ScreenCrave.com » danny trejo

Robert Rodriguez To Make ‘Machete Kills’ For Some Reason, Followed By ‘Machete 3′

traviswoods — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:27:55 +0000

Despite the fact that every year he announces about 477 planned reboots, remakes, sequels, and prequels that he never actually ends up making, Robert Rodriguez appears to actually be in talks and development to make a sequel to 2010 action film/ Grindhouse spinoff, Machete. The film will be called—wait for it—Machete Kills.

According to Rodriguez, “the fan response to the Machete character has been fanatical since his first appearance… Machete is truly a super hero and Machete Kills will be bigger and more ambitious than the first time.” So this is why we still haven’t seen a Sin City sequel?

Machete star Danny Trejo is apparently already in talks to return to the Machete “franchise,” while production is set to start in April. The sequel will find Machete being recruited by the United States government to lead a battle in the heart of Mexico to take out the head of a drug cartel “an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war across the planet with a weapon in space.” Yes, it appears that part of the film may take place in space. Ok, Rodriquez, you win—I can’t stay mad with news like that. Also, Rodriquez has stated that this will the second entry in what is shaping up to be a Machete trilogy. Yay?

What do you think of the Machete news?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Franklin and Bash: Season 1, Episode 10 – ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’ – TV Review

Laura Aguirre — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:26:10 +0000

Ten episodes have come and gone since the premiere of “Franklin & Bash.” This show started out as “summer fun,” but it has become more than that. It’s like seeing a very good-looking person who is also charming — its got it all! And the season finale had just that. Wednesday night, Franklin and Bash were put in tough position when their boss was jailed and charged with murder. And the worst part is, is that he’s very much guilty. Nevertheless, the young lawyers set out to defend their client (and boss), and still manage to juggle in a Margarita Monday.

The Players:

Director: Jason Ensler
Writer: Bill Chais
Cast: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Breckin Meyer, Malcolm McDowell, Danny Trejo, Tricia Helfer, Reed Diamond, Kumail Nanjiani

Episode Title: “Go Tell It on the Mountain”

Franklin and Bash team up with a high-profile attorney to defend their boss Infeld, who is charged with murder. But things start to go wrong when the trial seems to be sabotaged, Karp puts his job on the line by trying to save his uncle. Meanwhile, Hannah represents a professional wrestler who fights for his job back after he’s fired for being too old.

The Good:

Stanton Infeld in Jail: Stanton in jail was classic. The whole idea that he’s being charged for murder is ridiculous, yes, but you got to give it to the writers when they decided to put a Liverpool guy like Stanton in county jail. It’s hilarious. When we first see him, he’s wearing his orange jail uniform with a black beanie on his head (the camera is even at a low angle to emphasize him looking tough). And another time he’s teaching yoga to a bunch of tough and tattooed inmates. It’s classic Stanton.
Hanna and Karp: Usually I’m arguing for these two to get less screen time, but man did they make a good team this week. A new character (Brett) drops in at Stanton Infeld while Stanton is in prison and she’s just there to raise hell. Brett tries to make Hanna a partner and double-cross Karp. Luckily, the two outsmart Brett, and it felt good to see her be put in her place.

The So-So:

Finale: Last night’s episode didn’t disappoint. There were good laughs and the stories were great, but for an episode that’s also a season finale, it could have, should have been better. Let’s go out with a bang, right? As shocking as it is to put Stanton in prison, it wasn’t enough. Great episode, definitely, but not a great finale. That’s all.

Overall:

TNT has ordered a second season and I couldn’t be more pleased. “Franklin & Bash” was a fun adventure with a pair of fun boys.

Rating: 8.5/10

“Franklin & Bash” airs every Wednesday night on TNT!

What did you think of last night’s episode?

Comic Con 2011: Robert Rodriguez Announces Things!

Brendan Walsh — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:11:54 +0000

At this year’s San Diego Comic Con, the large ballrooms, typically reserved for panels discussing TV programs, have been outrageously overcrowded, with lines leading people almost a mile away from the convention center itself. Meanwhile, the cavernous Hall H, used to draw in big crowds for large studio announcements, has been surprisingly accessible, and sometimes even sparsely attended. I’m certainly not complaining, because while 25,000 people stand out in the sun hoping to make it into a 4,000 person room and catch a glimpse of the cast from Big Bang Theory, we got to hear indie auteur Robert Rodriguez make a handful of announcements about his future, in a shockingly intimate setting. See what Rodriguez had to say, after the jump…

Robert Rodriguez is a very busy man. When he makes movies, he is involved in every step of the process; he writes, directs, shoots, edits, and composes the music. And as if that weren’t enough, he is continuing to expand his repertoire. Rodriguez announced that in addition to his Troublemaker Studios, which is his own studio that he uses to produce his films, he will soon open Quickdraw Productions. He said that Quickdraw will essentially be a production company that will allow him to invite other filmmakers to have access to his resources, and tell their own stories. This is an interesting prospect, considering in January, we reported that Kevin Smith announced that he will be opening Smodcast Pictures, with a similar goal in mind. It seems that the indie guys who’ve hit it big are looking forward to sharing their success.

He also announced, though it isn’t much of an announcement, since it’s advertised on posters that are already on theater walls, that Spy Kids 4 will be in 4-D. That is to say it will be in “Aroma-vision,” which means that there will be little scented cards passed out to audiences and they will be prompted to smell them at certain points of the movie. Now first of all, that isn’t 4-D–Time travel is 4-D…but whatever. I’d like to deride this for being a dumb gimmick, but it’s a kids movie, so what are you gonna do?

Don’t worry, Rodriguez went on to make more substantial announcements. He said that he’s been working closely with comic book legend Frank Miller on creating a new, original Sin City story, called “The Long, Bad Night.” There was a lot of talk about fleshing out, so to speak, the rest of the Sin City series immediately after the success of the original in 2005, but there has been little news on it since. Rodriguez acknowledged this, and said that, “if we’re going to actually get the chance to do it, we’ll be doing in the next year or two.” Very exciting.

Speaking of exciting, Rodriguez went on to specifically thank Comic Con audiences, because he felt they were integral in the success of his campy vehicle for Danny Trejo, Machete. ”Thanks to the success of that film, the next two have already been greenlit. So we can all look forward to Machete Kills, and Machete Kills in Space. Yeah, it’s going to be a space opera.” That’s great news. High concept action genre films are his wheelhouse, and it sounds like he wants to continue having fun with this ultra-violent character.

He also announced the first title for his newly founded Quickdraw Productions, which will be a live action adaptation of the graphic novel/animated film series Heavy Metal. If you don’t know what that is, it looks a little something like this. Between the fantastical visionary artwork and the heavy, hard rock, that should be a pretty badass project.

Finally, he announced that he will be curating and opening a museum in Austin, TX, dedicated to the work of the late, great fantasy painter Frank Frazetta. Frazetta is most well known for his paintings of Conan the Barbarian, and the iconic sci fi character John Carter of Mars, which is an upcoming film to be directed by Finding Nemo’s Andrew Stanton.

So there you have it. A state of the union address from the do it yourself filmmaker who helped pioneer independent movies in the 90s. Rodriguez is practically an industry himself at this point, and it looks like he’s only going to get busier.

NBA All Star Kobe Bryant Stars in Robert Rodriguez’s The Black Mamba

Krystal Clark — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:14:05 +0000

Los Angeles Laker star Kobe Bryant has had an eventful few days. Not only did he participate in the annual NBA All-Star Game, but he became the first athlete to have his hand and footprints immortalized at the world famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater. If that wasn’t enough, he also starred in a short film called The Black Mamba, which was directed by Robert Rodriguez. Bryant plays the title character, who goes up against his fair share of adversaries including Bruce Willis and Danny Trejo. Oh yeah, and Kanye West is in it too! Watch the movie below…

The Black Mamba takes a lot of cues from Rodriguez’s previous films with the most obvious being Desperado. The lone gunman has been turned into a talented basketball star who showcases his shoes as well as his talents. Trejo is a muscle man, Willis is the second in command, and West plays the boss who’s aptly titled “The Boss.”

Even though West isn’t the best actor in the world, we love him in this short. He was the perfect choice to play a conceited, power hungry, selfish, and arrogant bad guy. Bryant wasn’t too bad either. We liked it!

What do you think of The Black Mamba?

Machete: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:00:14 +0000

Machete is an old school, grind house action flick with guns, knives, and a strong political undertone. The last description doesn’t really fit but that didn’t stop Robert Rodriguez from using this trailer turned film to vocalize his disdain for U.S. immigration policies. The filmmaker has a huge bone to pick but instead of addressing Congress, he’s taking his argument to the theater!

Check out the review…

The Players:

Director: Ethan Maniquis, Robert Rodriguez,
Screenwriters: Robert Rodriguez,
Cast: Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, Jeff Fahey, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro, Don Johnson, Shea Whigham, Daryl Sabara, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, Steven Seagal
Cinematographer: Jimmy Lindsey
Original Music By: John Debney

The Plot:

Machete follows an ex-federale who is betrayed by his superiors in his native Mexico. After years on the run, he ends up in Texas taking odd jobs to make ends meet. After taking down a tough street fighter he’s commissioned to assassinate a controversial politician who’s trying to crack down on illegal immigration. From that point on he finds himself embroiled in an “us vs them battle” between the Latin natives who are part of an underground community called “The Network” and a group of extremists who work for border patrol.

The Good:

The Characters: Every person in this film is an exaggeration of someone who really exists. The characters are all based on stereotypes. There’s the overzealous southern politician, the Mexican drug lord, the hard pressed cop, and of course the vigilante hero, whose blades are faster than bullets. That’s obviously the exaggerated part.
The Action: Gun play? Check! Explosions? Check! Knife fights? Hell yes! Machete has a lot of obscene and almost obnoxious action sequences that are filled with gore. There’s a reason the protagonist’s weapon of choice is a giant blade. He’s not trying to just get the job done. He’s trying to make a point.
The Story: Like I said earlier, the plot heavily leans on the current state of immigration in the U.S., specifically the cities near the Mexican border. This is an underdog story, not just for Machete but for his people. At times the political tone does get a bit heavy handed but it’s an entertaining way to shed light on the topic.

The Bad:

Jessica Alba: Why was she cast as the female lead? Her acting is unbelievable — literally she was UNBELIEVABLE. You don’t buy her as a immigration officer who’s torn between her allegiance to the law and to her people. Her performance didn’t feel genuine. Michelle Rodriguez (one of the highlights of the film) could have done a lot better with the role than Alba.
Steven Seagal: So this is why Seagal wasn’t in The Expendables? He plays a Mexican drug lord who’s also Machete’s arch enemy. Seagal is a shadow of his former self. His squinted gaze, bloated figure, and obvious hair piece was nothing more than a distraction when he appeared on screen. This is not the same guy from Hard to Kill. It just can’t be!
The Length: This movie was entirely too long. It was overextended by one too many villains. There’s always a guy, behind a guy, behind another guy, and then you get the real guy who’s pulling the strings. It takes forever for them to get to that point and when they do, we’re exhausted.

Overall:

If you liked Grindhouse, you’ll love Machete. It’s got sex, drugs, action, and low riders as far as the eye can see. If that’s your thing, this will be the perfect flick for you to spend your money on this Labor Day weekend.

Rating: 7.5/10

Machete opens in theaters everywhere September 3rd.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Are you interested in seeing Machete this weekend?

Predators: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:00:53 +0000

Finally someone knows how to execute a real action film! One that has your heart racing from start to end, has you jumping in your seats, rooting for the characters and kick-ass fight scenes with ever weapon imaginable. Nimród Antal and Robert Rodriguez team up to form one bad-ass sequel worthy of the Predator name with their new film Predators.

Check out the full review on how they made this movie a success below…

The Players:

Director: Nimród Antal
Written By: Alex Litvak and Michael Finch
Characters by: Jim Thomas and John Thomas
Producer: Robert Rodriguez, Elizabeth Avellan, John Davis
Actors: Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Louis Ozawa Changchien

The Plot:

A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators.

The Good:

Jump Start: The opening shot of this movie is pure awesome-ness and sets the pace for the entire film. What a better way to jump into a world than to literally jump into a world?! From the first moment of the film they get your heart pumping and it doesn’t let up until the credits roll.
The Minimal Dialogue: This isn’t the type of film that we want to listen to people talk in, this is a serious action film. With minimal explanation and a few fun actiony one-liners, it does what it needs to, leaves the talking to a minimum and constantly moves from one moment to the next.
Fight Scenes: They literally have just about every type of fight scene you love in one film. They use guns, bombs, swords, poison, basically anything they could get their hands on to bring you something fun. The fight scenes are full of suspense and exhilarating to watch.
Camera Movement: Nimród uses the camera to make the audience feel like they’re a part of the on screen world and proves that you don’t need 3D glasses to do it (take that Cameron!). He uses some great POV shots that make you feel like you’re running and jumping with the pack which as a result make you feel more invested in the story. Great camera work!
Tone: This is probably the first good serious action film of the summer. We’ve had a number of playful action films (The A-Team, The Losers) but this one isn’t fucking around, it takes its action and story seriously and you can feel it in the audience.
Cliches: So many films try to surprise you with scary moments. For example: Normally you see someone about to open a door, the music builds, they open it, nothing is there, the music stops and then BAM! Something is behind them. This film goes back to old-fashioned scare techniques. The things that you think will scare you will scare you! It’s such a refreshing and fun experience to go through. It makes you feel like you’re a kid again.

The Bad:

Few Moments of Over-Acting: For this kind of film it’s hard not to have these moments and they did a good job at avoiding them, but they were still there.
Scare Factor: There were some great scary moments, but there could have been a bit more. It was like a taco with pico de gallo, it’s good, but it doesn’t quite have the spice you want. There are definitely a couple of good jumps, but it might have been nice to have a couple more.

Overall:

Great action, tons of fun, well executed, solid cast, great summer-action flick. Get some popcorn and get ready for the ride!

Rating: 8.5/10

Check out Predators in theaters July 9th!

Photos:

Trailer:

Machete Cinco de Mayo Trailer Premiere

Krystal Clark — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:49:04 +0000

Robert Rodriguez is a marketing genius! In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the director decided to release an “illegal” teaser for his upcoming film Machete. Do you remember that grainy trailer that appeared during Grindhouse that was sandwiched between Death Proof and Planet Terror? Yeah, he made a feature length movie out of that. Take a look…

The folks over at AICN got first dibs on the new trailer that features a special introduction by its star Danny Trejo. The actor will be joined by a supporting cast that includes Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson and Jeff Fahey just to name a few.

Besides Trejo, Marin is another actor who consistently appears in Rodriguez’s films and to see him as a gun toting priest is classic. Also, is it just us or does De Niro look like he’s showing some range in his role as the Senator? It’s been such a long time since we’ve seen him step outside the box and he looks damn good here.

There are so many things to like about this trailer but our favorite is the small credit given to Don Johnson. It says “Introducing” in front of his name as if he hasn’t been in the film industry for 40 years already. The irony!

What do you think of the first trailer for Machete?

Predators Teaser Trailer Online Now!

Krystal Clark — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:44:35 +0000

The first teaser trailer has been released for Robert Rodriguez and Nimrod Antal’s reboot, Predators. Just a few days ago Rodriguez gave an exclusive sneak peek into the new Predator world at the opening of the SXSW Film Festval and now the official teaser is finally here. Are you ready for a new generation of aliens to hunt you down? Here’ s the trailer…

The plot of Predators centers on a reluctant mercenary named Royce, who leads a group of elite warriors who have been brought together on an alien planet… as prey. With the exception of a disgraced physician, they are all cold-blooded killers mercenaries, Yakuza, convicts, death squad members human “predators” that are now being systemically hunted and eliminated by a new breed of alien Predators.

Is it just me or do they deliberately hide Topher Grace’s face from the camera in this trailer? Every shot he’s in, he’s either in the dark or it’s a quick cut. Maybe they’re trying ease him into the series after his last attempt at crossing over to a franchise bombed (Spider-Man 3). Other than that, the trailer looks OK. We have Laurence Fishburne playing the older, wiser male figure out of the group and Alice Braga as the lone lady. This is an interesting cast and physically it looks like Adrien Brody’s come a long way since his waif days in The Pianist.

Predators hits theaters on July 7, 2010.

What do you think of the first teaser trailer for Predators?

Source: IGN

AFI Festival Review: Modus Operandi

Tom von Logue Newth — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:46:52 +0000

Fresh from wide acclaim at Cinevegas, Modus Operandi played the appropriate post-midnight slot at the AFI Fest last night. Four years in the making, it’s a Milwaukee-based Super8 homage to exploitation thrillers from the 70s, with CIA agents, mysterious briefcases, shady underworld double-crosses and lots of sexy girls. Characters have names like Black Liquorice, Casey Thunderbird and Agent Xanadu, people spend a lot of time drinking and taking phone calls in hot tubs and pools it’s strung together with a splendid funky score.

The excellent theme song is saved for a late-on massacre in a pole dance bar that plays like an amusing compilation of all the low-budget ways to kill someone, from gunshots to throat-slashing to a thrown playing card in the forehead. But the film is also shot through with art-house sequences, like a naked man in black and white on a dingy mattress in a squalid apartment, a strange moon movie playing in a cinema and a sequence in the bleak wastelands of Siberia. The dichotomy is a bit like that of the Kuchar brothers (and a nude model in the film looks suspiciously like a young George) and best exemplified by the double executions of the end, one pure art-house solemnity, the other an example of let’s-think-of-the-sickest-thing-we-can exploitation.

The affectionate jokey tone is set by the 70s-style theater announcements that preface the movie. 30 year-old director Frankie Latina is in love with the era and has an excellent eye for the details of blaxploitation et al. Shot in colour and black and white on a variety of stocks (with a little video) it’s an appropriate formal mishmash that is hugely inventive and endearingly home-made. It has next to no budget, of course, though production values are stretched to a trip to Japan and a sky-diving sequence and there’s also a good number of effects, cheaply effective without pretending too far towards verisimilitude (head being blown off, car blown up).

How many of the shots and details of decor and character are quotes from ancient rental videos I couldn’t say, but many have an air of genuine originality amongst which the aesthetic of homage achieves an effective unity, from a black and white Japanese basement bondage torture sequence to the trailer for an Indian lady spy show, and the presence of low-rent legend Danny Trejo as an improbable CIA chief and American Movie subject Mark Borchardt. If such jokey pastiche inevitably cannot sustain itself for the full 90 minute running time, the film is never less than inventive and enjoyable, a cherishable oddball curio and evidently a great deal of fun to have made.

Rating: 7/10

Learn more (and listen to the music!) at the official site.

Danny Trejo Joins Predators

Krystal Clark — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:29:19 +0000

If you’re a fan of Robert Rodriguez, the latest news regarding his reboot, Predators won’t come as a shock. It appears that character actor Danny Trejo is the first person to be cast in the film. Rodriguez will produce the sci-fi flick that will be directed by Nimrod Antal, and backed by TroubleMaker Studios. Trejo recently gave an interview with Punch Drunk Critics, where he discussed Predators, and even a little Machete.

Check out the video…

Did he mention Sin City or am I hearing things? Does anyone actually think the sequel to that film will ever get made, because I gave up a long time ago. As for Machete, I need that movie in my life. With the exception of Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Alba, I can’t wait to see the cast in action.

This may not be a conventional casting announcement for Predators, but it’s something. The film has had somewhat of a rocky road since its inception. The one thing we do know is that the original Stan Winston design for the alien will be in full effect for the remake, so thank goodness for small favors.

What do you think about Danny Trejo being cast in Predators?

Machete Set Photos: Jessica Alba and Steven Seagal

Krystal Clark — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:15:11 +0000

Since it’s been confirmed that Robert Rodriguez is currently shooting his trailer turned feature Machete, some behind the scenes photos have popped up online. The most recent batch feature Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal (yes, he’s alive), Danny Trejo, and Rodriguez. I’m not exactly sure what their filming, but for some odd reason it involves Alba standing on an old school car in four inch heels. Make what you will of that when you view the photos below. Enjoy!

The rest of the Machete cast includes Robert De Niro, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson and Jeff Fahey. Machete is the title character of the film based off of a fake trailer that was featured during Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse collaboration. Rumors started circulating that the short should be made into a feature length film, and lo and behold it’s happening!

The film’s star Danny Trejo has been in the business for a long time. He’s known for being a supporting character actor in most of Rodriguez’s films. This will be his first venture as the lending man of such a large ensemble. Hooray for Danny!

Images courtesy of JoBlo.

What do you think of the latest set photos from Machete?

ScreenCrave.com » danny trejo

Robert Rodriguez To Make ‘Machete Kills’ For Some Reason, Followed By ‘Machete 3′

Related Posts

Franklin and Bash: Season 1, Episode 10 – ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’ – TV Review

The Players:

Episode Title: “Go Tell It on the Mountain”

The Good:

The So-So:

Overall:

Rating: 8.5/10

Related Posts

Comic Con 2011: Robert Rodriguez Announces Things!

Related Posts

NBA All Star Kobe Bryant Stars in Robert Rodriguez’s The Black Mamba

Related Posts

Machete: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 7.5/10

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Related Posts

Predators: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 8.5/10

Photos:

Trailer:

Related Posts

Machete Cinco de Mayo Trailer Premiere

Related Posts

Predators Teaser Trailer Online Now!

Related Posts

AFI Festival Review: Modus Operandi

Rating: 7/10

Related Posts

Danny Trejo Joins Predators

Related Posts

Machete Set Photos: Jessica Alba and Steven Seagal

Related Posts