Chavela the Documentary
Angela Ortíz and director Daresha Kyi
Chavela is my second favorite documentary of the year, one that is long overdue just like Dolores, which is about civil rights and union organizer, Dolores Huerta.
I had the pleasure to talk to one of the co-directors of the film, Daresha Kyi, who I could of spoken to for hours about Chavela Vargas, a Mexican singer whose international fame peaked after a triumphant return to the stage at the age of 71.
Music Box Films is proud to present the U.S. theatrical release of Chavela, directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi. The film has garnered many awards: the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Outfest (Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival), the Audience Award at Frameline (San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival), and Official Selection at 2017 Berlin International Film Festival, HotDocs, Seattle International Film Festival, OUTFEST.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Chavela Vargas talent and life, here’s a bit about her and what you’ll see in the documentary.
Chavela Vargas
Chavela Vargas
Photo: Maj Lindstrom
She was born in Costa Rica in 1919, Chavela ran away to Mexico City as a teenager to sing in the streets. By the 1950s she had become a darling of the city’s thriving bohemian club scene, delivering her performances with a raw passion and unique voice. Challenging mainstream Mexican morals by dressing in pants, drinking tequila, and smoking cigars while singing love songs intended for men to woo women and refusing to change the pronouns, Chavela was a bold, rebellious, sexual pioneer who defied gender and sexuality stereotypes at a time when being “out” was often dangerous.
Daresha Kyi
Full Interview
Chavela centers around a 1992 interview—the singer’s first public appearance after 12 hard years lost to alcoholism and heartbreak. Her amazing comeback began when Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, who had featured her music in many of his films, played an instrumental role in elevating her career to international acclaim.
Chavela (Isabel Vargas Lizano) passed away in 2012 at the age of 93.
Chavela opened at Film Forum in New York on Wednesday, October 4th and the Nuart in Los Angeles on October 6. A national release will follow.
Photos: ©2017 Angela María Ortíz S.
Justice League Character Posters
Synopsis: Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Blade Runner 2049 in Theaters Now!
If you didn’t see the original Blade Runner, you should, but you don’t have to, to see Blade Runner 2049—it’s a film that stands perfectly on its own.
Blade Runner 2049 Cast
Press conference in downtown L.A.
Director Denis Villeneuve is very true to the pace of the original Blade Runner. It starts very slow just like the original and you want it to move on. Once it does, it keeps getting more and more interesting—a little blurry at times following the storyline but this film has so much going for it in action and visuals that you keep watching. And just like the first film for me, I’ll have to watch it again to absorb more of it. The sound was intense in the theater I saw the film in.
We attended the press conference and have the audio here for you to enjoy! Listen to what Harrison Ford has to say about the original film and this new one.
The plot: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
From executive producer Ridley Scott and starring Ana De Armas, MacKenzie Davis, Sylvia Hoeks, Lennie James, Carla Juri, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto.
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on October 6.
Photos: ©2017 Angela María Ortíz S.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard is on Its Way!
The Hitman’s Bodyguard, the hilarious action-comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson arrives on Digital HD November 7 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, and DVD November 21 from Lionsgate.
*Look out for our upcoming giveaway, coming soon.
They are Back! Lucifer, The Third Season is Here!
Great talks with these actors: Lauren German, Tom Welling, Tricia Helfer, Aimee Garcia, DBWoodside and Rachael Harris
Lauren German
Tom Welling
Over a two-week period, I had the opportunity to visit with the cast of Lucifer and got to talk to the cast on and off camera; now you can enjoy those interviews, they are just below.
Modrovich & Henderson
Tricia Helfer
Make sure and check out the audio buttons with more good conversations; including the writers with some great stories about being punked by two of the actors and another writer on the crew. The new season started October 2.
Tom Ellis
Angela Ortíz and Kevin Alejandro
Happy Death Day Advance Screening Passes!
*Giveaway Closed. Thank you for participating, stay tuned for our next GIVEAWAY!
Giveaway! In Los Angeles/South Gate area, we have 50 pairs of an advance screening of Happy Death Day. A horror mystery starring Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken, Laura Clifton, and directed by Christopher Landon. Happy Death Day is in theaters October 13.
Download a first-come, first-served screening pass by clicking on the link below. Screening will take place on Wednesday, October 11 @ 7:30P (Have your pass ready to show at the door).
Follow the instructions in your pass and share your excitement using #HappyDeathDay and #SeFijaOnline. ENJOY!
Los Angeles (50 Pairs)
http://www.gofobo.com/HDDSF
Thor: Ragnarok Video featurette
A fun look at Thor: Ragnarok video featurette spotlighting Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and director Taika Waititi as they talk about the movie and offer glimpses of what’s to come!
Thor: Ragnarok cast: Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Jaimie Alexander, Idris Elba, and many more.
The plot: In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!
Thor: Ragnarok thunders into U.S. theaters on November 3.
Lethal Weapon Is Back Bigger and Badder for Season 2
L-r: Jordana Brewster, Johnathan Fernandez and his lovely wife, and showrunner Matt Miller
Lethal Weapon’s new season is here, and we had a chance to visit the set to catch up with some of the actors, Johnathan Fernandez, Michelle Mitchenor, Keesha Sharp, Jordana Brewster (videos below), and showrunner Matt Miller.
Matt Miller
Showrunner Matt Miller told us, “you know, when you get Lethal Weapon, you’re going to get explosives, you’re going to get some comedy,” … and one thing that surprises most people, with the television version as opposed to the movies, is how emotional it can be week after week.
Lethal Weapon is on a new night: Tuesdays at 8P on FOX.
Wonderstruck Official Trailer
Synopsis: Wonderstruck is based on Brian Selznick’s critically acclaimed novel: Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known, while Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his home and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out on quests to find what they are missing that unfold with mesmerizing symmetry.
Starring Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, Oakes Fegley, Millicent Simmonds, Jaden Michael, Amy Hargreaves, James Urbaniak, Tom Noonan, Cory Michael Smith, Damian Young, Morgan Turner, Sawyer Nunes, and directed by Todd Haynes. In Select Theaters October 20.
ANGELA MARÍA ORTÍZ S. PHOTOGRAPHY
Blu-ray and DVD Releases
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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
Favorite Shot of the Day
Podcast
You can also listen to any episode of all of the podcast at thebradmunson.com
Piece by Piece by MoonBear
