Luis Accinelli Movies
- 2007
- PG13
A twentysomething misfit dedicates his life to giving the drummer some, even when the drums are only imaginary, in this comedy written and directed by comic Ari Gold. Power (Gold) grew up in a small mining town in New Mexico, where his father (Michael McKean) always imagined his son would one day join him in digging copper from the earth. But Power has a dream of playing the drums, and since he doesn't have a drum kit, he's become a master of "air drums," flailing his arms in the manner of Neil Peart or Keith Moon against a huge but nonexistent set of traps. Power's desire to become the world's greatest air drummer doesn't earn him much respect at home, so he travels to Mexico, where he learns of an air-drumming competition in Newark, NJ. Power hits the road for the garden state and meets Carlos (Steven Williams), a master air drummer who becomes his guide in the art of not really playing. Power also gets some much-needed encouragement from Annie (Shoshannah Stern), a sweet born-again girl living upstairs from him. But when Power learns that his father back home is leading a strike to save jobs for the employees at the local copper mine, winning the title becomes a matter of defending the honor of his family and his hometown, and he dedicates himself to defeating arrogant country music star Dallas Houston (Adrien Grenier), who is favored to win. Adventures of Power also stars Jane Lynch, Travis Johns, and Jimmy Jean-Louis. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ari Gold, Michael McKean, (more)
Writer/director Carlos Portugal's comedy drama East Side Story earns a historical footnote, as one of the premier mainstream (though non-Hollywood) American films about an openly gay Latino character. René Alvarado stars as Diego, an East L.A.-residing Chicano homosexual. As the story opens, Diego rides out a long, headfirst downhill slope. With his once-promising culinary career in tatters, and the local neighborhood invaded by increasing numbers of WASPS, he finds his one and only solace in playing kinky illegal immigrant-themed sex games with his male lover, Pablo (David Beron) -- which often proves difficult given the fact that Diego lives with his grandmother. Pablo's sudden indication that he recently had straight sex with Diego's nymphomaniacal aunt (Gladise Jimenez) threatens to damage or even destroy their relationship -- but this becomes irrelevant when Diego meets and falls in love with someone new: Wesley (Steve Callahan), a Caucasian man who moves in next door and promptly returns Diego's feelings. Suddenly, the future begins to look very bright indeed for these two, but serious questions linger about their ability to ride out the pressures wrought by an interracial gay relationship, including malevolent ex-boyfriends and the discouragement perpetuated by disapproving family members. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- René Alvarado, David Beron, (more)
Richard Condon's delicious black comedy was lovingly translated to the screen by legendary director John Huston in one of his last movies. The Prizzis are a powerful family of mobsters, as devoted to their code of honor as they are to bending laws and breaking skulls. Charley Partanna (Jack Nicholson), a Prizzi hit man, is not quite so honorable, at least where affairs of the heart are concerned. While attending a mob wedding, he throws over his longtime sweetheart Maerose Prizzi (Anjelica Huston) in favor of gorgeous Irene Walker (Kathleen Turner). Supposedly a tax consultant, Irene is actually a paid killer like Charley--and this endears her to him all the more. But when it turns out that Irene has betrayed the Prizzis, Charley finds himself on the horns of a dilemma: does he kill Irene or marry her? Fortuitously, Irene helps Charley make up his mind by attempting to kill him. The film's strongest suit is its matter-of-fact approach to Charley and Irene's profession; in the movie's most memorable scene, the two lovers calmly discuss their dinner plans while disposing of the corpse of their latest victim. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, Prizzi's Honor won Best Supporting Actress for Huston's daughter Anjelica, playing the "art imitates life" role of Nicholson's cast-off girl friend. The win made Anjelica, John, and Walter Huston the only three generations of one family all to win Oscars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, (more)
In a rather far-fetched action thriller about horse thieving, an otherwise upright rancher is blackmailed into stealing a pricey, champion racehorse that some gangsters want for their own stables. The two gang leaders, Bruno (Toño Infante) and Killer (Rubén Recio) connive to enlist a commando from the Korean War named Felipe (Mario Almada) to carry out the theft of the racehorse Excaliber, soon to run at the Tijuana track for the first time. They dispatch the evil Osaka to twist Felipe's arm, which he successfully does by kidnapping Felipe's son and then beating his ranchhand nearly to death, blowing off his leg for good measure. Thus coerced, Felipe looks up an old army buddy and with some of the money that Osaka left in payment for the deed, Felipe covers the cost of his friend's help. Next, another vet from the Korean War is recruited as a helicopter pilot and the three begin to rehearse the planned horse-napping. Their objective is to pick up the horse by helicopter in mid-race, and to ensure the success of that imaginative heist, Osaka kidnaps the jockey's wife to force his cooperation. When the big day comes, the horse caper is successful -- with a few glitches here and there -- yet Felipe is a long way from getting his son back safely and at the same time, escaping arrest. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mario Almada, Rosenda Bernal, (more)
