March 13, 2022

SHOOTER (4K): Mark Wahlberg Comfort Food...with Extra Gravy

SHOOTER (4K UHD SteelBook Review)
2007 / 125 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

Shooter works because…well, it’s supposed to. If certain films can be looked at as comfort food, this one is definitely a heaping helping of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Despite the occasional award nomination here and there, Mark Wahlberg will never be mistaken for a master thespian. However, he brings an earnestness to his performances that I’ve always found agreeable. Arguably unable to completely disappear into a character, he does have a knack of picking projects conducive to his biggest strength, which is essentially being Mark Wahlberg.


And if there’s a genre that suits his abilities best, it’s the action film, where he’s always been reliable. 


Similarly, director Antoine Fuqua may not be a household name, but has a solid track record: Training Day, The Replacement Killers, The Magnificent Seven, Olympus Has Fallen and two Equalizer films, to name a few. The guy knows his way around an action film and is pretty adept at giving his characters enough breathing room for the audience to invest in them.


While Shooter ain’t the best or worst in either man’s resume, it remains a predictably solid action boom-fest that meets viewer expectations without ever exceeding them. Engaging and tons of fun in the moment, the film is just forgettable enough that it’ll feel brand new when revisited a year or two later. Such is the case with a lot of Wahlberg’s movies, actually.


Cartoons and Cocoa Puffs...the perfect Saturday morning.
For the record, this is the one with Wahlberg as Bob Lee Swagger, an ex-Marine sniper who never got over the death of his spotter during a botched mission. He’s recruited by Colonel Johnson (Danny Glover) to plan a potential Presidential assassination scenario in anticipation of an actual threat. However, he’s set-up to take the fall when a real assassination occurs, killing the visiting Ethiopian Archbishop. Now Swagger is on the run, a national fugitive with only rookie FBI agent Nick Memphis (Michael Pena) and his dead spotter’s wife, Kate (Sarah Fenn), convinced of his innocence.

Shooter contains no real surprises or plot twists. Even the “shocking” double-cross is clumsily telegraphed way in advance by the behavior of Johnson’s right hand man, Jack (Elias Koteas). But no one watches these things for actual intrigue (or plausibility). Despite late-inning efforts to spice things up with shady senators and greed-driven cover-ups, this is the Mark Wahlberg show. Watching him shoot people, blow shit up and dress his own wounds is highly enjoyable, especially once the always-reliable Pena (the closest thing to comic relief) joins him. 


Again, Shooter is one of those dishes we know will be enjoyable before we’re even seated at the table. It contains all the necessary ingredients for a satisfying meal, cooked-up by chefs who know the recipe well enough not to try anything fancy. And if the film itself is comfort food, this 4K transfer can be considered the gravy, making an already decent film taste even better. Nicely garnished in a collectible SteelBook, lovers of things that go ‘boom!’ will have no complaints.


EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Survival of the Fittest: The Making of Shooter”; “Independence Hall” (a feature on one of the key locations).

DELETED SCENES

DIGITAL COPY

March 10, 2022

THE BOY BEHIND THE DOOR Takes Us on a Dark Ride

THE BOY BEHIND THE DOOR (Blu-ray Review)
2020 / 89 min

FROM RLJE FILMS

Review by Tiger the Terrible🙀

Despite some narrative implausibilities, The Boy Behind the Door is a tightly-paced, nerve-jangling little thriller. It builds its tension on a disturbing premise, which keeps the viewer on-edge because the protagonists in peril happen to be children.

Specifically, Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and Kevin (Ezra Dewey) are pre-teen boys who've been abducted and thrown into a car trunk by an unseen assailant. Kevin is then taken into a large house in the country, while Bobby remains bound and locked in the car. However, he manages to get out, and is just about to run away when he hears his friend screaming. So instead, he sneaks into the house to try and rescue him. 


Meanwhile, a man (billed as The Creep and played by Micah Hauptman) arrives and hands a wad of bills to the kidnapper, who in-turn leaves the house so the man can have his way with Kevin. With the clock ticking - The Creep is allotted 90 minutes to do…whatever - Bobby must now find his friend while trying to avoid being seen, all before the kidnapper returns. A tense confrontation ends with Bobby accidentally killing The Creep. Worse yet, the kidnapper returns before he and Kevin are able to escape, leading to a claustrophobic, unnerving game of cat & mouse within the house.


What Would Wendy Torrance Do?
Revealing the kidnapper would spoil one of the film’s surprises, but as antagonists go, this one oozes menace and lacks anything resembling empathy. Conversely, we’re immediately invested in Bobby & Kevin even though we learn little about them. The terror they’re forced to endure, though tastefully depicted, is almost relentless and sometimes jarringly violent. Neither kid is completely helpless - Bobby, in particular, thinks quick on his feet - but their very survival occasionally depends on sheer luck. 

Though there are a few lapses in credibility and logic, The Boy Behind the Door compensates with convincing performances (especially Kristin Bauer van Straten) and smart, economical direction. Writer-directors David Charbonier & Justin Powell’s minimalist approach to dialogue and exposition not-only respects the audience’s intelligence, it exacerbates the tension. Dark but never brooding, this is an intense thriller well worth checking out.


EXTRA KIBBLES

MUSIC VIDEO - Plays more like a trailer without dialogue or a voiceover.

BLOOPERS

March 9, 2022

MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL and the Last Laugh

MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL (Blu-ray Review)
1957 / 71 min

FROM THE FILM DETECTIVE

Review by Mr. Paws😸

Cheap even by ‘50s B-movie standards, Monster from Green Hell nevertheless has its moments. Granted, most of those moments are unintentionally humorous, but considering the film was moderately successful at the box office*, it was obviously producer Al Zimbalist who had the last laugh.

Jim Davis plays Dr. Quent Brady, your standard-issue scientist whose experiments go horribly awry. In this case, he launches rockets into space with critters on-board. The one carrying wasps crashes in a deep part of Africa known as Green Hell. Now the bugs are irradiated, gigantic and pissed off. So Brady and loyal assistant Dan Morgan (Robert Griffin) lead a safari hundreds of miles into the region - on foot - to deal with them. Along the way, they confront heat, drought, snakes, stock footage and, of course, the occasional venomous winged behemoth (though they have apparently forgotten how to fly).


Mass Murder Hornets.

The wasps in action are highly amusing, especially since they vary wildly in size from scene to scene, but we do have to endure an unhealthy amount of down time between bug battles. Padding out the rest of the film to (barely) achieve feature length, the scientists' arduous journey - punctuated by frequent smoke breaks - comprises the bulk of the running time. After all, a bunch o’ guys trekking across the Southern California African plains is a lot cheaper to shoot than enormous insects.


What else would you expect from the same guy who gave us Robot Monster? While Monster from Green Hell doesn’t quite reach the same campy heights (or depths), there are enough shits & giggles for lovers of fine aged cheese. In addition to a nice restoration, this Blu-ray includes a few entertaining bonus features, some of which suggest producer Al Zimbalist once enjoyed a few chuckles himself...at our expense.


*According to the essay, “The Men Behind the Monsters,” which is included with this disc.


EXTRA KIBBLES

MISSOURI BORN: THE FILMS OF JIM DAVIS - An affectionate retrospective appreciation of actor Jim Davis, by author C.Courtney Joyner.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By artist/author Stephen R. Bissette.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes an fascinating - and sometimes amusing - essay, “The Men Behind the Monsters,”  by Don Stradley.


March 7, 2022

HESTER STREET: Let's Hear it for Steven Keats

HESTER STREET (Blu-ray Review)
1975 / 90 min

FROM COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Mr. Paws😸


There’s a big list of lesser-known character actors who, for one reason or another (and sometimes no reason), I have always found interesting. One such guy was Steven Keats, who appeared in a handful of movies from the ‘70s that I admire very much, such as Black Sunday, Death Wish, The Friends of Eddie Coyle…even the lowbrow car chase comedy, The Gumball Rally (a childhood favorite). 


Sadly, Keats passed away in 1994 at the age of 49 (from an apparent suicide). But even today, whenever he pops up as a guest star in an old TV rerun - which he did a lot of in his later career - I perk up a little. There’s just something about the guy’s screen presence that has always intrigued me.


While Hester Street is mostly remembered for Carol Kane’s Oscar-nominated performance, it’s also the only film to feature Keats in a leading role, that of Jake, a philandering Jewish immigrant who has enthusiastically assimilated himself into American culture during the three years he’s lived there. Though he has a decent job, Jake not-only takes-in co-worker Bernstein (Mel Howard) as a boarder, he borrows money from mistress Mamie (Dorrie Kavannaugh) to furnish his tiny apartment.


Jake’s also kind of a self-absorbed bastard, as revealed when he grudgingly arranges for wife Gitl (Kane) and young son Yossele to join him from Russia (which, of course, doesn’t sit well with Mamie). He treats Gitl coldly, is verbally abusive and overtly resentful at her reluctance to be more “American.” During the course of 90 minutes, Jake goes from outwardly charming to someone we despise, and Keats absolutely nails it. It’s a shame this role didn’t lead to bigger things.


"It's called the Hand Slap Game, son."
Still, Hester Street is ultimately Gitl’s story. She confides and seeks advice from Bernstein and outspoken neighbor, Mrs. Kavarsky (Doris Roberts), coming out of her shell and arguably becoming more independent than Jake. Kane gives a remarkable performance, conveying (by turns) helplessness, uncertainty, pride in her heritage and quiet resolve. And despite what she's forced to endure at her husband’s hands, it’s ultimately a charming, lighthearted story that also serves as a snapshot of Jewish immigrant culture during the turn of the last century. 

Considering the low budget, the authentic production design is pretty remarkable and given an atmospheric boost by writer-director Joan Micklin Silver's decision to shoot the film in black and white. Speaking of how it looks, Hester Street has been nicely restored for this Blu-ray release, which also includes several interesting bonus features related to the production. But most importantly, here’s everyone’s chance to appreciate the late Steven Keats’ unheralded career as much as I do.


EXTRA KIBBLES

CONVERSATIONS FROM THE QUAD - Archival interview with writer-director Joan Micklin Silver.

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with actor Carol Kane, actor Doris Roberts, director Joan Micklin Silver & producer Raphael D. Silver (Joan’s husband).

AUDIO COMMENTARY - by director Joan Micklin Silver & producer Raphael D. Silver 

ALTERNATE OPENING - with commentary by Silver biographer Daniel Kremer.

RESTORATION TRAILER


March 6, 2022

Not-so SILENT NIGHT

SILENT NIGHT (Blu-ray Review)
2021 / 90 min

FROM RLJE FILMS

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😾

I’ve seen a few movies where it’s almost immediately established that the entire human race is doomed, with zero chance of survival. The bleakest one I’ve ever seen was a little known Australian film called These Final Hours, and if you’re ever in the mood for a superlative piece of downer cinema, I highly recommend it.

But human extinction can be funny too, some great examples being Dr. Strangelove and, most recently, Don’t Look Up. Like those films, Silent Night tries to infuse a timely message into its black comedy. In this case, it’s humankind’s carelessness with the environment, along with a bit of fleeting commentary on class inequity. However, the film is seldom very funny, nor are its themes particularly enlightening.


The story has a group of lifelong friends, along with their families & partners, gathering for one last Christmas dinner before being engulfed by a toxic cloud spreading across the Earth. The British government has issued euthanasia pills to all its citizens - excluding immigrants and the homeless - which most of the characters plan to take later that evening. A majority of the story takes place within the confines of the house.


"Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women."
But despite an interesting premise and talented cast, Silent Night is sort of an endurance test. Not only does it feel longer than it really is, most stabs at black comedy consist of these characters being petty, judgmental, condescending and sometimes downright cruel to each other. These are friends? And because everyone is mostly unlikable - including the kids - we’re generally indifferent to their fates, even as the end draws near and a few of them finally begin to display some humanity.

It’s too little, too late, though. Silent Night subjects the audience to 75 minutes of interminable squabbling, then expects us to play along as it shifts tonal gears for the somber climax…a tall order when we don’t give a damn about any of the characters. Perhaps if first-time director Camille Griffin spent more time showing how these people come-to-grips with the end of the world - comically or otherwise - we’d have some sympathy for them.


EXTRA KIBBLES

DELETED/EXTENDED SCENES

3 ALTERNATE ENDINGS

March 5, 2022

A Second Look at THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (4K)

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (4K UHD Review)
2021 / 148 min

FROM WARNER BROS

Review by Tiger the Terrible😽

#InPartnershipwithWB

When my wife and I saw the first trailer for The Matrix Resurrections, we got goosebumps. It really is stunning, especially with an orchestrated interpretation of “White Rabbit” juxtaposing the promised spectacle. Sure, the second two films in the original trilogy were convoluted, disappointing and didn’t leave the door open for a fourth film, but maybe Lana Wachowski would return her franchise to the narrative simplicity of the first film. 

Due to our ongoing boycott of Regal Cinemas and their stupid reserved seat policy, we ultimately ended up watching it on HBO Max. That turned out to be a good thing because, aside from losing some of its visual impact in our living room, the film was…well, underwhelming. As technically groundbreaking as the original was, two decades have passed since then and ”bullet time” is now just another overused FX tool. 


That leaves the characters and story. It was great seeing Neo and Trinity again (Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Annie Moss slip comfortably back into their roles), but Hugo Weaving and Laurence Fishburne were sorely missed, even though their characters remained integral to the story. Speaking of which, Wachowski and her co-writers seemed hell-bent on making the narrative even more complex and baffling than The Matrix Reloaded (with no jaw-dropping freeway chase halfway through to give our brains a breather). Two-and-a-half hours later, my wife and I were glad we didn’t pay to catch it in a theater.


Never stand downwind of Keanu.

So when reviewing this disc, my original plan was to simply check out the technical specs - the film looks and sounds phenomenal in 4K - and supplemental material, rather than sit through the whole thing again. As for the bonus features…not only are they substantial, they ultimately compelled me to watch the film again. For example, I was surprised to learn how much of the action and fight sequences were done in-camera, including a scene where Neo & Trinity leap from the roof of a 50 story building…a stunt which Reeves and Moss did themselves! Surely all that stuntwork deserved a second look.


I enjoyed the film this time around. The action and special effects may no longer be cutting-edge, but they’re still impeccably crafted without bombarding viewers with CGI overkill (which ultimately sank The Matrix Revolutions). I also appreciated the meta aspects of the narrative more than before, such as the assertion that the original trilogy is actually a video game created by Thomas Anderson (Reeves) while still in the Matrix. And while I initially viewed one character’s mention of Warner Brothers as another silly shout-out to itself (its second of 2021 following Space Jam 2), learning of Wachowski’s past-feelings over revisiting the franchise renders the scene pretty clever. In fact, when viewed as more of a self-aware spin-off than a canonical sequel, The Matrix Resurrections ain’t bad at all.


The story still gets bogged down by an infatuation with its highfalutin complexities and dialogue, but as superfluous sequels go, The Matrix Resurrections is pretty enjoyable (and throws in Neal Patrick Harris for good measure). While nothing about it will wow audiences like The Matrix once did, it's arguably better than the other sequels. It just might take more than one watch to realize that.


EXTRA KIBBLES

NO ONE CAN BE TOLD WHAT THE MATRIX IS - Various cast members take turns recapping the original Matrix trilogy. Kind of fun.

RESURRECTING THE MATRIX - A 30-minute doc about how the fourth film came about. Of unique interest is when Lana Wachowski discusses overcoming personal problems and tragedies.

FEATURETTES - “Neo x Trinity: Return to the Matrix” (featuring Keanu Reeves and Carries-Anne Moss); “Allies + Adversaries: The Matrix Remixed” (people who worked on the original trilogy discuss returning); “Matrix 4 Life”; “I Still Know Kung Fu” (stunt & fight training footage & interviews)

THE MATRIX REACTIONS - 9 additional featurettes with a ‘play all’ option. They’re all worth checking out, especially the jaw-dropping “San Fran Jump” segment.

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

March 3, 2022

COMING 2 AMERICA: A Joke You've Heard Before

COMING 2 AMERICA (Blu-ray Review)
2021 / 110 min

FROM PARAMOUNT

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

As completely unnecessary sequels go, I’ve seen worse than Coming 2 America. Perhaps that’s because my expectations weren’t all that lofty to begin with. 

I don’t share the same love for the original Coming to America that many do. It’s not terrible by any means, just somewhat overpraised (like most films directed by John Landis). As for Murphy…he never topped his brash, star-making performance in 48hrs, and with the surprising exception of Dolemite is My Name, it’s been at least 20 years since he’s appeared in anything funny.


That being said, many who consider the first film Murphy’s masterpiece will probably enjoy this one, especially since it could almost be considered a remake. Coming 2 America often revisits the same gags and (sometimes awkwardly) throws in every secondary character who endeared themselves to audiences the first time around, no matter how inconsequential to the story.


Speaking of which, the plot is pretty similar, too. Akeem (Murphy) is now king of Zamunda, with American wife Lisa (Sari Headley) and their daughters. However, he needs a male to inherit the throne, so when Semmi (Arsenio Hall) informs him of an illegitimate son he fathered in Queens 30 years ago, he goes to America to find and bring him back. Meanwhile, General Izzi (Wesley Snipes) from neighboring Nexdoria demands that their two countries unite through an arranged marriage between his daughter and Akeem’s son. 


Simultaneous deja vu.
However, the son, Levelle (Jermaine Fowler), isn’t so sure he's ready for royalty, or to marry someone he doesn't know, especially after falling for Akeem’s royal groomer. Predictably, Levelle defies Akeem much like he did 30 years earlier. Blatantly contrived to evoke nostalgia, the narrative is loaded with shout-outs, flashbacks and plot turns identical to the original film. Some of it is funny, some of it is stale, some of it is dumb and gratuitous, such as several pointless musical cameos by various artists.

Still, the performances are decent. Murphy and Hall once-again play multiple roles; the former is up to the task, the latter was never funny to begin with. As Levelle, Fowler is earnest and likable. Snipes and Leslie Jones (playing Levelle’s brash mother) are fun, while Headley isn’t given much to do but look befuddled. In fact, many of the returning characters serve no real purpose other than providing warm fuzzies for the audience.


But I get it. When it comes to (very) belated sequels, familiarity is always the safest path. While that approach does render much of Coming 2 America somewhat redundant, one could look at it like being told a good joke you've heard before…not as fresh or funny the second time around, but it can still put a smile on your face.


EXTRA KIBBLES

FROM QUEENS TO ZAMUNDA - A fairly enjoyable 25-minute featurette consisting of interviews with cast & crew. Some location footage.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Craig Brewer.

GALLERY OF EDDIE MURPHY MOVIE TRAILERS


March 2, 2022

AVENGERS de Milo!

WTF?

A shopping trip by D.M. ANDERSON💀

During a recent excursion to my local Dollar Tree (correction, Dollar-and–a-Quarter Tree), I found these two beauties in the toy section. One would think for that extra 25 cents, they’d throw in a few appendages.

Exactly who are these things intended for? I dunno...maybe there’s a kid somewhere who likes the idea of pretending he’s Thanos, only this time the Avengers lose and he now keeps their dismembered torsos in his trophy case. Or maybe this is what Santa brings to Marvel fans who weren’t quite naughty enough to earn a lump of coal. Or maybe some parents are looking for a subtle way to inform little Johnny they just don’t love him that much anymore.


The box actually describes these things as paperweights, but even then…no arms? Was this an accident at the factory or was the guy who created them a Venus de Milo fanboy? Whatever the case, this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen on the racks of Dollar-and-a-Quarter Tree, and I’ve seen a lot (including ‘steaks’ cut thinner than toilet paper…which of course I bought anyway). 


Still, their faces are amusing. Thor seems understandably pissed, while Captain America looks like ain’t gonna let a few missing limbs keep him from owning the dance floor.


"It's on!"


Endgame's alternate ending.

March 1, 2022

THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

😺SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN on 4K Ultra HD 4/26 from Warner Bros
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 1952 acclaimed and beloved film, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced today that Singin’ in the Rain will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on April 26. Singin’ in the Rain is widely considered to be one of the greatest musical films in cinematic history. The musical romantic comedy was directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly (On the Town) and Stanley Donen (On the Town) and stars Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchel and Cyd Charisse. The film was written by Adolph Green and Betty Comden and produced by Arthur Freed. The music is by Nacio Herb Brown and the lyrics are by Arthur Freed. O'Connor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for their screenplay, while Jean Hagen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1989, Singin' in the Rain was one of the first 25 films selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".   The film ranked 10th on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list, 16th on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Laughs list, 16th on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Passions list, “Singin’ In The Rain” was 3rd on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs list, and the film was number 1 on AFI’s Greatest Movie Musicals list.

😺THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM to debut as a Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray on 3/29 from Warner Archive Collection
The classic film The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm will debut as a Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray on March 29 from the Warner Archive Collection. Restored in 4K (3840 x 2160) master files from 6K files of original Cinerama Camera Negatives, with the most advanced technology available used by Cinerama Restorationists David Strohmaier and Tom H. March, to eliminate the “join lines” that plagued traditional release prints, and early video format releases. The Cinerama 7-channel sound has also been restored for a new 5.1 mix that brings a spectacular sonic experience to match the amazing Cinerama imagery. The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray will include an 8-page booklet that is a partial replica of the original souvenir program sold in theaters during the film’s original theatrical roadshow engagements at the Warner Archive store on Amazon.com or online retailers where Blu-ray discs are sold. 

😺SCREAM on 3/1 and 4K/Blu-ray/DVD 4/5 from Paramount
Hailed as “a breathless, razor-sharp slasher worthy of the legacy” (Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting), the much-anticipated new SCREAM from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group arrives for purchase on Digital* March 1, 2022 with killer bonus content.  The terror comes home on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 5 from Paramount Home Entertainment.  In addition, fans can own both the new 2022 movie and the original 1996 hit in a Scream 2-Movie Collection on 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray. Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the new SCREAM reunites Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette who come together to help a group of fresh victims…and uncover a host of new suspects.  The Digital, 4K Ultra HD, and Blu-ray releases are gushing with to-die-for bonus content, including deleted scenes, interviews with the new and returning cast, plus a look at the legacy of horror legend Wes Craven.

 

🙀THE EXORCISM OF GOD on Blu-ray + Digital and DVD 4/19 from Lionsgate
Father Peter Williams, an American exorcist, hides a shocking secret: possessed by a demon he was trying to expel, he committed a terrible sacrilege. To atone for this sin, Peter devotes his life to charity work in a small town in Mexico. Eighteen years later, his deeply buried secret comes to light when the demon from his past returns, possessing a girl and unleashing a deadly disease. Now Peter must choose between saving his own soul and saving the people he loves most in one final, epic battle against the evil within. The bold and compelling supernatural horror film, The Exorcism of God, arrives April 19 on Blu-ray + Digital and DVD from Lionsgate. Featuring Will Beinbrink (It Chapter Two, “Queen of the South”), María Gabriela de Faría (“The Moodys,” “Deadly Class”), Joseph Marcell (The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”), Hector Kotsifakis (“Malverde: El Santo Patrón,” “Enemigo Íntimo”), and Irán Castillo (“SOS Me estoy enamorando,” “La mexicana y el güero”).