Salma Hayek Makes Room for Oscar

At one time, James Brown was the undisputed Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Brown’s high-voltage stage performances and his longevity were testament to that claim. But that was the last century, a million years ago. This is the 21^st century, an era where the emerging Latino presence in everything from politics, cuisine, art, music, and film cannot be ignored anymore.

It’s also The Age of the Woman; of Wonder Woman; of The Latina Wonder Woman. With that prelude in mind, I humbly submit for consideration Salma Hayek as the new heiress apparent to the updated title: The Hardest Working Woman in Show Business.

Hayek’s acting career began in her native Mexico. She starred in the popular telenovela Teressa and garnered bouquets of critical acclaim in the movie El Callejón de los Milagros, for which she received an Ariel Award nomination. Shortly afterward, Hayek made the inevitable trek to Hollywood and began starring in a dizzying, whirlwind, eclectic, kaleidoscope of films and TV shows. The number and variety of roles Salma Hayek has done would make the heads of the two most ubiquitous actors in Hollywood history; Michael Caine and Gene Hackman, spin like Linda Blair’s in The Exorcist.  Her body of work is too extensive to catalog in this article, so I will focus on a few of my personal favorites.

·         Desperado – Hayek explodes onto the American screen in Robert Rodriquez’s violent, romantic, action / adventure movie. Salma’s chemistry with Antonio Banderas is electric and she proves herself to be a worthy, beautiful and equal partner.

·         From Dusk til Dawn – The Snake Dance scene. ‘nuff said.

·         Fools Rush In – Hayek is charming and authentic in this romantic comedy with Mathew Perry.

·         Frida – Salma doesn’t merely play Frida Kahlo, the legendary Mexican artist and long-time lover of Diego Rivera, she IS Frida. It’s a stunning per performance. She received a Best Actress nomination for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe.

·         Bandidas – An unapologetic “guilty pleasure.” Two gorgeous Latinas, Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz, team up to become pistol-packing, revenge-seeking, Robin Hood-like bank robbers in old Mexico. How great is that?

·         Across the Universe – In a brief, but very memorable cameo, Salma is a sexy, slinky, seductive, cooing, soothing, hypodermic syringe wielding nurse to the classic Beatle tune, Happiness is a Warm Gun.

In addition to the above and many, many other films, Salma Hayek has gained critical recognition and Emmy nominations for her work on such hit TV shows like 30 Rock and Ugly Betty, not to mention her voice-over work on the animated feature Puss ‘n Boots. So, Hayek has done it all; comedy, drama, action / adventure; done it well and done it in a relatively brief period. She’s been working hard at her craft. As the reigning, Hardest Working Woman in Show Business, Salma makes the late, great Godfather of Soul look like your slacker, unemployed, couch potato brother-in-law

Her most recent performance in the film, Beatriz at Dinner, is getting glowing praise and generating lots of Oscar buzz around the industry. Variety reported: “Beatriz at Dinner is a small-scale but elegantly deft squirmfest that features a luminous performance by Salma Hayek. It also has the distinction of being the first dramatic comedy that’s an explicit — and provocative — allegory of the Age of Trump.”

Indeed, an allegory underscored by the fact the Trump-like character, played perfectly on-key by John Lithgow, is confronted by an immigrant Mexican woman. Mexican immigrants were the first group of people, then candidate Trump, trashed at the start of his campaign for the presidency.

This role is a daring departure for the Stella Adler-trained actress. In persona and appearance, Salma Hayek’s’ Beatriz has a child-like, almost saintly demeanor She’s a healer; someone who reveres nature; loves animals and with the purity of her large, sad, innocent eyes, she sees right through Lithgow’s corrupt, Robber Baron character.

Hayek does a lot of her emoting with her expressive yes. She remined me of Maria Falconetti in the silent film classic, The Passion of Joan of Arc. With her short bangs and beatific face, Salma even looks like Maria Falconetti. Like her performance in Frida, Salma Hayek’s bravura turn in Beatriz at Dinner rwil result in several well-deserved and well-earned nominations when the movie industry award season begins.

This is the year all of Salma Hayek’s hard work pays off. This is the year the Academy recognizes her impressive body of work and her poignant performance in Beatriz at Dinner. This is the year Salma will make room on her mantle for Oscar.

Later this year, Salma Hayek also appears in How to Be a Latin Lover and The Hitman’s Bodyguard.

Queen of the South: Above the Mendoza Line

The Mendoza Line is an expression in baseball in the United States, deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose mediocre batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting.

Making comparisons is a totally subjective exercise; it’s tricky and often unfair. Apples and oranges, Coke and Pepsi, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, tamales and enchiladas, boxers or briefs are just a few things we can compare, contrast and argue about. Now we can add to the list: La reina del sur and Queen of the south.

Full disclosure: I saw the original Telemundo broadcast of La reina del sur and all its subsequent re-airings. Also read the novel by Arturo Párez Reverte, danced and sang along to Los Cuates de Sinaloa’s rousing rendition of the opening theme song and, of course, fell truly, deeply, madly in love with the beautiful, talented Mexican superstar actress, Kate del Castillo as Teresa Mendoza. After I started watching La reina del sur yet again on Netflix last year, my wife asked me impatiently with a note of exasperation in her voice, “How many times are you going to watch that woman?”

So, when I began binge watching season one of Queen of the South, I came to it with several ardently held pre-conceived ideas about how this story should look and be told.

At first, I had to suppress my “That’s not right. Teresa didn’t do that. Who’s this character? Why is this happening in Dallas?” reflexive responses and suspend disbelief, take a breath and let this newest iteration of the story unfold and take me on its own unique journey. Series creators M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller have kept the heart and soul of the original story, but there are some notable differences.

Location, Location, Location: In La reina del sur, Teresa Mendoza winds up in southern Spain near North Africa. It’s a picturesque setting that juxtaposes, blends and exudes the exotic sounds, colors, textures, and aromatic fragrances of Spanish and Arabic cultures. By contrast, Queen of the South is currently centered in Dallas, Texas. Nothing against Dallas, I live in San Antonio, but Dallas ain’t Morocco or southern Spain. Personally, I think San Antonio, with its dominant Latino presence, would have been a more suitable location. Gone is the international sensibility of La reina del sur. Queen of the South has a grittier, more urban, almost film noir look and feel to it and showcases a new character to the story who makes it all work.

Camilla Vargas: Mexico’s Veronica Falcón plays Camilla Vargas, the estranged wife and rival of Epifanio Vargas, drug kingpin of the Sinaloa Cartel. Señora Falcón’s sultry, sexy, cool demeanor and deep, smoky, husky voice is a throwback to classic, film noir femme fatales like Barbara Stanwyck, Veronica Lake and Lauren Bacall. Falcón’s Camilla Vargas oozes delicious evil. It’s a strong, riveting, scene-stealing performance. But true to La reina del sur, Queen of the South is still the story of one tough, morally-conflicted, resilient, compelling Mexican woman.

Teresa Mendoza:  Brazilian actress, Alice Braga, breathes new life into Teresa Mendoza. This Teresa, as portrayed by Braga, is a more action-oriented, physical character. She’s a wily money-changer on the streets of Culiacan, Mexico who’s romantically involved with a drug smuggler. Events get out of control and soon Teresa is chased, raped, beaten, enslaved and eventually finds herself being inexorably drawn deeper and deeper into drug dealing and worse.

As a soldier for Camilla Vargas, she proves her worth in various shoot-outs, car chases, while also committing murder and kidnapping. This Teresa Mendoza could easily become an action figure doll.

Braga is often seen being confronted by the specter of herself as the future Teresa Mendoza giving cautionary warnings on things yet to come. Braga’s Teresa is also haunted by her past. This is a morally ambiguous character. Braga does a very good job of expressing Mendoza’s struggle to keep her humanity as she sinks further into the world of violence and crime.

That’s what makes Teresa Mendoza such a fascinating character. She’s a strong, resolute woman, who through circumstances not of her making, finds herself constantly aspiring to salvage the better angels of her nature as she succumbs to the demons of greed and power.

Kate del Castillo and the original telenovela of La reina del sur set a high bar of excellence in character development, story-telling and production values. The USA series, Queen of the South, starring Alice Braga and Veronica Falcón with a fine supporting cast, is entertaining, addictive and easily rises above the Mendoza Line. I’m a loyal fan and glued to my big screen TV every Thursday night.

“How many times are you going to watch that woman?”

Para siempre, querida, para siempre.

Inclined to Fall for "Decline and Fall"

When my editor, Bel Hernandez, emailed me and asked if I would be interested in doing a view and review of the upcoming BBC One, Acorn TV original comedy mini-series, Decline and Fall, with Eva Longoria, I immediately replied, “Absolutely.” How could I pass up the opportunity to watch anything with Eva Longoria in it? She’s goddam gorgeous!

Since her breakout role in Desperate Housewives, the lovely Latina superstar and San Antonio native has become a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood and beyond. Not only is she a successful and sought after actress, but also a director, producer, business woman, philanthropist and political activist. And I can’t stress this point enough; she’s goddam gorgeous. Eva is bilingually beautiful as well. She’s been voted “Most Beautiful” in the Spanish- and English-language versions of People magazine. I think she has almost perfected a cure for cancer too. She does it all.

As a proud Tex-Mex and longtime San Antonio resident, I was ready, willing and able to view and review anything starring Eva Longoria.

The fact that Longoria is starring, along with talented Brits, Jack Whitehall and David Suchet in the BBC One, Acorn TV first-time adaption of Evelyn Waugh’s satirical novel, Decline and Fall was a definite, added plus.

Many of you, I’m sure, remember the PBS British TV series, Brideshead Revisited, also adapted from an Evelyn Waugh novel. But whereas Brideshead is a poignant story of forbidden love and lost innocence, Decline and Fall is a witty tale of a well-meaning, earnest young man, Jack Whitehall, who is unjustly kicked out of divinity school at Oxford and finds himself taking a position as a schoolmaster at a very dysfunctional school for boys.

Apparently, there are no mobile home parks in the English countryside. Going by the images presented by the many marvelous British productions of TV shows and films like Brideshead Revisited, Downton Abbey, Doc Martin, Howard’s End, Remains of the Day and now the BBC One and Acorn TV’s Decline and Fall, England is landscaped in lush greenery with narrow, winding roads weaving their way past quaint villages dotted with cute, cozy cottages and the occasional majestic, stately manor populated and ruled by a Lord Something-or-Other. The scenery, architecture and Old World atmosphere are important characters in these delightful dramas and comedies of English manners, social status and a desperate desire to cling to their long-held traditions.

And such is the case in Waugh’s Decline and Fall. Our hero, Paul Pennyfeather (Jack Whitehall) is teaching German and music at one of those classic, English boys schools that appears to be all stone, deep, dark wood and musty, poorly-lit interiors. Pennyfeather is completely unqualified to teach either German or music, but no matter, he ingratiates himself to the headmaster and his students. Especially his music student, Peter (Oscar Kennedy) whose mother just happens to be the rich, flamboyant and eccentric Margot Beste-Chetwynde (Eva Longoria).

Pennyfeather is instantly smitten with Margo because, well, she’s goddam gorgeous and she offers him a tutoring position at her estate during the school holiday. Complications arise as Pennyfeather gets involved in Margot’s Latin American Entertainment business

Decline and Fall, like many other British offerings of this genre, takes place in England during the pivotal period between the two Great Wars. Although Britain was on the winning side in World War I, that war marked the beginning of the end of the once glorious British Empire. It was often said

the Sun never set on the British Empire. But after World War I, the English, especially the nobles, landed-gentry and upper middle-class, faced a new dawn, a new world with much uncertainty and anxiety.

The English need to steadfastly maintain their treasured traditions in the face of impending change, is the subtext of Decline and Fall. This is a society, a country, a people who do not want mobile home parks blighting their countryside. It’s a country that is now second-guessing Brexit; not fully knowing what the future holds for England. The title, Decline and Fall, is a wistful, prophetic wink at that inevitability.

Like Oscar Wilde before him and his contemporary, Noel Coward, Evelyn Waugh is a master at exquisitely capturing that fabled British “stiff upper lip” and aplomb with his pithy, acerbic, erudite dialog. Even without the enhancement of the rich production values, Decline and Fall would be a thoroughly enjoyable experience just listening to the music of the language.

The tall, lanky Whitehall is charming and winsome as Pennyfeather. His boyish good looks are well-suited for this part. Longoria once again proves she is quite adept at light comedy as the perfectly arch, Margot. The supporting cast are equally good and often outright hilarious, particularly Douglas Hodge as the irrepressible Grimes.

Evelyn Waugh, born Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh, has a well-deserved plane in the pantheon of great English writers. Decline and Fall is considered one of his best works.  Waugh’s Decline and Fall has style, wit, fantastic period costumes, quirky characters, romance, humor and great scenery. Like Eva Longoria, Decline and Fall is goddam gorgeous and well-worth watching.

The three-part mini-series premiered on Acorn TV on May 15^, 2017.

El Chapo: Mexico's Most Notorious Anti-Hero Comes to Univision

Question: What do Charles Manson, Al Capone and Houdini all have in common? Answer: All three personas found refuge in the dark soul of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the notorious drug kingpin of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel. El Chapo’s amazing, ripped-from-the headlines story will be the subject of a TV miniseries airing on Univision.

When I was living in McAllen, Texas, one warm, summer night as the balmy breeze made its way up from Mexico, I had a cold beer with a fellow who had recently been released from prison. He’d shared a cell with a low-level narco traficante. This narco had amused my drinking amigo with stories of his drug cartel adventures.

I was curious. They’re called drug “cartels”, but they don’t’ operate like, say, oil cartels (OPEC), who cooperate to fix prices and production to their advantage. I asked, “The United States has more than enough customers for all kinds of drugs. Why do the Mexican drug cartel fight with each other? Why not join forces to distribute and sell drugs? There’s plenty of customers for all.”

“Because,” he said taking a sip of beer, “It’s not just about money. It’s about loyalty, honor, revenge and territory.”

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions is gearing up to re-start the War on Drugs. Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign fell flat on its face. But it was a boon for the prison industry as thousands of so-called “drug offenders” found themselves in prison for possessing a dime bag of marijuana.

It’s an undisputed fact, the United States is the biggest customer for illegal drugs. What is it about modern American society that drives so many to seek drugs to ease their pain or escape from reality. That’s a topic for another miniseries.

But, where does someone like El Chapo fit into all this? He’s a classic, capitalist entrepreneur operating on the free market principle of supply and demand. However, unlike his capitalist counterparts in the US who deal with their competitors by lowering prices or forming monopolies, El Chapo kills the competition and takes over their routes.

In the premier episode of El Chapo, we find Joaquin working as a mid-level operative for a drug cartel. Guzman is ambitious and wants to prove himself to drug lord. Pablo Escobar. Like Al Capone back in Chicago during Prohibition, he has ideas on how to best move the “merchandise” and increase profits for all concerned. It’s a risky movie on his part because failure could mean losing his life. But he pulls it off and impresses Escobar.

As played by Marco de la O, El Chapo comes across as a likeable, highly-motivated go-getter. Like Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s gangster masterpiece, GoodFellas, he’s just trying to provide for his family and not get stuck in a boring, typical nine-to-five job. Being a successful narco traficante is not only profitable, it’s a constant, addictive adrenalin rush. It’s an exciting, colorful life-style.

But therein lies the tendency to romanticize these outlaws in films like bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger, and, one of my personal favorites, La reina del Sur. It’s hard not to like, and often even sympathize, with these compelling characters. But we must not forget: these are bad people who have done very dreadful things.

During the trial of Adolph Eichmann, infamous Nazi war criminal, noted German-Jewish philosopher and political theorist, Hannah Arendt, observed the cognitive dissonance of his meek demeanor juxtaposed with his monstrous deeds as: “the banality of evil.”

Marco de la O’s El Chapo looks like the guy who works in a local Mexican bakery whom you buy pan dulce from. He’s a charming guy, appealing, engaging. Like Charles Manson, he has a certain charisma that attracts celebrities. Recall that Manon became close to the Beach Boy’s drummer, Dennis Wilson. Manson even recorded some of his music with them.

After being re-captured recently, El Chap was visited by actor/activist Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo, she of La reina del Sur fame. Both received lots of criticism for associating with the person who was considered the most dangerous man in the world

But you can’t blame them for being curious. I’d be curious to find out more details about his spectacular, Houdini-like escapes from prison. El Chapo’s many “Great Escapes” would draw an approving wink of approval from Steve McQueen. But, I would also be very interested in El Chapo’s motivation for getting into the drug trafficking business in the first place.

Certainly, the lure of money and adventure played a significant part. But there must be more to it. The reason we are so fascinated by arch criminals like El Chapo, is because they are so complicated, contradictory, morally conflicted, and yes, evil people. Admit it, when you were a kid and played Cops ‘n Robbers, it was more fun being the Robber, wasn’t it?

The Univision and Story House Entertainment production of the miniseries of El Chapo holds the promise and possibility of painting a detailed, realistic portrait of one of Mexico’s most infamous drug lords. As head of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman ruled a huge drug cartel empire with an iron fist. But somewhere in that ruthless kingpin soul, there’s a humanity, however flawed, that warrants exploration and even an attempt at an explanation.

The miniseries creators, Silvana Aguirre Zegarra and Carlos Contreras and producer Daniel Posada, have put together a great looking story with a huge array of talented Latino actors, headed by Marco de la O in the title role.

El Chapo premieres on Univision on April 23, 2017.

#Highland Park - Tasty Slices of Latino Urban Pie

Don’t confuse #Highland Park – The Digital Comedy, with Highland Park, the TV series. They are two very different animals.  #Highland Park – The Digital Comedy is the comedic brainchild of writer, director, actor, Jeremiah Ocamas. #Highland Park is an eclectic collection of urban vignettes. It’s tasty slices of a rich, cultural pie situated in the diverse landscape of Los Angeles.Most of the short stories center around the lives of Latinos. In one episode titled Basketball Diaries, two young Chicano men meditate humorously on everything from world affairs to their problems with Latina women while shooting a pick-up game of hoops. The dialog is often salty, and sexually charged, but authentic and doesn’t come across as gratuitous or just for shock value. It’s the way real people talk in the real world.

Writer, director Ocamas also cleverly employs magical realism and fantasy sequences to enhance the stories. During a walk in the park, a young couple encounters a mythical Mexican character who gives them some sage, if somewhat funny, advice. In another piece, an out-of-towner from Texas goes to a party and has a ‘60’s-like psychedelic experience that evokes a similar, chemically-induced trip in the classic film, Easy Rider.

Most of the stories feature the talented Latino cast that often has Ocamas himself, in the cast. However, my favorite episode is one titled Child Support starring African-American actor, Kevin Jason.

Nattily dressed in a suit, tie, sporty cap and holding a small jug of liquor, Jason, looking straight into the camera, conducts a walking, slightly drunken soliloquy on his life prior and since child support. Director Ocamas underscores Jason’s lament with a bluesy musical score as he weaves his way through the streets making his case.

Jason’s character is not particularly bitter or angry. His basic question is “how the hell did I get here?” It was choices, bad choices, that put the kibosh on his dreams and ambitions. He rails against the so-called “system” that has worked against him. Offering a boozy, philosophical bit of advice to young men thinking of having children, he warns: “It’s a student loan on an education that will bite you on the ass.”

Jason’s character is clearly a morally conflicted guy. He’s trying to figure out what his purpose in life is now that he is being defined by child support and all the baggage that goes with it. It’s hard not to like this character. You may not agree with his point of view, but he is searching for answers and despite the liquor, he’s affable and articulate.He acknowledges that paying child support is his responsibility, but questions the fairness of it all.

It’s a very well-written, thoughtful and insightful piece by Ocamas. It’s also worth pointing out that Child Support is the longest episode of #Highland Park. Ocamas’’ digital comedy is a series of hip, street-smart, colorful snapshots of inner-city Chicano life. The humor arises naturally out of the realistic way Ocamas captures the flavor and wit of his character’s speech patterns. The opening soundtrack and dance sequence tunes you in to the energy and ethnic beauty of #Highland Park – The Digital Comedy.

Catch all episodes of #Highland Park on Latin Heat Cinema.

#Highland Park – The digital Comedy

Writer, director: Jeremiah Ocama

Cast: Jeremiah Ocamas, Cheryl Umana Bonilla, Maricela Guardadov

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Roberto Leal @bloyaltxmx

Love Imitates Art in Barboza's "Cry Now"

Movie Review: Cry Now

Director: Alberto Barboza

Screenplay: Alberto Barboza

Stars: Miguel Angel Caballero, Iliana Carter, Mina Olivera Sal Lopez, Lupe Ontiveros

I love indie films. They are the last refuge for the true film auteur; personal visions and statements crystallized into little creative, often quirky, cinematic gems. Filmmakers like John Cassavetes, the Coen Brothers, Gus Van Sant, Jim Jarmusch, John Sayles and Amy Heckerling, to name a few, have left their distinctive mark on film. Their films are distinguished by the emphasis on story, character, plot and authenticity, not flash ‘n bang or shock ‘n awe CGI special effects.

“Writers are the most important people in Hollywood...and the bastards must never find out!” – Irving Thalberg

However, sometimes in their quest for realism, cinéma-vérité or authenticity, the script, the written word is abandoned in favor of improvised or ad-libbed dialog and scenes that drag on too long. So, a well-written, structed indie film with a personal vision is a plus for me. Cry Now, written and directed by Alberto Barboza, is a pleasure on many levels.

Vincent (Miguel Angel Caballero) is a young silkscreen artist who designs and produces posters with complex, intricate images that he plasters on public walls. At a chance meeting in a night club, Vincent encounters Luzy (Iliana Carter) a beautiful tattoo artist. They share a brief dance. It’s just a moment, but the chemistry between the two is immediate, undeniable and electric.

There are, of course, complications. It wouldn’t be a good love story if there weren’t complications, right? Complication-free romances are not only rare, but boring.

Luzy has a boyfriend, who’s a cop. Not only that, but her cop boyfriend put up $20K for her to open her own tattoo shop. So, she’s emotionally and financially in debt to him.

Vincent is in a faltering relationship he feels is over, but his possessive girlfriend, Sofia, (Mina Olivera) has other ideas. A wise man once said: “It takes more strength to let go than it does to hold on.” That wise man, is me, but it does apply to Sofia. She runs a day care center and is an artist in her own right too.

At first glance, Cry Now, is a classic boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl romance. But writer / director Barboza has elevated this hip, stylish, urban, Chicano romance with his smart, urbane, well-crafted script.

Cry Now is set in the culturally rich Chicano environment of East LA. A world of Mexican-inspired music, dancing and more tequila shots than you can shake a piñata stick at. It’s a world where English and Spanish are spoken interchangeably, often simultaneously, with humor, wisdom and supple grace. And it’s the spoken word, the dialog, Barbosa’s masterful use and reverence for the writer’s craft that sets Cry Now apart.

When Vincent and Luzy first meet, the energy, the interplay is straight out of a Bogart and Bacall movie. Their dialog is playful, mocking, philosophical, teasing, sensual, kinetic. Vincent is instantly drawn to the alluring, mysterious tatted up tattoo artist. Luzy, for her part, recognizes despite the mutual attraction, trouble lies ahead.

But they never speak to each other in direct, straight forward terms. Their language is always oblique, implied not explicit. It calls to mind a billiard bank shot. The cue is not struck directly at a billiard ball, but banked off the rails to make contact. Luzy is also skillful pool player.

In one scene Vincent says to Luzy: “I’m really feeling you right now. If you want me to stop, you need to stop looking at me that way.”

It’s a line right out of a Raymond Chandler novel. All the characters in Barbosa’s brilliant screenplay speak that way. Barboza also uses art as a subtext and a supporting player throughout the film.

At one point, a vengeful, jealous Sofia steals some of Vincent’s drawings, pins them on the walls of her day care center, stages a phony act of vandalism allegedly to terrorize her young charges with Vincent’s disturbing artwork. She reports it to the police. Sofia then appears on TV holding up a very good sketch she drew of the suspect. It’s, of course, a drawing of Vincent.

Well, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Pero sin duda, hell hath no fury like a Latina woman scorned. Exhibit A: Lorena Bobbitt. I rest my case, Your Honor. But, in Sophia’s defense, her wrath is nicely underscored with pathos and vulnerability well portrayed by Mina Olivera.

There are also some very good performances by veteran character actors Sal Lopez as Lobo and the late, great Lupe Ontiveros as his sister, Rosario. The movie is also filled with Latino make-you-wanna-dance. drink and cry musical score.

Scientists have revealed to us the laws of physics and explained the bits and pieces of atoms that make up everything in the universe. Philosophers drone on drearily about reason, morality and logic. But only artists dare to explore the eternal mysteries of the human heart.

Oddly enough, Vincent and Luzy never utter the word “love” to each other. Like George Harrison’s classic song Something, Alberto Barboza uses artful language to paint images that tell a truly romantic story without having to say “I love you.”. A story, in Barboza’s capable hands, where love imitates art.

¡Un brindis de tequila para Barboza y su pelicula!

It Makes Sense to Watch Latin Heat Cinema

Here are just 10 reasons why you should watch Common Sense Mamita on Latin Heat Cinema.

1. She's hotter than Dr. Phil. Hey! She's a Latina!
2. Gives uncommonly sensible guidance and help.
3. In the Age of Trump, Mamita is the voice of reason.
4. The "Most Interesting Man in The World" finds her fascinating.
5. Her counseling is handier than a Swiss Army Knife.
6. Dr. Ruth watches her show and takes notes.
7. She's as medicinal as a bowl of menudo for a hangover.
8. Mamita is the spicy ingredient in sage advice.
9. Her show is on Latin Heat Cinema.
10. Did I mention she's hotter than Dr. Phil and a Latina?