humboldt park Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Review: Nothing Like the Holidays
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », New Releases », Theatrical Reviews »
There are no ingredients in Nothing Like the Holidays that you're not already familiar with from other big-crazy-family Christmas movies. Then again, so what? The Christmas breakfast my mom makes every year never has anything new either -- in fact, there would be open rebellion if it did -- and that suits everyone just fine.
Nothing Like the Holidays is warm and comfortable in that way, mostly pleasant, mostly well acted, and moderately entertaining. Directed by Alfredo De Villa (Washington Heights), it boasts a luminous ensemble of Latino actors as two generations of Puerto Ricans living in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. It captures the cultural flavor of their yuletide festivities and intra-family squabbling without being so specific that non-Latino audiences can't appreciate it. Details aside, anyone with a family can relate to most of what happens here.
What happens is that the Rodriguez family gathers for Christmas. Edy (Alfred Molina) and Anna (Elizabeth Peña), married for 36 years, own a neighborhood bodega and eagerly anticipate the reunion of their three children. Their oldest, Mauricio (John Leguizamo), is married to a Jewish girl, Sarah (Debra Messing), and they both work for a law firm in New York. The youngest, Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito), has been trying to break into showbiz in Hollywood. The middle child, Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez), is a Marine who has been discharged after three years in Iraq, just in time for the holidays. Buffoonish lothario and electronics store owner Cousin Johnny (Luis Guzman) is there, too, and so is Ozzy (Jay Hernandez), a former thug who now works for Edy.
Debra Messing Heads to 'Humboldt Park'
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », Casting »
This might be slightly off-topic, but if they ever make the life story of Lucille Ball then the top contender has to be Debra Messing. Not only does she kind of resemble the classic comedienne, she even stole a few tricks from Ball's book when it comes to her own comedic style. Variety has announced that Debra Messing (Better known as 1/2 of the famous TV coupling of Will and Grace) has joined the cast of Humboldt Park. The Latin family 'dramedy' was written by Rick Najera, Ted Perkins, and Alison Swan, and the script centers on two brothers who come home for the holidays to their old Chicago neighborhood, Humboldt Park. The film stars Freddy Rodriguez (Planet Terror) and John Leguizamo as the two brothers. Messing will play the wife of Leguizamo's character and will probably serve as the 'fish out of water' in the mainly Latin cast. Other cast members include Alfred Molina, Jay Hernandez, Mercedes Ruehl, Luis Guzman, Melonie Diaz and Vanessa Ferlito (Death Proof).
Messing is also heading back to the small screen with her new series, The Starter Wife. That show is set to air on USA this summer -- kind of a far cry from 'Must-See TV', but what are you going to do? Messing will also be filming the remake of George Cukor's classic film, The Women. So as much as that news of that particular remake still makes me a little nauseous, I am confident that at least Messing has the style to pull off that particular brand of fast-talking dame. Humboldt Park is set to start production on location in Chicago by next week.
Alfred Molina Takes a Walk Over to 'Humboldt Park'
Filed under: Comedy », Casting »
Back in December, I told you about a new holiday movie in the works called Humboldt Park. Starring John Leguizamo and Freddy Rodriguez, the film was so specifically described as a movie about a family reunion in Chicago's Humboldt Park over the holidays. Hooked yet? Now The Hollywood Reporter has shared more of the cast, and a bit more about the mysterious plot. First up -- the project's cast list now spots the likes of Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Melonie Diaz (Be Kind Rewind), Jay Hernandez (Crazy/Beautiful), Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King), Luis Guzman (Fast Food Nation), and Vanessa Ferlito (Death Proof).As for the plot, it's not much, but Freddy and John are brothers in this familial, reuniting clan, Ruehl is the matriarch, Molina is the bodega-owning dad, Hernandez is a friend of the family who works there, Diaz is Freddy's former lover, and Ferlito is the sister, who is friends with Diaz. That's one heck of a family with Latin talent, and who wouldn't want Molina as their dad?! Production begins right before Valentines Day in Chicago, and I imagine it will be out for the holiday season. With the bodega inclusion, maybe we'll get some foodie flavor and Latin wine as well.
Rodriguez and Leguizamo Go to 'Humboldt Park'
Filed under: Comedy », Drama », Casting »
I'm a fence-sitter when it comes to Freddy Rodriguez. He mixes enjoyable stints that are fun to watch with characters that make me want to scratch my eyes out in annoyance over their stupidity and ego. After the crap Frederico pulled on Six Feet Under, and Rodriguez's character in Harsh Times, I never thought I could watch him again. Then came Grindhouse. I begrudgingly accepted that I'd have to watch another Freddy flick, and his El Wray wiped away all of my Rodriguez apprehension with ease. So now, I can only hope that him heading home for a holiday flick will continue the trend.The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Rodriguez will be heading home to the windy city of Chicago with John Leguizamo for a family ensemble dramedy called Humboldt Park, to be helmed by Alfredo De Villa (Washington Heights). From the pens of Rick Najera, Ted Perkins, and Alison Swan, the film is about a holiday family reunion held in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. No further details about the plot have been released yet, but I imagine that it will be some sort of Latin holiday flick, considering the movie's two stars. Since the script was finished before the strike, Overture Films hopes to get production started early next year so they can release the flick next fall. So that means we should have more casting announcements soon. Who would you like to see join their family? Me, I'm happy with anyone as long as it's not J-Lo and Marc Anthony.
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