómez Talks The Baker and the Beauty

Carlos Gómez as Rafael Garcia

The first time I met Carlos Gómez, it was on the set of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, where he was playing the role of Father Carlos. Over the years we would bump into each other at Latino Hollywood events; we would talk about the projects he was working on or going to be on. He’s been in this business for about thirty years, from Broadway (In the Heights) to Hollywood. All of his hard working ethics and talent have brought him great success, and will continue to take him to greater heights as he continues his career. Carlos is of Cuban descent, fluent in English and Spanish, and resides in LA, NY and Miami.

L-r: Alex Meneses, Carlos Gómez
and Jane Seymour on the set of
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, ©1997.

For me, he’s played some memorable characters, like medical examiner Carlos Sanchez on The Glades, and Miguel Salazar on Gang Related and of course many others. But I think, the father figure of Rafael Garcia on ABC’s new romcom The Baker and the Beauty was made for him. From what I’ve seen, he’s just wonderful in it.

We got a chance to talk with Carlos weeks before the shutdown and I think it’s it a very thoughtful interview that you can watch here.

Angela Ortíz and Carlos Gómez

During our interview, he was asked about following in the footsteps of trailblazers like Desi Arnaz…and since he is a trailblazer himself, if he felt any responsibility for being a good role model. He said, “Completely, completely. I was doing an interview and I was  asked, ‘When was the last Cuban on national TV?’ and I said it was Desi in 1960 or 50-something. It’s amazing that it has taken this long to have a Cuban or Latin family like this on a network television show. So I feel immense responsibility. There’s so many, over 15 million Latinos in this country and we are such a power. As a Latino, I’ve been in this industry for so long and I have seen the ups and downs and the little bumps in the road.”

The Baker and the Beauty is giving Carlos and his culture other opportunities to share their experiences as well. “This is an opportunity for us for to show my Cuban culture in the light, and to show that Latino immigrants have different problems. We all come in different colors; Mexican immigrants are different from the Cuban immigrants, different from the Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, but we’re all immigrants and once we get to United States, we’re all here. We’re all together. It doesn’t matter. Yeah, you could have your tamales from Mexico; I can bring my rice and beans; but we’re all haciendo un sancocho in the United States. So to me, it’s a huge responsibility to show it, to portray it…and to portray it right. (sancocho is a South American and Caribbean food, a thick soup made from meat and root vegetables—a tasty stew!)

Read the rest of this entry »

Brenda Banda, Gentefied and Her Many Hats

Brenda Banda
©2020 Angela María Ortíz S.

Disclaimer: this interview was done two weeks prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. I think it’s a fun interview, so take a listen. Be safe and stay at home.

It was my first time meeting Brenda Banda, who plays Norma on Netflix’ hit series, Gentefied. We met at my favorite coffee shop and I think we had a great conversation. I find her character Norma to be the force of reason.

Art by @pholkgiant

Banda is a very proud Angeleno—an actor, director, playwright and acting coach who grew up in South Central (renamed South Los Angeles in 2003). She was only eleven years old when she first stepped onto a stage at Russell Elementary, where she performed as MC at their 6th grade culmination.

Angela Ortíz and Brenda Banda

We talked a little about her upbringing, but mostly we focused on her 23-year career in this business, where she is at this moment in her life, how Gentefied is her first big television debut and what a hoot it is to be part of the series.

Brenda Banda

We even talked about what’s next on her docket…Which happens to be a pilot about detectives who become vigilantes, Wrong for Right.

Now sit back and listen in on our conversation.

The ten episodes of Gentefied is streaming on Netflix. — A.O.

The Big Bang Theory – Experiments & Inventions

Since 2007, fans have been delighted watching their favorite physicists Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) navigate the universe and everyday life along with Penny (Kaley Cuoco), and fellow scientists Howard (Simon Helberg), Raj (Kunal Nayyar), Amy (Mayim Bialik), and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), as well as other beloved characters.

This series has giving us so many laughs for so many years. Rewatching the old episodes can make you laugh harder than when it first aired.

After 279 original episodes and 12 seasons of the top-rated sitcom on the air, The Big Bang Theory is now in syndication episodes on a number of networks. But did you know, outside of CBS All Access who had “catch-up” episodes, that the complete series has NEVER been on a streaming service?

The only way to see The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series commercial free is to own it on Digital, Blu-ray & DVD today. All individual seasons and compilation sets are available to purchase here.  All seasons are also available to own at all major digital retailers; including iTunes, VUDU, Amazon Prime, and GooglePlay.

DVD and Blu-ray (which include incredible extra features) can be purchased from all major retailers-including Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart. So, if you are feeling cooped up and need something to binge on–now is the time to own all the episodes and all the bonus features of the hilarious hit show! 

It is a must have!

New Releases on Blu-ray’s, DVDs and Digital

Sonic The Hedgehog

Great family FUN!

Powered with incredible speed, Sonic the Hedgehog (voiced by Ben Schwartz), aka The Blue Blur, embraces his new home on Earth. That is, until he accidentally knocks out the power grid and sparks the attention of super-uncool evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Now it’s super-villain vs. super-sonic in an all-out race across the globe to stop Robotnik from using his unique power for world domination. (Paramount Pictures)

On Digital March 31. 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray™ Combo Packs arrive May 19 with a limited edition comic book.

Like A Boss

Best friends Mia and Mel (Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne) are living their best lives running their own cosmetics company they’ve built from the ground up. Unfortunately, they’re in over their heads financially, and the prospect of a big buyout offer from a notorious titan of the cosmetics industry Claire Luna (Salma Hayek) proves too tempting to pass up, putting Mel and Mia’s lifelong friendship in jeopardy. (Paramount Pictures)

On Digital April 7. On Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and On Demand April 21 with deleted scenes.

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