Hey there, CineLocos, Que patza? Father Geek here once again along with ol' Coffin Joe Jr. to bring you un otra edition de Latin-AICN... pero 1st...

Father Geek has seen a nice little independent debut action film by Marcos Antonio Miranda called BLAZIN" that is shot in the ultra-violent Hong Kong style. It's a sort-of-variation on the Romeo & Juliet theme filmed in the internalized heat of a modern, very urban setting and stars Fat Joe, Angie Martinez, Joe Bono, Roberto Lopez, Cuban Link, Paula Robb, and Willi One Blood and it delivers a kick ass, highly spectacular climax, unusual for small independant flicks. Its available from Ground Zero DVD if you can't find it on a theater screen in your area... Check it out... Oh yeah, the music kicks as much ass as Roberto Lopez's stunt team.

Ahora, Coffin Joe esta aqui... con otra contribuciones...

Hello you little freaks, how are you all doing? Coffin Joe Jr. is here for another edition of Latin-AICN, coming to ya every Tuesday. Today is Tuesday, so here we are...

Wanted to talk to you guys about something rather amusing. I get a good laugh every week when I check my e-mails, because besides the usual film related stuff, I get stuff like invitations to check out Russian porn sites, folks who have some sort of invention that I should be investing money on, ambassadors from African countries asking me to help them move money out of their countries (I´m not kidding), a lady that can pay all my debts, and a lot of other pretty bizarre crap. Now if you´re one of the idiots who flood my e-mail address with this shit, please stop. If you have some sort of film news and you want to include some other wacky stuff in your message, fine, but include some sort of film news in there somewhere.

Anyway, here´s this week´s column.

USA

-Here´s something I got this week from a new spy, about the movie"Empire":

"Hello, Long time reader, 1st time scooper. I attended a screening last week here in New York of the film, "Empire" starring John Leguizamo, Peter Saarsgard, Treach (from Naughty by Nature), Vincent Laresca, Fat Joe, Isabella Rosellini, Denise Richards, and newcomer Delilah Cotto (a hottie). This New York based Latino film was written and directed by Franc Reyes with a score by Ruben Blades. Leguizamo and Treach were in the audience as was the the producer and the director (who introduced the film). The film is very well done and highly entertaining. Leguizamo plays a swaggering hustler from the South Bronx (or in his words, a street pharmacist) who wants to leave the drug game and go legit with a hot shot Wall Street Investment Banker (Saarsgard). I really liked Leguizamo's perfomance and was impressed at how pulled it off. This one is deffinetely up there with his Benny Blanco from Carlito's Way. In my opinion the standout was newcomer Cotto who radiates the screen. Damn that girl was fine. It was great to finally see a cool and hip Latino gangster Film which isn't sterotypical nor boring as other Latino films of recent. Be on the lookout for it. The filmmakers have a website up with a preview of the movie at This Location .

Call me El Mayimbe"

-Brazilian director Walter Salles ("Central Station") is no longer working on "The Assumption of a Virgin". He left the project to work on a movie based on the memoirs of revolutionary Che Guevara. Anthony Minghella and his wife are still producing "The Assumption of a Virgin" and another one of the producers, Sydney Pollack, is going to take the director´s chair. The casting choices that Salles made, including Benicio del Toro and Juliette Binoche, are still signed.

ARGENTINA

-The Latin American version of the E! Entertainment television channel has done one of their "Celebrity Profile" shows focusing on actor Gastón Pauls, who is one of the stars of the hit movie "Nueve Reinas. Besides "Nueve Reinas", which has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, Gastón has appeared in four movies in the last year and in 2001: "Felicidades", "Sábado", "Nueces para el Amor" and "El Lugar donde Estuvo el Paraiso". Check local listings in South America and Mexico to catch the program.

BRAZIL

-Director Beto Brant ("Friendly Fire", "Belly Up") will premiere his latest thriller, titled "O Invasor", at the upcoming 34th Brasília Brazilian Film Festival. Other notable movies that are going to be screened in Brasília, include the epic drama "Lavoura Arcaica" (reviewed by yours truly last week) and the war flick "Netto Perde sua Alma".

COFFIN JOE JR. MOVIE REVIEWS

"Caramuru - A Invenção do Brasil"

Brazil - 2001 Director: Guel Arraes

Just like Guel Arraes´ previous Globo Filmes production, the local box-office success "O Auto da Compadecida", "Caramuru- A Invenção do Brasil" was initially a TV series, that has now been cut down for theatrical release. It´s pretty much the same kind of movie too, a comedy with performances that are way out there, some nice costume design, and very beautiful locations. Actor Selton Mello is the lead, and he was also in "O Auto da Compadecida", doing basically the same routine of broad slapstick he nailed in his previous film with Arraes. New to the fold are the ladies, the pretty duo of crazy indians, Camila Pitanga and Debora Secco. They show some skin, flirt with Selton´s character, and they provide some sexual tension. It´s harmless, fun stuff.

This is the first local production that has ever been shot on these new HD digital cameras that George Lucas is using for Episode II, that Brad Anderson shot "Session 9", and that the Polish bros. shot "Jackpot". It looks good, a bit different than film I think, but not that different. I don´t know if it´s the fact that I knew the movie was shot in this format or what, but I´m just not sure if it is as sharp as film. Some things looked really good, other didn´t, you´ll be the judge when you guys see other flicks shot in this new way. Maybe it´s just me.

While it isn´t as good as "O Auto da Compadecida", this movie has enough attractive qualities to stand on its own. Recommended by your pal Coffin Joe Jr.

I´m done for this week.

Coffin Joe Jr. says: bye.