Elly has relocated to the small desert town of Borrego Springs, which is located only an hour and a half from Palms Springs, there to study an invasive plant species growing in the desert. When she witnesses a plane crash, she goes to investigate and ends up being kidnapped and thrust into the reality of drug smuggling. Deputy Sheriff Jose Gomez (Gonzalez) springs into action to try and help Elly.

In an interview with TheTRENDTalk Show Gonzalez explained his character in the film. “He’s been a person who has been able to kind of hide himself from maybe the dangers of the world,” Gonzalez explained. “He seems to be someone who shrugs off duty, until this time around he can’t help but take responsibility and take care of his daughter.”

His daughter in the film, Alex played by Olivia Trujillo (Vivo, For All Mankind) is introduced to U.S. audiences, while Leynar Gomez (Narcos: Mexico) gives a stand-out performance as Tomas, the inexperienced “mule” who kidnaps Elly after his ultralight plane crashes in the desert. Jorge A. Jimenez (Queen of the South, Narcos: Mexico) is a drug smuggler who is now hunting down both the kidnapper and the kidnapped.

When asked about working with Gomez and Jimenez, Gonzalez said he had already been a”fan” of both their work. He commented that he felt the roles they played in Borrego gave them an opportunity to be able to work on more three-dimensional characters. “[With these characters] We are seeing the underneath, the choices that were made, the fear, family…we are seeing the stories behind [the characters]…,” Gonzalez said.

This film about the drug underworld of the Mexico-U.S. border brings a new facet to the drug cartel stories. Gonzalez turns in a solid performance as Sheriff Deputy Gomez working opposite Hale, with whom he had previously worked on the TV show Pretty Little Liars.

Although the film is set in the Coachella Valley in California, because of the pandemic, it was shot in Almería and Andalucía, Spain where they shot for a month right after the strict pandemic guidelines were lifted in Spain.

Borrego was released by Paramount Movies on January 14 and is available in theaters, digital and on-demand for all audiences.

Writer/Director: Jesse Harris; Producers: Nancy Cartwright, Monica Gil-Rodriguez, Jesse Harris, Greg Lauritano. Cinematographer: Octavio Arias

The post Nicholas Gonzalez Stars as Deputy Sheriff In “Borrego” first appeared on .

Written by Roberto Leal

Dateline: San Antonio, Texas

Speaking of island…

Yesterday, I was having lunch at the Sea Island Restaurant with a group of friends. I asked one of them, Millennial Millie, if she remembered the old TV show, Fantasy Island. She looked at me with that puzzled look that so many of her generation get whenever asked a historical or cultural reference question that goes back more than five years.

Well, old geezers like me, certainly remember Fantasy Island, the TV show, with Latino Legend, Ricardo Montalban, and his diminutive sidekick, Hervé Villechaize. Every Saturday from 1977 to 1984, Montalban, as Mr. Roarke, and Villechaize, as Tattoo would greet a plane load of guests to the resort island with Tattoo announcing their arrival by ringing the bell, pointing to the sky and proclaiming: “Ze plane. Ze plane.”

Then it dawned on me. Millennial Millie was born in 1984, so, of course, the iconic TV show never crossed her cultural radar screen or Smart Phone. But I was looking forward to the movie remake, which premiered today. My interest was piqued by a recent GQ Magazine article hailing the Sony Picture and Blumhouse production remake as “2020’s First Great Horror Movie.” Blumhouse is the studio that made us wet our collective movie-going pants with two recent horror hits: Us and Get Out. 

Fantasy Island  director, Jeff Wadlow had previously teamed up with writers, Jillian Jackson and Chris Roach on 2019’s Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare, a spooky offering with a similar motif as this re-incarnation of Fantasy Island: a seemingly harmless and promising beginning turns horribly bad for the unsuspecting participants. Wadlow also directed the TV series, Bates Motel, so this creative team knows from scary.

But what about Mr. Roarke?

Michael Peña has been given the difficult task of resurrecting one of TV’s most memorable, enigmatic and mysterious TV characters: Mr. Roarke. For me, one of the most enduring mysteries about Mr. Roarke, was how the character, as played by Montalban, the suave, courtly Mexican with the cultured accent wound up with an Irish last name, running a resort for dreamers on a remote, tropical island. 

But Peña proves to be a good choice. The son of Mexican immigrants, Peña’s Mr. Roarke, retains that aura of mystery, but in a younger, cooler, hipper persona. Peña has an extensive and impressive filmography. I especially liked him in War on Everyone, (2016).

In a YouTube interview, Peña reflected on the challenge of playing Mr. Roarke and his approach to the part.

Back in the misty, prehistoric TV days of yore, Mr. Roarke would grant the guests their fantasies, with a price, of course. The episodes were frequently morality plays. The price of those fantasies was often a dark, unhappy ending for the guests.

However, in this updated rendition of Fantasy Island, Mr. Roarke grants each of the guests one fantasy, but they must follow the rules of the island. They must pursue their fantasy, no matter where they lead, to its logical conclusion. But when the fantasies inevitably turn into nightmares, the guests must solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives.

The story follows the various fantasies as each one grows darker and creepier. Things start to get confusing as the fantasies overlap with each other and wind up merging. Eventually, after a series of hair-raising, often violent, sequences, the fantasies, in the end, reach a logical conclusion, with a surprise twist.

Fantasy Island is a fast-paced, action, adventure, horror, thriller, laced with moments of humor. The youthful, attractive cast headed by Peña, along with Lucy Hale, Maggie Q. and Portia Doubleday, will appeal to those younger movie-goers who don’t remember the original TV show.

So, to Millennial Millie: “Welcome to Fantasy Island“. To my fellow, aging, creaky, sometimes cranky, Baby Boomers, who loved the TV show: Welcome Back to Fantasy Island. But be careful what you wish for, in this version of Fantasy Island, you arrive on a plane, but you could leave in a body bag.

FANTASY ISLAND

Sony Pictures / Blumhouse

Rated PG-13

Director: Jeff Wadlow

Screenwriters: Jillian Jackson, Chris roach

FULL CAST

The post Michael Peña Headlines “Fantasy Island” Remake first appeared on .

More than 65 million teens cast their votes via Twitter and FOX.com during the Teen Choice 2019^TM, which aired live on FOX from Hermosa Beach, CA. Teens voted in support of their favorite teen icons in film, television, music, sports, fashion, comedy and the web.

The star-studded event featured performances by OneRepublic; Blanco Brown; Mabel; Monsta X; CNCO; Jordan McGraw, with special guest Sarah Hyland; Johnny Orlando; Jacob Sartorius; Zhavia; and Hayden Summerall. 

Teen Choice 2019 complete list of winners below

MOVIES

Choice Action Movie: Avengers: Endgame

Choice Action Movie Actor: Robert Downey Jr. – Avengers: Endgame

Choice Action Movie Actress: Scarlett Johansson – Avengers: Endgame

Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie: Aladdin

Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actor: Will Smith – Aladdin

Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actress: Naomi Scott – Aladdin

Choice Drama Movie: After

Choice Drama Movie Actor: Hero Fiennes Tiffin – After

Choice Drama Movie Actress: Josephine Langford – After

Choice Comedy Movie: Crazy Rich Asians

Choice Comedy Movie Actor: Noah Centineo – The Perfect Date

Choice Comedy Movie Actress: Laura Marano – The Perfect Date

Choice Movie Villain: Josh Brolin – Avengers: Endgame

Choice Summer Movie: Spider-Man: Far From Home

Choice Summer Movie Actor: Tom Holland – Spider-Man: Far From Home

Choice Summer Movie Actress: Zendaya – Spider-Man: Far From Home

TELEVISION

Choice Drama TV Show: Riverdale

Choice Drama TV Actor: Cole Sprouse – Riverdale

Choice Drama TV Actress: Lili Reinhart – Riverdale

Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show: Shadowhunters

Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor: Jared Padalecki – Supernatural

Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress: Katherine McNamara – Shadowhunters

Choice Action TV Show: MacGyver

Choice Action TV Actor: Stephen Amell – Arrow

Choice Action TV Actress: Gabrielle Union – L.A.’s Finest

Choice Comedy TV Show: The Big Bang Theory

Choice Comedy TV Actor: Jaime Camil – Jane the Virgin

Choice Comedy TV Actress: Nina Dobrev – Fam

Choice TV Villain: Cameron Monaghan – Gotham

Choice Reality TV Show: America’s Got Talent

Choice Throwback TV Show: Friends

Choice Summer TV Show: Stranger Things

Choice Summer TV Actor: Noah Schnapp – Stranger Things

Choice Summer TV Actress: Millie Bobby Brown – Stranger Things

MUSIC

Choice Male Artist: Shawn Mendes

Choice Female Artist: Billie Eilish

Choice Music Group: Why Don’t We

Choice Country Artist: Dan + Shay

Choice Latin Artist: CNCO

Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Artist: Cardi B

:Choice Rock Artist: Panic! At The Disco

Choice Song: Female Artist: Lauren Jauregui – “Expectations”

Choice Song: Male Artist: Louis Tomlinson – “Two of Us”

Choice Song: Group: BLACKPINK – “DDU-DU DDU-DU”

Choice Pop Song: Ariana Grande – “thank u, next”

Choice Country Song: Dan + Shay – “Speechless”

Choice Electronic/Dance Song: Ellie Goulding, Diplo, & Red Velvet – “Close to Me (Red Velvet Remix)”

Choice Latin Song: CNCO – “Pretend”

Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song: Lil Nas X (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus) – “Old Town Road [Remix]”

Choice Rock Song: Panic! At The Disco – “Hey Look Ma, I Made It”

Choice Breakout Artist: Billie Eilish

Choice International Artist: BTS

Choice Collaboration: BTS (feat. Halsey) – “Boy With Luv”

Choice Summer Song: “Señorita” – Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

Choice Summer Female Artist: Halsey

Choice Summer Male Artist: Shawn Mendes

Choice Summer Group: Jonas Brothers

Choice Summer Tour: BTS – “BTS World Tour Love Yourself: Speak Yourself Tour”

Choice Song From A Movie: “A Whole New World” (End Title) (from “Aladdin”) – ZAYN & Zhavia Ward

Choice Ship: Lili Reinhart & Cole Sprouse – “Riverdale”

Choice Comedian: Ethan & Grayson Dolan

Choice Male Athlete: Stephen Curry

Choice Female Athlete:Serena Williams

DIGITAL

Choice Female Web Star: Emma Chamberlain

Choice Male Web Star: David Dobrik

Choice Comedy Web Star: The Dolan Twins

Choice Social Star: Noah Centineo

Choice Fashion/Beauty Web Star: Hannah Meloche

Choice Gamer: PewDiePie

Choice YouTuber: Sam and Colby

Choice Fandom: #BTSARMY

Choice Music Web Star: Annie LeBlanc

een Choice Take Note Award – Presented by Crayola

Kayva Kopparapu, Sebastian and Brandon Martinez, Marsai Martin’ Leon “Kida” Burns (Kida the Great), Celai West, Braxton Moral, Mari Copeny, and Logan Guleff

Teen Choice 2019 is produced by Bob Bain Productions and FOX Alternative Entertainment. Bob Bain and Ashley Edens serve as executive producers.

The post Latinos Win at Teen Choice Awards first appeared on .

Tyler Posey fans last saw him in Jane the Virgin as the boyfriend of Gina Rodriguez’s character, who for the second time broke her heart.  He didn’t mean no harm.  However in his next project, Blumhouse’s new supernatural thriller Truth or Dare things might get a bit more scary.  Truth or Dare stars Tyler Posey (Jane The Virgin, Teen Wolf, Elena de Avalor) and Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars) as the leads in the story of a group of friends who play a harmless game of “Truth or Dare” which turns  the deadly when someone – or something – begins to punish those who tell a lie- or refuse the dare.

The post Tyler Posey in “Truth or Dare” Thriller Coming in April first appeared on .