News

Arri has published the Alexa 35 Showreel for 2024. This showreel aims to demonstrate the cinematographic diversity of projects shot on the Arri 35, from blockbusters to indie commercials, and also to show the camera’s stunning imagery and dynamic range. Check it out.

Alexa 35 + Xelmus Anamorphic: Test Shots The Alexa 35 Showreel 2024: From blockbusters to indie films

As stated by Arri: We are proud to present the new Alexa 35 showreel, highlighting the wide variety of productions and looks that have been captured with the camera. Thank you to all the cinematographer for their contributions. Featuring a global mix, the showreel includes not only major blockbusters but also indie films, TV series, commercials, music videos, and art projects. The visual styles and aesthetics are incredibly diverse, crafted by talented directors and DPs using various lenses, lighting setups, production designs, and postproduction techniques, not to mention different features of the Alexa 35, such as Extended Sensitivity modes and Arri Textures.

In a deal sealed at Cannes, Spain’s Film Factory has closed France with Wild Bunch on action film “The Gentleman” as well as crime thriller “Undercover.”

The directorial debut of seasoned Mexican cinematographer Luis Gabriel Beristáin, “The Gentleman” stars Ron Perlman as Theo, an aging former U.S. soldier who pays Olga, a prostitute, to talk with him about who he once was and what he might have been. When Olga is brutally murdered, Theo embarks on bloody revenge.

“The Gentleman” is produced by Spain’s Esto También Pasará (“Ferocious Wolf”). Now shooting, “The Gentleman” will be released by Universal in Spain next year.

From Goya winner Arantxa Echevarría (“Lola and Carmen”), “Undercover” is inspired by the real-life story of Spain’s only police officer to successfully infiltrate Eta. Carolina Yuste (“Saben aquell”) and Luis Tosar (“Maiaxabel”) headline; Bowfinger Intl. Pictures and Beta Fiction Spain produce, with the latter...

New films by Julio Medem, Alejandro Amenábar, Alberto Rodríguez, Isaki Lacuesta, Jonas Trueba and Oliver Laxe join a brace of smart thrillers in a rich Cannes lineup from Spain.

“8,” (Julio Medem)

Medem returns towhat he does best: a love story transcending time and space and a poetic critique of recent history, according to sales agent Latido Films. “Fariña’s” Javier Rey and “La Mesías” Ana Rujus star as the lovers. Morena Films produces.

Sales: Latido

“As Neves,” (Sonia Méndez)

After a magic mushroom-fueled party, teens in a snowbound Galician village discover one of them is missing. The film was well-received at the Malaga festival.

Sales: Begin Again Films

“Barren Land,” (Albert Pintó)

From a director on “Money Heist” and “Berlin,” this suspense thriller captures how the drug trade devastates friendships and lives in Andalusía’s Cádiz. Film sports a great cast: Luis Zahera (“The Beasts”), Karra Elejalde (“While at War...

Film Factory has picked up rights to Luis Gabriel Beristáin’s revenge action thriller “The Gentleman,” a Spain-Mexico co-production starring an international cast led by Golden Globe-winner Ron Pearlman.

Produced by Spanish company Esto También Pasará and Mexican outfit Sdb Films (“The Deal”), shooting on “The Gentleman” is already underway in San Sebastián, Spain, and will run for six weeks. The film is scheduled to be released by Universal in Spain in 2025.

Uruguay’s Juma Fodde penned the film’s screenplay, which is adapted from Carlos Augusto Casas’ Spanish novel “Ya no quedan junglas adodnde regresar.”

“The Gentleman” turns on an aging former U.S. soldier named Theo (Perlman), who spends his days dreaming about better times that are now years behind him. Each week, Theo meets with Olga, a prostitute he pays to talk with him about who he once was and what he might have been under different circumstances.

Truth be told, I had little to no interest in seeing The Beekeeper. While I love action films, I felt burnt out by Jason Statham’s most recent run of movies, including The Meg 2, Operation Fortune, and Expend4bles. My chief complaint about Statham was that he always played characters that were too perfectly tailored to his persona and that his fight scenes had become predictable, with him rarely facing off with an opponent that seemed like a credible threat. Thus, I had no qualms about assigning the review to one of our other critics, Tyler Nichols, who did a great job with his (positive) write-up. To be clear, don’t consider this a “review”. It’s more an an editorial.

So why did I bother seeing The Beekeeper if I thought I’d hate it and had no intention of reviewing it? Simple – I was bored on Saturday afternoon.

The Beekeeper Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Phylicia Rashad, Jemma Redgrave, and Minnie Driver

Director: David Ayer

The Beekeeper Movie Review Is Out! (Picture Credit: IMDb)

What’s Good: Jason Statham being Jason Statham

What’s Bad: It over-promises on its selling point, i.e., the action, but under-delivers at almost every level

Loo Break: Whenever you don’t see Jason Statham doing Jason Statham things

Watch or Not?: With zero expectations while having a Sunday dinner after you fail to find anything to watch

Language: English

Available On: Theatrical Release

Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes

User Rating:

Adam Clay is a Beekeeper, not the regular one who is just in for the honey; he’s the protector of the ‘hive’ – a masterfully skilled assassin secretly appointed by the United States. He’s someone who can go ‘John Wick’ even on...

Barcelona-based indie studio Filmax has nabbed international sales rights to Joaquín Mazón’s “The Night My Dad Saved Christmas,” starring Spain’s king of comedy Santiago Segura (”Father There Is Only One”) and Ernesto Sevilla (“I Can Quit Whenever I Want”).

A Spain-Mexico co-production, the film teams Spain’s tax incentive structure La Navidad en Sus Manos Aie with three of Spain’s most successful film production companies: Nadie Es Perfecto, Esto También Pasará Producciones and Bowfinger International Pictures.

The family comedy, scripted by Francisco Arnal and Daniel Monedero, is set in the days leading up to Christmas, when Santa – played by Segura – has an accident on his sleigh, right in the middle of Madrid, and ends up in hospital, where he will have to stay until after Christmas.

Fortunately, Salva, the guy he’s sharing a room with at the hospital, is willing to step in and take on his all important Christmas work.

Screen legend Ron Perlman looks set to take a leading role in an adaptation of Carlos Augusto Casas’s award winning novel, ‘Ya no quedan junglas adonde regresar,’ whose big screen adaptation rights have been secured by producer Álvaro Ariza’s production company, Esto También Pasará.

The novel’s cinematic adaptation will mark the debut narrative feature film as a director of Gabriel Beristain, a seasoned Mexican cinematographer known for “Agent Carter” and his work with illustrious directors such as Guillermo del Toro, David Ayer and David Mamet. His early work with Derek Jarman on “Caravaggio,” won a Silver Bear at Berlin.

The agreement was struck with literary agency Editabundo. Cadiz-based Este También Pasará Productions, headed by Ariza, has a robust portfolio of successful films and series, including ‘¡Ay, mi madre!” from Frank Ariza, Macarena Astorga’s “The Snail’s House,” and “De Caperucita a loba,” directed by Chus Gutiérrez,...

During a pivotal moment in Incident at Loch Ness, Zak Penn repeats something Werner Herzog supposedly once told him: “Cinema is lies.” This comes after the discovery of Penn’s meddling on Herzog’s latest project. The filmmaker then tells Penn he should become a talk show host or lawyer if he can’t understand the distinction here. While these two storytellers both aim to make a good movie, they are worlds apart in their methods. Herzog seeks utmost accuracy and has a staunch sense of integrity. Penn, on the other hand, is a man of Hollywood’s conditioning. He believes audiences will never be satisfied by just the truth.

Deception is the central theme of this 2004 movie. Even before the camera ever started rolling, the minds behind Incident at Loch Ness had people fooled; outlets back then reported Herzog was shooting a mere documentary called “The Enigma of Loch Ness”. As everyone later realized,...

Click here to read the full article.

Australian Film, Television and Radio School

Australia’s preeminent screen arts and broadcast school benefits from a beautiful setting in one of the most pleasant parts of Sydney, as well as a wealth of industry lecturers and connections to the country’s working film and TV world. Notable alumni include last year’s Oscar best director nominee Jane Campion (Power of the Dog) and Black Widow filmmaker Cate Shortland, in addition to a slew of past Oscar nominees and winners in technical categories, like David White (sound editing for Mad Max: Fury Road), Andrew Lesnie (cinematography for The Lord of the Rings) and Tony McNamara (best original screenplay with The Favourite).

Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (Mexico)

Mexico’s most prestigious film school prides itself on the gender parity of its student body (a goal it first achieved in 2020) and its track record in turning out world-class professionals,...

Exclusive: Black Widow cinematographer Gabriel Beristain has signed on to direct adaptations of the books Brooklyn Story and 11 Days in Hell, which were recently acquired by Wallner Media.

The former project is a film, which Suzanne Corso adapted from her best-selling novel of the same name. The latter is a TV series, based on the non-fiction book of the same name by William T. Harper. Beristain will direct all 11 episodes, scripted by Bruce and Brett Moore.

The first novel in a trilogy, Brooklyn Story is set in the summer of 1978. It centers on Samantha Bonti, who is fifteen years old, half Jewish and half Italian, and hesitantly edging toward pure Brooklyn, even if her dreams of something more are bigger than the neighborhood girls’ teased hair. Samantha lives in Bensonhurst with her mother, Joan, a woman abandoned and scarred in a ruinous marriage, poisoned with cynicism, and shackled by addictions,...

Sandwiched between the events depicted in Captain American: Civil War (2016) and Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the new Marvel film, Black Widow, follows Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) as she attempts to clear some of the dark marks in her ledger after being drawn back into her life as a trained assassin. Ultimately, the film plays as a fine entry to the Marvel canon and proves that super heroines can hold their own every bit as well as their male counterparts.

The film begins with a prologue of sorts in 1995 when Natasha is a pre-teen living with her former faux family—father, mother, and sister—who are forced to flee their idyllic suburban life once their uncover mission is compromised. Years later, after serving time as an Avenger, Natasha is reunited with her sister (Florence Pugh), mother (Rachel Weisz), and father (David Harbour) as they reunite in an attempt to take down the...

Black Widow cinematographer Gabriel Beristain is featured in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Behind the Screen.

Beristain has worked on a string of Marvel movies, including the Thor films and The Avengers handling additional photography. Most recently, he served as director of photography on Black Widow, which arrives simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9. Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as Black Widow, and she’s joined by a cast including Florence Pugh as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei/The Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina.

“This film is going to start speaking more toward the soul ...

Black Widow cinematographer Gabriel Beristain is featured in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Behind the Screen.

Beristain has worked on a string of Marvel movies, including the Thor films and The Avengers handling additional photography. Most recently, he served as director of photography on Black Widow, which arrives simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9. Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as Black Widow, and she’s joined by a cast including Florence Pugh as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei/The Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina.

“This film is going to start speaking more toward the soul ...

The long-delayed but hotly anticipated “Black Widow” from Marvel Studios finally gets its bow before critics, garnering positive reviews thus far. However, with the Academy moving back to a guaranteed 10 nominees in best picture, and seemingly open to more populist choices in Hollywood, as seen with James Mangold’s “Logan” (2017) getting mentioned for adapted screenplay and Todd Phillips’ “Joker” (2019) leading the nomination tally in its respective year, could there be awards hope for the first lady of the Avengers? With the raves coming in for standout Florence Pugh, could there be an avenue for acting recognition?

The landscape of the 2021 film year is looking dense and hardy, as many films that were pushed back amid the pandemic are angling for huge box office earnings as theaters begin to reopen. As a result, there’s a very good chance that the spinoff story of Natasha Romanoff could get lost in the...

Exclusive: Mike Merrill has signed with Pantheon for representation in all areas.

The actor, who plays the young, hungry talent director Christian Mosley on The CW’s All American is also currently filming a BET feature, which is scheduled for release later in the year. He also recently signed a partnership deal with the Bumble dating service, to produce new media content on his channels.

Merrill’s previous credits include Tyler Perry’s series The Haves and the Have Nots, and BET’s The Bobby Brown Story.

He continues to be represented by Cgem Talent.

Manuel Vega, meanwhile, has signed with Cesd Talent Agency.

Quickly establishing himself as an actor to watch in Spanish and Latin American film and television, Vega starred in Telecinco drama Secretos de Estados, as well as MGM International Television’s hit comedy series, Herederos Por Accidente, among other projects. Most recently,...

Yesterday, Marvel dropped a new Trailer for their spinoff movie Black Widow. Finally giving Scarlett Johansson’s title character her own film, this has been, in many circles, one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most requested projects. Well, Kevin Feige and company finally listened, and we’re less than two months out from the flick. This Final Trailer is really the McU making one last push to make sure audiences show up en masse. You can see the Trailer at the end of the post, but I’m not really spoiling anything to say that I think Marvel is going to succeed in that endeavor… It’s hard to be unaware about this film, but just in case, here’s the Wikipedia based plot summary: “Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha Romanoff finds herself alone and forced to confront a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past.

U.S. sales company Shoreline will launch international sales at Berlin’s Efm on “Havana Kyrie,” a drama toplining iconic Italian actor Franco Nero (“Django Unchained”) as a down-on-his-luck Italian orchestra conductor, and featuring Ron Perlman (“Sons of Anarchy”) in a supporting role.

The Italian-language pic, which marks the first official co-production between Italy and Cuba, just had its U.S. premiere at the Los Angeles Italia Film Festival after world premiering in December at the Havana Film Festival.

Set mostly in Havana and partly in Southern Italy the tale, which aims to tug at the heartstrings, sees Nero playing a crabby aged Italian maestro with a wounded ego who reluctantly winds up in Havana to conduct the Cuban National Children’s Choir. Once there, he intersects with a son he fathered decades before. Perlman plays the now grown son’s surrogate father.

Nero, who came up with idea in...

There has been a lot of talk lately about Marvel possibly getting their act together and giving us another Blade movie. But even if this ever comes to fruition, there is sadly no way to guarantee that Wesley Snipes will be invited back to the role he made iconic on the big screen. And speaking of possibly having to replace Snipes as Blade one of these days, today we have word via the actor himself that none other than Justice League star Ray Fischer wants to play the Daywalker should Marvel ever actually get around to rebooting the character.

I don't know about you, but I think Ray Fisher is a solid choice to play Blade. After all, I think it's pretty safe to say that Fischer's run as Cyborg in the DC Universe has reached its end. But who knows? Maybe that planned Cyborg stand-alone spin-off movie will see...

In today’s film news roundup, Paramount puts Tyler Perry and Michael Bay on “I Am Yours,” sci-fi thriller “Lumina” gets distribution and Matthew Rauch and Zina Wilde join “Chase the Ace.”

Project Launched

Paramount Pictures is launching development on the thriller “I Am Yours” and has set the project up with Tyler Perry and Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller.

The studio acquired the spec script from the writing team of Ryan Belenzon and Jeffrey Gelber. The logline is under wraps besides that it involves a stalking element in the vein of “Fatal Attraction.”

Perry, best known for the Madea movies, is in post-production on “Nobody’s Fool,” starring Tiffany Haddish and Tika Sumpter, with Paramount planning a Nov. 2 release. Platinum Dunes produced “A Quiet Place” for Paramount and “The First Purge,” which Universal opens July 4.

Belenzon and Gelbers wrote Roger Clemens biopic “The Rocket,...

The producers behind the upcoming $45-55m action thriller to star Olga Kurylenko are in discussions with sales agents and North American distributors.

The film currently does not have a sales agent. Last month Screendaily reported Hong Kong-based All Rights Entertainment was on board, however producer Lynda McKoy said that was not the case and no agreement had been signed. Screendaily is happy to set the record straight.

Little Mizz Innocent is set to begin pre-production in early 2016 in Canada, Austria, South Africa and China in time for a 2017 release.

Co-producers are Chris Roland of South Africa-based Zen-hq and European partner Raphael Benoliel of France’s First Step.

Christopher Plummer, Carrie Anne Moss and Tyrese Gibson will also star and Xavier Gens is attached to direct from a screenplay by Gino McKoy about a seemingly innocent Un interpreter caught in a war between the FBI and a criminal dynasty.

Lynda McKoy of Toronto and Los Angeles-based Goldove...

The Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles (Ficg in La) - presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta has announced its lineup. "Messi" directed by Álex de la Iglesia, will be the Opening Night film for the 2015 Festival. This documentary portrays today’s greatest soccer player who at age 11 ran the risk of seeing his career ending before it started. With informal interviews, re-enactments, and spectacular footage of Messi’s legendary exploits, this film tells the incredible, true story of his rise to glory.

The 2015 Ficg in La, which returns to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for its fifth year and runs from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30, brings the best of contemporary Mexican and Latin American cinema to Los Angeles, and is an extension of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

Featuring outstanding and award-winning titles from FICG30, which ran from March 6-15, 2015 in Guadalajara, Ficg in La will offer the premiere of other titles that have emerged in the world of cinema throughout the year to great critical acclaim.

The aim of the festival is to increase access and visibility of Mexican and Latin American cinema in the U.S., facilitating the exchange of ideas through stories and issues of cultural and social relevance, create a space for collaboration between filmmakers, and strengthen relations between the film industry in Mexico and the U.S.

Ficg in La includes film screenings followed by Q&As with filmmakers and talent, as well as galas, panels and special award recognitions to Latin American and U.S. Latino artists.

“Ficg in La 2015 represents the culmination of five years of continuous dedication and passion to further the Latino arts and cinema in the U.S. What was once a tiny three-day showcase of Latino and Ibero-American cinema, is now a lively, eventful film festival, filled with industry events, work-in-progress competitions, family-oriented programs and panel discussions. Los Angeles is the perfect backdrop for Ficg in La to thrive, as it is a patchwork of so many different cultures and communities from across Latin America; however, we hope that our audience is as diverse as the city itself, because many of these stories universally relate to communities of all backgrounds,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Director and Producer of Ficg in La.

“In five years, the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles (Ficg in La), has aimed to promote the Mexican and Latin American cinema so that people from elsewhere can enjoy and appreciate the great productions that have been made in Ibero-America; and likewise we have done everything possible to make filmmakers from the Us and Canada get interested in addressing Latino themes and help them honing their skills to provide stronger ground for their projects,”said Iván Trujillo Bolio, Director of Ficg.

Among the celebrities who have accompanied us in previous editions are: Carlos Cuarón, Edward James Olmos, Sergio Arau, Diana Bracho, Alfonso Arau, Kate del Castillo, Martha Higareda, Beto Cuevas, Irene Azuela, Dulce Maria, Carmen Salinas and Jay Hernandez.

Read More: LatinoBuzz: Duo Ben Odell and Eugenio Derbez of 3Pas Studios

Eugenio Derbez will receive the Tree of Life award in representation of the Derbez dynasty. Oscar winner Eugenio Caballero (Best Art Direction, "Pan's Labyrinth"), Ofelia Medina (Mexican actress), Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor La Opinion) and Lpb (Latino Public Broadcasting) will also receive the festival’s Tree of Life Award for their contributions to Mexican, Latino and Ibero-American culture. Previous recipients include Demián Bichir (actor), Juan Carlos Arciniegas (CNN en Espanol), Fernando Luján (actor), Rubén Luengas (journalist), Gabriel Beristain (Director of Photography) and Emilio Kauderer (Music Composer).

Ficg in La continues to support Latino and Ibero-American films with Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 2 and DocuLab.2 Los Angeles by selecting six projects from filmmakers seeking post-production funds. The films will be screened for jury members, sponsors and film industry professionals. The winners will be announced on Friday August 28.

In addition, the winning projects in each competition will automatically qualify to be considered for Guadalajara Construye 10 or DocuLab.8 Guadalajara, or for the Ibero-American Competitions of the next edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG31) – March 4 - 13, 2016.

To reaffirm the social mission of Ficg and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA, Ficg in La will donate again all of its proceeds to a charitable cause. We will announce soon the recipient of this year’s fundraising effort.

13 Feature and documentary films and 12 short films will be showcased in this year’s festival

Opening Night Gala – August 28, 2015

"Messi" Dir. Álex de la Iglesia (Spain, 2014, L.A. Premiere)

Closing Night Gala – August 30, 2015

"Ciudad Delirio," Dir. Chus Gutiérrez (Colombia, 2014, 100 min., L.A. Premiere)

Special Events:

• Kids Gala: "El Jeremías" (Jeremy) Dir. Anwar Safa (Mexico, 2015, Us Premiere)

• Maguey (Lgbt) Gala: "Made in Bangkok" Dir. Flavio Florencio (México – Alemania, 2015, Us Premiere)

• Art, Health & Healing Special Screening: "Juanicas"

Dir. Karina García Casanova (Mexico – Canada, 2015, Us Premiere)

and "La Teta de Botero," Dir. Humberto Busto, Mexico (short film)

• Human Rights Special Screening: "La Prenda" (The Pawn)

Dir. Jean-Cosme Delaloye (Guatemala – Suiza, 2014, Sneak Preview) in Association with the Mill Valley Film Festival.

• Free Screening: "La Once" (Tea Time) –Dir. Maite Alberti (Chile, 2014)

Other Feature Films

"El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen" (The Boss, Anatomy Of A Crime)

Dir. Sebastián Schindel (Argentina, 2014, L.A. Premiere)

HBO Latino presents – Heroes Cotidianos – “El cometa”

Dir. Alejandra Sánchez (Mexico, 2014, Sneak Preview)

"Ixcanul" Dir. Jayro Bustamante (Guatemala - France, 2015, Sneak Preview)

"Loreak" (Flowers) Dir. Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga (Spain, 2014, L.A. Premiere)

"Pocha" (Manifest Destiny) Dir. Michael Dwyer (USA – Mexico, 2015)

"Que Viva la Música" (Liveforever)

Dir. Carlos Moreno (Colombia -Mexico, 2015, L.A Premiere)

Short Films

Mexican Animated Shorts Showcase & Panel (in chronological order)

"Como preparar un sandwich" (How to Prepare a Sandwich) Dir. Rigo Mora

"Hasta Los Huesos" (Down to the Bones) Dir. René Castillo

"Jacinta" Dir. Karla Castañeda

"Jaulas" (Cages) Dir. Juan José Medina

"Prita Noire" (Black Doll) Dir. Sofía Carrillo

"La Casa Triste" (The Sad House) Dir. Sofia Carrillo

"La Noria" ( The Waterwheel) Dir. Karla Castaneda

"Lluvia en los Ojos" (Rain in the Eyes) Dir. Rita Basulto

"Zimbo" (Zimbo) Dir. Rita Basulto & Juan Jose Medina

Shorts Before Features

"Ella" (Her) Dir. Ximena Urrutia (Mexico, 2014, 23 min)

"Mestizo," Dir. Talon Gonzalez (USA, 2014, 10 min.)

"La Teta de Botero," Dir. Humberto Busto (Mexico, 2015, 18 min., Us Premiere)

The screening of the selected work-in-progress films will be for industry accredited to the festival. These screenings are not open to the general public or member of the press.

Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 2

• "Angelica," Dir. Marisol Gómez-Mouakad, Puerto Rico/USA

• "Dementia" (Demencia), Dir. Jose Luís Valenzuela, Mexico/USA

• "Lupe under the Sun" (Lupe bajo el sol), Dir. Rodrigo Reyes, Mexico/USA

DocuLab.2 Los Angeles

• "No Dresscode Required" (Etiqueta no rigurosa), Dir. Cristina Herrera Borquez, Mexico/USA

• "Looking at the Stars" (Ol" ando pras estrelas), Dir. Alexandre Peralta, Nicaragua/Brazil/USA

• "Omar & Gloria" (Omar y Gloria), Dir. Jimmy Cohen, Mexico/Canada

Ficg in La is presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta, with Principal Sponsors the University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine), Univision and La Opinion.

Yesterday the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles - Ficg in La - presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta, with Principal Sponsors University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine) and Univision, announced its lineup. "The Hours with You" (Las Horas Contigo) directed by Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, will be the Opening Night film for the 2014 Festival. The film stars Cassandra Ciangherotti, María Rojo, Isela Vega, Arcelia Ramírez and Julio Bracho.

The 2014 Ficg in La, which returns to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for its fourth year and runs from Thursday, September 4 to Sunday, September 7, brings the best of contemporary Mexican and Latin American cinema to Los Angeles, and is an extension of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

Featuring outstanding and award-winning titles from FICG29, which ran from March 21-29, 2014 in Guadalajara, Ficg in La will offer the premiere of other titles that have emerged in the world of cinema throughout the year to great critical acclaim.

The aim of the festival is to increase access and visibility of Mexican and Latin American cinema in the U.S., facilitating the exchange of ideas through stories and issues of cultural and social relevance, create a space for collaboration between filmmakers, and strengthen relations between the film industry in Mexico and the U.S.

Ficg in La includes film screenings followed by Q&As with filmmakers and talent, as well as galas and special award recognitions to Latin American and U.S. Latino artists.

“This year, we are truly proud to bring two artistic programs to Ficg in La that supports emerging independent filmmakers, in effect, fulfilling part of our mission to nourish and sustain emerging talent across international film industries. Many of the films in this year's showcase reveal the cross-cultural collaborations currently taking place between film industries in Latin America, the Us, and Canada. These collaborations have resulted in the creation of groundbreaking, authentic, multicultural stories that move seamlessly across national and cultural boundaries." said Hebe Tabachnik, Director and Producer of Ficg in La.

“We are constantly finding ways for Ibero-American filmmakers to promote their films and share their experiences with moviemakers from all over the world. Now that we have reached our fourth year, we realized that we have become one of the leading platforms for Latino cinematography to enter the United States market,” said Iván Trujillo, Festival Director of Ficg.

Among the celebrities that have accompanied us in previous editions are: Carlos Cuarón, Edward James Olmos, Sergio Arau, Diana Bracho, Alfonso Arau, Kate del Castillo, Martha Higareda, Beto Cuevas, Irene Azuela, Dulce Maria, Carmen Salinas and Jay Hernandez.

Oscar nominee Demian Bichir , Nalip (The National Association of Latino Independent Producers), Ruben Luengas (journalist) and Gabriela Teissier (anchor woman) from Univision Radio and TV will receive the festival’s Tree of Life Award for their contributions to Mexican, Latino and Ibero American culture. Previous recipients include Ambulante, Juan Carlos Arciniegas (CNN en Espanol), Fernando Luján (actor), Gabriel Beristain (Director of Photography) and Emilio Kauderer (Music Composer).

Ficg in La continues to support Latino and Ibero-American films with Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 1 and DocuLab.1 Los Angeles by selecting six projects from filmmakers seeking post-production funds. The films will be screened for jury members, sponsors and film industry professionals. The winners will be announced on Opening Night.

In addition, the winning projects in each competition will automatically qualify to be considered for Guadalajara Construye 9 or DocuLab.7 Guadalajara, or for the Ibero-American Competitions of the next edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG30) – March 6 - 15, 2015.

To reaffirm the social mission of Ficg and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA, Ficg in La will donate again all of its proceeds to a charitable cause. We will announce soon the recipient of this year’s fundraising effort.

10 Feature and documentary films and six short films will be showcased in this year’s festival

Opening Night Gala – September 5, 2014

• "The Hours with You" (Las Horas Contigo), Dir. Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, Mexico. Us Premiere

Closing Night Gala – September 7, 2014

• "One for the Road" (En el Ultimo Trago), Dir. Jack Zagha Kababie, Mexico. Us Premiere

Feature Films

• "Echo of the Mountain" (Eco de la Montaña), Dir. Nicolás Echevarría, Mexico. Us Premiere (documentary)

• "Grazing the Sky" (A Ras del Cielo), Dir. Horacio Alcala, Spain/ Mexico/ Portugal. L.A. Premiere (documentary)

• "Ignasi M.," Dir. Ventura Pons, Spain. L.A. Premiere (documentary)

• "Los Ángeles," Dir. Damian John Harper USA/Mexico.

• "The Mute" (El Mudo), Dir. Daniel Vega Vidal & Diego Vega Vidal, Peru. L.A. Premiere

• "Natural Sciences" (Ciencias naturales), Dir. Matías Lucchesi, Argentina.

• "Paraíso," Dir. Mariana Chenillo. Mexico. L.A Premiere

• "A Wolf at the Door" (O Lobo atras da Porta), Dir. Fernando Coimbra, Brazil. L.A. Premiere

Short Films

• "Diego," Dir. Sara Seligman, Mexico/Germany. (live action Drama)

• "A Family Day" (Un día en Familia), Dir. Pedro Zulu González, Mexico. (animation)

• "Minerita," Dir. Raúl de la Fuente, Spain (documentary)

• "Pickman's Model" (El modelo de Pickman), Dir. Pablo Ángeles Zuman, Mexico. Us Premiere (animation)

• "The Queen" (La Reina), Dir. Manuel Abramovich, Argentina (documentary)

• "Yearbook," Dir. Bernardo Britto, USA. (animation)

The screening of the selected work-in-progress films will be for industry accredited to the festival. These screenings are not open to the general public or member of the press.

Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 1

• "Blue Lips," Dir. Daniela De Carlo, Julieta Lima, Gustavo Lipsztein, Antonello Novellino, Nacho Ruipérez and Nobu Shima USA/Argentina/ Brazil/ Spain

• "Whisper of the Forest" (Gritos del Bosque), Dir. Jorge Olguín, Chile/USA

• Pocha, Dir. Michael Dwyer, Mexico/USA

DocuLab.1 Los Angeles

• "Gaucho del Norte," Dir. Andres Caballero, Sofia Khan Argentina/USA

• "Hotel de Paso," Dir. Paulina Sánchez Mexico/USA

• "Juanicas," Dir. Karina Garcia Casanova, Mexico/Canada

Ficg in La is presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States and Conaculta, and Principal Sponsors, the University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine) and Univision, and Supporting Sponsors Cultura Udg, University of Guadalajara Foundation in Los Angeles, LeaLa, Channel 31.2 and the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles.

About Ficg

The Guadalajara International Film Festival was founded by Guillermo del Toro and other Mexican filmmakers in 1986, and will celebrate its 30th edition March 6-15, 2015.

Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.

About the University of Guadalajara – Mexico

The University of Guadalajara is a member of the University Network in the State of Jalisco, and it is the second oldest university in Mexico. The University of Guadalajara is committed to the betterment of society through higher education. It supports scientific and technological research that makes important contributions to a sustainable and inclusive society, respecting cultural diversity and honoring the principles of social justice, democracy, coexistence, and prosperity for all. The University is renowned in Mexico and abroad as a leader in the transformation of society through innovative means of social development and dissemination of knowledge.

About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.

The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America (Udg Foundation-usa) is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.

U.S. Udg Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and Hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.

Echo of the Mountain also scoops a top prize at the film festival in Mexico.Scroll down for full list of winners

Matias Lucchesi’s debut feature Natural Sciences (Ciencias naturales) scooped a top prize, the Golden Mayahuel and €14,700 ($20,000) in cash, in the Ibero-American competition of the 29th Guadalajara Film Festival (Ficg), March 21-30.

The Argentinian production follows an adolescent girl’s quest to reconnect with her estranged father and was launched last month at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Generation Kplus Grand Prix.

Sold by Urban Distribution, it beat competition from 18 other titles to take the top prize and also received the best screenplay award and the Feisal (Latin American Film Schools) trophy.

Lead stars Paula Herzog and Paola Barrientos shared the best actress prize.

Echo of the Mountain (Eco de la Montana), a documentary directed by veteran Nicolas Echevarria, won the prize for best Mexican film, which included...

In order to promote the cinema and filmmaking talent of Mexico and Ibero-America, the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg), the University of Guadalajara and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in the U.S. present Ficg in La, a selection of the most outstanding films of 2013's Ficg. Ficg in La will be held at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood November 1-3, 2013.Featuring outstanding and award-winning titles from FICG28, which ran from March 1-9, 2013, Ficg in La will offer the premiere of other titles that have emerged in the world of cinema throughout the year to great critical acclaim. The aim of the festival is increasing access and visibility of Mexican and Latin American cinema in the U.S., facilitating the exchange of ideas through stories and issues of cultural and social relevance, creating a space for collaboration between filmmakers and strengthening relationships between the film industry in Mexico and the U.S.

Ficg in La includes film screenings followed by Q&As with filmmakers and talent, as well as galas and special award recognitions to Latin American and U.S. Latino artists. "It is an honor and a great responsibility to direct Ficg in La and to join the mission of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) –which is close to its 30th anniversary – whose main purpose is to promote Mexican and Latin American cinema, expand the audience for these films, contribute to the careers of new filmmakers, and to serve as liaison between Latin American cinema and the international film industry " said Hebe Tabachnik, Director and Producer of Ficg in La, who since 2011 has collaborated as the Guest Programmer for the Maguey Award section, which focuses on films about sexual diversity.

Part of the significance in increasing the presence of Ficg in La is that the state of California has a concentration of 14 million Latinos, of which about 12 million are Mexican or Mexican-American. Of the nearly 5 million residing in metropolitan Los Angeles and Long Beach area, nearly half originate from the State of Jalisco, revealing a strong cultural connection between its capital, Guadalajara, and the city of Los Angeles. "Ficg in La is a gateway to Latin American cinema in Hollywood and also for Latino filmmakers to forge a relationship with the Guadalajara International Film Festival and claim it as their home,” said Ivan Trujillo, Festival Director of Ficg. Among the celebrities that have accompanied us in previous editions include: Edward James Olmos, Sergio Arau, Diana Bracho, Alfonso Arau, Kate del Castillo, Martha Higareda, Beto Cuevas, Everardo González, Emilio Maille, Dulce Maria, Carmen Salinas and Jay Hernandez.

Ficg in La 2013 marks the beginning of a joint venture with Ambulante, the nonprofit organization founded by Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna and Pablo Cruz, dedicated to supporting documentary filmmaking as an important tool for cultural and social transformation. Ambulante will present the Los Angeles premiere of the Mexican documentary Quebranto (Disrupt), directed by Roberto Fiesco, who received a Special Jury Award in the Ibero-American Competition and was the winner of ther Maguey Award (FICG28), and more recently the Premio Sebastiane Latino Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. Ambulante will receive a special recognition for its outstanding contribution to promoting documentaries and documentary filmmakers since 2005.

Finally, in light of recent events in Mexico, our work this year wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t join the efforts to assist the communities severely affected by the tropical storms. Ficg in La has decided to donate all ticket sale proceeds to help rebuild these communities in need. Ficg in La is presented by the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the University of Guadalajara, University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States, and is supported by the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles. Ficg’s institutional sponsors include Conaculta, the Mexican Film Institute (Imcine), the Government of the State of Jalisco, Cultura Udg, Channel 44, as well as the municipalities of Guadalajara and Zapopan.

Ficg in L.A. Film Lineup 2013

Guadalajara International Film Festival In Los Angeles -- Ficg in La has announced the program for its third annual edition in Los Angeles. The festival will take place in Los Angeles from November 1-3, 2013 at the Egyptian Theater. The 3 day festival will showcase outstanding and award-winning titles from FICG28, which was held earlier this year in Guadalajara.

The entire program can be found at: www.ficginla.com

The Opening Night Presentation (November 1, 2013) will be the Us Premiere of Francisco Franco’s Tercera Llamada (Last Call) and it will be screened following the Ficg in La Awards Presentation to actor Fernando Luján for achievement in his career including his work in Tercera Llamada, to journalist, film critic, and television presenter, Juan Carlos Arciniegas for his contributions to the Latin entertainment community’s presence in the media. The additional award recipients for career achievement are cinematographer Gabriel Beristain and composer Emilio Kauderer. The final award will be presented to the non-profit organization, Ambulante for its work supporting and promoting documentary film as a tool for social and cultural transformation. A Gala reception in the courtyard of the Egyptian Theater will follow the film screening.

The Closing Night Presentation (November 3, 2013) Besos de Azucar (Sugar Kisses) is the West Coast Premiere of Carlos Cuaron’s film. Ficg in La will be the Us premiere for Levantamiertos, Soy Mucho Mejor Que Vos (I'm Better Than You), Puerto Padre (Port Father) and El Santos Vs La Tetona Mendoza (El Santos Vs The Busty Mendoza). Las Mariposas de Sadourni (Sadourni's Butterflies), Quebranto, and 7 Cajas (7 Boxes) will all have their Los Angeles premieres at Ficg in La.

This year’s Ficg in La films are as follows:

Features

7 Cajas (7 Boxes) -Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbori

Paraguay, 100 min

Besos De Azucar (Sugar Kisses) – Carlos Cuarón

Mexico, 87 min

El Santos Vs La Tetona Mendoza

(El Santos Vs The Busty Mendoza) -Andrés Couturier, Alejandro Lozano

Mexico, 96 min

Las Mariposas De Sadourni (Sadourni's Butterflies ) -Dario Nardi

Argentina, 94 min

Levantamuertos - Miguel Nuñez

Mexico/USA, 82 min

Puerto Padre (Port Father) - Gustavo Fallas

Costa Rica/Mexico, 86 min

Purgatorio - Rodrigo Reyes

Mexico, 80 min

Quebranto (Disrupted) - Roberto Fiesco

Mexico, 92 min

Soy Mucho Mejor Que Vos - (I'm Better Than You) – Che Sandoval

Chile, 85 min

Tercera Llamada (Last Call) -Francisco Franco

Mexico, 92 min

Workers -José Luis Valle

Mexico, 120 min

Shorts

Rigo Mora Award Winning Shorts

Mexico, 73 min

Tickets Available At: https://ficginla.eventbrite.com

Ticket Price

Opening Night Gala, Recognition Awards Ceremony & Reception - $ 30

Closing Night Gala and Regular Screenings - $ 9

Please call 661-724-0807 if you have any questions about how to purchase your ticket to Ficg in La.

The proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to flood victims in Mexico.

About Ficg in La

Ficg in La is a window into the world of contemporary Mexican and Ibero-American cinema and it is an extension of the Guadalajara International Film Festival. This year′s Ficg in La will take place at Hollywood′s historic Egyptian Theatre, right in the heart of the worldwide film and entertainment industry. The festival is designed for people to come and explore the diverse regional narratives of Mexican and Ibero-America cinema, and to help critically acclaimed films from these regions reach a wider audience. Los Angeles provides an essential backdrop for the showcase to take place because of its strong cultural ties to Latin American communities all across the globe. The festival is presented by the University of Guadalajara, the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

This year’s sponsors of Ficg in La include Cultura Udg, LeaLA Spanish Book Fair in Los Angeles, Udg TV, The National Council for Culture and The Arts, and the Mexican Consulate General. In addition, this year, Ficg in La is partnering with local organizations and consulates who embrace independent film and the goals of Ficg in La. Those partners include Film Independent, Project Involve, Outfest, The Argentinian Consulate General, The Chilean Consulate General, and the Asociación de Egresados del la Universidad de Guadalajara in Los Angeles.

www.ficginla.com

Expected to attend this year’s festival are:

The Cast of Tercera Llamada – Opening Night Film –

Audience Award and Best Actress - Female Ensemble - Ficg 28

Irene Azuela, Fernando Luján, Mariana Treviño

Francisco Franco Director,

Laura Imperiale Producer

Comic book artists Trino (José Trinidad Camacho Orozco) and Jis (José Ignacio Solórzano)

The artists behind The Santos vs.'s Busty Mendoza based on the famous comic strip characters of the same name.

Carlos Cuarón - The Director of Sugar Kisses - Besos de Azúcar - Closing Night Film

About Ficg

The Guadalajara International Film Festival was founded by Guillermo del Toro and other Mexican filmmakers in 1986, and will celebrate its 29th edition March 21-29, 2014. Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.

About the University of Guadalajara – Mexico

The University of Guadalajara is a member of the University Network in the State of Jalisco, and it is the second oldest university in Mexico. The University of Guadalajara is committed to the betterment of society through higher education. It supports scientific and technological research that makes important contributions to a sustainable and inclusive society, respecting cultural diversity and honoring the principles of social justice, democracy, coexistence, and prosperity for all. The University is renowned in Mexico and abroad as a leader in the transformation of society through innovative means of social development and dissemination of knowledge.

About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.

The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America (Udg Foundation-usa) is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles. U.S. Udg Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and Hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.

About Ambulante

Ambulante A.C., a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna and Pablo Cruz, is dedicated to supporting and promoting documentary film as a tool for social and cultural transformation. Ambulante travels to places where documentary films and training are limited with the purpose of creating engaged, critical and well-informed audiences. Each year, a documentary film festival travels with the support of Canana, Cinepolis, and the Morelia International Film Festival, covering several states in Mexico for 3 months, with an international showcase of over 100 documentaries, some 120 special guests, at over 150 venues.

For more information call 310.951.9797 or visit www.ficginla.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ficg-in-la/1427478980805851

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/FICGinLA

Media Contact

Kc Mancebo

Clamorhouse

310-614-6036

kcm[At]clamorhouse.com

press[At]ficginla.com

Hebe Tabachnik

310-951-9797

hebe[At]ficginla.com...

"A onetime yakuza turned jailbird turned filmmaking enfant terrible, the now-75-year-old Japanese director Kōji Wakamatsu has long been loved by cinema cultists for an outrageous string of 1960s provocations made under the guise of the pinku eiga — or 'pink' film." Steve Dollar at GreenCine Daily: "These typically low-budget sex romps could be as insane, surreal, or mind-bending as possible, as long as they included a minimum amount of nudity and softcore humping. Wakamatsu, seizing the opportunity, used the form to pursue the extremes, reveling in obsessive sex and violence as a leftist critique of Japanese society. Beyond the outrage and sleaze of The Embryo Hunts in Secret [1966]; Go, Go Second-Time Virgin [1969]; and Ecstasy of the Angels [1972], was a form of perverse shock treatment. Wakamatsu took a break from the camera in 1977, and didn't return for 27 years. But he still wants to mess with your head."

Steve Erickson for Moving...

Last Friday in Spain we saw the opening weekend release for “There Be Dragons”, the new film from acclaimed and twice Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind “The Mission” and “The Killing Fields”. Budgeted at $35 million, the co-production between Spain, U.S and Argentina the film proved to be a moderate success already before its release as it grossed an impressive 300 000 Euros in pre-sold tickets, although we have to take in consideration big part of these tickets were part of a charity campaign for Doctors Without Borders as well as other non benefit organizations, a clever marketing campaign no doubt benefited the film's tally. Starring Charlie Cox (Stardust, Casanova); Wes Bentley (American Beauty, Ghost Rider); Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace, Max Payne); Derek Jacobi (Gladiator, La Brújula Dorada); Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible II, Ever After), Rodrigo Santoro (300, Che), Golshifteh Farahani (Body of Lies) and Geraldine Chaplin; this also has a first rate crew...

And Soon the Darkness is released today, 7th March on DVD and Blu-ray and to celebrate, Optimum Home Entertainment have given us three copies of the movie to give away. And Soon the Darkness stars Amber Heard and Karl Urban.

You can order the movie here or scroll down to enter.

A contemporary remake of the cult 1970 British thriller directed by Robert Fuest (The Devil’s Rain; The Abominable Dr. Phibes) and written by Brian Clemens (Bugs; TheAvengers; creator of The Professionals) and Terry Nation (Dr. Who; creator of the Daleks; creator of Blake’s 7), And Soon The Darkness, director Marcos Efron’s debut feature, stars Amber Heard (John Carpenter’s The Ward; The Stepfather; Zombieland; All The Boys Love Mandy Lane), Odette Yustman (The Unborn; Cloverfield; Transformers) and Karl Urban (Star Trek; The Bourne Supremacy; The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King).

“A tight, well-executed suspense film” (BeyondHollywood.

Amber Heard

And

Odette Yustman

Star In

Anchor Bay Films’

And Soon The

Darkness

On Blu-ray™ and DVD Tuesday, December 28th

Amber Heard (Zombieland, Pineapple Express) and Odette Yustman (You Again, Cloverfield) star in Director Marcos Efron’s sexy and exotic thriller, And Soon The Darkness, available on Blu-ray™ and DVD on December 28th, 2010 from Anchor Bay Entertainment. And Soon the Darkness follows two American girls who embark on a bike tour through a remote part of Argentina’s countryside. When disaster strikes and one of the girls disappears, the other must find her before her worst fears are realized. Anchor Bay Films will release the film theatrically with an exclusive engagement in Los Angeles only on Friday, December 17th. Srp is $34.99 for the Blu-ray™ edition and $26.98 for the DVD.

And Soon The Darkness also stars Karl Urban (Star Trek, Red) and Adriana Barraza (Babel, Henry Poole Is Here). Heard...

Hideo Nakata wants to help [or warn] aspiring film directors from outside of America who want to make it in Hollywood. So he has made himself a little documentary titled Foreign Filmmakers’ Guide to Hollywood. Chris over at JFilm Pow Wow seems to have a handle at the translation of the original site and he writes that the doc explores the often cutthroat world of a major American film production and Nakata’s “...life and struggles in Hollywood.” Having written or directed some of the biggest horror films to come out in Asia then watch them get the remake treatment in America, even by himself, there is probably no one better to talk on the subject. We here at Twitch have long argued for and against the remaking of Asian cinema until we’ve gone blue in the face and it looks like we’ll keep on keeping on as long as...

"The Sentinel" is a slick enough thriller about a presidential assassination attempt. It is also a rather mechanical, soulless affair that avoids politics or anything else that might clearly define who these characters are and why we should care other than that's the First Family and these are the valiant Secret Service agents sworn to protect the president's life. Michael Douglas heads a sharp cast that performs with drill-like precision under fast-paced direction from Clark Johnson ("S.W.A.T".). Business looks good for opening weekend, but because better White House dramas have been on TV in recent years, boxoffice probably won't rise above midrange in major markets.

For all its D.C. trappings and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the White House, Secret Service and the Presidential Protection Division's elaborate, state-of-the-electronic-arts control center, "Sentinel" basically reworks every police thriller where a top cop falls under suspicion and must use the tools of his trade to prove his innocence while on the lam.

"You are chasing your worst nightmare," barks agent David Breckinridge (Kiefer Sutherland) as he sends fellow agents after Secret Service superstar Pete Garrison (Douglas), his former buddy and now greatest antagonist. Pete once took a bullet for President Reagan, but now he is being framed and blackmailed. So Pete must save his reputation and the president from assassination in a matter of hours.

The trouble is that the "worst nightmare" line comes past the halfway point. Getting there takes too much time and too many leaps of logic that never get closed in a final shootout that is a wee over the top. The movie could have used more of the cop-against-his-own-system and less of the contrivances and implausible melodrama from screenwriter George Nolfi (working from Gerald Petievich's novel).

First we're asked to believe that the first lady (an unusually demure Kim Basinger) is conducting an affair with the head of her Secret Service detail under the president's nose. That would be Pete and, yes, it's really Michael Douglas, but c'mon! The first lady and a Secret Service guy!

OK, let's move on to the murder of Pete's colleague moments before he was to share confidential information with Pete. The investigation falls to Breckinridge, who hates Pete's guts because he thinks Pete slept with his wife, whom he has since divorced.

An old informant of Pete's turns up with convincing evidence that a traitor exists within the Secret Service. That investigation gets folded into the murder inquiry just as Pete receives photos of him and the first lady in what used to be called "compromising positions."

Once Pete goes underground, the film picks up stream. Douglas is now free to be an action hero, while Sutherland makes an intriguingly conflicted nemesis. Along for the ride is a glamorous rookie agent played by Eva Longoria. (She keeps interrupting the trains of thought of all the male characters.) Martin Donovan, as the agent in charge of the president (David Rasche), holds down the fort with whimsical ambiguity, while the women -- Basinger and Blair Brown as the National Security Adviser -- get sidelined by the action.

"Sentinel" fails in comparison to the last really good Secret Service movie, Wolfgang Petersen's 1993 "In the Line of Fire" starring Clint Eastwood. There, the cat-and-mouse game between an agent and potential assassin dripped with believable character details without shortchanging action or suspense. Here, the filmmakers seem to feel this is an either/or thing. So they opt for action over character. Thus we never get to discover why such an exacting, conscientious guy as Pete is such a moral screw-up. That might have been the real guts to this movie.

This D.C./Toronto production does benefit from Gabriel Beristain's deep-color cinematography, Cindy Mollo's sharp editing, Andrew McAlpine's solid production design and Christophe Beck's rousing score.

THE SENTINEL

20th Century Fox

20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises present a Further Films/New Regency production

Credits:

Director: Clark Johnson

Screenwriter: George Nolfi

Based on the novel by: Gerald Petievich

Producers: Michael Douglas, Marcy Drogin, Arnon Milchan

Executive producer: Bill Carraro

Director of photography: Gabriel Beristain

Production designer: Andrew McAlpine

Music: Christophe Beck

Costumes: Ellen Mirojnick

Editor: Cindy Mollo

Cast:

Pete Garrison: Michael Douglas

David Breckinridge: Kiefer Sutherland

Jill Marin: Eva Longoria

William Montrose: Martin Donovan

Handler: Ritchie Coster

Sarah Ballentine: Kim Basinger

National Security Adviser: Blair Brown

President Ballentine: David Rasche

MPAA rating PG-13

Running time -- 108 minutes...

Just when you thought it was safe to look at a video again, along comes "The Ring Two". This sequel to DreamWorks' highly successful 2002 scare movie, "The Ring", brings back cast members Naomi Watts and young David Dorfman, yet its makers are determined to move into a different realm than previous "Ring" movies. (This includes three hugely successful Japanese films and now the second American incarnation.) So they invent a new back story, create new supernatural ground rules and invest heavily in visual effects.

Thus, what made the "Ring" movies so scary -- the introduction of terror into everyday objects and rituals -- disappears into a F/X fest of rampaging deer, flooded ceilings, cracking walls and horrific visions. In other words, the series is now thoroughly Americanized even though the original Japanese director, Hideo Nakata, is at the helm. Domestic and international boxoffice prospects look stellar as only J-horror purists will care.

Both the original "Ringu" (1998) and DreamWorks' carbon copy played off the gimmick of a cursed videotape. After people watch the short tape, a phone rings and viewers have exactly a week to live. In the course of both movies, a female reporter realizes that by making a copy of that tape and letting someone else view the copy, the curse is lifted -- only to fall on the subsequent viewer. Which, of course, perpetuates the evil cycle.

Six months after the tragic events of the first film, reporter Rachel Keller (Watts) and son Aidan (Dorfman) flee Seattle to settle in a small coastal town in Oregon. Almost immediately, Rachel reports from a crime scene that looks eerily familiar: a dead teen with his face frozen in horror, an unmarked videotape and -- one new element -- the house is flooded.

Realizing what's up, she breaks into the house, steals the tape and destroys it in a bonfire. Which only antagonizes the malevolent ghost Samara (Kelly Stables), who is behind the tape. Samara, we know from the first film, is terrorizing the world in revenge for her murder by her own mother in a deep well.

After the opening moments, returning writer Ehren Kruger starts to move the sequel away from the world of TV sets and ringing phones by rejigging the rules governing Samara so she can more or less materialize at will. The movie borrows from "The Omen" and "The Exorcist" in making Samara's main objective to be the co-habitation of Aidan's body. Thus, Rachel faces a dilemma -- Aidan is now both her beloved son and a thoroughly evil ghost. What's a mom to do?

In another rule introduced, for no apparent logic other than it helps Kruger past tricky plot points, Samara can hear all conversations between Rachel and her son except when they sleep. So all sorts of clues get passed to Rachel by Aidan in their dreams.

This is an unusually sloppy film as plot threads dangle at the finish and peripheral characters scarcely register. Simon Baker, playing Rachel's colleague at the local newspaper, has little to do other than baby-sit. Sissy Spacek turns up in a pivotal scene in ghastly white makeup and long, stringy black hair that makes her look like someone done up as Michael Jackson for Halloween.

Nakata keeps interiors and exteriors dark even in daytime, and images of water are everywhere. Gabriel Beristain's camera is constantly in motion, often on a crane, which gives the movie a nervous, gliding energy. An atmosphere of foreboding is aided by moody, insistent music developed, according to the credits, from "themes by Hans Zimmer."

While nearly every shock comes at predictable moments, there is genuine ingenuity behind many, and the movie is surprisingly fresh for one made by a guy on his third go-round with the same material. No doubt, Nakata was energized by the American setting and cast and access to state-of-the-art visual effects.

THE RING TWO

DreamWorks

DreamWorks Pictures presents a Parkes/MacDonald production

Credits:

Director: Hideo Nakata

Screenwriter: Ehren Kruger

Based on the novel by: Koji Suzuki

Based on the film by: The Ring/The Spiral Production Group

Producers: Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald

Executive producers: Mike Macari, Roy Lee, Neil Machlis, Michele Weisler

Director of photography: Gabriel Beristain

Production designer: Jim Bissell

Music: Hans Zimmer, Henning Lohner, Martin Tillman

Costume designer: Wendy Chuck

Editor: Michael N. Knue

Cast:

Rachel: Naomi Watts

Mark Rourke: Simon Baker

Aidan: David Dorfman

Dr. Temple: Elizabeth Perkins

Martin: Gary Cole

Evelyn: Sissy Spacek

Jake: Ryan Merriman

Emily: Emily VanCamp

Evil Samara: Kelly Stables

MPAA rating: PG-13

Running time -- 109 minutes...

Opens

Friday, Aug. 8

"S.W.A.T". is a noisy, standard-issue cop actioner except in two places. The movie marks the first time anyone has uttered the line, "Follow that jet". It is also one of the few times since "The French Connection" where a notorious drug lord is French. (It is not true, though, that the Bush administration lobbied hard for this choice.) Otherwise, we're in very familiar territory here, which includes the cops, villains, situations and even the downtown L.A. locations.

"Inspired" by the '70s TV series, "S.W.A.T". delivers high-adrenaline action that should satisfy the genre's mostly male fans. Directed by Clark Johnson, a veteran of TV cop shows as both actor and director, "S.W.A.T". rushes from one action sequence to the next, sketching its rote characters in swift, bold strokes and keeping dialogue to a minimum. Since this is one of the more modestly budgeted summer action movies (reportedly around $40 million), "S.W.A.T". stands a good chance to make money for Sony.

The movie is about cops seeking redemption. Samuel L. Jackson's Dan "Hondo" Harrelson returns to Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) to recruit and head a six-man team after several years at Rampart, an LAPD division that is sufficiently notorious that moviegoers in Sri Lanka will surely understand the reference. He recruits Colin Farrell's Jim Street, an officer bounced off the elite force for failing to obey orders during a robbery/hostage standoff. His partner, Brian Gamble (Jeremy Renner), who quit the force in disgust, seeks not so much redemption as revenge.

Other recruits for this Dirty Half-dozen are collar-happy beat cop "Deke" Kaye James Todd Smith, aka LL Cool J)

Michael Boxer Brian Van Holt), whose sister is Street's former lover

loner T.J. McCabe (Josh Charles)

and, most provocatively, Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez), a female cop Hondo selects largely to piss off Capt. Fuller (Larry Poindexter).

Everyone hates Fuller, whom Hondo correctly describes as a "paper-pushing punk." And Fuller wants the entire unit to fail because he hates everyone in it. What's even stranger is that the script (credited to David Ayer and David McKenna from a story by Ron Mita & Jim McClain) never provides a reason for the creation of an elite unit within this elite force.

It's a full hour into the movie before they get their first assignment. Immediately thereafter comes the movie's one and only plot element: A guy pulled over by police for a busted taillight turns out to be an international gangster wanted by half the police forces in the world.

When Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez), hereafter called "the Frog," brazenly offers $100 million on TV to anyone who frees him from police custody, the simple act of transporting this prisoner to a federal pen turns downtown L.A. into a city besieged by every gangster in California (mostly minority actors with tattoos on bulging biceps and four-day beards). While not strong on plausibility, this does lead to several well-staged sequences in which our characters get their shot at redemption or revenge. The centerpiece has a private Learjet land on the 6th Street Bridge.

Jackson anchors the movie with his usual style and grace. Farrell and Rodriguez do solid work here. But these macho roles, which each has performed with consistent regularity after breaking out in low-budget festival films, allow no room to grow and explore as actors.

Johnson keeps the movie running smoothly, nicely blending in the stunts and effects. Gabriel Beristain's night cinematography is especially effective during the climatic moments. However, Elliot Goldenthal's music pulsates with far too much testosterone. The final credit crawl includes a song, "Samuel Jackson", which may motivate stars in the future to demand their own celebratory song as part of their contract.

S.W.A.T.

Columbia Pictures

An Original Film/Camelot Pictures/Chris Lee production

Credits:

Director: Clark Johnson

Screenwriters: David Ayer, David McKenna

Story by: Ron Mita, Jim McClain

Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Dan Halsted

Executive producer: Louis D'Esposito

Director of photography: Gabriel Beristain

Production designer: Mayne Berke

Music: Elliot Goldenthal

Co-producers: George Huang, Amanda Cohen

Costume designer: Christopher Lawrence

Editor: Michael Tronick

Cast:

Sgt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson: Samuel L. Jackson

Jim Street: Colin Farrell

Chris Sanchez: Michelle Rodriguez

Deacon "Deke" Kaye: LL Cool J

T.J. McCabe: Josh Charles

Brian Gamble: Jeremy Renner

Michael Boxer: Brian Van Holt

Alex Montel: Olivier Martinez

Capt. Fuller: Larry Poindexter

Running time -- 117 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...

Remarkably, this film is based on Patrick Meyers' 1983 Broadway play, which won critical plaudits for its dramatic intensity. The moviegoer searches in vain for a trace of that drama.

The film, directed by Franc Roddam, nicely documents the balletic movements and strenuous effort that go into the perilous sport of alpine-style climbing. But with little involvement with the underdeveloped characters, an audience will experience scant emotional payoff for accompanying these mountaineers on their ascent of K2.

Paramount marketers face a task almost as difficult as climbing that inaccessible Pakistan mountain. Ancillary markets look equally as poor, as the film's most outstanding feature -- its visual razzle-dazzle -- will get lost on a small screen.

Michael Biehn and Matt Craven play climbing partners who are a convenient study in contrasts. Biehn's character is a you-only-live-once guy who tackles life with reckless glee. Craven provides the moderating ballast, a homebody whose only vice is an addiction to the rush of mountain climbing.

The two join a group of climbers headed for K2. Perfunctory personality conflicts keep things mildly dramatic until reaching the unromantically named Karakoram peak. (Mt. Waddington and Blackcomb Mountain in British Columbia stand in for K2.)

The actors -- including Raymond J.Barry, Patricia Charbonneau, Luca Bercovici and Hiroshi Fujioka -- gracefully combine their newly acquired mountaineering skills with their dramatic responsibilities.

Production values on a film shot under treacherous, oxygen-depriving conditions, are top of the world. Cinematographer Gabriel Beristain has almost literally validated the old cameraman's saying, "Give us a place to stand and we will photograph the world.''

K2

Paramount Pictures

A Trans Pacific Film Production in association with Miramax Films

Producers Jonathan Taplin, Marilyn Weiner, Tim Van Rellim

Executive producers Melvyn J. Estrin, Hal Weiner

Director Franc Roddam

Writers Patrick Meyers, Scott Roberts

Based on the play by Patrick Meyers

Director of photography Gabriel Beristain

Production designer Andrew Sanders

Music Chaz Jenkel

Costume designer Kathryn Morrison

Color/Dolby

Cast:

Taylor Brooks Michael Biehn

Harold Jamison Matt Craven

Phillip Claiborne Raymond J. Barry

Dallas Woolf Luca Bercovici

Jacki Metcalfe Patricia Charbonneau

Cindy Jamison Julia Nickson-Soul

Takane Shimuzu Hiroshi Fujioka

Running time -- 104 minutes

MPAA Rating: R

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...