Scary creatures and spooky characters were at the Queen Mary's Dark Harbor 2015 on opening night

By Jenny Alvarez

Photos Alfonso De Elias

The crew of Dark Harbor, led by production designer and art director J.J. Wickham have been at the Queen Mary, Long Beach since 2011. In a special and warmest opening night of The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor horror mazes.  The scary Mary, were looking for playmates in the new Lullaby maze at Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor annual Halloween event. Legend has it that Mary has haunted the ship since her drowning in the pool room in 1952. Dark Harbor runs from Oct. 1 thru Nov. 1.

Onto the mazes people will enjoy 6 different mazes such: Voodoo Village, Soulmate, B340, Deadrise, Lullaby, and Circus and other shrieking attractions.  They are all very creative and long especially for the main mazes that people are able to go to so people are really spread out much. Although Lullaby and Soulmate can be a little too long and take up a lot of time inside but the action is much better. The three mazes on the ship were the best because of the extra ambiance and people feel really haunted. In general all the characters were well organized with good make up, costumes of the characters and talented actors who really can scare you, this means extra fun for the rest of the night.

The best heroes are martians in “The Martian”

By GTVW staff

Photos Agency

From Director Ridley Scott and based on a best seller by Andy Weir, this film has a special mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. With great performance of Matt Damon and great charisma of cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

Definitely is a well structured film related to science and human perseverance. It is highly recommended it, even if you’re not so into sci-fi and the story does it justice.

Never forget the worst part of the history in Latin America with Olvidados (Forgotten)

By GTVW staff

Photos Agency

Directed by Mexico’s Carlos Bolado and starring Damián Alcázar, and produced by Carla Ortiz, a Bolivian actress and humanitarian known for her roles in Los Andes No Creen en Dios and The Man Who Shook The Hand of Vicente Fernández, her first film is an epic, historical feature that tackles the dark past of Latin America under military dictatorships in the 70s.

Olvidados follows retired General José Mendieta (Alcázar), who after suffering a heart attack, is haunted by his dark past as an officer in Operation Condor, the CIA-backed campaign of political repression in Latin America that was responsible for executions, torture, and imprisonments in the 1970’s. It is estimated that over 400,000 people were imprisoned and 30,000 forcibly disappeared as a result of these government actions.

In a letter to his son Pablo (Bernardo Peña), Mendieta confesses the role he played in the abduction, persecution, and execution of countless men and women during his posting to Chile. Journalist Marco (Carlotto Cotta) and his pregnant wife Luciá (Carla Ortiz) are among those who were arrested, along with their activist friend Antonio (Tomás Fonzi) and revolutionary Andrea (Ana Calentano). They suffer terribly under Mendieta and his cohort Sanera (Rafael Ferro), which leads to a cascade of betrayals, secrets, and more. Definitely the visceral terror of torture so powerfully with renowned actors from five countries appear in this international production, which specifically address the horrors perpetrated under Operation Condor, a CIA-backed plan introduced by Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, which was responsible for: 50,000 killed; 30,000 “disappeared”; and 400,000 arrested and imprisoned in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Definitely, you will feel the real suffering of Mendieta’s persecution of a journalist, his pregnant wife, and their revolutionary friend in the midst of growing social unrest.

Spooky, dark, twisted, interactive and funny for the 43rd annual Knott’s Scary Farm

By GTVW Staff

Photos By Alfonso De Elias

The legendary Knott’s Scary Farm will have the sets more amazing and interactive than ever during the 43rd annual Knott’s Scary Farm. During the event visitors will investigate a haunted hospital in the groundbreaking new maze, PARANORMAL, INC. Attempt to escape the icy grasp of the chilling Snow Queen in The Dead of Winter, and more.

With 11 haunted attractions and 1,000 monsters lurking in the fog, the groundbreaking new maze, PARANORMAL, INC.  Escape the icy grasp of the chilling Snow Queen in The Dead of Winter. Select nights September 24 – October 31.

Haunted Attractions, Scare Zones and Show Information

Three new terrifying attractions will debut this year, with more astounding special effects and richer back stories than ever, including:

PARANORMAL, INC. – Case #1 – The Haunting of Hayden Hill (New for 2015): Featuring high flying aerial stunts and scares, in the groundbreaking new maze, guests investigate a haunted hospital where the patients were tortured for decades by deranged doctors and nurses. Demonic spirits of the murdered victims have been detected throughout the mysterious halls, while evil medical staff hunt for new patients to torture.

My Bloody Clementine (New for 2015): There is no tale more vicious and vengeful than that of My Bloody Clementine. Take a grim ride through the Calico Mine where Clementine and her father were brutally murdered centuries ago.

The Dead of Winter (New for 2015): Escape the icy grasp of the chilling Snow Queen in the all new maze. Backed by with a ravenous beastly army of resurrected Viking warriors, she is hell bent on avenging her beloved family’s murder, and preys upon any unsuspecting visitors who enter the borders of her icy domain. Guests with a Skeleton Key will have the opportunity to unlock a bone chilling surprise.

Returning Favorites

Back by overwhelming demand, guests can enlist to fight the zombie apocalypse in an all-out war against the undead in the interactive experience, Special Ops: Infected – Patient Zero. In 2014, the ambitious new attraction was the first of its kind in North America and in 2015 continues to be the largest infestation of zombies nationwide. In 2015, the highly sought-after attraction will include more blood thirsty zombies, new missions, brand new high-tech laser guns, and more.

Special Ops: Infected – Patient Zero seamlessly integrates interactive gaming technology with an immersive mountainous landscape, delivering a breakthrough interactive haunted experience that is as terrifying as it is challenging.  Missions lead by brave Squad Leaders will take guests through a variety of wilderness terrains, including the unpredictable barrel bridges across the rushing river, through the dark caverns, and through mysterious backwoods. Groups must work together to fend off zombies and complete various missions before time runs out.  Six acres of the theme park is now home to mutinous, scream-inducing zombies, and the time has come for a harrowing Special Ops survival mission (limited spaces available).

Elvira, the legendary Mistress of the Dark, returns to Knott’s Scary Farm in a spectacular all new show, Elvira’s Asylum, featuring insane dance and comedy performances.

Black Magic: Houdini’s vengeful spirit continues to wreak havoc on the Faux Theater, where the veil between the living and the dead is severed. Houdini’s ghost comes alive and ushers a host of demonic illusions to play tricks on anyone who intrudes, only to finally meet Houdini in a show-stopping finale.

Forevermore: Follow the destruction of the “Forevermore Killer,” one haunting tale after another, as the slayer makes his way through one of the longest mazes ever created in Knott’s Scary Farm’s history.  With a Skeleton Key, guests can witness the work of the Forevermore Killer firsthand.

The Gunslinger’s Grave: A Blood Moon Rises: Deadly howls and a full blood moon mark your impending doom as werewolves overrun the crime stricken old west town. Walk in the bloody footsteps of a betrayed and left for dead gunslinger on his path of retribution against the Skinwalkers.

Pinocchio Unstrung: Years have passed since the blue fairy denied him his final wish, but Pinocchio has returned with an army of murderous marionettes intent on killing his former masters.

The Tooth Fairy: This twisted tooth fairy steals more than just baby teeth as he drags his victims out their bedroom window and into a world of deranged dentistry.  Unbelievable special effects include a blackout room through which guests must feel their way out, a disorienting x-ray strobe light room, and new this year, an all-new Skeleton Key room.

Trick-or-Treat: Take a brave step forward and ring the witch’s doorbell…trick or treat, which will it be?  After surviving her grisly welcome, wander into the Green Witch’s never before seen potion room and bewitched attic.

Voodoo – Order of the Serpent: The haunting legend of Papa Legba continues as guests follow him on his foreboding journey to conjure the serpent demon goddess in the outskirts of New Orleans. Trudge cautiously through the cursed swamps of the Deep South, where creatures search the murky bogs for their next bloody sacrifice and demons curse the innocent with Voodoo hexes.

The Hanging®: A live stage show in Calico Square irreverently looks back at the year’s pop culture with killer comedy.  Notorious for its special effects, pyrotechnics and high-flying stunts, The Hanging is a no-holds-barred assault on pop culture’s most infamous moments of the past year.

160 Acres of Scare Zones

Knott’s Scary Farm is far more than a collection of haunted attractions.  Every night monsters spill out onto the streets and turn theme park midways into murderous scare zones.  From the world famous Ghost Town Streets to the Boardwalk area filled with evil clowns, there’s nowhere to hide in Knott’s Scary Farm.

Ghost Town Streets is the original and largest, most terrifying scare zone that started it all.   Bands of half-human, half-animal monsters prowl the streets and inhabit the fog, and beware the notoriously startling sliders, who lunge from in every fog-filled corner of the land.  Fiesta De Los Muertos fuses dance music, colorful costumes, and larger than life stilt walkers in a dance party scare zone.  It’s the ultimate late night celebration of Dia de los Muertos.  On the Boardwalk clowns crave your undying attention in the CarnEVIL scare zone.

October is one of the favorite months of crowd, and this year at Knott’s Scary Farm will have one of the best Halloween events.

Maurice Pialat shines with 5 classics

By GTVW Staff

Photos Agency

For all fans of independent films,  5 Classics by Maurice Pialat will come as one of the best collections that will be played in Los Angeles from September 25 to October 1 at the Laemmle Royal Movie Theater (11523 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Los Angeles, California 90025).  The iconoclastic French auteur, called “the French Cassavetes,” created films that were, in the words of Film Comment’s Kent Jones “all about the shock—startling, violent, eternally and teasingly promising—of being alive.”

This collection of masterworks includes 1987’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner, “Under the Sun of Satan,” with Gérard Depardieu and Sandrine Bonnaire, “Loulou,” a tale of tortured love with Isabelle Huppert and Depardieu, “Van Gogh,” a chronicle of the last days of the artist, family drama “The Mouth Agape,” with Nathalie Baye, and the slice-of-life film about teenagers in suburban France “Graduate First.”

 “Loulou” will be a masterpiece of subtlety and eroticism

During 117 min, you will discover to Nelly who meets Loulou, a down-and-out young man. After her husband kicks her out, she goes off to live with Loulou. She is soon with child, but Loulou doesn’t change his wayward life, spending time with his pals and pulling off small-time robberies. Deeply hurt by his attitude, Nelly decides not to keep the baby. With a great cast such Isabelle Huppert, Gérard Depardieu, Guy Marchand,  Humbert Baln, Bernard Tronczyk, Christian Boucher, Frédérique Cerbonnet. Gerard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert reflect their job as the sexiest couple in the history of the cinema.

 “Van Gogh” painted his own life

Cast:  During 158 min. Vincent Van Gogh settles in Auvers-sur-Oise, in the home of Doctor Gachet, an art lover and patron. Vincent keeps painting amidst the conflict with his brother, Theo, and the torments of his failing mental health. He has an affair with Marguerite, his host’s daughter. However, she soon realizes that he doesn’t love her and that his heart beats only for his art.

Definitely, a well structured film full of good scenes with an interesting plot, intelligence and acted with earnest conviction with an experienced cast such Jacques Dutronc, Alexandra London, Gérard Séty, Bernard LeCoq, Corinne Bourdon, Elisa Zylberstein, Leslie Azzoulai.

When cancer gets suffering of a French family in “The Mouth Agape”

During 1h 22m, the viewer will experience pain and suffering after cancer strikes the mother of the family in this French film, everyone in the family expresses a previously invisible caring and tolerance of the others. The father has always been a bit of a drunk, and is forever chasing younger women. Despite that, he and his wife care for each other, and he tends attentively to her in her last days while remaining unchanged in character. The son and daughter-in-law, whose marriage is somewhat sterile, have similarly penetrating interactions with the dying mother. Full of dramatic scenes with a great cast as Nathalie Baye, Philippe Leotard. Definitely, a heartbroken film full of emotions, tolerance and deep feelings strengthened.

Deep feelings of particular teenagers in “Graduate First”

During 85 min in a town in northern France, teenagers sitting for the baccalaureate await the fateful date with anxiety tempered with indifference. The past year has been the scene of their conflicts with adults and teachers alike who consider the exam as the highway to employment. The disillusioned teenagers played by  Sabine Haudepin, Philippe Marlaud, Annick Alane, Michel Caron, all of them will see it more as the dead-end street to unemployment. These teenagers will experience the real labor life, including sacrifice and suffering in a new and modern society.

Controversy in “Under the sun of Satan”

During 100 min, Donissan, a mediocre seminarian, haunted by Evil and the failure of his divine mission, mortifies his body and is unable to establish any rapport with his parishioners. Until the day the abbot meets young Mouchette, who has just committed a mortal sin. Based on Georges Bernanos’s novel, the viewers will enjoy pure drama in each scene. Definitely this great cast Gérard Depardieu, Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat, Alain Artur, Yann Dedetmade an excellent performance in each character.

More action at home with Furious 7 Blu-ray

By GTVW Staff

Photos Agency

Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast under director James Wan in Furious 7. Furious 7 took in a massive $1.51 billion at the worldwide box office, making it one of the top grossing films of the year. Now you will have a great Combo Blu-ray since September 15, 2015. A new, revenge-minded enemy named Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) has his sights set on Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew. But action is the furthest thing from their minds. Dom is working hard to rebuild his relationship with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who has lost her memory. Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) has traded in his street racer for a minivan and is living life as a father with his son Jack (Miller and Charlie Kimsey) and girlfriend Mia (Jordana Brewster).

The film’s screenwriter, Chris Morgan, revealed that he’d decided to make Paul Walker’s character exit more of a retirement during Furious 7.

With great audio in English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Spanish: DTS 5.1 and French (Canada): DTS 5.1 and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish. Your collection will be completed with 50GB Blu-ray Disc in two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD) with many settings as UV digital copy, iTunes digital copy, Digital copy and DVD copy. Definitely, a film that worth in passion for action films.

When a good runner becomes part of “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials”

By GTVW Staff

Photos Agency

From director Wes Ball and producers Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Lee Stollman, Joe Hartwick, Jr. with a well structured screenplay by T.S. Nowlin, based upon the novel “The Scorch Trials” by James Dashner.

“Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials”Is the next chapter of the epic “Maze Runner” saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD.  Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD’s vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

From the best, young and talented cast such Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Barry Pepper, Lili Taylor, and Patricia Clarkson, this film contextualizes the motive behind the bad guys and how this young victims fight in order to keep their lives. This film is full of exciting and good action scenes which the ending to this one will make you want to see the next side of the story in a new coming film.

The New Girlfriend has new face in these modern days

By Jenny Alvarez

Photo by Courtesy

From Director François Ozon, The New Girlfriend is a humorous psychological drama begins after the death of her best friend, Claire falls into a deep depression, but a surprising discovery about her friend’s husband gives her a new taste for life. During 109 min. any viewer will enjoy the female friendships will reflect a well structured satire of sexuality full of fantasies with a sensitive portrayal of sexual & gender identity. This film also develops many subjects and the mystery unveils and the clichés disappear and the terrific, prolific and provocative cast by Romain Duris, Anaïs Demoustier, Raphaël Personnaz make it delightfully and enjoyable affair.

Luis Miguel had his own DEJA VU in a great concert

By Jenny Alvarez

Photos By Alfonso De Elias

One of the most talented superstar Luis Miguel was in concert at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Often referred to as El Sol de México, Miguel seamlessly performs a wide range of musical styles, including pop, ballads, boleros and mariachi. Despite the show started a little bit late. On top of that it was a Sunday and the timing of the show would have fit perfect, for his audience who let them song his best hits. His interaction was great, especially with many lights on and off on the stage. Hi wore three times in black with elegant outfit. This great Mexican Latin pop singer made of this concert, a different music style with deep touch of his hermetic personal life. First few songs were sweet and suave at the beginning of the concert, before warming up the audience. Second half was better especially with Mariachi. Greatest hits such “México En La Piel, Solamente Una Vez, Contigo Aprendí, La Media Vuelta, La Incondicional,  El Día Que Me Quieras, Inolvidable, Por Debajo De La mesa, entrega Total” and more.

 Definitely his performance was amazing as always even his voice quality has deteriorated. He struggled to sing some songs but let the audience do a fair amount of the singing and there were long breaks between songs. In General was a good concert for the female  angelenas.

Impressive animal sequences in “Wolf Totem”

By Jenny Alvarez

Photos Cortesy

In acclaimed director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s film adaptation of Jiang Rong’s best-selling novel, a young Beijing student is sent to live among the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia.  Caught between the advance of civilization from the south and the nomads’ traditional enemies – the marauding wolves – to the north; humans and animals, residents and invaders alike, struggle to find their true place in the world.

During 121 minutes with Mandarin and Mongolian languages with English subtitles, Feng Shaofeng, Shawn Dou with, Ankhnyam Ragchaa, Yin Zhusheng, Basen Zhabu as part of the cast, will surprise you with a great story of survival of wild animals. The balance of man and wolf works like this. Everything depends on the grass feeding the sheep, horses and goats, which the herdsmen use for food, clothing and shelter. The grasslands are also home to marmots, mice, rabbits and gazelles. Definitely is a different story and the way of life of the tribes is something completely alien to the main characters’ experience. The tribesmen are so finely attuned to steppe life and so reverent of their nature that the young man is at first overwhelmed, but he eventually grows to appreciate their customs but his heart for a wolf puppy puts in a interesting and precious balance between predators and prey, and all results in chaos.

This story is important and emotionally hard-hitting and reflects the real farmers and the problem with China’s policies regardless of regional considerations. A great film which deserves to be seen due has beautiful scenarios with many social details and facts into characters’ dialogs.