One of the most anticipated sequels of the year is Machete Kills, which opens in theaters on September 13th and is the follow-up to director Robert Rodriguez’s 2010 throwback action film Machete starring the great Danny Trejo. 

Much like the original film, the new movie features an eclectic group of actors in addition to Trejo including returning co-stars Jessica Alba (Escape from Planet Earth), and Michelle Rodriguez (Resident Evil: Retribution), as well as new cast members Mel Gibson (Get the Gringo), Charlie Sheen (TV’s Anger Management), Antonio Banderas (Haywire), Sofia Vergara (The Three Stooges), Zoe Saldana (The Words), Vanessa Hudgens (Spring Breakers), Academy Award-nominees Demian Bichir (A Better Life) and Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver), Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire), and singer Lady Gaga who makes her acting debut. The movie follows Trejo as the title character, an ex-federale who is recruited by the US President (Sheen) to stop an arms dealer (Gibson) from launching a deadly missile. 

I recently had a chance to speak with Oscar-nominee Demian Bichir at the Sonoma International Film Festival in northern California, where he was receiving the festival’s Spotlight Award along with his former Weed’s co-star Mary Louise Parker. I took the opportunity to ask the acclaimed actor about his his work on Machete Kills, collaborating with visionary director Robert Rodriguez, his unusual character, facing-off against Danny Trejo, and working with the rest of the film’s interesting cast, as well as his role in the upcoming buddy-cop comedy The Heat, and what it was like sharing scenes with Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side). 

Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker (TV’s Weeds) has not one, but two upcoming films based on popular, yet lesser-known comic books both opening in theaters on July 19th. 

Parker will soon be seen reprising her role as reluctant heroine Sarah Ross opposite Bruce Willis’ Frank Moses in RED 2, the sequel to the popular 2010 film based on Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner’s comic book series of the same name. The new film will continue to follow Moses and his team of retired CIA operatives, now on a brand new adventure. Joining Parker and Willis will be the original film’s co-stars John Malkovich, Brian Cox, and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren, as well as new additions, Academy Award-winners Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Since Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman’s character was killed off in the first movie, he will not be returning for the sequel, and neither will the original movie’s director Robert Schwentke, who was replaced by Galaxy Quest’s Dean Perisot. 

However, Schwentke is directing the second of Parker’s comic book based films opening in theaters on July 19th entitled R.I.P.D., which is based on the Dark Horse comic book Rest in Peace Department by Peter M. Lenkov. In addition to Parker, the film features an excellent cast of actors that includes Academy Award-winner Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, and Kevin Bacon. The movie follows a recently slain/deceased young cop (Reynolds) who joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department, as they try to find the man that murdered him. 

I recently had a chance to speak with award winning actress Mary Louise Parker at the Sonoma International Film Festival where she was receiving yet another award, the festival’s Spotlight Award, along with her Weed’s co-star and Academy Award-nominee Demian Bichir. I took the opportunity to ask the actress a little bit about her two upcoming comic book based films, RED 2 and R.I.P.D.

On Saturday night at the 16th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival, Academy Award-nominated actor Demian Bichir (A Better Life) and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker (RED) were honored with the Spotlight Award. The award recognizes actors for the work they are doing in the entertainment industry today, as apposed to their overall body of work.

The Iceman cometh … to the Sonoma International Film Festival!

The festival, which is now in its 16th year, takes place in the heart of Northern California’s wine country and celebrates independent movies by showcasing a wide variety of 90 films, which include international and foreign movies, shorts, documentaries, features, and even student projects. 

The five-day festival kicked off Wednesday night at the historic Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma with two full house showings of filmmaker Ariel Vroman’s new film The Iceman. The screenings were both introduced by Vroman along with one of the film’s stars, veteran actor Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), and the two men participated in an informative Q&A between the back-to-back screenings of the new movie. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Alexander Skarsgard to talk about his work on Disconnect. The popular True Blood actor discussed his new film, collaborating with first time narrative feature filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin, working with castmates Frank Grillo, Paula Patton, and fellow-Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, and the film's cautionary message about using the Internet. 

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over twenty years since the release of Goodfellas! It’s even harder to believe that actor Ray Liotta has not played a mobster since his career-making role in the Martin Scorsese classic. 

While he’s portrayed a string of dirty cops in films like Unlawful Entry, Copland, Narc, Street Kings: Motor City, and Son of No One, as well as The Place Beyond the Pines, which is currently in limited release in theaters and opens wide on April 12th, the veteran actor who’s name seems synonymous with the Mafia has not revisited the genre that made him famous until now. 

Liotta can soon be seen in director Ariel Vroman’s new movie The Iceman, which opens in theaters on May 2nd and is based on a true story. Liotta plays real life mobster Roy DeMeo opposite Michael Shannon (Man of Steel) as convicted serial killer Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski. The film also boasts an impressive cast of supporting actors including Winona Ryder (Star Trek), Chris Evans (The Avengers), David Schwimmer (Madagascar), Stephen Dorff (Immortals), Robert Davi (The Goonies), and James Franco (Oz the Great and Powerful). As if that wasn’t enough, the actor also has small roles in two highly anticipated upcoming sequels. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, opening in theaters on October 4th. As well as The Muppets … Again, which is scheduled for release on March 24th, 2014.

I recently had a chance to speak briefly with Ray Liotta at the opening night of the Sonoma Film Festival in Sonoma, California, where The Iceman was kicking off the five-day festival. In addition to talking about The Iceman, we also had a chance to discuss his work on The Place Beyond the Pines, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and The Muppets … Again!

Opening in limited release on March 29th and wide release on April 12th is the new crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines from director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine). The film features an amazing cast of actors that includes Academy Award-nominees Ryan Gosling (Gangster Squad) and Bradley Cooper (The Words), as well as Eva Mendes (Girl in Progress), Rose Byrne (X-Men: First Class), Ben Mendelsohn (Killing Them Softly), Dane DeHaan (Chronicle), Bruce Greenwood (Flight), and Ray Liotta (Goodfellas). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure sitting down with director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance for an extended interview to talk about his work on The Place Beyond the Pines. The acclaimed filmmaker discussed his new movie, developing the screenplay with co-writer Ben Coccio, why Ray Liotta is a national treasure, reuniting with Ryan Gosling after Blue Valentine, casting Bradley Cooper, why Ben Mendelsohn was willing to have his teeth pulled to be in the film, and how Dane DeHaan demanded his role in the movie. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Max Thieriot to talk about his work on Disconnect. The young actor discussed his new film, his character, researching street kids and Internet pornography, working with actress Andrea Riseborough, feeling "disconnected" from the other actors in the film, and why the Internet is evil. 

Premiering April 12th on Starz is the new historical fantasy series Da Vinci's Demons from creator David S. Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins, Man of Steel). The show features an excellent cast that includes actor Tom Riley (A Few Days in September) as Leonardo da Vinci, as well as Laura Haddock (Captain America: The First Avenger), Ian Pirie (The Dark Knight), Blake Ritson (RocknRolla), Eros Vlahos (Anna Karenina), Lara Pulver (Legacy), and Alexander Siddig (TV's 24).

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with series creator David S. Goyer to talk about his work on Da Vinci's Demons. The extremely successful writer and director discussed the new series, it's premise, playfully calling it "Da Vinci Begins," comparisons to the Caped Crusader, developing the series, his fascination with Da Vinci, researching the famous artist and inventor, gadgets that fans can expect to see in the first season, and casting actor Tom Riley in the title role. 

Opening in theaters on April 12th is the new drama Disconnect from documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), which marks his narrative feature film debut. The film stars an excellent cast of actors including Jason Bateman (Identity Thief), Hope Davis (Reel Steal), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go), Paula Patton (Jumping the Broom), Michael Nyqvist (Abduction), Alexander Skarsgard (Battleship), Max Thieriot (House at the End of the Street), and fashion designer Marc Jacobs making his acting film debut.

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Paula Patton to talk about her work on Disconnect. The stunningly beautiful actress discussed her new film, how she un-glamorized herself for her role, the dangers of the Internet, her character's troubled marriage, working with actor Alexander Skarsgard, and why she felt isolated from the rest of the film's excellent cast.