Latest news with #Molina
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Canadian Oscar-winning filmmaker draws from childhood for Elio, a tale about lonely boy's search for life in the universe
Domee Shi may have signed on to co-direct the new Pixar Animation Studios movie, Elio, about halfway through its lengthy production schedule, but it didn't take her long to identify with the film's protagonist. Article content Shi, who currently lives in California but spent most of her life in Toronto, co-directed the animated film with Madeline Sharafian after original director Adrian Molina amicably left the production to work on Pixar's Coco 2. (Shi, Sharafian and Molina are all credited as co-directors.) Article content Article content As both a creative vice-president for Pixar and a fan of Molina's work, Shi had been following the production ever since it was first pitched in 2020. Article content Article content But it was well underway and the concept well-established by the time Shi officially signed on. Still, she felt a real kinship with the film's titular character, a young boy whose dream of being whisked away to another planet comes true, and he is introduced to the Communiverse, a benevolent interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Article content 'With every project I'm on, I try to connect with and identify with the main character in some way,' says Shi in a Zoom interview with Postmedia. 'I have to find my way into the main character. For Elio, it definitely was that loneliness and desperation to belong that I drew from my own childhood and teenhood, just feeling like the only kid in school who liked anime and people not understanding why I liked these Japanese cartoons with big eyes and wacky expressions. I was like, 'No, it's not just that! It's because they are very deep characters with rich stories and arcs.' Article content Article content 'Being obsessed with going to animation school, being obsessed with being accepted there, I think that obsession and need to find my people is what I infused into the character of Elio. When he gets abducted and witnesses the Communiverse for the first time, that was definitely my feeling when I first stepped foot into Sheridan College. I finally got into the animation program there and got to meet fellow nerds like myself. That was such an amazing feeling.' Article content Article content Like all of Pixar's creations, Elio presents a wondrous, imaginative world full of offbeat characters and warm humour. But there is also a sadness underlying the film and its main character. Elio, voiced by 14-year-old actor Yonas Kibrea, is a lonely 11-year-old whose desperation to be abducted by aliens seems to be driven by a need to know he isn't alone in the universe. After his parents die, he is taken in by his Aunt Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldana), who becomes his loving but occasionally overwhelmed caregiver. A respected Air Force officer, Olga has to deal with her troubled nephew and his single-minded obsession with contacting aliens while reining in her career ambitions. Elio doesn't feel like he belongs in her world, and also has nagging guilt over the possibility that his unexpected arrival in her life has disrupted Olga's life plans.
Geek Tyrant
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Disney Developing Baseball Dynasty Film MOLINA Based on NYT Bestselling Autobiography; Lin-Manuel Miranda Producing — GeekTyrant
Disney is developing the feature project Molina based on the New York Times best-selling autobiographical book Molina: The Story of the Father Who Raised an Unlikely Baseball Dynasty by Bengie Molina. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jose Rivera ( Motorcycle Diaries , 100 Years of Solitude ), who also hails from Puerto Rico, is writing the script. Lin-Manuel Miranda ( Hamilton ) and Luis Miranda, Jr. are producing along with Rideback's Jonathan Eirich ( Lilo & Stitch ) and Diana Nabatoff of Tiara Blu Films, who secured the rights to the book. Rideback's Nick Reynolds is an executive producer. Molina's autobiography is the backbone of the story that tracks the life and upbringing of Bengie, Jose, and Yadier Molina – the only three brothers to all play Major League Baseball at the same time – with a focus on their father Benjamin's journey with the boys as he set them on the path to success. Incredibly, the three Molina brothers from Puerto Rico all made it to professional baseball's highest ranks, all became catchers, and all won World Series rings. I love a good inspirational sports movie, so this sounds like a fun watch. Stay tuned for updates on the film as it moves forward. via: Deadline
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jennifer Lopez Takes Center Stage in First Trailer for ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman'
Jennifer Lopez is taking center stage as a silver screen diva in the first teaser for Kiss of the Spider Woman. The film, written for the screen and directed by Bill Condon, is based on the acclaimed 1976 novel by Argentinian writer Manuel Puig and the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical of the same name by the multiple-Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally and the composer and lyricist team of John Kander and Fred Ebb. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Wicked: For Good' Trailer Teases Glinda and Elphaba's Fates as Dorothy Arrives Stephen Curry-Produced Basketball Doc 'Good Shot' Reveals Emotional Trailer (Exclusive) Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell Relive Their Past in 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' Trailer The story centers on political prisoner Valentín (Diego Luna) who shares a cell with Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency. 'The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Lopez).' 'I couldn't live without movies. One of them I'll never forget,' Tonatiuh's Molina says in the teaser as he looks at a movie poster for Kiss of the Spider Woman. Throughout the teaser, Lopez can be seen performing in the title role of Aurora as she appears in dream sequences and a myriad of musical numbers as the two cellmates navigate an unexpected friendship. An Artists Equity and Mohari Media presentation, Kiss of the Spider Woman is a Josephson Entertainment / Tom Kirdahy / Greg Yolen / Nuyorican production. Condon, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Mark Scheinberg, Dani Bernfeld, Kevin Halloran, Michael Joe, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Whitney Williams, Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Courtney Baxter, Luna, D. Matt Geller, Pamela Thur, Sam Weisman, Daniel Weisman and Margaux Weisman executive produce. The film is produced by Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy and Greg Yolen. In his review, The Hollywood Reporter's chief film critic David Rooney calls it one of Lopez's best roles of her decades-long career. The movie debuted at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January with Lopez growing emotional over the response to the film. 'I've been waiting for this moment my whole life,' Lopez said. 'The truth is, when you talk about the importance of musicals, the reason that I even wanted to be in this business was because my mom would sit me in front of the TV when West Side Story would come on once a year, on Thanksgiving. I was just mesmerized. And I was like, 'That's what I want to do. That's what I want to do.' That was always my goal, and this is the first time that I actually got to do it.' The film is set to hit theaters on Oct. 10. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Los Angeles Times
09-06-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
It took crossing seven freeways to find my favorite new burgers
I consumed six burgers in the last seven days. One was wrapped in yellow paper on a restaurant patio in Eagle Rock that felt like a friend's backyard. Two were smash burgers with crunchy, lacy edges in a coffee shop in downtown El Segundo. I drove to Compton for double chili cheeseburgers. West to Santa Monica for a thick patty and east to South Pasadena. In total, I clocked 204 miles on my Prius in pursuit of an excellent burger. This is not something meant to elicit praise, surprise, disgust or a call from my gastroenterologist. It's what happens when I eat something spectacular, then fixate on it for days. Most of the time, that something spectacular becomes the subject of this column. The accidental burger quest began in the patio of Cannonball in South Pasadena, with a cool breeze on my cheeks and the sound of the A Line train whizzing by, its tracks just beyond the restaurant's perimeter. The burger was familiar, a compact concoction of meat, cheese and bun that chef Matt Molina first introduced at Everson Royce Bar a decade prior. At Cannonball, Molina's new restaurant with partner Joe Capella, the two built the sprawling two-story restaurant around the burger. 'We thought this restaurant should be anchored by a burger that you can eat and not feel self-conscious about while you're sitting at a bar,' Molina says. 'Simple and compact. We'll do the burger, and the rest we'll figure out.' It's a burger resplendent in its simplicity, with every component precise. The four-inch patty, four-inch bun, 3-millimeter-thick slice of Tillamook medium cheddar and spoonful of Dijonnaise are four individual triumphs. The prime chuck patty is pressed into a ring mold, seasoned with just salt and pepper and cooked on the hot griddle. Light pressure is applied to create a discernible crust. On top is a slice of cheese, cut at the restaurant to ensure the proper melt and ideal meat-to-cheese ratio. The inside of the egg brioche is toasted in canola oil, releasing the butter in the bread and forming a crisp, French-toast-like layer on the bun. Just the bottom half is smeared with Dijonnaise. There is no lettuce, tomato or onion; nothing to interfere with the glorious sensation of an aggressively fatty and salty homogeneous bite. In its fourth week of operation, there is already so much to fixate on at Cannonball. Molina's biscuits, flaky, tender and impeccable, also make an appearance on the menu. But the burger ($23), accompanied by a cylinder of uncomplicated French fries, is a great place to start. The thick patty reigns at Jeremy Fox's Santa Monica restaurant Birdie G's, with a heft that will require the full extension of your jaw. It's satisfyingly heavy in the hand, a burger that commands the attention of a full meal. 'I wanted it to be as special as possible, so we tested out a bunch of different cuts of beef,' Fox says. 'We do a lot of quality control and taste testing every day.' The Birdie Burger that appears on the menu is the 19th iteration. Fox landed on a blend of prime brisket and chuck, coarsely ground in house and formed into eight-ounce patties with a fat percentage that hovers around 25%. He seasons the meat with salt and the restaurant's own Montreal steak rub, with plenty of dried onion and garlic. It's a patty with the depth and marbling of a nice rib-eye, cooked over a blend of almond wood and charcoal. A slice of melted havarti envelops the meat in a creamy layer of mild, buttery cheese that hangs over the edges of the burger. Fox makes a condiment he dubs Al's steak sauce, named for his grandfather, who was fond of A1. With tamarind, Worcestershire and plenty of onions, the sauce helps coax out the wood smoke in the meat. A caramelized onion jam cooked down with Manischewitz wine is the right amount of sweet. Thinly sliced raw white onion and dill pickles bring the flavors into focus, ensuring nothing feels too heavy. It's a meat and cheese tower book-ended by a butter-toasted milk bread bun, made specifically for the restaurant by Petitgrain Boulangerie. 'Birdie G's was always the place that should have had a burger, we just never got around to it,' Fox says. 'It's our number-one seller. We really put a lot of love into it.' The burger is available on both the happy hour ($23) and dinner menus ($32 with fries), and also on the new brunch menu, that launches June 21. The burgers at Addy Pool's tiny walk-up counter in Compton are designed to taste like they came from her home kitchen. It's the way she learned how to make burgers when she started working at the now-closed Three Bears Burgers in Vermont Vista as an eager 19-year-old in the early '90s. Later, she perfected her technique at the Original Snack Shack in Central-Alameda, where she worked for more than two decades until the restaurant shuttered. Last summer, she opened Mama's Snack Shack in the former Bludso's Bar & Cue space in Compton. The name is a nod to the nickname she earned from her customers at the Original Snack Shack. 'Everyone calls me mama,' Pool says. 'It's a sign of respect for being so many years in the community. And the respect I give to everybody.' Pool offers a short menu of beef burgers, turkey burgers, hot dogs and fries. There's the option to add bacon, a hot link or pastrami to any sandwich, but to appreciate what Pool does best, order the cheeseburger. Her burger patties are just over a quarter pound of chuck meat, seasoned with a blend she grinds and mixes herself. She forms the patties by hand, each one with its own shape and character. The cheese is American, the bun fresh and appropriately bready. Think soft rather than squishy. 'My bun goes straight on the grill, with no butter or anything,' she says. 'You have to be able to taste the seasoning in my meat.' Rather than a variation on Thousand Island, what's become the go-to spread for burgers across the city, Pool adds a dollop of hot pepper relish to her burgers. It's a condiment that adorned the burgers at both the Original Snack Shack and Three Bears Burgers. She's tweaked the recipe over the years, with the current version having a smidgen more heat. It's sweet but not overpowering, with both dill and sweet relish and a kick from crushed pepper flakes and chile paste. The double cheeseburger requires a commitment, prompting a likely nap shortly after. Thoughtfully and smartly constructed, she layers the first patty cheese side down on the bun, then a middle layer of lettuce, diced onion and relish (tomato if you ask, but I have feelings about tomato on a burger and didn't) in the middle, then the second patty, cheese side up. The construction guarantees even bites, with no spillage out the back. The double chili cheeseburger ($9.35) is less refined, the backyard burger of your dreams drowned in a savory chili seasoned with lots of black pepper, garlic and Pool's secret blend of spices. 'We make the chili and everything else every single day,' she says. 'We make the fries to order. Every product I have is fresh. I tell my customers that the only old thing in the kitchen is me.' Depending on the hour of day, you'll find a small group of Pool's family at the restaurant. During my last visit, two grandchildren were playing in the parking lot while her daughter and niece were in the kitchen. She also employs her son and nephew. 'In order to keep the prices down and keep the doors open, all my family have jobs and come help me,' she says. ' I want to make sure that everybody is able to buy a burger from me and not say it's too expensive.' The cheeseburgers at Mama's Snack shack are $5.50 for a single and $8.60 for a double. 'I love making burgers, it's my passion,' she says. 'It's the person I am. That, and my faith in my customers keep my doors open.' A little faith, and the cheeseburgers.
The South African
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Jennifer Lopez shines in new teaser for 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'
Jennifer Lopez is back on the big screen, dazzling in the newly released teaser trailer for the much-anticipated musical drama Kiss of the Spider Woman . Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Bill Condon, this film promises a captivating blend of drama, music, and powerful storytelling. The film is an adaptation of the 1976 novel by Manuel Puig and the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. It tells the story of two cellmates in a South American prison: Valentín, a political prisoner played by Diego Luna, and Molina, portrayed by Tonatiuh, according to ABC. The two men form an unlikely bond, with Molina sharing tales from his favourite Hollywood musical, which stars Jennifer Lopez as Ingrid Luna. In the teaser, Lopez mesmerises viewers with a performance of Where You Are, one of the musical's 13 songs. The trailer captures the glitz and glamour of classic Hollywood, contrasting sharply with the grim prison setting. Molina's love for movies becomes a lifeline, a way to escape harsh reality. 'I couldn't live without movies,' Molina says, highlighting cinema's power to transform and heal. Jennifer Lopez, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Diego Luna, brings star power and depth to the film. Speaking about the project, Lopez said, 'This story is about hope and resilience. It's about finding light in the darkest places.' Her involvement adds a fresh vibrancy to the production, making it a must-see for fans of musical drama and compelling narratives. The film premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, receiving praise for its performances and direction. With its October release, South African cinema lovers can soon experience this poignant tale on the big screen. The movie's themes of friendship, identity, and survival resonate universally, making it especially relevant in today's world. Jennifer Lopez's return in Kiss of the Spider Woman is a thrilling event for film fans. With its powerful story, stellar cast, and memorable music, this film promises to be a highlight of the year's cinema calendar. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
