Stars: Monique Gabriela Curnen, Kathy Baker, Luke Ganalon, Jon Jon Briones, Keram Malicki-Sánchez, Maree Cheatham, Jasper Cole, Victoria Cruz, Jill Jordan, Cici Lau | Written by Patrick Cunningham, William Day Frank | Directed by Patrick Cunningham
Genre movies based in the home usually take one of a few routes. They can be a haunted house tale, they can be a home invasion movie or they can be something else. Anyone Home? sits nicely in that ‘something else’ category.
It centres on a single mum, Camila (Monique Gabriela Curnen), who is struggling financially and mentally while bringing up her son. She thinks her luck has changed though when she gets a job house-sitting a model home. All she has to do is decorate the house to look good for when would be buyers look round. But it doesn’t take too long for even that to be too much for her.
Anyone Home?...
Genre movies based in the home usually take one of a few routes. They can be a haunted house tale, they can be a home invasion movie or they can be something else. Anyone Home? sits nicely in that ‘something else’ category.
It centres on a single mum, Camila (Monique Gabriela Curnen), who is struggling financially and mentally while bringing up her son. She thinks her luck has changed though when she gets a job house-sitting a model home. All she has to do is decorate the house to look good for when would be buyers look round. But it doesn’t take too long for even that to be too much for her.
Anyone Home?...
- 2/5/2020
- by Alain Elliott
- Nerdly
Patrick Cunningham's debut feature film, Model Home, will have its World Premiere at the new destination festival North Bend, the home of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Screen Anarchy has been given a new series of images from Cunningham's film which you will find in the gallery below. A single mother suffering from bipolar disorder begins to entertain dangerous fantasies while working as a live-in caretaker of an unsold model home. With promises of a likeness to Kubrick's The Shining, Model Home should be high on everyone's list of must-see films during the festival. The cast includes Monique Curnen, Emmy Winner Kathy Baker, Luke Ganalon, and Jon Jon Briones (Miss Saigon on Broadway)....
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/21/2018
- Screen Anarchy
Patrick Cunningham's debut feature film, Model Home, will have its World Premiere at the new destination festival North Bend, the home of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Screen Anarchy has been given a new series of images from Cunningham's film which you will find in the gallery below. A single mother suffering from bipolar disorder begins to entertain dangerous fantasies while working as a live-in caretaker of an unsold model home. With promises of a likeness to Kubrick's The Shining, Model Home should be high on everyone's list of must-see films during the festival. The cast includes Monique Curnen, Emmy Winner Kathy Baker, Luke Ganalon, and Jon Jon Briones (Miss Saigon on Broadway)....
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/21/2018
- Screen Anarchy
In 2013, witches have finally established their supremacy. But there is more than one idea of what a witch is. Amidst all the campy, bitchy witches of Beautiful Creatures and American Horror Story: Coven, there are some that are more spiritual. Ultima (Miriam Colon) is just such a witch in Bless Me, Ultima, an adaptation of the classic Hispanic novel by Rudolfo Anaya.
But Bless Me, Ultima isn’t focused on Ultima. It tells the coming-of-age story of Antonio (Luke Ganalon) who struggles to understand how good and evil can exist simultaneously in the world. He is raised in the Catholic church, and devoutly believes what he is taught. But after some adventures with his grandmother Ultima—including an exorcism—Antonio begins to doubt his beliefs in God.
Read more...
But Bless Me, Ultima isn’t focused on Ultima. It tells the coming-of-age story of Antonio (Luke Ganalon) who struggles to understand how good and evil can exist simultaneously in the world. He is raised in the Catholic church, and devoutly believes what he is taught. But after some adventures with his grandmother Ultima—including an exorcism—Antonio begins to doubt his beliefs in God.
Read more...
- 10/17/2013
- by John Keith
- JustPressPlay.net
When Rudolfo Anaya wrote a novel based on his childhood experiences growing up Mexican-American in rural New Mexico he probably didn't imagine it would become one of the best-selling Chicano novels of all time. After the huge success of the book, he was approached by countless producers who wanted to adapt it for the big screen. Anaya said yes but none of those projects came to fruition.
More than 40 years after "Bless Me, Ultima" was published, Christy Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune, put up the money to make a film based on the mystical book. Finally, the stars aligned. After playing theaters for a few weeks earlier this year, the movie is now on DVD.
Turning Anaya's words into a script couldn't have been easy. Rudolfo Anaya's writing style drew from his physical surroundings in the great landscapes of the Southwest and was influenced by Native American beliefs in the spirit world. For many Latinos it was the first time they read a book that spoke to them the same way they did, in English peppered with Spanish. For the actors of the film, reading the book was also an important watershed moment.
LatinoBuzz spoke to Miriam Colon, Benito Martinez, and its young breakout star Luke Ganalon ahead of the DVD release. They share what it was like to bring the book to life and funny memories from the shoot. Colon says that playing Ultima was her most significant role since Scarface.
Have you read the book, "Bless Me, Ultima"?
Luke Ganalon: Yes, I read the book in 5th grade. I had read many pieces of the story during the filming because my parents thought it would be better to understand the story, Antonio's character and how Antonio saw life. It meant even more after having finished the film.
Benito Martinez: I grew up in New Mexico and I've known Rudolfo Anaya since I was a kid. I've read his book many times. To me he was just a guy from my neighborhood. I was just reading a homeboy writing about how we grew up. Then later, I read it as a father, with my kids and it had a different meaning for me. I was so glad the script was so close to the book. Getting to be in the movie was just icing on the cake.
Miriam Colon: No, it caught me totally by surprise. Then I was ashamed and embarrassed to realize that this man is a very distinguished, well-known, highly-respected author. I think it's just that we do not know enough about each other. We don't know enough about the cultures of the people next to us, that are part of our lives. A man like that is very important because he writes with tremendous honesty and perception, and a depth of understanding of the dignity and the character of these people.
Were you able to meet the author of "Bless Me, Ultima"?
Luke Ganalon: Yes, we met on the set when we were filming at Garson Studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We talked about the story. Senor Anaya gave me a great compliment. He said when he wrote the story, he imagined Antonio to be just like me. That meant so much to me! When we spoke at the film's second showing in Santa Fe (the first was in El Paso, Texas), Senor Anaya mentioned that he hoped the film would get to Hollywood and make it!
Benito Martinez: When he walked on set he said, "Oh my God. This looks so real." That story is almost autobiographical for him. So, he stopped by the set and gave his bendicion (blessing).
What about the story do you think has resonated with so many people?
Benito Martinez: This story at its core is about family. I love the way it's told. It's a traditional American story that happens to be Latino. Those families were there before the border. And it's a celebration of the land and sounds that make up New Mexico. It's just a story about family, family taking care of family. It's a universal story, ultimately.
Miriam Colon: Well, the story is about people, it happens to be in a small town, in a town in United States, their struggles. There are the heroes, and the dedicated people, and the cynical people, and there are the treacherous people, and there are the people who are very honest and there are the people who are rotten also. So, it's like a miniature of what you find today anywhere.
Luke, you were only nine years old when you tried out for the part. What was the audition like?
Luke Ganalon: I auditioned twice each for Antonio and for Cico. And then I read a fifth time as Cico in front of the producers and director Carl Franklin. Then I found out later that I had been hired as Antonio. We heard through a phone call from my agent that I had earned the role. I was so excited. I ran through the house screaming!
And then you got an award for Best Actor! Can you talk about the day you won the Imagen Award?
Luke Ganalon: I had been very nervous just to be nominated for this award and really never thought I'd win. I was going up against so many great actors. I couldn't believe when they called my name. I was shocked and excited! I felt so honored and grateful that Carl Franklin, the crew and the cast believed in me.
Luke, you play the young Antonio. Do you have anything in common with the character you play in the film?
Luke Ganalon: We both believe in God. We both have questions about life and religion. We both strive to do well in school. We have similar personality traits. We are both serious and think things through and Antonio is an old soul and cares for others; I have also been told the same things.
Miriam, you play Ultima, a curandera. Are there any similarities between you and her?
I am very much Ultima. I recognized Ultima immediately. And I sympathized with her. And the trouble is that I fell in love with the role when I read the first draft that I was given of the lines. You should never do that because out of one hundred scripts, maybe you get seven, that you land the role. So it's heartbreaking, the disappointment. I blew the rules. I fell in love with her. I feel it's maybe the most significant role that I have ever played next to the woman that I played in Scarface, who is in a way similar. The mother in Scarface was a courageous woman, a great character. She could not be corrupted. It's a wisdom and a kind of intelligence that I love.
Do you have any funny stories or favorite memories from the shoot?
Luke Ganalon: Most of my favorite memories would definitely be the scenes I filmed with the other kids. The "gang" was always fun. The family scenes were even more special because we became very close and were like a real family. A very funny memory is when my First Communion wardrobe was Way too big and Ernie walked out of his trailer in a suit Way to small. We all laughed as we rushed to change and get filming.
Benito Martinez: We shot a couple of years ago but there are lots of funny moments. Someone's boyfriend handled animals for a living. So he brought a snake to the set and I was walking around with a snake on my shoulders. And learning to drive one of those old trucks, that was hard! There's no power steering, the clutch always sticks. For the scenes that it was raining I had to wear a plastic suit under my clothes so I wouldn't get sick or catch pneumonia.
Miriam, you have been a strong advocate for Latinos in film and theater. What do you think of the current state of Latino representation in cinema?
Miriam Colon: I am sort of tired of seeing the Mexican or Puerto Rican or the Latino in general being portrayed many times like a treacherous, mysterious, not to be trusted, not too intelligent, smiles easily but somehow is a foolish idiot. That is offensive and I hope that the powerful medium of film can be used to spread more understanding about each other.
The more we know about the majesty of our men and women workers, the more we know about a poor person that manages to survive in a negative environment, the more we reveal about our soul and about also the similarities of the struggles for survival: material survival, physical survival, spiritual survival, intellectual survival. I guess that the way to offset the kind of direction in which we are going is by creating vehicles that offer an honest and really penetrating and responsible analysis of what moves us, what affects us.
And film should be a vehicle because it is such a powerful, powerful medium. I love it and I want to be part of it but I hope that more responsible vehicles are created and that the Latino and other minorities will be given the opportunity to express their struggle for survival and their capacity to love, to construct, and to build, and to improve.
Bless Me, Ultima is now on DVD and streaming on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.
Written by Vanessa Erazo. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
More than 40 years after "Bless Me, Ultima" was published, Christy Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune, put up the money to make a film based on the mystical book. Finally, the stars aligned. After playing theaters for a few weeks earlier this year, the movie is now on DVD.
Turning Anaya's words into a script couldn't have been easy. Rudolfo Anaya's writing style drew from his physical surroundings in the great landscapes of the Southwest and was influenced by Native American beliefs in the spirit world. For many Latinos it was the first time they read a book that spoke to them the same way they did, in English peppered with Spanish. For the actors of the film, reading the book was also an important watershed moment.
LatinoBuzz spoke to Miriam Colon, Benito Martinez, and its young breakout star Luke Ganalon ahead of the DVD release. They share what it was like to bring the book to life and funny memories from the shoot. Colon says that playing Ultima was her most significant role since Scarface.
Have you read the book, "Bless Me, Ultima"?
Luke Ganalon: Yes, I read the book in 5th grade. I had read many pieces of the story during the filming because my parents thought it would be better to understand the story, Antonio's character and how Antonio saw life. It meant even more after having finished the film.
Benito Martinez: I grew up in New Mexico and I've known Rudolfo Anaya since I was a kid. I've read his book many times. To me he was just a guy from my neighborhood. I was just reading a homeboy writing about how we grew up. Then later, I read it as a father, with my kids and it had a different meaning for me. I was so glad the script was so close to the book. Getting to be in the movie was just icing on the cake.
Miriam Colon: No, it caught me totally by surprise. Then I was ashamed and embarrassed to realize that this man is a very distinguished, well-known, highly-respected author. I think it's just that we do not know enough about each other. We don't know enough about the cultures of the people next to us, that are part of our lives. A man like that is very important because he writes with tremendous honesty and perception, and a depth of understanding of the dignity and the character of these people.
Were you able to meet the author of "Bless Me, Ultima"?
Luke Ganalon: Yes, we met on the set when we were filming at Garson Studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We talked about the story. Senor Anaya gave me a great compliment. He said when he wrote the story, he imagined Antonio to be just like me. That meant so much to me! When we spoke at the film's second showing in Santa Fe (the first was in El Paso, Texas), Senor Anaya mentioned that he hoped the film would get to Hollywood and make it!
Benito Martinez: When he walked on set he said, "Oh my God. This looks so real." That story is almost autobiographical for him. So, he stopped by the set and gave his bendicion (blessing).
What about the story do you think has resonated with so many people?
Benito Martinez: This story at its core is about family. I love the way it's told. It's a traditional American story that happens to be Latino. Those families were there before the border. And it's a celebration of the land and sounds that make up New Mexico. It's just a story about family, family taking care of family. It's a universal story, ultimately.
Miriam Colon: Well, the story is about people, it happens to be in a small town, in a town in United States, their struggles. There are the heroes, and the dedicated people, and the cynical people, and there are the treacherous people, and there are the people who are very honest and there are the people who are rotten also. So, it's like a miniature of what you find today anywhere.
Luke, you were only nine years old when you tried out for the part. What was the audition like?
Luke Ganalon: I auditioned twice each for Antonio and for Cico. And then I read a fifth time as Cico in front of the producers and director Carl Franklin. Then I found out later that I had been hired as Antonio. We heard through a phone call from my agent that I had earned the role. I was so excited. I ran through the house screaming!
And then you got an award for Best Actor! Can you talk about the day you won the Imagen Award?
Luke Ganalon: I had been very nervous just to be nominated for this award and really never thought I'd win. I was going up against so many great actors. I couldn't believe when they called my name. I was shocked and excited! I felt so honored and grateful that Carl Franklin, the crew and the cast believed in me.
Luke, you play the young Antonio. Do you have anything in common with the character you play in the film?
Luke Ganalon: We both believe in God. We both have questions about life and religion. We both strive to do well in school. We have similar personality traits. We are both serious and think things through and Antonio is an old soul and cares for others; I have also been told the same things.
Miriam, you play Ultima, a curandera. Are there any similarities between you and her?
I am very much Ultima. I recognized Ultima immediately. And I sympathized with her. And the trouble is that I fell in love with the role when I read the first draft that I was given of the lines. You should never do that because out of one hundred scripts, maybe you get seven, that you land the role. So it's heartbreaking, the disappointment. I blew the rules. I fell in love with her. I feel it's maybe the most significant role that I have ever played next to the woman that I played in Scarface, who is in a way similar. The mother in Scarface was a courageous woman, a great character. She could not be corrupted. It's a wisdom and a kind of intelligence that I love.
Do you have any funny stories or favorite memories from the shoot?
Luke Ganalon: Most of my favorite memories would definitely be the scenes I filmed with the other kids. The "gang" was always fun. The family scenes were even more special because we became very close and were like a real family. A very funny memory is when my First Communion wardrobe was Way too big and Ernie walked out of his trailer in a suit Way to small. We all laughed as we rushed to change and get filming.
Benito Martinez: We shot a couple of years ago but there are lots of funny moments. Someone's boyfriend handled animals for a living. So he brought a snake to the set and I was walking around with a snake on my shoulders. And learning to drive one of those old trucks, that was hard! There's no power steering, the clutch always sticks. For the scenes that it was raining I had to wear a plastic suit under my clothes so I wouldn't get sick or catch pneumonia.
Miriam, you have been a strong advocate for Latinos in film and theater. What do you think of the current state of Latino representation in cinema?
Miriam Colon: I am sort of tired of seeing the Mexican or Puerto Rican or the Latino in general being portrayed many times like a treacherous, mysterious, not to be trusted, not too intelligent, smiles easily but somehow is a foolish idiot. That is offensive and I hope that the powerful medium of film can be used to spread more understanding about each other.
The more we know about the majesty of our men and women workers, the more we know about a poor person that manages to survive in a negative environment, the more we reveal about our soul and about also the similarities of the struggles for survival: material survival, physical survival, spiritual survival, intellectual survival. I guess that the way to offset the kind of direction in which we are going is by creating vehicles that offer an honest and really penetrating and responsible analysis of what moves us, what affects us.
And film should be a vehicle because it is such a powerful, powerful medium. I love it and I want to be part of it but I hope that more responsible vehicles are created and that the Latino and other minorities will be given the opportunity to express their struggle for survival and their capacity to love, to construct, and to build, and to improve.
Bless Me, Ultima is now on DVD and streaming on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.
Written by Vanessa Erazo. LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook.
- 9/25/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Check out what's new to rent and own this week on the various streaming services such as cable On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, and, of course, Netflix. Cable On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical exclusives for rent, priced from $3-$10, in 24- or 48-hour periods Bless Me, Ultima (drama; Miriam Colon, Luke Ganalon; PG-13) Blue Caprice (drama based on true story of the DC snipers; Isaiah Washington, Tim Blake Nelson; available On Demand and in theaters; rated R) Disconnect (drama; Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Alexander Skarsgård; rated R) Paradise (Diablo Cody-directed comedy; Julianne Hough, Russell Brand; premieres 9/19 weeks before theatrical; rated PG-13) C.O.G. (comedy; Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare; premieres 9/20 the same...
Read More...
Read More...
- 9/18/2013
- by Robert B. DeSalvo
- Movies.com
On Demand DVD New Releases Sept. 16-22 A mid-month set of releases that offers some big names and some smaller titles … let’s see what this week has in store! Bless Me, Ultima Rudolfo Anaya’s controversial novel comes to life in this adaptation set in World War II-era New Mexico, where a young boy’s life is drastically affected by an elderly medicine woman who comes to stay with his family. Miriam Colon, Luke Ganalon, Dolores Heredia (PG-13, 1:46) 9/17 [Same as DVD] The Bling Ring (pictured above) Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) directs this examination of celebrity culture based on a true [...]
The post On Demand DVD New Releases Sept. 16-22 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post On Demand DVD New Releases Sept. 16-22 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 9/16/2013
- by Meredith Ennis
- ChannelGuideMag
John Leguizamo won't be coming to ABC anytime soon. The network has taken a pass on the pilot "King John," which would have starred Leguizamo. Based on the actor's life "as a husband, father and fish out of water on the upper West Side of New York," the pilot also starred Luke Ganalon and Andrea Savage. Also read: ABC Pilots 2013 ABC has also given the thumbs-down to two other pilots, including an untitled project from "Rude Awakening" producer Andrea Abbate, which would have starred Kelly Preston as Karey, the clean-nosed black sheep...
- 5/9/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Bess Armstrong has just made a "Reckless" career choice. Armstrong, a recurring cast member on Showtime's "House of Lies" and a veteran of "One Tree Hill," has signed on for the ABC drama pilot "Reckless." Also read: Patrick Fugit Joins ABC's 'Reckless' Pilot; Luke Ganalon Signs on for John Leguizamo Pilot The pilot, written by Chris Black ("Red Widow," "Mad Men") revolves around David, who's forced to consider less-than-legal options after his wife is unjustly imprisoned during a political uprising overseas and the U.S. government thwarts his efforts to have her released out...
- 3/8/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
It’s an exciting week for Latino film. There are lots of options at theaters across the country including the Oscar nominated No (starring Gael García Bernal), the Puerto Rican thriller Los Condenados, and Bless Me, Ultima based on Rudolfo Anaya’s classic Chicano novel.
Bless Me, Ultima
Writer, Director: Carl Franklin
Starring: Miriam Colon, Luke Ganalon, Dolores Heredia, Benito Martinez, Castulo Guerra, Joaquin Cosio
Country: USA
Language: English
After a small regional release last summer, Bless Me, Ultima is now in the second week of its national release. This past weekend its box office sales passed the $1 million mark, a feat that few Latino films achieve. Last year only three Latino films were able to surpass six figures.
Synopsis:
Based on the controversial, award-winning Chicano novel by acclaimed author Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about a young boy, Antonio (Luke Ganalon), growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera (healer) named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question his strict upbringing by his parents (Dolores Heredia & Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events, Antonio must grapple with questions about the nature of divinity and his own destiny.
Bless Me, Ultima is currently playing in over a hundred theaters in California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, and Florida.
For details visit the website and use the theater locator. Follow @BMUmovie on Twitter and Facebook
Los Condenados (The Condemned)
Director: Roberto Busó-García
Starring: Cristina Rodlo, René Monclova, Axel Anderson
Country: Puerto Rico
Language: Spanish
Synopsis:
In this haunting psychological thriller, dark and terrible secrets hidden in an old mansion stir back to life when the original owner of the house returns. Beautiful Ana travels to a remote town to transform the abandoned family mansion into a museum detailing her father’s scientific and humanitarian achievements. She discovers that the mysterious caretaker has kept the house in pristine fashion. However, the townspeople – now destitute and helpless — do not welcome her warmly. And neither does the house.
The Condemned is currently playing at the Quad Cinema in New York City and opens Friday, March 8 at Laemmle’s NoHo 7 in Los Angeles.
For more info visit the website and like their page on Facebook
No
Director: Pablo Larraín
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers
Country: Chile
Language: Spanish
It didn’t win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film but the nomination has helped build buzz for Pablo Larraín’s political drama inspired by actual events in Chilean history. Now in the third week of its theatrical release, it is expanding to many major cities beyond just New York and Los Angeles.
Synopsis:
In 1988, Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, due to international pressure, is forced to call a plebiscite on his presidency. The country will vote Yes or No to Pinochet extending his rule for another eight years. Opposition leaders for the No, persuade a brash young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), to spearhead their campaign.
Reviewing materials already created for the campaign, René is convinced their grim, endless montages of killings, torture, tanks and tear gas will turn off voters. With the opposition outspending them an estimated 30 to 1, No must come up with campaign ads that speak to the heart of the people of Chile and motivate them go to the polls. "Everyone wants to be happy," René says in his quiet, convincing way. "Happiness" will be the campaign: "Happiness is coming if you vote No!" This approach meets resistance from colleagues who see it as an affront to the many who have suffered under Pinochet, but René confidently commissions jingles and celebrities to join in delivering the message: "Chile: happiness is coming!!!"
No is currently playing at theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego and will open in other cities in the coming weeks.
For dates and theater info visit the website. Follow @NOlapelicula on Twitter and Facebook...
Bless Me, Ultima
Writer, Director: Carl Franklin
Starring: Miriam Colon, Luke Ganalon, Dolores Heredia, Benito Martinez, Castulo Guerra, Joaquin Cosio
Country: USA
Language: English
After a small regional release last summer, Bless Me, Ultima is now in the second week of its national release. This past weekend its box office sales passed the $1 million mark, a feat that few Latino films achieve. Last year only three Latino films were able to surpass six figures.
Synopsis:
Based on the controversial, award-winning Chicano novel by acclaimed author Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about a young boy, Antonio (Luke Ganalon), growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera (healer) named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question his strict upbringing by his parents (Dolores Heredia & Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events, Antonio must grapple with questions about the nature of divinity and his own destiny.
Bless Me, Ultima is currently playing in over a hundred theaters in California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, and Florida.
For details visit the website and use the theater locator. Follow @BMUmovie on Twitter and Facebook
Los Condenados (The Condemned)
Director: Roberto Busó-García
Starring: Cristina Rodlo, René Monclova, Axel Anderson
Country: Puerto Rico
Language: Spanish
Synopsis:
In this haunting psychological thriller, dark and terrible secrets hidden in an old mansion stir back to life when the original owner of the house returns. Beautiful Ana travels to a remote town to transform the abandoned family mansion into a museum detailing her father’s scientific and humanitarian achievements. She discovers that the mysterious caretaker has kept the house in pristine fashion. However, the townspeople – now destitute and helpless — do not welcome her warmly. And neither does the house.
The Condemned is currently playing at the Quad Cinema in New York City and opens Friday, March 8 at Laemmle’s NoHo 7 in Los Angeles.
For more info visit the website and like their page on Facebook
No
Director: Pablo Larraín
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers
Country: Chile
Language: Spanish
It didn’t win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film but the nomination has helped build buzz for Pablo Larraín’s political drama inspired by actual events in Chilean history. Now in the third week of its theatrical release, it is expanding to many major cities beyond just New York and Los Angeles.
Synopsis:
In 1988, Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, due to international pressure, is forced to call a plebiscite on his presidency. The country will vote Yes or No to Pinochet extending his rule for another eight years. Opposition leaders for the No, persuade a brash young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), to spearhead their campaign.
Reviewing materials already created for the campaign, René is convinced their grim, endless montages of killings, torture, tanks and tear gas will turn off voters. With the opposition outspending them an estimated 30 to 1, No must come up with campaign ads that speak to the heart of the people of Chile and motivate them go to the polls. "Everyone wants to be happy," René says in his quiet, convincing way. "Happiness" will be the campaign: "Happiness is coming if you vote No!" This approach meets resistance from colleagues who see it as an affront to the many who have suffered under Pinochet, but René confidently commissions jingles and celebrities to join in delivering the message: "Chile: happiness is coming!!!"
No is currently playing at theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego and will open in other cities in the coming weeks.
For dates and theater info visit the website. Follow @NOlapelicula on Twitter and Facebook...
- 3/6/2013
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
"Almost Famous" star Patrick Fugit has signed on for the ABC drama pilot "Reckless." Fugit will play the lead role of David, whose wife is imprisoned during a political uprising overseas. When the U.S. government stymies his efforts to secure her release in the name of diplomacy, David pursues less-than-legal solutions, crafting an elaborate scheme to topple a brutal dictator. The pilot, inspired by real events, is being written by Chris Black and executive-produced by Martin Campbell for ABC Studios. In addition to the Fugit casting, child "Bless Me, Ultima" actor Luke Ganalon...
- 2/27/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) has been cast as the lead in ABC’s drama pilot Reckless. Written/exec produced by Chris Black and directed/exec produced by Martin Campbell, the thriller centers on David (Fugit), a resourceful problem solver who, when his wife Sarah (Eloise Mumford) is unjustly imprisoned during a political uprising overseas, resorts to entering a world of political intrigue, dangerous alliances and high emotional stakes in order to get her out. Justine Lupe (Harry’s Law) has been cast in Greg Garcia’s CBS comedy pilot Super Clyde, about Clyde (Rupert Grint), a meek, unassuming fast food worker who decides to become a super hero. Lupe, repped by Gersh and Authentic, plays Clyde’s older sister Faith. Erik Jensen has joined CBS’ drama pilot Second Sight, a psychological thriller about Tanner (Jason Lee), the lead detective with the New Orleans Police Department who has an ocular disorder...
- 2/27/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Former Mindy Project actress Amanda Setton has rebounded with a role in CBS’ comedy pilot Crazy Ones, TVLine has learned.
From David E. Kelley, the project stars Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar as a pair of father/daughter owners of an ad agency. Setton — whose other credits include One Life to Live and Gossip Girl — plays a copy editor at the company.
In other pilot casting news…
• Patrick Fugit — best known for his starring role in Almost Famous – has nabbed the lead in the ABC drama Reckless.
From David E. Kelley, the project stars Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar as a pair of father/daughter owners of an ad agency. Setton — whose other credits include One Life to Live and Gossip Girl — plays a copy editor at the company.
In other pilot casting news…
• Patrick Fugit — best known for his starring role in Almost Famous – has nabbed the lead in the ABC drama Reckless.
- 2/27/2013
- by Megan Masters
- TVLine.com
Chicago – One of the major tenets of the “memoir” genre – the type of film in which a main character is looking back at their lives – is the unforgettable character that influences them forever. New Mexico during World War II is the setting for “Bless Me, Ultima.”
Rating: 2.0/5.0
Based on a popular novel, the character of Ultima is an old woman who comes to live with her Mexican family in America. She possesses magical powers of vague proportions, and is thought of by others as a witch. For some reason, the little boy in the story (the person looking back at his life) is enamored of Ultima, except when he isn’t. The film doesn’t specifically focus on Ultima, and even though she is the title character she disappears for long stretches in the story, while other moments of the boy’s life are emphasized. There is no focus in the narrative,...
Rating: 2.0/5.0
Based on a popular novel, the character of Ultima is an old woman who comes to live with her Mexican family in America. She possesses magical powers of vague proportions, and is thought of by others as a witch. For some reason, the little boy in the story (the person looking back at his life) is enamored of Ultima, except when he isn’t. The film doesn’t specifically focus on Ultima, and even though she is the title character she disappears for long stretches in the story, while other moments of the boy’s life are emphasized. There is no focus in the narrative,...
- 2/23/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Bless Me, Ultima
Directed by Carl Franklin
Written by Carl Franklin
USA, 2013
Bless Me, Ultima seems designed for high-school English teachers desperate to spruce up their lesson plans near the end of a school year or semester. By itself, the film is sincere and earnest to a fault, and charming if too episodic and rushed, but referring to the book on which the film is based would presumably allow you to appreciate this condensed version a bit more. Bless Me, Ultima is apparently constrained by the strictures of feature-film conventions, specifically the idea that such a film must be short; the adaptation attempts to connect two disparate strands of a child’s coming of age, and as noble as the effort is, it doesn’t quite mesh.
Luke Ganalon plays Antonio, a little boy growing up in New Mexico, circa 1944. The story starts when Antonio’s parents (Benito Martinez and...
Directed by Carl Franklin
Written by Carl Franklin
USA, 2013
Bless Me, Ultima seems designed for high-school English teachers desperate to spruce up their lesson plans near the end of a school year or semester. By itself, the film is sincere and earnest to a fault, and charming if too episodic and rushed, but referring to the book on which the film is based would presumably allow you to appreciate this condensed version a bit more. Bless Me, Ultima is apparently constrained by the strictures of feature-film conventions, specifically the idea that such a film must be short; the adaptation attempts to connect two disparate strands of a child’s coming of age, and as noble as the effort is, it doesn’t quite mesh.
Luke Ganalon plays Antonio, a little boy growing up in New Mexico, circa 1944. The story starts when Antonio’s parents (Benito Martinez and...
- 2/22/2013
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
Bless Me, Ultima is an interesting blend of film genres. On one hand it’s a nostalgic coming of age drama set in that golden era of the 1940′s similar to Summer Of ’42 and A Christmas Story. It recalls that simpler time that was not quite as idyllic as many remember. The film’s also a look at culture clashes with this Mexican family settling in the Us in search of a better life. Most of all Ultima is about different forms of faith. The Catholic church is a large part of this family’s life, but they still have a belief in the old ways. Namely the supernatural. They speak of it in hushed tones, whispering of witches and curses and demons. All these themes are explored in this story of a boy and a wonderous time that seems so long ago.
Antonio (Luke Ganalon) is young boy of...
Antonio (Luke Ganalon) is young boy of...
- 2/21/2013
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Bless This Mess: Franklin’s Period Piece Strangles Intriguing Premise
Carl Franklin returns with Bless Me, Ultima, his first feature since 2003’s Out of Time. An adaptation of a 1972 novel by Rudolfo Anaya, which is reputedly the best selling Chicano novel of all time, is actually the first novel of a trilogy, documenting the coming of age of a young boy in 1940’s New Mexico through his special relationship with an elderly family friend. Told with flourishes of magical realism depicting the mysticism and folkways of the indigenous culture of the area, this tale of a young boy’s spiritual transformation documents the vainglorious struggles of Christianity encroaching on the ways of old world pagan rituals and his subsequent disillusionment with religion. What sounds like a philosophically intriguing premise doesn’t quite translate in this bluntly conditioned film treatment that butchers a Bildungsroman into a parody of good vs. evil.
Carl Franklin returns with Bless Me, Ultima, his first feature since 2003’s Out of Time. An adaptation of a 1972 novel by Rudolfo Anaya, which is reputedly the best selling Chicano novel of all time, is actually the first novel of a trilogy, documenting the coming of age of a young boy in 1940’s New Mexico through his special relationship with an elderly family friend. Told with flourishes of magical realism depicting the mysticism and folkways of the indigenous culture of the area, this tale of a young boy’s spiritual transformation documents the vainglorious struggles of Christianity encroaching on the ways of old world pagan rituals and his subsequent disillusionment with religion. What sounds like a philosophically intriguing premise doesn’t quite translate in this bluntly conditioned film treatment that butchers a Bildungsroman into a parody of good vs. evil.
- 2/21/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Based on the controversial book by Rodolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima is the coming-of-age story of a young boy’s spiritual transformation. Set in New Mexico during WWII, Antonio Márez (Luke Ganalon) befriends the town’s curandera (medicine woman) and their unlikely relationship helps the young boy understand the battle of good vs. evil in his hometown. Thanks to our friends at Arenas Entertainment we have an exclusive clip of the movie. Here’s Luke Ganalon as he’s getting ready for his first day at school. Directed by Carl Franklin, Bless Me, Ultima hits theaters this Friday.
Read More...
Read More...
- 2/21/2013
- by Elisa Osegueda
- Movies.com
Based on the controversial book by Rodolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima is the coming-of-age story of a young boy’s spiritual transformation. Set in New Mexico during WWII, Antonio Márez (Luke Ganalon) befriends the town’s curandera [medicine woman] and their unlikely relationship helps the young boy understand the battle of good vs. evil in his hometown. Thanks to our friends at Arenas Entertainment we have an exclusive clip of the movie. Here’s Luke Ganalon as he’s getting ready for his first day at school. Directed by Carl Franklin, Bless Me, Ultima hits theaters this Friday.
Read More
Read Comments...
Read More
Read Comments...
- 2/20/2013
- by affiliates@fandango.com
- Fandango
“Dark Skies” and “Snitch” are the big ones making their way to theaters this weekend, but February 22nd also brings the less hyped, albeit very influential, “Bless, Me Ultima.” Based on Rudolfo Anaya’s Premio Qunito Sol-winning novel, Carl Franklin’s feature highlights the Chicano culture of the 1940s in New Mexico. When young Antonio’s (Luke Ganalon) parents invite the curandera, Ultima (Miriam Colon), to live with their family, Antonio takes to Ultima’s spiritual guidance, causing him to question how he lives his life, the divide between good and evil, and the difference between what Ultima preaches and what he learns at church. In honor of the film’s limited release, Ultima herself, [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Bless Me, Ultima’s Miriam Colon appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Bless Me, Ultima’s Miriam Colon appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/20/2013
- by Perri Nemiroff
- ShockYa
Based on the provocative award-winning novel by celebrated author Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima tells the turbulent story of Antonio Márez (Luke Ganalon), a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When Ultima (Miriam Colon), a mysterious healer comes to live with his family, she introduces Antonio to the power of the spiritual world. A strong woman with a great understanding of life, Ultima encourages Antonio who begins to question his strict upbringing. Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events, Antonio must grapple with questions about the nature of divinity and his own destiny.
The film will be in theaters February 22nd.
Wamg invites you to enter to win 2 seats to the advance screening of Bless Me, Ultima on February 20th at 7:00 Pm in St. Louis.
Answer the following question:
Do you believe herbs hold special healing powers?
Official Rules:
1. You Must Be In The St.
The film will be in theaters February 22nd.
Wamg invites you to enter to win 2 seats to the advance screening of Bless Me, Ultima on February 20th at 7:00 Pm in St. Louis.
Answer the following question:
Do you believe herbs hold special healing powers?
Official Rules:
1. You Must Be In The St.
- 2/14/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Watch 3 new clips from Carl Franklin's Bless Me, Ultima starring Luke Ganalon, Miriam Colon and Benito Martinez. The drama from Arenas Entertainment gets a limited theatrical run on February 22nd, and is both directed and adapted by Franklin, based on the controversial novel by acclaimed author Rudolfo Anaya. Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about Antonio Marez (Luke Ganalon), a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question the strict Catholic doctrine that he has been taught by his parents (Dolores Heredia and Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events Antonio must grapple with questions about his own destiny, the relationship between good vs. evil and ultimately...
- 2/12/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Watch 3 new clips from Carl Franklin's Bless Me, Ultima starring Luke Ganalon, Miriam Colon and Benito Martinez. The drama from Arenas Entertainment gets a limited theatrical run on February 22nd, and is both directed and adapted by Franklin, based on the controversial novel by acclaimed author Rudolfo Anaya. Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about Antonio Marez (Luke Ganalon), a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question the strict Catholic doctrine that he has been taught by his parents (Dolores Heredia and Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events Antonio must grapple with questions about his own destiny, the relationship between good vs. evil and ultimately...
- 2/12/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Hollywood director Carl Franklin (Out of Time, Devil in a Blue Dress, High Crimes) takes his talent to an indie film based on a controversial novel by Rudolfo Anaya with Bless Me, Ultima
Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about Antonio Marez (Luke Ganalon), a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question the strict Catholic doctrine that he has been taught by his parents (Dolores Heredia & Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events Antonio must grapple with questions
Read more...
Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about Antonio Marez (Luke Ganalon), a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question the strict Catholic doctrine that he has been taught by his parents (Dolores Heredia & Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events Antonio must grapple with questions
Read more...
- 2/12/2013
- CineMovie
This writer hit the set of the then-shooting Patrick Cunningham-directed feature Model Home in the La area enclave of Santa Clarita on July 9th and while there chatted with the filmmaker regarding the project as well as with co-producer Will Clevinger (The Devil’s Carnival) and more.
Shooting Day 19 of 20 in the entirely suburban and seemingly white-bread environ, it was hard not to feel that aliens with a hankering for Reese’s Pieces and nuclear families with daughters named "Carol Anne" would both feel entirely comfortable on the set of Model Home. The rented residence in which the production had set up shop and the homes that surrounded it were dotted with manicured lawns and tricycles with colorful handle-bar streamers, abandoned apparently by the pre-pubescent children who had ridden them. Smart perhaps, as what was shooting inside Model Home was fairly disconnected from the tranquility the family-centric locale strove for.
Shooting Day 19 of 20 in the entirely suburban and seemingly white-bread environ, it was hard not to feel that aliens with a hankering for Reese’s Pieces and nuclear families with daughters named "Carol Anne" would both feel entirely comfortable on the set of Model Home. The rented residence in which the production had set up shop and the homes that surrounded it were dotted with manicured lawns and tricycles with colorful handle-bar streamers, abandoned apparently by the pre-pubescent children who had ridden them. Smart perhaps, as what was shooting inside Model Home was fairly disconnected from the tranquility the family-centric locale strove for.
- 8/1/2012
- by Sean Decker
- DreadCentral.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.