entertainment-buzz-blog

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Interactive Cooking with Andalucian Cuisine @ Biltmore Hotel - Miami

Tourism Spain returned to Miami with its I NEED SPAIN campaign promoting Andalucia and its delectable gastronomy. The sunny Andalucia region rests in the south of Spain, and includes the provinces of Cádiz, Córdoba and Seville.

To educate local travel enthusiasts and foodies alike, Tourism Spain hosted an interactive cooking experience at the elegant Biltmore Hotel, in Coral Gables (south of Miami, FL). A guest at each dining table was invited to cook traditional Andalucian dishes for the table. Each guest “chef” was guided by the Biltmore Hotel’s sous chef, whose preparation was augmented by a live video monitor, which allowed for the simultaneous cooking of the menu. A Biltmore Hotel culinary staff member also assisted the guest “chef” to expedite the meal.

Our epicurean adventure started with Salmorejo, a creamy and richer version of gazpacho from the province of Córdoba. This healthy soup made from pureed tomatoes, a baguette, a cup of extra virgin oil, a clove of garlic and a splash of sherry vinegar is loaded with antioxidants. Sliced Spanish Serrano ham and hard-boiled eggs are traditional garnishments for this chilled summer dish. 

Generous pours of Albariño Columna Rias Baixas, a medium-bodied white wine with exotic notes of pineapples, white peaches and honeysuckle, and Marqués De Murrieta Rioja, Reserva 2007, a rich and spicy red wine with the aroma of plums, nicely enhanced the dinner.

The next stop of our culinary trip brought us to the seaside province of Cádiz for Atún Encebollado, or Tuna and Onions. In this typical dish, fresh Wild Red Trapnet tuna is added to cooked onions and seasoned with paprika, garlic and salt, then, finished with a half glass of white wine and a tablespoon of Sherry (Jerez) vinegar.

Torrijas ended our savory journey on a sweet note. This  dessert, from the province of Seville, is made from thick slices of bread that are soaked in condensed milk that is further sweetened with honey and sugar. Then, like French Toast, they are dipped in egg, and fried in a pan with olive oil. The golden-brown Torrijas were plated in a pool of the sugary milk, which they quickly soaked up to become spongy.  Our delicious treat was then drizzled with honey, and served with a side of homemade Vanilla ice cream.

The amazing culinary experience left us with a hunger that could only be satisfied with a true visit to Andalucia! 

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Film Review: IN SECRET

Film Review: IN SECRET

Charlie Stratton’s film adaption of Emile Zola's novel "Therese Raquin”, IN SECRET, could have been easily titled “In Shadows” given the darkness of its tone as well as its cinematography (by DP Florian Hoffmeister).

No doubt this is to reflect the medieval look and morals of Old Paris of the 1860s, where the period piece is set, before modernization brought its wide-open boulevards of today. (Yet, curiously the actors speak with a “BBC” English-accent.)

Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) portrays a convincingly repressed, newly-wed Therese. While, 2x Oscar® winner Jessica Lange delivers a reliably strong performance as her aunt/mother-in-law, Madame Raquin.

Therese‘s sexually-passionate extramarital affair, with her husband's childhood friend, Laurent (Golden Globe nominee Oscar Isaac of Inside Llewyn Davis) takes a toxic turn once she becomes complicit in an wicked plot against her sickly cousin/husband, Camille (Tom Felton).

Initial sympathies are for Therese & Laurent, who endure against the controlling Madame and her insipid son.  Midpoint, a reversal of opinion occurs as compassion is lost for the illicit couple, and gained for the suffering matriarch.

IN SECRET opens, in select cinema arthouses, on 2/21

Stars Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar Isaac, Jessica Lange, Tom Felton, Shirley Henderson John Kavanagh, and Mackenzie.

Written and directed by Charlie Stratton.

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Shuhei Morita’s POSSESSIONS Nominated for Animated Short Film of 86th Academy Awards

Winner Will Be Announced on March 2nd

Originally titled “Tsukumo”, POSSESSIONS is themed around the idea that spirits reside inside things, & it portrays how people interact with these supernatural beings. 

The film fuses 3D computer graphics with animation in the style of old Japanese paintings, creating an aesthetic that is both highly original & magical.

Synopsis:

One stormy night in the 18th century Japan, a man loses his way deep in the mountains. He comes across a small shrine and takes shelter inside. But as he enters the shrine transforms into a strange fantasy world. He finds himself in a room filled with a host of tools in various states of disrepair. He sets about skillfully fixing the household objects. But these tools are not just tools. They are inhabited by spirits harboring deep-seated grudges that are not easily appeased. Visit Official Website: http://shortpeace-movie.com/

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RZA & Paul Walker [1973-2013] Star in BRICK MANSIONS

One of Paul Walker's last films BRICK MANSIONS in US theaters 4.25

In action-thriller BRICK MANSIONS, an undercover cop (Paul Walker) tries to take down a ruthless crime lord with access to a neutron bomb by infiltrating his gang in this remake of French film District B13.

Also stars actor-musician RZA and Parkour pioneer & actor David Belle. Written by Luc Besson. 

Photo Credit: Philippe Bosse

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THE 11TH ANNUAL NATPE BRANDON TARTIKOFF LEGACY AWARDS 

On Jan. 28th, before the awards ceremony in the Glimmer Ballroom of the Fontainebleau Hotel Miami, a cocktail reception was held out on the ballrooms' terrace, where NATPE Miami 2014 attendees enjoyed spectacular views of the evening Miami skyline.

Later in the evening, the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award was presented, by Entertainment Tonight's co-anchor Nancy O'Dell, to Televisa's Emilio Azcarraga Jean, producer/writer (The Simpsons) James L. Brooks, Lionsgate's Jon Feltheimer, & NBCUniversal's Lauren Zalaznick. These honored executives were recognized for their passion, leadership & vision in creative television programming as was embodied by the award's namesake.

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#MiSciFi 2014 Finale Awards Party 

Dean Lyon, from the Lord of the Rings productions, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Inaugural Miami Int'l Science Fiction Film Fest at #MiSciFi Finale Awards Party on Sunday afternoon, 1/19, at the Hyatt Regency Miami.

Visual Effects Supervisor Dean Lyon is known for his work on The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).

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Celebrate National Pie Day with Joyce Maynard’s LABOR DAY Peach Pie!

Jason Reitman's LABOR DAY, starring Kate Winslet & Josh Brolin - OPENS IN THEATERS JANUARY 31

Find below, Joyce Maynard's LABOR DAY Peach Pie Recipe from her novel, "Labor Day":

Ingredients:

•                    3 pounds peaches

•                    3/4 cup sugar

•                    2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•                    3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•                    3 cups all-purpose flour

•                    3/4 teaspoon salt

•                    1/2 cup Crisco vegetable shortening

•                    1 stick plus 1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into pieces

•                    1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

•                    2 tablespoons Minute tapioca (plus 2 additional tbsp to stir into peaches)

•                    1 beaten egg

•                    1 tablespoon sugar

 Directions:

1.       In a large bowl, combine the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir in 2 tbsp Minute Tapioca to help absorb juices.  Let stand, stirring occasionally.

2.       Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, work in the shortening and 1 stick of butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the flour mixture, stirring gently with a fork. Continue adding the water just until the dough holds together. Shape the dough into a ball and divide it into two discs, one slightly larger than the other.

3.       Place the smaller disc on a sheet of waxed paper, and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, dust it lightly with more flour. Lay a 9- to 10-inch pie pan face down on top of the circle; flip the pan over and remove the paper. For the crust, on a sheet of waxed paper, roll out the other disc to form a 14-inch circle.  Do not roll the dough more than necessary.

4.       Sprinkle the tapioca on the bottom crust. Add the filling, mounding it in the center, and dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Lift the waxed paper with the remaining crust and flip it over the filling. Peel back waxed paper. Trim the edges of the crusts and pinch together the top and bottom crusts. Optional: Roll out the trimmings and cut into decorative shapes. Brush the pie with the egg, and arrange the shapes on the crust. Sprinkle with sugar. Poke fork holes or cut vents in the top crust. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

  Watch Joyce Maynard bake a pie:  www.curious.com

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Comedy LAND HO! Sold @ Sundance Film Festival

Sony Pictures Classics announced it has acquired the worldwide rights to Martha Stephens & Aaron Katz’s road trip comedy LAND HO!, which premiered on Sunday (1/19) at the Sundance Film Festival.

LAND HO!, an US English-language, co-production film set in Iceland, is a bawdy, endearingly shaggy exploration of aging, loneliness, & friendship.

Lead actors, Earl Lynn Nelson & Paul Eenhoorn exude a natural chemistry as Mitch & Colin endearingly bond via their raucous adventures & respective journeys to self-discovery.

Film's Synopsis:

Feeling disenchanted with life after retirement, Mitch (Nelson), a brassy former surgeon, convinces mild-mannered Colin (Eenhoorn), his ex-brother-in-law, to vacation with him in Iceland. The pair sets off in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, adventurous restaurants, and rugged campsites. But they quickly discover that you can’t escape yourself, no matter how far you travel. 

Written & directed by independent film wunderkinds Stephens (Pilgrim Song) & Katz (Cold Weather) 

Executive produced by David Gordon Green.

Running Time: 96 minutes

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Craig Ferguson to Host New Game Show “Celebrity Name Game”

The new fast-paced, half-hour strip was developed by Courteney Cox & David Arquette’s Coquette Productions (“Cougar Town”).

The “Celebrity Name Game”show will team celebrities with contestants to identify famous names, including actors, singers, athletes, pop culture figures, politicians & even cartoon characters.

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MiSciFi 2014:

Film Review of Ni 28 - Strate 1/3

Out of the many impressive short & feature length films that screened at the weekend-long, inaugural Miami Int’l Sci Fi Film Festival (#MiSciFi2014), the horror-actioner Ni 28 - Strate 1/3, by John Carpenter & George A. Romero-influenced filmmaker Terrence Chevrin, stood apart.

Ni 28, (a combination of the chemical element symbol and atomic number for the rare metal nickel), is set in New Caledonia. This French-speaking, South Pacific island country, so far away that it’s seems mythic-like, is one world’s of the few producers of nickel.

New Caledonia-native & filmmaker Terrence Chevrin seems to have used his entire country’s terrain in his nearly dialogue-less apocalyptic thriller. Yet, Chevrin remained tight, locked action shots on his main character, an unnamed young man (portrayed by Florent Bouygues).

Bouygues’ plays one of the few survivors of an epidemic water-sourced illness. The contagion has had a rabies-like effect on his country people, except they have gained super human strength and zombie-like, cannibalistic appetites.

The young man seems to be on an unexplained mission that takes him to rural as well as urban locales. Traveling mostly on foot, he comes across many “zombies”, but few fellow survivors. Among such, he finds shelter from a silent man, he dubs “Chaplin”, who, from an emergency radio broadcast, learns there is a meeting place for survivors who want to be safely rescued off the island.

The traveler declines to join “Chaplin” on the trek to the rendezvous location. With electrical towers highlighted on his map, he makes a danger-filled way across the island to their different locations to accomplish an unknown, all-important objective.

There is a terrific chase scene, two-thirds into the film, in which our curious protagonist flees by car, bicycle & motorcycle. Following this ordeal, his purpose is revealed, and his single-minded decisions are finally understood.

The filmmaker, Terrence Chevrin, intended Ni 28 - Strate 1/3 to be the middle or second part of a trilogy, and is currently developing the prequel and finale “strates”, (layers) films.  

Watch the trailer for Ni 28 - Strate 1/3: http://vimeo.com/81071677

Stars Florent Bouygues, Franck Chevrin, Didier Delahaye

Directed by Terence Tesh Chevrin

Written by Terence Tesh Chevrin, with Alice Daumas & Thibaut Pietri

Running time: 69 minutes

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Film Review of JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT

This conventional spy-thriller keeps a perfectly enjoyable fast pace, yet pauses for its complex economic terrorist plot to not lose the audience during the chase. JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT, a prequel to Tom Clancy’s "Jack Ryan" novels-to-films franchise, cleverly modernizes "the Russians" from an outdated cold war enemy.

The director, Kenneth Branagh, also well serves as the main Ruski foe. Groomed by veteran CIA honcho Kevin Costner, Chris Pine handsomely portrays the younger version of the valiant hero, Jack Ryan. While, Keira Knightley holds her own as his beautiful, but courageous future wife.

Film's Synopsis:

Tom Clancy’s most iconic character, Jack Ryan, returns to the big screen in this taut suspense thriller. When a global terrorist network is about to be activated, brilliant CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Chris Pine, “Star Trek”) has no choice but to become operational.  Yet when everyone who could stop the impending international catastrophe has something to lose or something to hide, who can Ryan possibly trust?

Caught between his tight-lipped handler Harper (Academy Award-winner Kevin Costner), his in-the-dark fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley) and a fearsome Russian oligarch (Kenneth Branagh), Jack must confront a new reality where secrets and lies are everywhere, yet the fate of millions rests on his finding the truth.  With the urgency of a lit fuse, he’s in a race to stay one step ahead of everyone around him.  

Stars Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh, Keira Knightley

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Written By Adam Cozad and David Koepp, based on characters created by Tom Clancy

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT Opens In Theaters January 17

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SCI-FI FILM FEST LANDS IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI!

The founding members of the inaugural Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival, (MiSciFi),  -Edward Figueroa, Eric Swain &Troy Bernier, are scientists as well as veteran indie Sci-Fi filmmakers. Finding a lack of opportunity for inventive & imaginative filmmakers to connect with their Sci-Fi film fans, they formed the festival to showcase films from all across the world as well as their home state of Florida.

The Inaugural Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival will be held this weekend, January 17th – 19th, 2014 at the luxurious Hyatt Regency in downtown Miami, Florida. In addition to the three nightly special events, the festival boasts 50 films, selected from all around the world, with genres from Science Fiction, Fantasy, Animation & Horror. 

MiSciFi also proudly presents the first of its kind; “The Microdocs”, a collection of short documentary films of informative science content, & offered free to the public on Saturday morning, (1/18), starting at 10:30AM.

#MISCIFI2014 Festival Highlights

Friday, 1/17, 5PM:  “Mercury in Retrograde” Short Film Program

Europa, Traveler, Un Monde Meilleur (A Better World), Olanzapine, Cooking with Venus & Unidentified Flying Reality.

Friday, 1/17, 10:30PM: “The Landing” Cosplay-encouraged Party Event

Saturday, 1/18, 1PM:  “Fantasy Beach” Film Program - A collection of award-winning fantasy films

Rose, Mary and Time, A Hawk Once Told Me, Territorial, & The Botanist

Saturday, 1/18, 5PM:  “Planet Prithvi”Film Program – A selection of apocalyptic short films from New Caledonia, an South Pacific island chain known for its impressive collection of indigenous species.

The Pallor, Athymia & NI-28 Strate-1

Saturday, 1/18, 10:30PM:  “Galactica” Party

Sunday, 1/19, : Finale Awards Party - Prize & award presentations include honoring Dean Lyon, from the Lord of the Rings productions, with a Lifetime Achievement Award

Get more information & tickets at: http://miscifi.com/

Hyatt Regency Miami is located at 400 SE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33131

Self-parking at the Miami Tower: $10 for the day, or go green & use convenient Metromover.

Be social with #MISCIFI2014

https://twitter.com/MiamiSciFi

https://www.facebook.com/miscifi

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MiaSciFi

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The Oh Sees mastermind John Dwyer has gone solo as Damaged Bug

While his band is “on a break” until their spring 2014 release of a new album, Dwyer recorded his solo LP, Hubba Bubba, at home in the fall of 2013 with a variety of synthesizers, drum machines, & assorted hand-made electronics.

Listen to the track "Eggs at Night":

https://soundcloud.com/tellallyourfriendspr/damaged-bug-eggs-at-night

Hubba Bubba is out 2/25 via Dwyer's label Castle Face. 

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Watch a new Red Band clip from The Wolf of Wall Street: Jordan & The Duchess' epic screaming match

Martin Scorsese directs the story of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). From the American dream to corporate greed, Belfort goes from penny stocks and righteousness to IPOs and a life of corruption in the late 80s.  Excess success and affluence in his early twenties as founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont warranted Belfort the title – “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Money... Power...  Women...  Drugs

Temptations were for the taking and the threat of authority was irrelevant. For Jordan and his wolf pack, modesty was quickly deemed overrated and more was never enough.

The Wolf of Wall Street is in theaters now 

  Be social with Wolf of Wall Street

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWolfOfWallStreet

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheWolfofWallSt

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Watch Jason Bateman say bad words & do very bad things in #badwords

BAD WORDS Green Band Trailer:  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/badwords/

Jason Bateman makes his directorial debut with this subversive comedy

Bateman stars as Guy Trilby, a 40-year old who finds a loophole in the rules of the National Quill Spelling Bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition.  Contest officials, outraged parents, and overly ambitious 8th graders are no match for Guy, as he ruthlessly crushes their dreams of victory and fame.

As a reporter attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward 10-year old Chaitanya (Rohan Chand of ‘Homeland’), who is completely unfazed by Guy’s take-no-prisoners approach to life. 

BAD WORDS opens in theaters in March 2014.

Stars Jason Bateman, Alison Janney, Kathryn Hahn, Phillip Baker Hall & Rohan Chand

Directed by Jason Bateman & written by Andrew Dodge

Rated R for crude and sexual content, language and brief nudity

Be social with #badwords:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/BadWordsMovie

Twitter: @BadWordsMovie