Ricky Martin Releases New Single “Otra Noche en LA”

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s another night for Ricky Martin…

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican superstar has released his latest single “Otra Noche en L.A.” via Sony Music Latin.

The evocative ballad, which features a hint of a shuffle beat that invites you to dance, is a love note to both a lover gone and the city of Los Angeles that binds him to them.

For those of us who’ve lived in LA, the allure is irresistible. For those who haven’t, the beat and the lyrics (“I’ll admit, I haven’t written to you in a long time, perhaps because I’m a coward; but today I woke up, with you in my mind”) will do the trick.

With the help of writers like Keytin, Martin veered from the stereotypical reggaetón beat and gave his ballad movement with a soft rock beat and almost doo-wop background vocals for an overall cool/retro vibe that stands out from other releases and is impregnated with emotion.

Luis Gerardo Méndez to Star in Peacock’s True-Crime Love Story Series “The Resort”

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Gerardo Méndez is resort bound…

The 39-year-old Mexican actor and producer will star in Peacock’s The Resort, a true-crime love story from writer Andy Siara, Sam Esmail and UCP.

Méndez, who has starred in Narcos: Mexico and Murder Mystery, will star alongside Nina Bloomgarden and Gabriela Cartol as series regulars, and Debby Ryan, Dylan Baker, Michael Hitchcock and Becky Ann Baker will recur in the ensemble series.

Written by Siara, The Resort is a multi-generational, coming-of-age love story disguised as a fast-paced mystery about the disappointment of time. An anniversary trip puts a marriage to the test when the couple finds themselves embroiled in one of the Mayan Riviera’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries that took place fifteen years prior.

Méndez will play Baltasar Frías, the head of security at the Oceana Vista Resort in 2007. He’s always in detective mode, quietly suspicious of all activity, and somehow connected to all of the unusual events in 2007.

Cartol is Luna, the concierge at the Emma and Noah’s resort. Prior to becoming the concierge, Luna was in housekeeping at the Oceana Vista Resort back in 2007 prior to its abrupt closure.

The series is produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group and Esmail Corp.

Siara will write and executive produce the series alongside Allison Miller.

Ben Sinclair will also direct and executive produce episodes 1-4.

Wagner Moura to Star in the Action Epic “Civil War”

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Wagner Moura is headed to War…

The 45-year-old Brazilian actor, who rose to global acclaim after starring in Netflix’s Narcos, will star in Oscar-nominated filmmaker Alex Garland and A24 for Civil War.

In addition to Moura, the action epic also stars Kirsten Dunst, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Cailee Spaeny.

Garland will direct the film set in a near-future America from his original screenplay. Details as far as its plot are being kept under wraps.

A24 will produce, alongside Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of DNA and Gregory Goodman, and handle the film’s global release.

Garland received his first Oscar nomination in 2016 for his Ex Machina screenplay and has also garnered accolades over the course of his career including a DGA Award and three BAFTA Award noms, among others.

He’s previously teamed with A24 on Ex Machina, as well as Men, a horror-drama starring Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear that is set for release later this year.

He also helmed the 2018 film Annihilation and created, wrote, directed and executive-produced the FX on Hulu series Devs.

Moura is best known stateside for his Golden Globe-nominated turn as Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s Narcos. He also wrote, directed and produced the film Marighella, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, and will next be seen in the Apple TV+ series, The Shining Girls.

Maluma Among the Headlining Acts for This Year’s Baja Beach Fest

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Maluma is headed south of the border this summer…

The 27-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter will co-headline this year’s Baja Beach Fest, which will return to the beaches of Mexico this summer.

In addition to Maluma, the Rosarito-based fest will also be headlined by Anuel AA, Farruko and Wisin y Yandel.

The festival will also feature a headlining performance from Sinaloan heroes Banda MS.

The festival is slated to run two weekends in a row, from August 12-14 and August 19-21 for three days each. Each weekend will close out with a headlining set from Daddy Yankee, who recently suggested on social media he would be heading out on his last world tour this year.

The Reggaeton and Latin Trap festival will also see sets from Myke Towers, Natanael Cano, Sech, Jhay Cortez, El Alfa, Natti Natasha and more.

Jay Wheeler, Tokischa, Mora, Nicki Nicole, Arcángel and VF7 and Lunay, among others, are also set to perform at the beachside resort.

Baja Beach Fest first emerged as a one-day event in 2018 and has continued to grow each year.

In 2019, the festival expanded to two days and welcomed top-tier talent including Ozuna, J Balvin, Becky G, Bad Bunny and Nicky Jam.

In 2020, the festival postponed due to the pandemic and returned in 2021 with performances from Ozuna, Balvin and Karol G for 30,000 fans.

https://twitter.com/BajaBeachFest/status/1484615711443935232

Mariah Angeliq Releases New Female Empowerment Anthem “La Tóxica”

Posted on January 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Angeliq is bringing the toxicity…

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican singer has releases her latest single “La Tóxica” via Universal Music Latin.

In what could be called the one of the first Latin female anthems of 2022, Mariah Angeliq isn’t letting anyone dictate the type of woman she should be.

In the liberating track, she confesses, “I am the toxic one, problematic … always natural, never plastic.”

Powered by a hypnotic reggaeton drum beat, the cheeky track was released alongside a music video that finds Mariah Angeliq having the ultimate sleepover with her girl squad.

Tecia Torres to Fight Mackenzie Dern at UFC 273 in April

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Tecia Torres is headed to the Octagon in April…

UFC has added a strawweight bout between the 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican mixed martial artist and Mackenzie Dern to the lineup for UFC 273 on April 9.

Torres announced the bout via social media, and UFC officials confirmed the 115-pound matchup to ESPN. The promotion has not announced a venue or main event for the pay-per-view.

According to UFC‘s official rankings, Dern and Torres ranked fifth and seventh in the strawweight division, respectively.

Torres, who fights out of Colorado, has won three in a row since 2020. The 10-year veteran has turned things around after a four-fight skid from 2018 to 2020. Three of those four losses came against women who have won a UFC championship: Jessica Andrade, Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Zhang Weili.

Fighting out of California, Dern (11-2) suffered a setback in her last bout against surging Marina Rodriguez in October. Before that loss, the submission specialist had won four in a row.

Penelope Cruz Named Best Actress by National Society of Film Critics

Posted on January 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Penelope Cruz is the Society’s choice…

The National Society of Film Critics has announced the winners of its 2021 film awards, with the 47-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actress among the honorees.

Cruz was named Best Actress for her performance in Pedro Almodovar’s Spanish-language film Parallel Mothers, with 55 points.

The NSFC features elected and eligible members from major media outlets. The annual awards honors the best in acting, direction, writing, cinematography and more across onscreen and streaming releases in the US.

Any film that opened in the US on a screen or streaming platform during the year is eligible for consideration.

The 60-members NSFC include critics from major papers and outlets in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago including from outlets Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, the New Yorker, the Christian Science Monitor and NPR.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Best Picture:

WINNER: DRIVE MY CAR (48 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
PETITE MAMAN (25 points)
THE POWER OF THE DOG (23 points)

Director:

WINNER: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, DRIVE MY CAR and WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY (46 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
Jane Campion, THE POWER OF THE DOG (36 points)
Céline Sciamma, PETITE MAMAN (28 points)

Actress:

WINNER: Penélope Cruz, PARALLEL MOTHERS (55 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
Renate Reinsve, THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (42 points)
Alana Haim, LICORICE PIZZA (32 points)

Actor:

WINNER: Hidetoshi Nishijima, DRIVE MY CAR (63 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
Benedict Cumberbatch, THE POWER OF THE DOG (44 points)
Simon Rex, RED ROCKET (30 points)

Supporting Actress:

WINNER: Ruth Negga, PASSING (46 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
Ariana DeBose, WEST SIDE STORY (22 points)
Jessie Buckley, THE LOST DAUGHTER (21 points)

Supporting Actor:

WINNER: Anders Danielsen Lie, THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (54 points)

RUNNER-UPS:
Vincent Lindon, TITANE (33 points)
Mike Faist, WEST SIDE STORY, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, THE POWER OF THE DOG (26 points)

Screenplay:

WINNER: Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, DRIVE MY CAR (46 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
Pedro Almodóvar, PARALLEL MOTHERS (22 points)
Paul Thomas Anderson, LICORICE PIZZA (20 points)

Cinematography:

WINNER: Andrew Droz Palermo, THE GREEN KNIGHT (52 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
Ari Wegner, THE POWER OF THE DOG (40 points)
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, MEMORIA (35 points)

Nonfiction Film:

WINNER: FLEE (41 points)

RUNNERS-UP:
PROCESSION and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND (28 points)

Film Heritage Award:

The late Bertrand Tavernier and Peter Bogdanovich, distinguished critic-filmmakers who never lost their passion for other people’s movies and film history. Both crowned their careers with invaluable chronicles of their engagement with the cinema: Tavernier with the books “50 Years of American Cinema and American Friends,” and Bogdanovich with the books “Who the Devil Made It” and “Who the Hell’s In It?”

Maya Cade for the Black Film Archive, which expands knowledge of and access to Black films made between 1915 and 1979, and includes her critical essays that define the project and consider the films in relation to each other and to the cinema overall.

Special Citation for a Film Awaiting U.S. Distribution: Jean-Gabriel Périot’s documentary “Returning to Reims,” which draws on Didier Eribon’s 2009 memoir about his French hometown and the inequities of class and education that shaped him and his family.

Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ is No. 1 on Australian Charts for Fourth Successive Year

Posted on January 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Make that four years in a row for Mariah Carey…

The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer and Queen of Christmas, is kicking off the New Year with some exciting news.

Carey’s iconic holiday single “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has risen to No. 1 on the Australian singles chart for the fourth successive year.

It’s an unprecedented fourth successive No. 1 for Carey’s Christmas classic, originally released back in 1994.

Unsurprisingly, the latest ARIA chart is swamped with festival songs, including Wham’s “Last Christmas” (up 9-2), Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” (10-3), Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (12-5), Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (17-8), and Ed Sheeran & Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (16-10).

According to ARIA, a string of holiday season numbers enter the ARIA Top 50 for the very first time: Chris Rea’s “Driving Home For Christmas” (No. 26), Shakin’ Stevens’ “Merry Christmas Everyone” (No. 27), Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” (No. 28), Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” (No. 38), Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (No. 42), Kylie Minogue’s “Santa Baby” (No. 44) and Michael Bublé’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (No. 48).

U.S. Soccer Gives Young Player Award to FC Dallas’ Ricardo Pepi

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Pepi is celebrating a special honor…

The 18-year-old Mexican American professional soccer player, a striker for Major League Soccer club FC Dallas, has received U.S. Soccer’s young player award.

Pepi had a dynamic debut with the United States national team against Honduras in September, posting a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory.

He then scored two goals against Jamaica in October, cementing his status as one of the most promising young talents playing in the U.S. system.

The FC Dallas forward and El Paso native chose to represent the U.S. over his parents’ native Mexico in August, shortly after he was selected for his first MLS All-Star Game.

Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic was named the governing body’s male player of the year, while U.S. Soccer named Washington Spirit‘s Trinity Rodman as young female player of the year and Portland Thorns midfielder Lindsey Horan took the senior award.

Mercedes Ruehl to Star in the Mockumentary-Style Comedy “The Nana Project”

Posted on December 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Mercedes Ruehl has landed a new project…

The 73-year-old part-Puerto Rican Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning actress will star in The Nana Project, a mockumentary-style comedy from actor-director Robin Givens, which is scheduled to go into production in the Atlanta area in January.

Ruehl will star opposite Nolan Gould and Will Peltz in the film.

Set primarily in Timeless Acres Retirement Home, The Nana Project follows feisty chess master Helen “Nana” Lewis (Ruehl) and her estranged grandsons, Andrew (Gould) and Cody (Peltz). With the support of Nana’s resident friends, the family embarks on a road trip to support her rise to state championships.

Givens’ latest feature was written by Eric Ulloa, Anthony Del Negro and 12-time Tony Award winner Carl Moellenberg. The latter is also producing on behalf of Dominion Pictures alongside Zach O’Brien, Shane O’Brien and Del Negro on behalf of Stargazer Films.

Ruehl earned her Oscar and Golden Globe in 1992 for her supporting turn as Anne in Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King. The actress has also appeared on the film side in Hustlers, Last Action Hero, Lost in Yonkers, Another You, Married to the Mob, Big and Radio Days, among other titles, appearing on the television side in Bull, Power, Frasier and more.

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