Genre: Drama

Director: Edward James Olmos

Writers: Marcus DeLeon, Timothy J. Sexton

CAST: Alexa Pena Vega, Michael Peña. Yancey Arias, Laura Harring, Efren Ramirez, David Warshofsky

 A Retrospective Screening of Walkout will be shown at the Mexican American Film & Television Festival on May 15, 2022 at Raleigh Studios: Click Here for tickets.

REVIEW

They stood. They walked. They delivered. Walkout is the inspiring true story of solidarity, determination and courage by a group of East LA Chicano high school kids fighting against the oppressive racist policies of the local school system, set against the backdrop of the social unrest and turbulence of 1968 America.

It would have been easy for Walkout to be turned into a preachy, didactic, self-congratulatory story about some noble Chicano kids organizing a movement that resulted in some historic drastic changes in the East LA school system. But under the evenhanded direction of Edward James Olmos, Walkout shows us the complicated humanity of the principal characters, their doubts, fears, courage and ultimate resolve and call to action.

 It’s almost impossible to comprehend that in 1968, Chicano high school kids in East LA were not allowed to speak Spanish in class and suffered corporal punishment if they did. They could also be forced to do janitorial duties for the same offense. Their school counselors routinely discouraged them from applying to go to college. The massive walkout by the students of the East LA high schools resulted in the school board finally having to address those overtly racist policies.  Walkout is the story of one of the earliest and most dramatic episodes of emerging Chicano Power.

Producer: Lisa Bruce, Félix Enríquez Alcala

Production Company: Esparza / Katz Productions

Distributor: HBO Max

Available: HBO Max

Rating:

Film:  GREEN GHOST AND THE MASTERS OF THE STONE

Genre: Action, Adventure, comedy

Director: Michael D. Olmos

Writers:  Charlie Clark, Michael D. Olmo, Brian Douglas, Rafael Antonio Ruiz

CAST: Charlie Clark, Danny Trejo, Rene Victor, Elpidia Carrillo, Sofia Pernas, Michelle Lee, Kuno Becker, Pepe Serna, Enrique Castillo, Jesse Garcia, Marco Zaror

REVIEW

Lets’ go get stoned! Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone is not about a Sixties-era San Francisco psychedelic rock band. Green Ghost is equal parts comic book, video game and Hong Kong martial arts film all wrapped up in this action, adventure, comedy film featuring a Latino cast.

The story is a familiar one to this genre: the existence of the universe is at stake due to the existence of an omnipresent evil force that can only be defeated by an elite team of heroes imbued with special martial arts fighting skills. The source of the power is usually housed in a seemingly insignificant object like an amulet, a ring or in this case a green stone.

But these are not plot-driven stories. They are action and character-driven stories, and Green Ghost has both in abundance. There is enough bruising, intense martial arts fighting scenes in this movie you will wonder how many tubes of Ben Gay and bottles of Advil they went through at the end of the day.

But happily, Green Ghost does not take itself too seriously and there are many moments of good-natured comedy. Danny Trejo as Master Gin is a riot as a kind of drunken Mr. Miyagi to Charlie Clark’s Karate Kid in training. Trejo has one of the best self-referential scenes when he is handed a machete. Trejo looks at it quizzically and says: “Machete? I don’t need no stinking machete.”

Elpidia Carrillo is deliciously sexy and wicked as the villainous Lechusa. She makes Cruella Devil look like Mary Poppins. The hero’s nana is played by veteran actress Renee Victor and it also features appearances by popular favorites like Pepe Serna and Enrique Castillo.

The recent arthouse success of Everything Everywhere All the Time, a fanciful kung fu flick starring Michelle Yeow, is a hopeful sign Green Ghost should also find an audience in the arthouse circuit and then on a streaming platform. There is an untapped treasure trove of Chicano and Mexican comic book action-adventure stories that need to be told and there’s plenty of Latino talent behind and in front of the camera ready to bring them to life

Producers: Karen E. Goulekas,  Nicolás Ibieta, Brandon Lee Kerpian, Aaron Lee Lopez

Production Company: Mutt Productions

Distributor:  Gravitas Ventures

Available:  Premieres Nationwide April 29, 2022.

Rating:

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