jay hernandez
#SXSW: “THE LONG GAME” REVIEW
By Amanda Gilmore
In 1955, Veteran JB Peña (Jay Hernandez) and his wife move to the small town of Del Rio, Texas. He gets hired as the school district’s superintendent. It’s there that he sees a glimpse of himself reflected in a group of five Mexican-American students. The students work as caddies outside school hours. JB catches them playing the sport one night and relishes in their potential. He offers them the chance to be the school’s first golf team. The rest is history.
Based on the true story and critically acclaimed self-published book by Author Humberto G., The Long Game is an uplifting underdog story. It’s a story of finding ones worth in a world that repeatedly puts you down. These five young men face racism every day. They’re unwelcome in local restaurants and are put down by the white men they caddy for. Director Julio Quintana brings us into their world, reminding us of the time in which these men lived.
Some might think that we’ve seen this story before, but not quite like this. It’s told through the love of golf. Each of the young men loves the sport and are wildly talented at it. Quintana tells us all we need to know about the sport and delves into the camaraderie of the teammates. His Cast of young Actors is outstanding. Their energy is palpable and they hit each beat with nuance and precision. The stand-out is up-and-coming Julian Works who plays Joe, the leader of the group that carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Hernandez also shines as a man willing to stop at nothing to see these young men succeed.
Although this story is formulaic, it delivers an uplifting poignant story of five young Mexican-Americans that we won’t ever forget.
The Long Game screens at SXSW ’23 as follows:
Mar 12 at 11:45am at Paramount Theatre
Mar 15 at 5:45pm at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center
#SPOTTED: DAVID AYER, MARGOT ROBBIE + WILL SMITH IN TORONTO FOR THE “SUICIDE SQUAD” BELLE REVE PENITENTIARY FAN EXPERIENCE
Few can deny that SUICIDE SQUAD is the highlight of Summer 2016 at the Movies, thus it is only fitting that the Warner Bros. Blockbuster returns to the place where it all began last spring for what could be the highest-grossing Film ever to be made in our City. Â Primed for a release, the DC Comics adaptation brought in Director David Ayer, along with stars Margot Robbie and Will Smith for an ultra-exclusive Red Carpet bash at the Distillery district’s Fermenting Cellar.
The Trio walked the Red Carpet in celebration of the Film taglined with the catch-phrase “Worst. Heroes. Ever.“, bringing together Super Villains in an operation to protect the safety of the President of the United States and its people. Just last weekend the Cast were at San Diego Comic-Con promoting the release and they were out in Miami earlier this week interacting with Fans!
Robbie looked a vision, Bohameian-chic, while Ayer and Smith kept it cool and casual, keeping in mind this was a party and they are after all… one of us, right? Right?
Mayor John Tory and the Trio did a ribbon-cutting ceremony together with eTalk’s Ben Mulroney, with Tory welcoming them back any time and gifting them with plaques from our City.
SUICIDE SQUAD stars Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne and Adam Beach.
For two days only, Wednesday, July 27, 2016 and Thursday, July 28, 2016 1-10 PM EST, the venue will host an awesome Belle Reve Penitentiary Fan Experience. The installation gives Fans a chance to experience:
-Sets and props from the Film including Deadshot Jail Cell, Harley Quinn Baseball Bat, Joker’s Cane and the iconic Belle Reve Mural Wall
-The world’s first Harley Quinn Smash Room, presented by BattleSports Inc. Fans can slip on a safety suit, grab Harley‘s bat and let it all out on glass bottles and vases
Tickets are available for purchase to see the Film in IMAX if you’re worried about getting shut-out at the Box Office opening weekend. Also, many exciting prizes are up for grabs. You in the very least walk away with a collectible poster. Come by, take a Selfie and use the Hashtag: #BelleReveTO.
Admission to the Fan Experience is free.
See some Snaps:
You kinda need a pic with the famous #SuicideSquad mural at #BelleReveTo.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
David Ayer, Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Mayor John Tory at #BelleReveTo. #SuicideSquad #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
Margot + Will. #SuicideSquad #BelleReveTo #MargotRobbie #WillSmith #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
Hot Deadshot. #WillSmith towels down at #BelleReveTo. #SuicideSquad #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
Margot’s smile. #BelleReveTo #SuicideSquad #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
See our Video of the #BELLEREVETO Fan Experience!
See the latest Comic-Con Remix Trailer for SUICIDE SQUAD:
Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release SUICIDE SQUAD Friday, August 5, 2016.
(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros./Mr. Will Wong)
#SPOTTED: MARGOT ROBBIE, JAY HERNANDEZ, JOEL KINNAMAN + JAI COURTNEY FILMING “SUICIDE SQUAD”
Filming continues for Suicide Squad and while we do love having the A-List Cast in the City, local Businesses and Commuters are starting to see the impacts of reduced handle and increased commute times respectively.
A strip of Yonge Street was shut down by Eaton Centre last night and Onlookers got to witness a positively cool Spectacle as The Joker (played by Jared Leto) – or his Body Double at least – sped along the Street. The Batmobile even made an appearance.
A quick look:
Filming wrapped almost at 7 AM, as one by one Cast Members Karen Fukuhara, Margot Robbie, Jay Hernandez, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney and Adewale made their way back to Wardrobe, sporting some physical wear and tear in their makeup, indicating somewhat of a physical scene being filmed in an interior. We caught-up with some of the Cast who despite it being a really long day on-set, still made time to say “hi” before wrapping. Â Courtney who normally is quiet on-set, patiently stopped for Fans via a roll-down of his window and was wowed by my Camera. “Wow! A Selfie on a Long Lens. Nice!”, he said.
Robbie who consistently is not doing Selfies on-set, much to the disappointment of Fans, signed a sea of Autographs, noticing one Fan who brought along some Suicide Squad Ball Caps which impressed her. She took one home even! This weekend one lucky Fan at Varsity Cinemas was lucky to get a Selfie with the lovely Aussie.
 I’M SPEECHLESS. She came to our theatre today again I asked her like “Are you someone who I’m thinking?”, then she nicely answered yes. She was nice enough to take selfie of us and give me an autograph. Nothing can bother me now. What a wonderful day! #MargotRobbie#australian#actress#Thewolfofwallstreet#NaomiLapaglia#Focus#JessBarrett#Suicidesquad#HarleyQuinn#selfie#autogragh#cineplex  A photo posted by Yujiro William Sekiguchi (@shikkuro24) on
Hernandez stuck to his word, promising a quick moment with Fans, pulling over his Van to sign everything passed his way and surprisingly was quick to remove his El Diablo skeletal makeup. Kinnaman despite looking most tired, was kind to get out of his SUV to greet Fans. Class Act.
Filming continues through the Downtown Core this week before heading again off-location back to Pinewood Studio.
#MargotRobbie as #HarleyQuinn, on the set of #SuicideSquad. #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
 #JaiCourtney as #CaptainBoomerang on the set of #SuicideSquad. #NikonD3300  A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
#JayHernandez as #ChatoSantana/#ElDiablo, on the set if #SuicideSquad. #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
 #JoelKinnaman as #RickFlagg, on the set of #SuicideSquad. #NikonD3300  A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#SPOTTED: MARGOT ROBBIE, WILL SMITH, SCOTT EASTWOOD, JAY HERNANDEZ + MORE FILMING “SUICIDE SQUAD”
Filming is kicking into high gear for David Ayer‘s Suicide Squad, taking place much overnight of late. The Mega Blockbuster starring an A-List Cast as some of DC Comics‘ most beloved Supervillains shut down part of Financial District last night and among those on-Set were the likes of Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Scott Eastwood, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez and more.
We spotted Robbie in full costume, dressed as Harley Quinn and Smith also as Deadshot, as they head off to work for the night. Hernandez‘s El Diablo also was seen in full skull makeup through the window his van, waving to Fans.  Although Plot details are under tight wraps, a Child actress was seen heading to set, hence some are speculating filming may have involved some type of a flashback for Robbie‘s Quinn.
Smith, Robbie and Eastwood were more than generous to stop for Fans in the wee hours of the morning post-wrap before heading to rest before another night shoot ahead. Â Filming moves north to the Yorkville area the next few days.
Some Snaps:
Will Smith
#MargotRobbie on the set of #SuicideSquad as #HarleyQuinn.
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
Jay Hernandez
#ScottEastwood + me. #SUICIDESQUAD
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
Scott Eastwood
Suicide Squad films through August in the City, with a release via Warner Bros. Pictures Canada August 2016.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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