Entertainment
Rep. Joaquin Castro says ‘Blood In, Blood Out’ should be added to the National Film Registry
As part of his work to champion Latino inclusion in Hollywood, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) has recommended that the crime dramas “Blood In Blood Out” and “American Me” be entered into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for 2024.
“Both movies were able to show the humanity in the Latino community, even within very flawed characters,” he said, while acknowledging that the films depict characters as gang members — a long-held stereotype in media. “It was an exploration of a certain life. I’ve always thought, at least one of those deserves to go in there.”
This is the third year the congressman has sent a letter to the National Film Preservation Board recommending a list of “Latino-driven” stories for the registry. It’s part of his ongoing campaign to memorialize the ethnic group’s contributions in media and push for continued representation in American culture.
He believes the entertainment industry is one of the largest “narrative-creating” institutions and its decisions to portray negative tropes are harmful.
Every year, the board adds 25 titles to the registry. So far, three of Castro’s more than 50 nominations have been selected, including the biopic “Selena” starring Jennifer Lopez, based on the life of the iconic Tejana singer Selena Quintanilla. For the congressman, it’s still insufficient considering the artistic contributions to movies by Latinos.
The registry’s goal, according to its website, is to ensure that selected films are conserved to increase public awareness and accessibility for educational purposes. Anyone can submit a nomination.
However, according to Brenda Victoria Castillo, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition and a recently appointed member of the National Film Preservation Board, less than 5% of the 875 films preserved are Latino-themed.
“The Latine community, along with its films and unique stories, has a significant impact on the cultural history of the U.S., making it essential that we preserve them for future generations,” Castillo said.
The ethnic group is one of the largest consumers of media, according to a McKinsey & Co. report earlier this year, as the firm purports the highest per capita theater attendance rate at an average of 3.3 times a year. The report found that films with a Latino producer, director or lead earned 58% more between 2013 to 2022.
Yet, they are historically underrepresented both behind and in front of the camera, according to two reports from USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. The first found that, between 2007 and 2019, 3.5% of leads in films were Latino. The second found that, between 2007 to 2022, 3.7% of directors were of Latin descent.
Felix Sanchez, a co-founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, said that adding films from Castro’s list to the registry will help families find titles told with unique cultural perspectives.
“It’s very hard to have big numbers when you have small content,” Sanchez said. “We can only nominate what we have and the numbers are small in terms of what’s possible for the registry.”
He added that the list of nominees can also be used as a tool to showcase the continued success of these narratives to Hollywood executives who might be cautious about investing in projects.
Castro has called out Hollywood executives for their “pervasive lack” of positive representation in a 2020 Variety article. He lauded “Blue Beetle” for being the first live-action Latin superhero depicted in a feature film and said he looks forward to the growing number of nomination options in the coming years from the public once those movies reach the required 10-year eligibility mark.
“Those contributions, I expect, will receive even greater recognition,” he said.
The official list of films added to the registry will be announced in December. Public submissions for this year are closed, but nominations for the registry’s 2025 list are now open until Aug. 15.
Castro’s 2024 list of nominations:
1. “Blood in Blood Out” (1993)
2. “Frida” (2002)
3. “Like Water for Chocolate” (1992)
4. “Mi Familia” (1995)
5. “Y Tu Mamá También” (2001)
6. “La Misma Luna” (2007)
7. “American Me” (1992)
8. “Tortilla Soup” (2001)
9. “The Milagro Beanfield War” (1988)
10. “Cesar Chavez” (2014)
11. “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
12. “Motorcycle Diaries” (2004)
13. “Mi Vida Loca” (1994)
14. “Instructions Not Included” (2013)
15. “Chicano I & II: The Mexican American Heritage Series” (1971)
16. “La Mission” (2010)
17. “Babel” (2006)
18. “125 Franco’s Blvd” (2010)
19. “Don’t Let Me Drown” (2009)
20. “Bless Me, Ultima” (2012)
21. “Walkout” (2006)
22. “Gotta Kick It Up!” (2002)
23. “Mosquita y Mari” (2012)
24. “Gun Hill Road” (2011)
25. “American Experience: Roberto Clemente” (2008)
Entertainment
Stagecoach 2026: How to watch Friday’s livestream with Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman
Choosin’ to stay home instead of trekking out to Indio for this weekend’s Stagecoach festival? Don’t worry, you’ll be able to listen to all the country music your heart desires. You can get your country heartbreak on with Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman and Cody Johnson, and then rock out with Counting Crows. If you prefer EDM, you can catch Diplo and Dillstradamus (Dillon Francis and Flosstradamus) as Friday’s closing acts.
The festival will be livestreamed on Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video and Twitch beginning at 3 p.m. On Sirius XM’s The Highway (channel 56), you can listen to exclusive interviews and live performances along with a special edition of the Music Row Happy Hour. The station Y’Allternative will also be covering the festival on Friday evening.
Here are updated set times for the Stagecoach livestream Friday performances (times presented are PDT):
Channel 1
3:05 p.m. Noah Rinker; 3:25 p.m.; Adrien Nunez; 4 p.m. Ole 60; 4:25 p.m. Avery Anna; 5 p.m. Chase Rice; 5:55 p.m. Nate Smith; 6:50 p.m. Ella Langeley; 7:50 p.m. Bailey Zimmerman; 8:55 p.m. the Red Clay Strays; 10 p.m. Cody Johnson; 11:30 p.m. Diplo
Channel 2
3:05 p.m. Neon Union; 3:25 p.m. Larkin Poe; 4 p.m. Marcus King Band; 4:50 p.m. Lyle Lovett; 5:35 p.m. BigXthaPlug; 6:30 p.m. Noah Cyrus; 7 p.m. Wynonna Judd; 8 p.m. Counting Crows; 8:50 p.m. Sam Barber; 10 p.m. Dan + Shay; 10:45 p.m. Diplo featuring Juicy J; 11:05 p.m. Rebecca Black; 11:45 p.m. Dillstradamus
Sirius XM Music Row Happy Hour
1 p.m. Avery Anna; 2 p.m. Nate Smith; 2:30 p.m. Josh Ross; 3 p.m. Cody Johnson; 3:30 p.m. Gabriella Rose; 5:15 p.m. Nate Smith; 7:50 p.m. Bailey Zimmerman; 9:30 p.m. Cody Johnson; 11 p.m. Diplo
Sirius XM Y’Allternative
5 p.m. Ole 60; 6 p.m. Larkin Poe; 7 p.m. Marcus King Band; 8 p.m. Sam Barber
Movie Reviews
Movie Review: The Mortuary Assistant – HorrorFuel.com: Reviews, Ratings and Where to Watch the Best Horror Movies & TV Shows
Forget the “video game movie” curse; The Mortuary Assistant is a bone-chilling triumph that stands entirely on its own two feet. Starring Willa Holland (Arrow) as Rebecca Owens, the film follows a newly certified mortician whose “overtime shift” quickly devolves into a grueling battle for her soul.
What Makes It Work
The film expertly balances the stomach-churning procedural work of embalming with a spiraling demonic nightmare. Alongside a mysterious mentor played by Paul Sparks (Boardwalk Empire), Rebecca is forced to confront both ancient evils and her own buried traumas. And boy, does she have a lot of them.
Thanks to a full-scale, practical River Fields Mortuary set, the film drips with realism, like you can almost smell the rot and bloat of the bodies through the screen.
The skin effects are hauntingly accurate. The way the flesh moves during surgical scenes is so visceral. I’ve seen a lot of flesh wounds in horror films and in real life, and the bodies, skin, and organs. The Mortuary Assistant (especially in the opening scene) looks so real that I skipped supper after watching it. And that’s saying something. Your girl likes to eat.
Co-written by the game’s creator, Brian Clarke, the movie dives deeper into the demonic mythology. Whether you’ve seen every ending or don’t know a scalpel from a trocar, the story is perfectly self-contained. If you’ve never played the game, or played it a hundred times, the film works equally well, which is hard to do when it comes to game adaptations.
Nailed It
This film does a lot of things right, but the isolation of the night shift is suffocating. Between the darkness of the hallways and the “residents” that refuse to stay still, the film delivers a relentlessly immersive experience. And thankfully, although this movie is filled with dark rooms and shadows, it’s easy to see every little thing. Don’t you hate it when a movie is so dark that you can’t see what’s happening? It’s one of my pet peeves.
The oh-so-awesome Jeremiah Kipp directs the film and has made something absolutely nightmare-inducing. Kipp recently joined us for an interview, took us inside the film, discussed its details and the game’s lore, and so much more. I urge you to check out our interview. He’s awesome!
The Verdict
This isn’t just a cash-grab; it’s a high-effort adaptation that respects the source material while elevating the horror genre. With incredible special effects and a powerhouse cast, it’s the kind of movie that will make you rethink working late ever again. Dropping on Friday the 13th, this is a must-watch for horror fans. It’s grisly, intelligent, and genuinely terrifying.
Entertainment
Former Live Nation executive says he was fired after raising ‘financial misconduct’ concerns
A former executive at Live Nation, the world’s largest live entertainment company, is suing the company, alleging that he was wrongfully terminated after he raised concerns about alleged financial misconduct and improper accounting practices.
Nicholas Rumanes alleges he was “fraudulently induced” in 2022 to leave a lucrative position as head of strategic development at a real estate investment trust to create a new role as executive vice president of development and business practice at Beverly Hills-based Live Nation.
In his new position, Rumanes said, he raised “serious and legitimate alarm” over the the company’s business practices.
As a result, he says, he was “unlawfully terminated,” according to the lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
“Rumanes was, simply put, promised one job and forced to accept another. And then he was cut loose for insisting on doing that lesser job with integrity and honesty,” according to the lawsuit.
He is seeking $35 million in damages.
Representatives for Live Nation were not immediately available for comment.
The lawsuit comes a week after a federal jury in Manhattan found that Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had operated a monopoly over major concert venues, controlling 86% of the concert market.
Rumanes’ lawsuit describes a “culture of deception” at Live Nation, saying its “basic business model was to misstate and exaggerate financial figures in efforts to solicit and secure business.”
Such practices “spanned a wide spectrum of projects in what appeared to be a company-wide pattern of financial misrepresentation and misleading disclosures,” the lawsuit states.
Rumanes says he received materials and documents that showed that the company inflated projected revenues across multiple venue development projects.
Additionally, Rumanes contends that the company violated a federal law that requires independent financial auditing and transparency and instead ran Live Nation “through a centralized, opaque structure” that enables it to “bypass oversight and internal checks and balances.”
In 2010, as a condition of the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger, the newly formed company agreed to a consent decree with the government that prohibited the firm from threatening venues to use Ticketmaster. In 2019 the Justice Department found that the company had repeatedly breached the agreement, and it extended the decree.
Rumanes contends that he brought his concerns to the attention of the company’s management, but his warnings were “repeatedly ignored.”
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