ArmandAssante Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Maya Entertainment, a multifaceted company that produces, distributes, and exhibits Latino films, has teamed up with Blockbuster to present the Maya Inaugural Indie Film Series. These seven full-length films include La linea (The Line), a drama about a drug cartel in Tijuana; it packs an impressive cast, including Andy Garcia, Esai Morales, Valerie Cruz, Armand Assante, Ray Liotta, and Danny Trejo.

The film series just started in Los Angeles and kicks off in NYC August 1st, expanding across the US this September. Read the official list and descriptions after the jump.

We can't report on the production of every low-budget horror flick out there (mostly because it would make for some really boring stories), but Variety just tossed out a news blip on something called The Bleeding -- and this flick has too juicy a cast to ignore. According to Variety, the flick seems to be a standard enough tale of "an ex-Army Ranger searching for the killer of his parents who discovers a family of vampires in a former chemical weapons factory-turned-nightclub," which tells me it's probably based on a true story.

The first thing that struck me a little funny was the name of the production company: Indifferent Entertainment. Well, geeee. If you guys are so damn indifferent about your entertainment, why should any of US give a wet slap? Why not Apathetic Productions or Neutral Films?

That's just a little warm-up humor to get you prepared for this ensemble. Ready? Gathered together for a movie called The Bleeding will be: Vinnie Jones, Michael Madsen, DMX, Armand Assante, William McNamara, Michael Matthias, Rachelle Leah, Kat Von D, and Pittsburgh Slim. Heck, I don't even know all these people and it still sounds like The Bleeding will have one helluva wrap party.

The writer is first-timer Lance Lane. The director is veteran stuntman Charles Picerni. One of the producers is Frank Capra III. And it's called The Bleeding. Woo! Production begins in North Carolina next month.

Sometimes it's the all-star casts that get curiosity brewing. And sometimes, it's just an interesting collection that you might not have thought of. The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Eric Balfour, Joe Mantegna, and Armand Assante have signed on, and James Van Der Beek is in final negotions, for an indie feature called The Fifth Mafia.

The flick is being directed by Vito J. Giambalvo. His name might not sound familiar, although he's directed episodes of Girlfriends, and helmed the indie flick Let Me Count the Ways in 2006, but you're definitely familiar with some of his older-school work -- he was a cameraman for All in the Family, The Facts of Life, and One Day at a Time. Okay -- you're familiar with the work if you were born before 1980, or watch a lot of old-school reruns.

The drama will focus on the "son (Balfour) of a murdered Mafioso. The son, who never had any involvement in the family business, seeks revenge on his corrupt Uncle Dominic (Assante) for the murder of his parents. Eventually, his quest sends him on a collision course with the FBI after he ruins the life of one of the bureau's agents (Van Der Beek)." This is why revenge doesn't work -- it's never clean and often, you can become what you're fighting against. Mantegna, meanwhile, will play a guy named Mario, who is part of Assante's crime family.

Man, Jesse and Dawson have come a long way.

First, I must disappoint some of you by warning: This film is NOT some strange remake of the classic line-animation La Linea. Remember that? It's the cartoon about a line that becomes a little guy who walks around, often walking into things and always either making requests of the artist, or yelling at him for something. While we won't see a big line on the big screen, this new La Linea incarnation is looking like it's worth the time. The Hollywood Reporter posted that Ray Liotta has signed on to star in the crime drama with Esai Morales and Valerie Cruz, and they've got one heck of an ensemble cast in final talks. There's two of my favorite actors, Joe Morton and Danny Trejo, as well as Armand Assante, Kevin Cage (the porn star, or did THR typo?), and Jason Connery. Plus: Andy Garcia is in early talks for a small role.

The film, loosely-based on the Arellano Felix drug cartel, is about a lieutenant of a drug cartel (Morales) who takes over business and becomes a loose cannon. (Garcia would play the ill kingpin of the cartel.) An LA-based assassin, played by Liotta, is hired to kill him. Cruz, meanwhile, will play a woman named Olivia, who is a meth addict in Tijuana trying to get clean for her kid -- how she fits into the rest remains to be seen. The feature was written by R. Ellis Frazier, who is also producing with Geoffrey Ross, and will be directed by James Cotten. Production is scheduled to begin next month in LA and Tijuana.

Perhaps one of the best reflections of fan thought in movies was that little bit of Zoolander where Hansel says: "Listen to your friend, Billy Zane. He's a cool dude!" Sure, the actor is charismatic, but he also just has that something that makes people respect or like him, whether he's being a fun bad guy in Demon Knight, a snooty bad guy in Titanic, a debonair love boat on Twin Peaks or a Valentine in Memphis Belle. There's this insidious, far-reaching Zaneness that grabs onto you and at the very least, makes you intrigued about what he's involved in.

This is exactly why the upcoming The Man Who Came Back might just be worth our attention. The film's an indie Western from Glen Pitre, who has written and directed period pieces like Belizaira the Cajun and The Scoundrel's Wife. Coming again from his own script, the film is about revenge in 1870 during a violent labor strike. It's not much to go on, but he's got a big cast to help balance the vagueness. Aside from the wonderful Zane, there's Striptease Lt. Armand Assante, The Young and the Restless star Eric Braeden, Cool Hand Luke Oscar winner George Kennedy, Blade Runner's Sean Young, ex-model Carol Alt, John Carpenter's favorite Peter Jason and oft TV guest stars Jennifer O'Dell and James Patrick Stewart. So, will this be one of those films we forgive Zane for being in, or one of those films that makes us sigh with relief for him acting in something good?