Yul Vázquez
Yul Vazquez (born March 18, 1965) is a Cuban-American actor and musician. He has appeared in '' Runaway Bride'' (1999), ''Bad Boys II'' (2003), ''War of the Worlds'' (2005), '' American Gangster'' (2007), ''The A-Team'' (2010), '' Captain Phillips'' (2013), '' The Infiltrator'' (2016), ''Midnight, Texas'' (2017–2018), ''Russian Doll'' (2019), and ''Severance'' (2022). Vazquez used to be the lead guitarist for melodic rock bands Urgent and Diving for Pearls. Early life Vazquez was born in Cuba on March 18, 1965 and came to the United States with his family as part of the Cuban Exodus in 1971. He was named after Russian actor Yul Brynner. He grew up in Miami in a studio apartment with his mother, grandmother and older sister, thus being the youngest as well as the only boy in the household. His mother encouraged him in the arts, often taking him to the theater where she worked, and she bought him his first drum set and camera. Acting career Vazquez started his acting career wi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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American Gangster (film)
''American Gangster'' is a 2007 American biographical crime film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian. The film is fictionally based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by detective Richie Roberts. The film stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe with co-stars Ted Levine, John Ortiz, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ruby Dee, Lymari Nadal and Cuba Gooding Jr. Development for the film initially began in 2000, when Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment purchased the rights to a ''New York'' magazine story about the rise and fall of Lucas. Two years later, screenwriter Steven Zaillian introduced a 170-page scriptment to Scott. Original production plans were to commence in Toronto for budget purposes; however, production eventually relocated permanently t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Yul Brynner
Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical ''The King and I'', for which he won two Tony Awards, and later an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film adaptation. He played the role 4,625 times on stage and became known for his shaved head, which he maintained as a personal trademark long after adopting it for ''The King and I''. Considered one of the first Russian-American film stars, he was honored with a ceremony to put his handprints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in 1956, and also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. In 1956, Brynner received the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Rameses II in the Cecil B. DeMille epic ''The Ten Commandments'' and General Bounine in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jeremy Renner
Jeremy Lee Renner (born January 7, 1971) is an American actor and musician. He began his career by appearing in independent films such as '' Dahmer'' (2002) and ''Neo Ned'' (2005), then supporting roles in bigger films, such as ''S.W.A.T.'' (2003) and '' 28 Weeks Later'' (2007). Renner was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''The Hurt Locker'' (2008) and for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in '' The Town'' (2010). Renner played Clint Barton / Hawkeye, a member of the Avengers in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films and television series beginning in 2011 film ''Thor'', leading to the central title role in the Disney+ series '' Hawkeye'' (2021). He also appeared in '' Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol'' (2011), '' The Bourne Legacy'' (2012), '' Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters'' (2013), '' American Hustle'' (2013), '' Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation'' (2015), and ''Arrival'' (2016). Earl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Kill The Messenger (2014 Film)
''Kill the Messenger'' is a 2014 American biographical crime thriller film directed by Michael Cuesta and written by Peter Landesman. It is based on the book of the same name by Nick Schou and the book '' Dark Alliance'' by Gary Webb. The film stars Jeremy Renner, who also produced the film. The film was released on October 10, 2014, and depicts a reporter's suppressed attempts to cover the CIA involvement and secret support of large scale cocaine sales to fund the Nicaraguan Contras. Plot In 1996, ''San Jose Mercury News'' reporter Gary Webb interviews drug dealer Ronny Quail, who is outraged that the government used civil asset forfeiture to keep his house even after he was acquitted. Webb's ensuing article about the abuses of forfeiture garners repeated phone calls from a woman named Coral, whom he agrees to meet when she says she has documents that prove the government sponsored cocaine sales in the U.S. Coral gives Webb a transcript of grand jury testimony (normally kept ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Runaway Bride (1999 Film)
''Runaway Bride'' is a 1999 American screwball romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall, and starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The screenplay, written by Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon, is about a reporter (Gere) that is assigned to write a story about a woman (Roberts) who has left a string of fiancés at the altar. It is the second film to co-star Gere and Roberts, following ''Pretty Woman'' (1990). It received generally negative reviews from critics but was a commercial success, grossing $309 million worldwide. Plot Maggie Carpenter is a spirited and attractive young woman who has had a number of unsuccessful relationships. Maggie, nervous about being married, has left a trail of fiancés waiting for her at the altar on their wedding day. All of these were caught on tape, earning Maggie tabloid fame and the dubious nickname "The Runaway Bride." Meanwhile, in New York, columnist Homer Eisenhower "Ike" Graham writes an article about her that contains several ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Traffic (2000 Film)
''Traffic'' is a 2000 American crime drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Stephen Gaghan. It explores the illegal drug trade from a number of perspectives: users, enforcers, politicians, and traffickers. Their stories are edited together throughout the film, although some of the characters do not meet each other. The film is an adaptation of the 1989 British Channel 4 television series ''Traffik''. The film stars an international ensemble cast, including Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, Michael Douglas, Erika Christensen, Luis Guzmán, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jacob Vargas, Tomas Milian, Topher Grace, James Brolin, Steven Bauer, and Benjamin Bratt. It features both English and Spanish-language dialogue. 20th Century Fox, the original financiers of the film, demanded that Harrison Ford play a leading role and that significant changes to the screenplay be made. Soderbergh refused and proposed the script to other major Hollywood studios, but it was re ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Take (2007 Film)
''The Take'' is a 2007 American crime drama film directed by Brad Furman and starring John Leguizamo, Tyrese Gibson, Bobby Cannavale, and Rosie Perez. The plot concerns an armored-truck driver who survives a violent hijacking and becomes obsessed with tracking down his attackers. It was released on April 11, 2008. Plot synopsis Felix De La Pena (John Leguizamo) is a hardworking armored-truck driver, a loving husband to his wife Marina (Rosie Perez) and a caring father of two in Los Angeles's Boyle Heights neighborhood. After being abducted and shot in the head during a hijacking led by Adell Baldwin (Tyrese Gibson), Felix loses his memory, exhibits erratic post-trauma behavior, and is framed as a prime suspect for the crime. Since he cannot provide any leads to FBI agent Steve Perelli (Bobby Cannavale), Felix is forced to try to find his assailant by himself. Cast *John Leguizamo as Felix De La Pena *Tyrese Gibson as Adell Baldwin *Bobby Cannavale as Agent Steve Perelli *Rosie P ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Che (2008 Film)
''Che'' is a two-part 2008 biographical film about Argentine Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, directed by Steven Soderbergh. Rather than follow a standard chronological order, the films offer an oblique series of interspersed moments along the overall timeline. ''Part One'' is titled ''The Argentine'' and focuses on the Cuban Revolution from the landing of Fidel Castro, Guevara, and other revolutionaries in Cuba to their successful toppling of Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship two years later. ''Part Two'' is titled ''Guerrilla'' and focuses on Guevara's attempt to bring revolution to Bolivia and his demise. Both parts are shot in a cinéma vérité style, but each has different approaches to linear narrative, camerawork and the visual look. It stars Benicio del Toro as Guevara, with an ensemble cast that includes Demián Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro, Santiago Cabrera, Franka Potente, Julia Ormond, Vladimir Cruz, Marc-André Grondin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Joaquim de Almei ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh (; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh is an acclaimed and prolific filmmaker. Soderbergh's directorial-breakthrough indie drama ''Sex, Lies, and Videotape'' (1989) lifted him into the public spotlight as a notable presence in the film industry. At 26, Soderbergh became the youngest solo director to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and the film garnered worldwide commercial success, as well as numerous accolades. His breakthrough led to success in Hollywood, where he directed the crime comedy ''Out of Sight'' (1998), the biopic ''Erin Brockovich'' (2000) and the crime drama ''Traffic'' (2000). For ''Traffic'', he won the Academy Award for Best Director. He found further popular and critical success with the ''Ocean's'' trilogy and film franchise (2001–18); '' Che'' (2008); ''The Informant!'' (2009); '' Contagion'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Amigo (film)
''Amigo'' is a 2010 American-Philippine drama film written and directed by John Sayles.. Last accessed: August 18, 2010. The film takes place in the Philippines in 1900 during the Philippine–American War. Plot ''Amigo'' centers on Rafael Dacanay, kapitan of the fictional barrio of San Isidro in a rice-growing area of Luzon. His brother Simón, head of the local guerrilla band, has forced the surrender of the Spanish ''guardia civil'' outpost and charged Rafael with the task of imprisoning the guardia Captain and the ''barrio''’s Spanish friar, Padre Hidalgo, in the name of the First Philippine Republic. But when the American troops chasing General Emilio Aguinaldo arrive, the Spanish officer and Padre Hidalgo are freed, and a garrison under the command of Lieutenant Ike Compton is left to "protect" the barrio. The American occupation policy now changes from " hearts and minds" to "concentration" (what was called "hamletting" during the Vietnam war) and Rafael has to answer to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Sayles
John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, for ''Passion Fish'' (1992) and ''Lone Star (1996 film), Lone Star'' (1996). His film ''Men with Guns'' (1997) was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. His directorial debut, ''Return of the Secaucus 7'' (1980), has been added to the National Film Registry. Early life Sayles was born on September 28, 1950, in Schenectady, New York, the son of Mary (married and maiden names, ''née'' Rausch), a teacher, and Donald John Sayles, a school administrator. Both of Sayles's parents were Catholic and of half-Irish descent. Sayles has referred to himself as a "Catholic atheist". He attended Williams College with frequent collaborators Gordon Clapp and David Strathairn, as well as his longtime partner, Maggie Renzi. Sayles earned a B.A. in psychology in 1972. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's 50 Greatest Film Actors. Neeson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000. In 1976, Neeson joined the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast for two years. He then acted in the Arthurian film ''Excalibur'' (1981). He appeared in supporting roles in '' The Bounty'' (1984), '' The Mission'' (1986), and ''Husbands and Wives'' (1992). He rose to prominence after his leading performance as Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's holocaust drama ''Schindler's List'' (1993). He continued to star in dramas such as ''Nell'' (1994), '' Rob Roy'' (1995), ''Michael Collins'' (1996), and ''Les Misérables'' (1998). In 1999 he took the role of Qui-Gon Jinn in George Lucas' space opera '' Star Wars: ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |