Strange Magic at Skywalker Ranch #StrangeMagicEvent

There are places in this world that are legendary to us über-nerds. Skywalker Ranch, located 40 minutes north of San Francisco is one of those places.

Earlier this week I was privileged to visit the fabled home of Lucasfilm's amazing postproduction facility, Skywalker Sound and tour the ranch itself.

I was invited along with 24 other bloggers to come up to Skywalker Ranch and preview the latest film from the mind of George Lucas, Strange Magic.

 

So, let's just review so far: 

I went to George Lucas' famed Skywalker Ranch to preview the latest film from the mind of George Lucas. (I know. Shut up.)

Let's continue now, won't we?

I have made notes and composed this post at least a dozen times because I want to share every little detail with you, but seriously, there's just too much to tell. 

Skywalker Ranch is a gorgeous slice of heaven. It's George Lucas' vision of perfection. Tranquil, without any extraneous signs of techi-ness (is that a word?) lies the most celebrated (arguably) audio post-production facility in the world.

The feeling I got when we arrived at the property was that I had stepped right onto the set a beautiful movie. 

The Tech Building

Our first stop was the Tech Building, which looks nothing like you would imagine a Tech Building to look like, because it fit right into the scenery and looked more like a fabulous Tuscan vineyard.

This is the home of Skywalker Sound. This Tuscan-villa-looking place houses a world-class scoring stage, six mix studios, ADR and Foley stages, 34 editing suites, and a 300-seat screening room. All in this breathtakingly pristine setting. 

If you didn't know any of this, you would just be in awe of the majesty of the place and wondering which way to the tasting room.

But right when we walked in, I felt comfortable, and welcomed. Not intimidated at all. (Unless, of course, I stopped and remembered that we were truly in the very heart of all that is good and holy about the center of the Lucasfilm Universe, at which point I freaked out just a litte, but that's not important right now.)

The property includes the iconic main house, just down there, past the vineyard at the end of the road.

And the beautiful Lake Ewok. (I swear that's the name of it. Isn't that just delicious?) We were told that it's stocked with fish and even suitable for swimming in the summer time.

We entered the Tech Building. (did I mention it looked more like a villa in Tuscany than anything to do with tech?)

And we were escorted straight into the main dining area. (This made me very happy, but that's not important right now, either.)

This open, airy, bright, naturally lit space was much more "ranch-like" than what the exterior portrayed. It was decorated simply with George Lucas' extensive collection of classic movie posters from as far back as the 20's and 30's.

The Stag Theater, a 300 seat beauty with the Most Perfect Sound and Acoustics of Any Movie Theater on the Planet (OF COURSE), was where we were treated to the screening of the film, Strange Magic. 

The screen is guarded on either side by the statues that were seen in Star Wars Episode II in Emperor Palpatine's office. (Excuse me, please. My nerdiness is showing.)

Strange Magic opens everywhere on Friday, January 23rd. I promise to review the film next week, but until then, here's a preview.

Just before the film began, George Lucas himself snuck into the theater to watch the movie with us. (I know. Don't hate.)

Kudos to Tee of That's IT Mommy for this amazing Ninja Selfie

So, again, let's just recap where we are right now. We were screening the new animated film, Strange Magic from the mind of George Lucas with George Lucas. 

I can barely stand it myself.

After the screening of the film, we were treated to a performance by Elijah Kelley (Hairspray, Red Tails, The Butler), the voice of Sunny the Elf in the film.

We interviewed director Gary Rydstrom, Elijah Kelley, and George Lucas himself. I'll post those interviews next week, I promise. 

Meanwhile, back at The Ranch... (<--see what I did there?)

Lunch happened. And excuse me while I get off track here for just a moment, but wow! that was the best strawberry shortcake I've ever tasted. *starts researching strawberry shortcake recipes* 

Please notice Humphrey Bogart, the obvious predecessor to Indiana Jones watching over our strawberry shortcakes. 

The Main House

The 50,000 square foot main house was all comfort and charm. With miles of wrap-around porch around this Victorian home with all redwood construction, it is the crown jewel of this property.

"Wait. What? We get to go inside?" Color me crazy-happy.

photo credit: MerlotMommy.com

This is the part where I could not take any photos, so you'll just have to bear with me

The furnishings were very comfortable and had an earthy down-home feeling. Nothing pretentious at all. It could have been anyone's home, except for the curio cabinets found in the main entry. Imagine my delight that the first thing we encountered was a cabinet housing George's collectibles, mementos and gifts.

Among those was a weathered brown hat and bullwhip. (Use your imagination, please). And the Holy Grail. The HOLY GRAIL, people. Luke and Obi-wan's original light sabers and small scale models of the all terrain armored transports from Star Wars. I was in Star Wars über-nerd heaven. 

And then...

The Library

@Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved

The Lucasfilm Research Library.

You know that moment in Beauty and the Beast when Belle breathlessly sees the library for the first time? Yeah, that was pretty much all of us.

A stained glass dome at the top covers the 2-story fabulousness that is this library. Seriously, it has to be one of the 7 Wonders of the Movie-making World. The centerpiece of this glorious place is the grand spiral staircase, made entirely of wood, which was constructed right there at the ranch. The library houses the entire Lucasfilm collection of books, magazines, and periodicals.  I could have easily spent days right there. 

The Magical Light

I was impressed with the beautiful natural lighting everywhere in the main house. Lots of skylights and windows welcoming nature to literally come inside.

It felt warm and a little ethereal. There was a feeling of magic almost everywhere. And yet, maybe it was just the peaceful vistas from every window.

The General Store

We wrapped up our visit with a stop at the Skywalker Ranch General Store.

As you can imagine, I came home armed with logo gear for the entire family. Because SKYWALKER RANCH, of course. 

Lake Ewok

As we finished up our tour, we stopped and looked back at the house from the aptly named Lake Ewok. This is the picture I wanted to keep in my mind of the beauty and perfection that is Skywalker Ranch. 

What a blast to get to share the adventure with all these lovely bloggers. Thanks to Disney and Touchstone Pictures I can cross another item off my Bucket List.

photo credit: SassyMamaInLA.com

The spell cast by Skywalker Ranch is indeed some Strange Magic. 

Stay tuned! I'll be writing much more about this trip next week. Strange Magic opens in theaters on Friday, January 23rd, 2015.

I'm going to Skywalker Ranch and Pixar. (Don't hate me.)

You know that thing we Cubans do on New Year's Eve?

Not just the eating of the 12 grapes and throwing the bucket of water out into the street, but the one about carrying a suitcase out into the middle of the street at midnight if you want to travel in the coming year?

If you are confused about any of these Cuban New Year's Eve Traditions, read all about them right here.

So, back to the suitcase at midnight. I was one of the many Cuban Faithful who grabbed my bag and took it out into the street as the rest of the world was hip-hollering "Happy New Year!" Because I want to travel this coming year and that's what we do and I may or may not be a little superstitious about this stuff. (Full disclosure: I did not make my way completely around the block, seeing as we live on a hill, but that's not important right now.)

Which makes my announcement today super delicious...

I received an invitation from Disney/Pixar and Touchstone Pictures to a very special event. The invitation read like this:

We are looking to invite 25 of our top Bloggers to San Francisco from Monday, January 12th – Tuesday, January 13th to screen the new Lucasfilm and Touchstone Pictures film STRANGE MAGIC (opening in theatres on 1/23) up at Skywalker Ranch (http://lucasfilm.com/skywalker-ranch-marin) where you will receive a tour of the grounds and interview Director and 7 time Academy Award® winner Gary Rydstrom!

While up at Skywalker Ranch you will also interview Elijah Kelley (“Hairspray,” “Red Tails,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”) who voices Sunny in the film!  

And finally, you will also attend a reception at Pixar for an INSIDE OUT presentation (opening in theatres on 6/19) and a screening of the short film LAVA!

My initial reaction was disbelief. So I re-checked that my name was actually on the invitation. Because SKYWALKER RANCH AND PIXAR, people! It's as if someone had peeked into my super-secret-double-probation Bucket List and created an event of Perfect Perfection for a Super Star Wars/Pixar über-nerd Devotee such as myself. 

So, (I'm trying to say this as casually as possible) next week I'll be traveling (with 24 other bloggers) to Skywalker Ranch and receiving a tour of the grounds.

I'll be interviewing Director and 7 time Academy Award® winner Gary Rydstrom. And also Elijah Kelley (the voice of Sunny). 

And watching a screening of the new Lucasfilm/Touchstone Pictures film, Strange Magic.

After which I'll be attending a reception at Pixar for an INSIDE OUT presentation (opening in theatres on 6/19) and a screening of the short film LAVA.

Which looks super promising already. Check this out.

If you want to follow my trip, follow me on Instagram (I'm Smrtqbn) or Twitter. Or follow the hashtags, #StrangeMagicEvent or #PixarInsideOut.

I promise to be appropriately insufferable as I overshare the details of this trip.

Because how am I feeling about all this?

One emotion - one word...

Also, I will never again underestimate the power of Cuban superstitions.

Movie Review: Big Hero 6

A few weeks ago Eric and I had the good fortune to enjoy a pre-screening of the newest Disney Animation film, Big Hero 6. 

Because we live a few area codes away from Burbank, where the Walt Disney Animation Studio is located, we turned it into a Road Trip/Date Night. 

First of all, let me say that I had no preconception of the movie, nor did I quite get the extent of the plot from watching the trailers. I knew it was about a young braniac teen named Hiro and a big, fluffy, inflatable robot named Baymax.

Truthfully, I couldn't conceive how they could construct a compelling story around these two unlikely "heroes." 

As soon as the story begins to unfold in the streets of San Fransokyo, every one of my emotions was immediately engaged. 

The animation (this goes without saying) was beautiful detailed amazing.

This is my entire problem with this film: I don't have enough superlatives to describe the beauty, the action, the complexity of the characters. 

And the roller coaster of emotions? I went from laughing out loud to feeling fearful to crying (yes, real tears!) to laughing again to oh-no-how-will-they-get-out-of-this-alive tension. I ran the gamut from empathy to fear to tenderness, all between serious belly laughs. 

Also, Creepiest Villain Ever in a Disney Movie? Check.

For the Love of Shorts

As is usual with Disney Animation, they add a wonderful short before the movie. In this case, it was called "Feast," and I feel I have to mention it here because it's one of the most beautiful animation shorts I've ever seen.

Produced by Kristina Reed who also produced 2012’s Oscar®-winning short “Paperman," "Feast" treats us to the growth and evolution of adorable pupply, Winston and his love of all things edible. I seriously fell in love.

For the Love of Fred

Everyone will have their favorite characters in any film. In Big Hero 6 my personal favorite was Fred, voiced by T.J. Miller, who has the greatest character reveal in any movie - ever. (Working on my superlatives.)

"I've been trying to get Honey to develop a formula to turn me into a fire-breathing lizard, but she says that's "not science." ~ Fred

The Date Night Thing

I confess that I've seen Big Hero 6 twice now. Once with Eric on our Road Trip/Date Night and again with friends (who happen to be adults) Dan and Haylee.

(By way of explanation: I had RSVP'd to see the film again with my kids, but they bailed at the last minute because they have their own lives and all, but that's not important right now.)

All of us (grown-ups) agreed on the epicness (<--is that a word?) of the movie. And that no, it's not just for kids.

Marvel Gets Disneyfied

For you Marvel nerds, who probably already know that this story started as an obscure Marvel comic, you also know that, like in all good Marvel films, it is mandatory to stay all the way through the credits. In this case, there's a wonderful Marvel-meets-Disney-meets-Stan-Lee type moment. DO NOT MISS IT.

Thank you, Disney Animation. You've done it again. I'm thinking I need to create a movie rating system for when I do these reviews: 

"I give Big Hero 6 TEN pastelitos!" (Shut up. I know.)

Big Hero 6 opens in theaters everywhere today, Friday, November 7, 2014.

Big Hero 6 Press Junket at the Disney Animation Studios

Last year I had the privilege of attending an event at the Disney Animation Studio and I was overwhelmed by pretty much everything I saw and experienced. That was for Frozen. 

You would think, then, that I would not be very impressed with the idea of going back again to attend a press junket for Walt Disney Animation Studios' newest project Big Hero 6. 

You would be wrong.

I was super-out-of-my-skin excited to receive the invitation to do a meet and greet and round table interviews with the producer, directors, and voice cast. And, of course, I got to visit the Walt Disney Animation Studios once again. (Pinch me.)

The makings of a Disney animated film are intense and complex. I was quite surprised to learn that the voice talent had not actually met or worked together while the film was in production. They record their own dialogue in a sound booth and then it's pieced together later. I suppose that's one of those fun facts that everyone knows but I didn't get the full impact of how that works until this day.

The film is set in the not-too-distant future in the fictional city of San Fransokyo. It's super detailed using an entirely new rendering tool called Hyperion, created for this project by the Walt Disney Animation Studios tech team. You've never seen anything like this on the screen before.

Just as they had done during the making of Frozen, the entire 2nd floor of the Animation Studio (seriously, pinch me) was redesigned to give the feel of actually being in "San Fransokyo."

The entire place was set up to enhance the creative experience for all the people working on the film. 

Guys, this is the environment the animators and production staff get to work in. I may or may not have been a bit jealous. 

Even the coffee bar in the studio was designed to resemble a faux sushi bar. It seriously doesn't get any better than this.

We met the cast in pairs. Starting with Damon Wayans Jr. (voice of Wasabi) and T.J. Miller (voice of Fred). Their excitement to be involved in this project was obvious to all of us. 

T.J.'s character, Fred, also happened to be my favorite. Please appreciate that he is carrying his Fred action figure in his pocket. That is all. (Love!)

Scott Adsit gives voice to the inflatable healing robot, Baymax. It was great fun to have him actually "do" the voice for us. He mastered the balance of creating a perfectly soothing, and at once perfectly robotic voice. 

The young super-brainiac, Hiro Hamada is voiced by young Ryan Potter. 

Ryan's enthusiam and excitement was palpable as he shared what it was like to create authentic emotions and wonder as he lent his voice to the title character.

The girls in the cast, Jamie Chung (voice of Gogo Tomago) and Genesis Rodriguez (voice of Honey Lemon) round out the 6 heroes. 

I appreciated that they portrayed such smart, strong and still feminine characters. In real life, Genesis actually was on the robotics team in high school., but that's not important right now. They are a perfect balance to the nerdy nuttiness of the boys. 

Everyone we spoke to was visibly pumped to have been a part of Big Hero 6. When you see the film (which I promise to tell you all about in a few days) you'll understand why. 

As I write this, I realize it sounds clunky and fangirly. I know. It's just that I am still quite overwhelmed and distracted by the fact that I actually got to hang (again!) at the Walt Disney Animation Studios with such talented people in such an inspiring place.

In the meantime, just enjoy the trailer while I slip back into my fangirl daydreams. 

"I fail to see how flying makes me a better Healthcare Comanion." ~ Baymax

"I fail to see how you fail to see that it's awesome." ~ Hiro Hamada

Big Hero 6 opens in theaters everywhere on November 7, 2014.

Alexander and the...Very Bad Day

I have a confession to make, I was not prepared to like this movie. But let me tell you why...

If you read my post from yesterday, you know that Jonathan worked as a featured background guy on the new Disney movie, Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. And if you did read all about it, you know that I'm going to be completely insufferable, but that's not important right now.

Movies are not made in a perfectly sequential order. You probably knew that, and I think I did, too, but I wasn't quite prepared with how jumpy and seemingly untethered the story appears as they are working on random scenes. Plus, they shoot scenes over and over and over which is how the director decides which "take" tells the story best.

It makes very little sense to those of us in the peanut gallery.

And, of course, we were only on the set for a few days, so we had absolutely no context for how they were making a 37 page children's book into a 2 hour movie. 

We spent a lot of time (waiting to go on) with the sweet little green-faced twins (little girls) who play the baby, Trevor. And couldn't quite fit him (them) into the story. But as it turned out, that baby was one of our favorite characters once we saw the actual film.

Who knew?

So here's my confession: before I saw the film, I didn't believe. There. I said it. Don't judge.

The movie follows Alexander, a soon to be 12 year old, as he has the very worst day of his young life. He believes he's the only one that ever has bad things happen. 

The next day, he finds out that his mom (Jennifer Garner), dad (Steve Carell), brother (Dylan Minnette) and sister (Kerris Dorsey) all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

Anyone who says there is no such thing as a bad day just hasn't had one.

We went to see Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at the Walt Disney Studios (which is already a magical place) with some of Jon's friends and our neighbors. Our group ranged from ages 10 to 20 (not counting me, of course) and every single one of us loved it. 

You know that cliche thing you say, "It's got something for everyone." It's true in this case. The kids loved it. The teens loved it. The adults loved it. Something for everyone.

Congratulations, Disney. You made a wonderfully entertaining family-friendly comedy. I'm sorry I doubted you. 

Also, in case you've forgotten, when you go see the film, (and you must!) remember that Jon was in the limo. #jonwasinthelimo

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day opens in theaters everywhere today, October 10th, 2014.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Press Junket

I had the absolute pleasure to attend the press junket last week for the newest Disney release, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. A day at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills? Yes, please.

I had already seen (and immensely enjoyed) the film, so I was really looking forward to hearing what the actors had to say. There were 2 panels. The first being made up of the director, Miguel Arteta, the producers: Lisa Henson and Dan Levine, and the screenwriter, Rob Lieber.

To my everlasting delight, director Miguel Arteta invoked the mighty name of John Hughes (let's observe a moment of silence, please) as his inspiration for the way the film unfolded. "Yes!" I thought, "That's exactly how I would've done it." (Of course, that's the way I would have done it in the alternate universe I inhabit where I am in charge of the world, but that's not important right now.)

Call me old-fashioned but I love the idea of bringing back family comedies. The cast seemed to feel exactly the same. 

Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner play the quintessential harried parents trying to raise a family and keep it together for one, crazy, terrible, everything-is-going-wrong day. Steve played it, he said, very much like he interacts with his own kids and wife in his real life. I liked that very much.

Ed Oxenbould is impressive as Alexander, the titular character who can't seem to catch a break on this particular day. He plays an American 12 year old obsessed with Australia, which is ironic because he's actually Australian, but he sounds completely American. (Are you still following?) HE'S AUSTRALIAN, BUT HE'S DOING AN AMERICAN ACCENT. You would never be able to tell unless I shared that with you. Just keep that in mind when you see the film. You're welcome. 

The thing that struck me the most about this junket is how comfortable the actors were with one another. They interacted like, well...a real family. 

And you know how much I LOVE family. Well played, Disney. Well played.

The press junket ended with a special surprise performance by the "Australian Cowboy Dancers." (You need to see the movie to understand the significance.)

That would be Thunder From Down Under, who performed a rolicking (G-rated) dance for us. (They're wearing chaps, people!)

And hung around to mingle with those of us who were slack-jawed amazed by these beautiful specimens. I know. Shut up.

I have some really fun behind-the-scenes stuff to share with you in the next few days, so please stay tuned. In the meantime, here's the trailer for Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, which opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, October 10th, 2014.

Congratulations, Miami. Here Comes Cubamerican!

I'm so happy to announce that Cubamerican the Movie, that has been a huge hit with Cuban audiences all over the country is now coming to Miami TV. I'm proud and very excited to share the details with you. I've been gushing about this film since the first time I saw it, but that's not important right now.

To all my Miami friends, you won't want to miss this! 
The Miami TV premier for the Cubamerican movie is tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 4th, 2014 at 8pm on WPBT2. 

Here is the link to director Jose Enrique Pardo's interview on the Maria Elvira Salazar show on Mira TV. He comes on at the 39:56 mark.

Note the time and station and set your DVR's. It's time to make history, people! (Get tissues.)
Also, you're welcome. 

Million Dollar Arm - A Review

I realize that any movie review is completely subjective to the reviewers taste. My view on this, however, is that if you've been reading my blog long enough, you know the type of person I am and so you'll get a better perspective of where I'm coming from when I talk about the movies I have seen.

Today I'm going to tell you about Disney Pictures' Million Dollar Arm, starring Jon Hamm. 

I could just start with, "OMG! You guys! You have to see this film! You. Will. Love!" Which is what I say to every single person I talk to about it, but that's not important right now.

I'll try to put on my unbiased opinion-giver hat...

It's based on the true story of sports agent JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) who, in a last ditch effort to save his business, concocts a scheme to find baseball's next great pitching ace...in India.

He finds a couple of Indian boys who can throw a fastball, but who have no idea about playing baseball. He hopes to have them trained and ready for a major league tryout in less than a year. The odds are obviously against them from the start. 

The fish-out-of-water angle is shown from both sides: JB in India and the boys when they come to America.

The movie tells this story perfectly. You feel JB's desperation. You empathize with him - his frustration, his emotion - while still being a little mad at him for being such a jerk. You want JB to succeed, because you get caught up in the story right away. 

You fall in love with the Indian boys, Rinku and Dinesh (played by Suraj Sharma and Madhur Mittal). You experience their wide-eyed fascination with life in the states. You take turns feeling like the outsider in the opposite cultures. Again, beautifully done.

This film takes us not just to the sights and sounds of India, but it's also full of emotion, comedy, and sympathy. 

I'll tell you right now that every character plays their supporting role beautifully. The story pulls you in immediately and has you rooting for the boys and for JB. 

Lake Bell as JB's neighbor, Brenda is funny, independent, and wise. Characteristics that JB doesn't necessarily find attractive at first. She's a strong, smart, funny, sexy female lead in a family film and she does it effortlessly.

My very favorite character is Amit, JB's right hand über eager, die-hard baseball fan translator. Played by Indian actor, Pitobash with just the right amount of earnestness and humility. He is the comedy relief and manages to steal every scene he's in. He also manages to give the film some of its most poignant moments.

So now that I've given you some of the high points, let me just say that it's a wonderful, must-see, family-friendly movie. It doesn't matter whether you're a baseball fan or not. The themes of the film are about connecting, working hard, and seeing your dreams come true. 

Full disclosure: I've seen this film 3 times now. I love it that much. You'll understand as soon as you see it - which you MUST! 

Also, "OMG! You guys! You have to see this film! You. Will. Love!"

Million Dollar Arm opens in theaters everywhere Today, May 16, 2014.

It's the Real Thing

You know that we Cubans love baseball and have embraced it as part of our national identity. 

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend a press junket for the upcoming Disney film, 'Million Dollar Arm,'  which is about a sports agent named JB Bernstein, played by the handsome and talented Jon Hamm of Mad Men fame.

It's based on the true story of how (the real) JB created the Million Dollar Arm contest, in a last ditch effort to save his career by finding baseball's next great Major League pitcher...in India. 

The junket was held at the beautiful (and surreal) Four Season's Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Seriously, sometimes I wonder if this is really my real life, but that's not important right now.)

L to R: JB Bernstein, Rinku Singh, Lake Bell, Jon Hamm, Produceer Joe Roth

The panel consisted of 

• Jon Hamm (“JB Bernstein”)
• Lake Bell (“Brenda")
• JB Bernstein
• Rinku Singh
• Gordon Gray (Producer)
• Joe Roth (Producer)

As I mentioned earlier, 'Million Dollar Arm' is a True Story. I'd like to just stop there. Because this may have been the most impacting thing about the film (and the junket) for me. It's. A. True. Story. 

And sitting here before us at the press thing were, not just the stars of the film, but the real life people they play. *mind blown*

It was fun to hear that this was also exactly the reaction that Jon Hamm had when he read the wonderful Tom McCarthy screenplay. Read the following exchange.

MODERATOR:  Now Jon, this is a terrific performance, big leading role.  And wildly different from Don Draper.  What was it about this script though and this story – did you know about it first?  Had you ever heard of it?

JON HAMM:  No. I read the script and finished the script and loved it and then looked back to the title page and went like wait a minute.  This is true? mI am a huge baseball fan and somehow this flew under my radar and I didn’t know and so I immediately like two hours later was in like a Google hell of like you know finding out everything I could about this and I was like oh my God, this actually happened and that element to the story it dove-tails with what Joe and Gordon just said.

Also, let's just take a moment and appreciate the beauty that is (the real) Jon Hamm. Thankyouverymuch.

I'll give you an in-depth review of the film in a couple of days. Right now, I'd just like to make the point that this is not just another baseball movie. It's the Real Life story of Real Life people and how they made the impossible happen. 

As testament to this was the presence of (the real) Rinku talking about how the film was so very true to their actual experiences. (Also, I wonder if now that there are actors who have played them on the big screen, if they're going to get tired of having their names prefaced every time with "The Real...?')

The Real Rinku Singh

I had seen (and loved!) the film and was kind of enthralled that these two worlds were represented before me.

Rinku, the (real) kid from India whose life was completely changed by the Million Dollar Arm contest that was put on by (the real) JB Bernstein, and Jon Hamm whose life was also changed when he played JB Bernstein and as he traveled to India to film the movie. 

So, here I am, in my real life having a very surreal moment with (the real) Jon Hamm.

I'm totally becoming a press junket junkie. Really.

Directed by Craig Gillespie from a screenplay written by Tom McCarthy, Walt Disney Pictures’ drama “Million Dollar Arm” stars Jon Hamm, Aasif Mandvi, Bill Paxton, Suraj Sharma, Lake Bell and Alan Arkin. The producers are Mark Ciardi, Gordon Gray and Joe Roth.  

Million Dollar Arm opens in theaters everywhere on May 16, 2014.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - a Review

I am pretty much the worst person to have with you in a movie theater when the film in question is an action/adventure type. It has to do with learning styles.

Let me explain...

Because I'm a visual learner and have a vivid imagination, I see things and feel them viscerally and then I react audibly. (Of course, you could chalk this up to the fact that I'm Cuban, but that's not important right now.)

Anyway, the "reacting audibly" (in a movie theater) part is where it becomes problematic for someone trying to quietly enjoy the film in question.

My daughter, Lucy came with me to the pre-screening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier a few weeks ago. Lucy is the type of learner who takes in all the information and digests it and then later discusses the conclusions she has come to.

Me? Not so much. I see it. I feel it. I. AM. RIGHT. THERE.

Although I enjoyed the first Captain America film and am a big über-nerdy fan of the entire Marvel Universe, I was not prepared for how awesome this film was. Again, I'm a big fan of the franchise anyway.

I'd have to say that unless you've seen the original Captain America: The First Avenger and also The Avengers, you won't appreciate this film as much as we Marvel über-nerds will. You totally need Steve Rogers' back story, particularly when they do the reveal of The Winter Soldier. I may or may not have yelled loudly, "No way!" at that point in the film, but that's not important right now. Lucky for us, we happened to have seen it with a theaterful of equally über-nerdy Marvel fanboys, so there was no call for my removal from the theater. Also, everyone was thinking the same thing.

The Winter Solder is slightly different than the other films in that it has an element of being a political thriller, which I appreciated. And one of the best, most jaw-dropping, did-they-just-do-that car chases in any film ever. (I'm talking all the way back to The French Connection. Wait. Did I just date myself?)

What I appreciate most about Captain America is that Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans - *sigh*) is a true conservative hero. The old-school, moral, fight-for-what-is-right type.

"You hold a gun on everyone on Earth and call it protection," he says. "This isn't freedom, this is fear." I can't think of another film where they've ever discussed the moral implications of trading in freedom for security. I was impressed. Also, I may or may not have loudly yelled, "YES!" at that point, but again, that's not important right now.

Did I mention that I tend to react audibly when I get engrossed in a film? And believe me, I was completely engrossed in this film.

I don't want to spoil anything, but for all my fellow Marvel über-fans (and you know who you are), I just have three words for you:

The. Elevator. Scene.

I'm not going to give any more away. I'll just say that Lucy and I both enjoyed the film tremendously.

Also, her arm is healing quite nicely from the bruises incurred while sitting next to her mother who enjoyed the film so much that she provided both action and adventure. Learning styles, people.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, April 4th, 2014.