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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

Film Review: The Gentlemen Kick Ass

The Gentlemen, from Guy Ritchie, serves as a redemption for this writer/director after his live action “comedy” Aladdin last year. This film brings back memories of his earlier, far better movies, like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch; it also reminds me of the sleekness of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

The Gents are fun to watch—once you overcome the use of the “C” word over and over. I know it is used to describe both men and women in some working-class neighborhoods in England, but it’s still hard for an American to listen to over and over. For us, Hugh Grant (Fletcher) stole the film and Colin Farrell (Coach) was right behind him. Both were in roles you’ve never seen them do before and they were really good, fun to watch. Don’t get me wrong: everyone is good in this film, but these two really stand out.

The Gentlemen, is a star-studded, sophisticated action comedy. It follows American expatriate Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail as everyone he knows (and a few he doesn’t) attempt to steal his domain out from under him. And that’s just the beginning of the craziness. It features an ensemble cast that includes Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, and Eddie Marsan.

The Gentlemen is in theaters now.

Film Review: Weirdly Confusing: The Turning

By Brad Munson (The Dark Multiverse of Stephen King)

Floria Sigismondi’s The Turning is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. The problem is there is no solution to the mystery, no explanation for the wrapping, and barely a decent jump-scare to be had in this beautifully acted, wonderfully photographed, absolutely baffling and ineffective new horror movie.

Most of Sigismondi’s credits are music videos, from David Bowie to Fiona Apple and beyond, and–despite her work on The Runaways a while back–she clearly can’t (or doesn’t want to) actually tell a story; she seems content to set up an almost unconnected string of set-pieces and images that are supposed to chill and thrill and do neither.

Henry James’ short novel, written in 1898, was one of the first true “haunted house” stories and a masterpiece of ambiguity that has continued to be a center of controversy for more than 120 years. Were there really ghosts, or was the governess going mad? Sigismondi seemed to reach for the same kind of spooky ambiguity using the bare bones (really just the premise and character names) that the original story of malevolent ghosts presented, but James’ story had a singular advantage: it made sense as a story. It had a beginning, middle, and end (though a tragic one), and was populated by human characters that acted in believable ways. This particular adaptation of the tale (and there have been plenty, including an opera and a ballet), has none of the above. The logical questions and inconsistent character behavior begins almost with the first beat, long before things get spooky. And it goes downhill–or really out every which-way–from there. Read the rest of this entry »

Mucho Mucho Amor for Walter Mercado at Sundance and NETFLIX

Walter Mercado

Walter Mercado mesmerized millions of Latino viewers over four decades. There wasn’t a Latino home (around the world) that didn’t have Mercado on their television at some point of the day and that includes my family. He died on Nov. 2, 2019 at age 87.

Story: Every day for decades, Walter Mercado—the iconic, gender non-conforming astrologer—mesmerized 120 million Latino viewers with his extravagance and positivity. Then he vanished from the public eye. Award-winning documentarians Cristina Costantini (Science Fair) and Kareem Tabsch (The Last Resort) direct Mucho Mucho Amor, produced by Alex Fumero (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson).

Featured on-screen talent: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Eugenio Derbez, and Raul De Molina.

Mucho Mucho Amor will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24 and will debut on Netflix this summer.

Los Angeles Art Show is Back and It’s their 25th Anniversary!

At SeFijaOnline we want to include more art stories and events this year and what best way to start with, is the Los Angeles Art Show of 2020. It takes place February 5-9, at the LA Convention Center South Hall. Below is information about some of this year’s exhibit that we are looking forward to.

DIVERSEartLA

For 2020, Marisa Caichiolo’s curatorial focus for DIVERSEartLA will be expanded to embrace and celebrate those art institutions and art collectors who support LA’s blossoming art community.

DIVERSEartLA is dedicated to bringing together some of the most important local and international art institutions, museums and non-profit organizations for an elevated and thoughtful dialogue.

The communities of Los Angeles reflect an impressive variety of ethnic backgrounds, and it’s iconic natural environs are equally varied and vast. To honor this unique biodiversity we are focusing on the representation of contemporary artists from around the world as a part of each institution.

Pyramids by Gronk

I See You, I Am Seen

Dactiloscopia Rosa

Celebrating Diversity

A sample list of what you’ll see this year:

  • Pyramids by Gronk
  • Curated by Chon Noriega
  • Presented by LACMA & UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
  • I See You, I Am Seen: On the Impact of the Diversity Curated by George Luna Peña Presented by The Broad
  • The Birth of the Niemand by Viktor Freso Curated by Marisa Caichiolo Presented by Danubiana Museum | Bratislava
  • From The South Portraits: Punta Arenas and Valparaíso By Vicente González Mimica Curated by Fabian Goncalvez Presented by AMA | Art Museum of the Americas
  • Dactiloscopia Rosa: Video Art and QUEER Constructions Curated by Nestor Prieto Presented by Museo La Neomudejar (Madrid, Spain)
  • Celebrating Diversity By Chiachio & Giannone Curated by Gabriela Urtiaga, Chief Curator at MOLAA Presented by MOLAA | Museum of Latin American Art

As we approach the 2020 US presidential election, I believe the importance of this year’s curatorial focus should remain committed to fostering and learning about the organizations supporting inclusion and diversity. Read the rest of this entry »

Touch The Stars 3D

Director Luke Ployhar
©2020 Angela María Ortíz S.

On a beautiful SoCal Saturday morning we screened Touch The Stars 3D in IMAX (7-story) with a question and answers with the director Luke Ployhar afterwards.

A bit on Luke Ployhar, he’s a director and film producer with experience in visual effects and animation that spans a career of over 20 years. Currently located in Minneapolis Minnesota, Ployhar is the founder of Afterglow Studios, a leading provider of design and animation for a wide range of clients. Ployhar’s career started in film production in Los Angeles with credits that include, Broken Arrow, Austin Powers, Speed 2, Armageddon, and The Insider. He later became a Visual Effects producer at Black Box Digital and worked on Minority Report, Planet of the Apes, A.I., and many others.

The film traces the path to space through the history of NASA’s probes, orbiters, and landers from the heart of our solar system and the surface of its planets and moons to the grand tour of the Voyager spacecraft through the outer planets and beyond. Created with the latest high definition imagery and scientific data, Touch The Stars 3D engages audiences through the use of real footage and 3-dimensional vistas, transporting them to planets and distant stars alongside these heroic robot explorers.

During the q&a we learned that it took 2.5 years to complete the film. He also explained that Deep space gateway is a concept ship for reaching Mars. It was really cool to watch because it is set up as modules that can be removed and reattached during the planet’s explorations.

There was info on the Parker Solar probe, which is going to the sun. It has a heat shield and a coolant to protect it and will be using Venus gravity to control its speed.

We found out that 85% of this film is VFX and 15% is real footage and images. For Ployhar, it’s a huge labor of love working on these type of projects.

Take the family, it opens on Friday, January 17 at the California Science Center.

Photos: ©2020 Angela María Ortíz S.

Gary Brozenich VFX Supervisor on Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Gary Brozenich

On the release of Disney’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil now on Digital 4K Ultra HD™ and Movies Anywhere, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray™. Our colleague Jesus Figueroa of ThisFunktional caught up with VFX Supervisor Gary Brozenich for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Check out his interview below.

The thrilling sequel to 2014’s Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie as Maleficent and Elle Fanning as her goddaughter Aurora, arrives home with brand-new bonus features, extended scenes, outtakes and an exclusive extra for Digital consumers.

Jesus Figueroa: Congratulations on this visually stunning movie. With so many elements to this movie, the action, the characters in the different sceneries. How much more difficult is it when you have so much to supervise?

Gary Brozenich: So in that sense, you know, you have to try to prepare as much as you possibly can and talk about everything as much as you possibly can in advance so that when you do get surprised on the day, which happens every day that you know, you’ve got a well-thought-out a well-thought-out plan B to plug-in also I had a really good team, a really great production team. I had a great second unit supervisor that worked with me who I’ve known for years and you know, we had a lot of onset support so I never felt kind of overwhelmed by it, but I actually love working on these kind of movies. So I think to me just throw me in the middle of it and and it’s sort of a sink or swim and I kind of enjoy that process.

JF: What kind of added pressure do you get when you when you come into a movie like this where the character so beloved and so well known?

GB: I think that the main thing is making sure that anything that we do relating to that character those characters is respected and that anything that we change or enhance our that we do to to make that, you know a more up-to-date or what we consider to be a better version is done in conjunction and in tandem with the actor or actress that that relates to and that includes like, you know the world creation as well. You know that, if say Angelina or Elle were used to seeing or understanding that when they looked away from the throne area that was Maleficent’s in the first film that then became Elle’s throne in the second one if they were familiar with what was out there. If there was a change that happened to there was something that they were they were aware of, you know, and I think that that kind of an inclusion, you know that kind of that sort of, you know, open discussion and making sure that you’re aware your a part of the dialogue with them so that there’s nothing that they’re meant to be seeing that that isn’t what they don’t know about it. It’s a big part of it, but I think if you missed that and then that’s when you can get into trouble. Read the rest of this entry »

Film Reviews: Dolittle

Dolittle (Family)
It’s not a perfect film. It is visually pretty but lacks warmth. They are a few funny lines that make you laugh out loud. But I spent my time thinking about the original Doctor Dolittle I watched as a youngster (with Rex Harrison).

Doolittle in theaters January 17. — A.O.

The Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Harry Collett, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Marion Cotillard, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Buckley, Frances de la Tour, Carmel Laniado, Jason Mantzoukas, Craig Robinson, Kasia Smutniak, and directed by Stephen Gaghan.

Garcetti and Entertainment Industry Leaders Launch LA COLLAB

Mayor Garcetti and entertainment industry leaders launch ‘LA COLLAB’ initiative to increase Latinx representation in Hollywood.
Credit: @MayorOfLA

First-of-its-kind effort will work to open doors to Latino creatives in television, film, and digital media

LOS ANGELES—Mayor Eric Garcetti today launched LA Collab, an unprecedented effort to connect Latinx talent, executives, and creators to opportunities in the entertainment industry—and double Latino representation in Hollywood by 2030.

“Latinos are a powerful force in L.A. ‘s culture and economy, and our trademark industry should tap into the diverse pool of talent in our own backyard,” said Mayor Garcetti. “On big screens or small, in front of the camera or behind it, our studios, actors, directors, and producers inspire the world with the power of their creativity and imagination—and LA Collab will elevate new voices and empower the next generation of Latinx creatives.”

According to a report by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Latinos represent nearly 25% of the box office. Yet a recent study by USC Annenberg showed that Latino representation has been stagnant over the past dozen years, averaging roughly 3% of all leads and co-leads in motion pictures.

In 2020, LA Collab will focus on reversing this trend by helping Latinx talent develop their skill sets and promoting collaborations with Latinx creators and top producers, filmmakers, buyers, showrunners, and industry allies.

Mayor Garcetti co-founded LA Collab alongside Beatriz Acevedo, founder of mitú and president of Acevedo Foundation, and Ivette Rodriguez, president of AEM. Together, they kicked off the initiative with support from more than 50 leaders and organizations, including Eva Longoria, J.J. Abrams, Eli Roth, DeVon Franklin, Jason Blum, and Zoë Saldaña. Initial funders include the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, Annenberg Foundation, WarnerMedia, and Endeavor Content. Read the rest of this entry »

Snatchers Out on Digital NOW!

Check out this Snatchers clip, “What Happened In Mexico.”

In this video, you will find Sara (Mary Nepi) trying to find answers as she questions her ex-boyfriend Skylar (Austin Fryberger) on what happened in Mexico. But does Skylar reveal everything that happened between piña coladas and pool time? Find out when you download the film on all major platforms today!

Snatchers, one of Variety’s “11 Best Movies of the 2019 SXSW Film Festival,” is available to own on Digital now, and will arrive on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on February 18. The plot is based on an original horror comedy. The full-length feature film is described as a cross between ALIENS meets MEAN GIRLS, and was initially released in new media as a successful short-form series that follows a status-obsessed high school teenager who loses her virginity and finds herself pregnant the next day…with an alien!

Snatchers Gabrielle Elyse as Hayley, J.J Nolan as Kate, Nick Gomez as Oscar, and Rich Fulcher as Dave. Written by Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman, and Scott Yacyshyn and directed by Cedars and Kleiman.

Disney’s TOGO is Exciting to Watch

Kim Zubick and Ericson Core

Today’s press day with Disney’s TOGO director/cinematographer Ericson Core and producer Kim Zubick. At one point, Core spoke about having a pet wolf and how incredible that experience was. This film is beautiful to watch and it’s perfect for the family.

TOGO Press

We hope you enjoy the conversations we had with these filmmakers. Now listen in by clicking on the audio box.

Ericson Core

Zubick, Core and Ortíz

If you aren’t familiar with the Togo story, here’s a little about it. Togo (Siberian Husky) was the lead sled dog of Leonhard “Sepp” Seppala and his dog sled team in the 1925 serum run to Nome across central and northern Alaska. He ran over 250 miles, while Balto, along with other sled dogs, ran an average of around 30 miles. Balto got the glory but Togo was the real hero.

Togo and Seppala

The film stars Willem Dafoe, Julianne Nicholson, Thorbjørn Harr, Christopher Heyerdahl, Michael McElhatton, Michael Gaston, Richard Dormer, Michael Greyeyes, Jamie McShane, and Nive Nielsen.

TOGO is streaming on Disney+ now. — A.O.

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