Luis Chavez Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Just a month ago, we learned that Adrien Brody and Michael Chiklis were heading back to High School -- a rather unique comedy about a high school valedictorian (Matt Bush) who gets high with the school stoner (Sean Marquette), and then tries to use his smarts to get out of an upcoming drug test. Rather then messing with his own results, he schemes to get the entire school stoned to beat the system. Brody's the drug dealer, Chiklis is the principal, and now The Hollywood Reporter posts that Lisa Simpson, aka Yeardley Smith, will play a homeroom teacher while Luis Chavez (Crash) plays a druggie friend of the valedictorian.

Meanwhile, Variety reports that Navy NCIS actress Cote de Pablo is making the jump to the big screen with Scott Speedman's The Last Rites of Ransom Pride. The Calgary Herald describes it as "a violent ransom about a woman trying to bring her lover -- a murdered outlaw -- home for burial." I've no idea how this will turn out, but it's got an interesting cast that also includes the V-loving Lizzy Caplan (True Blood), Jason Priestley, Peter Dinklage, Kris Kristofferson, and Dwight Yoakam.

And Richard Jenkins is putting aside his Burn After Reading gym ways to board Lasse Halstrom's Dear John, according to Variety. More dramatic romance from Nicholas Sparks, the film will follow a soldier who falls for a conservative college student while on leave. There's no word on Jenkins' role.

And: CSI:NY's A.J. Buckley is entering Skateland.

The 2008 Gen Art Film Festival has come to a close, and four very good films have emerged victorious. Their Grand Jury awards went to Jennifer Phang's Half-Life (feature) and The Ladies (short). Half-Life, which combines troubling global conditions and a dysfunctional Asian-American family together in this sort of mish-mosh, half real, half animation head trip, first premiered back in January at the Sundance Film Festival. It's a good flick that tries a tad too hard to get across its message, but nevertheless one you should definitely seek out.

The Audience Award for best feature went to my favorite film of the fest, Surfwise. The doc, which was funded -- in part -- by Mark Cuban, follows the Paskowitz family (aka the first family of surfing), who, lead by Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, traveled the coast with no money and big dreams. Whether or not you believe in what "Doc" Paskowitz did or didn't do for his family (not one of his nine children went to school), Surfwise is a powerful documentary -- funny, sad, hopeful, spiritual and tremendously engaging. Watch this one if and when you get the chance. Additionally, the Audience Award for best short went to A Day's Work and the Stargazer Award (which recognizes new, upcoming talent in front of the camera) went to Luis Chávez, from A Day's Work. (Gotta love a fest that rewards actors in its short films. Kudos Luis!)

You can check out another one of David Jr.'s fabulous video blogs from Day 7 of the fest (the night The Take screened) after the jump, or view one from each night over here. Check out Night 4 and keep an eye out for a familiar face ...