Author: Sara Embrey

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Happy Birthday, Ronnie Marmo!

 

World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation would like to wish actor Ronnie Marmo a Happy Birthday! Originally from Brooklyn, Marmo’s acting career began with leading roles in Italian American Reconciliation and Lusting After Pipino’s Wife. He was recognized for both plays by the New Jersey ACT with awards for outstanding lead male actor. He won the Cable ACE award in 1997 as the host and producer of the Documentary of the Year. He then joined the Broadway National Touring Company as “Tony” in Tony N Tina’s Wedding.

Ronnie Marmo has produced, directed and starred in dozens of plays, including the critically acclaimed Bill W and Dr Bob, which has played to many sold out audiences. He enjoyed a six month run starring as “Lenny Bruce” in the one man production of Lenny’s Back . . and boy is he pissed.

 

He has also written several scripts, both for the stage and the screen. His favorite is the semi-autobiographical story, West of Brooklyn. The 68 Cent Crew produced the play for the stage and received critics pick from the L.A. Times, L.A. Weekly and Backstage West. Ronnie Marmo also adapted West of Brooklyn as well as produced and starred in the film for the screen and 68 Cent Features. It can be found on DVD. He produced and starred in the movie.

Ronnie Marmo’s I AM NOT A COMEDIAN... I’M Lenny Bruce is currently playing at Theater 68 in Los Angeles. The critically acclaimed show chronicles the life and death of Lenny Bruce, one of the most controversial comedians of all time.

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Christmas Around the World

 

Move over pumpkin spice and hello peppermint. It’s Christmas season, everyone! ‘Tis the season to scramble for those last-minute gifts and Santa hats. It’s a special time of the year where we mindlessly guzzle down eggnog and contribute to the vast online empire that is Amazon.com. Whenever I think of Christmas, it’s usually the festive red colors, pine trees, and brightly lit neighborhoods that come to mind. But have you ever wondered how other countries around the world celebrate Christmas? Here are 5 unusual Christmas Traditions found across the globe:

Japan x KFC

Can you imagine going to your local KFC and waiting over two hours for a bucket-o-chicken? A typical Japanese family will often celebrate Christmas by ordering a finger-licking chicken dinner for their families. This bizarre tradition apparently started thanks to a “Kentucky for Christmas” advertising campaign that aired in 1974. I’d honestly be thrilled to receive an eight-piece bucket in my stocking this year. Sure beats figuring out how to cook a turkey, that’s for sure.

Tamale Tamale Tamale

This one is a bit already well-known within Hispanic communities, but why isn’t it more popularized? For those who don’t know what a tamale is, it is a Mexican specialty made from a range of different meats, cheese, and veggies that are wrapped in ground masa (corn) and corn husks. Hispanic families will often make a vast quantity of tamales during the holidays, with some restaurants easily selling over 10,000 in a week! They’re seriously that good, and you’ve got to get your hands on some this year if you can. They’re like little magical bundles of steaming joy that is best enjoyed with hot sauce.

Fuzzy Caterpillars

So apparently the denizens of Cape Town, South Africa enjoy consuming pine emperor moth caterpillars during the Christmas season. Not only are they festively colored, but they’re also very nutritious and have a flavor similar to tea!

Rolling Around the Christmas Tree

This is the unusual Venezuelan custom of roller skating to early morning church services between December 16-24. The streets are even closed off to cars until 8 AM. And get this… in order to wake up on time, some children tie a string to their big toe and let it hang out the window. Rollerskaters who happen to glide past will tug on the strings, waking them up.

Hide Your Brooms and Mops

Brooms and mops are household essentials, aren’t they? It is believed by the people of Norway that Christmas Eve is a superstitious day where witches and bad elves steal your mops and brooms. Wouldn’t it be a shame if some evil elf stole your Swiffer on Christmas Eve?

 

So there you have it, just a few more things to add to your to-do list this year for the Holidays. Be sure to celebrate responsibly and don’t buy too many useless things at the dollar section. Which one will you be incorporating into your traditions?

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Happy 57th Birthday, Daryl Hannah!

 

Happy 57th Birthday to Daryl Hannah! The actress is known for several movies, such as her roles in Splash, Blade Runner, and in Steel Magnolias. Daryl Hannah also had a role in the Kill Bill films, directed by Quentin Tarantino. In her personal life, she deals with personal issues of autism. As she told People Magazine, doctors wanted to send her to an institution when she was a child, but her mother did not want her to be taken to any such place. As she told the magazine, she fell in love with movies and she ended moving from Chicago to LA when she was just 17 years old to pursue her acting career.

 

 

Hannah is also a very active environmental activist and continues to work toward saving and preserving the environment. Speaking of which, she is featured heavily in the 2009 documentary film Welcome to Eden, which focuses on the former largest urban farm in the nation in South Central Los Angeles. While developers had plans for its demolition and retail development, she fought for the right of inner-city dwellers to have access to fresh food and community. While she didn’t protest by living in one of the trees at the farm land, she certainly spoke out with passion to assist in keeping their community farm alive.

 

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Happy Birthday to Actor Li Baotian!

 

World World Motion Pictures Corporation would like to wish actor Li Baotian a very Happy Birthday! Li is a member of the China Film Association and the China Television Artists Association. His past accolades include one Flying Apsaras Award, six China Golden

Eagle Awards, and a Hundred Flowers Award.

(Li Baotian in the 2013 film The Nightingale)

Actor Li Baotian began studying drama in 1960 in his hometown of Xuzhou. He graduated from the prestigious Central Academy located in China and later started teaching at the academy. Li also spent ten years learning how to dance and sing during the Cultural Revolution. His first film,

From Place to Place, was a success and brought him to the attention of the Chinese audience. He then starred in the critically-acclaimed film The Wanderer and The Sun in 1985.

( Li Baotian in the 1990 Chinese Drama Ju Dou)

Li won the highly coveted Most Popular Actor award at the 19th Child Golden Eagle Awards.

for his work on the popular TV show Policeman: Li Jiuping. 2003 was a successful year for the actor, where his portrayal of Xi Lalie in the historical television series The Great Doctor: Xi Lalie won him two China Golden Eagle Awards and a Flying Apsaras award. He also starred in the 2013 film The Nightingale. The film tells the story of an elderly man and his granddaughter who travel together through China to fulfill a promise to his late wife. The movie was selected as the official Chinese entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards.

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Give Thanks This Year With These 3 Family Films!

 

It was the autumn of 1621 when 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians held the first Thanksgiving to celebrate a successful harvest. 200 years later, it became a national holiday that is still celebrated today. Thanksgiving is a day to be grateful. It is a day when Americans gather together with family to enjoy delicious traditional foods like turkey, stuffing, gravy, and pumpkin pie! It is a day to enjoy some football and classical movies. Here is a list of films to enjoy this Thanksgiving.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

We all remember watching this instant classic as kids. In this holiday special, Charlie Brown attempts to have a Thanksgiving dinner after Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends to his house. Snoopy, Linus, Woodstock, and the whole gang get together for a dinner filled with large ice cream sundaes and whipped cream. Since its premiere in 1973, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has continued to air every November as a Thanksgiving special. This Emmy award winning animation is based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. Although, it might be for kids, who can resist a good classic with Charlie Brown and Snoopy?

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987)

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles is a hilarious and heartwarming classic about two men trying to make it home for Thanksgiving. In this comedy, Neal Page (Steve Martin) and Del Griffith (John Candy) get trapped in Kansas after all the flights are canceled due to a massive snowstorm. All Neal truly wants is to get home in Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his wife and kids. Unfortunately, he gets stuck traveling with Del Griffith who he finds is extremely annoying. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film “has become a holiday traveler’s staple” and is a must watch during this holiday season.

The Nightingale (2015)

The Nightingale, directed by Philippe Muyl, is a beautiful family film that follows the journey of an elderly man and his spoiled granddaughter. The pair travel to rural, southwestern China with a caged bird in order to keep a promise made to a loved one. Through this bonding journey, Ren Xing, the granddaughter, goes through a humbling transformation as she begins to understand the simple life that her grandfather experienced. This heartening film examines family values, traditions, and generational differences. This was China’s official selection for the 87th Academy Awards. It is the perfect movie to watch with family on Thanksgiving. It will surely make you laugh, cry, and be thankful for family.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

We’re creeping towards Halloween again, and that means it is time to start finding scary movies to watch. With the amount of horror films that get released each year, it is easy to fall behind, and trying to look for the right film can get overwhelming. Here is a list of must-watch movies and TV shows for Halloween.

STRANGER THINGS 2

Stranger Things season 2 begins nearly a year after the first installment, on Halloween in Hawkins, Indiana. Will has rejoined his pals after being rescued from the show’s alternate dimension, the Upside Down. I recently finished watching season 1 of Stranger Things on Netflix and I was hooked from the opening scene. If you haven’t already watched it, I would recommend starting season 1 now. Season 2 of Stranger Things is set to be released exclusively on Netflix on October 27.   

Twin Peaks: The Return

Set 25 years after the original Twin Peaks, the new series focuses on a number of storylines, many which are connected through association with FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper. Twin Peaks is unlike any show on television and if you haven’t seen it yet, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and go watch it. It is by far my favorite TV show of the year (possibly of all time). Seasons 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks are currently available on Netflix, and the new season 3 is available on Showtime.  

Nosferatu

An absolute classic! In this highly influential 1922 silent horror film, the mysterious Count Orlok summons Thomas Hutter to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains.  After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle. It is no wonder the film considered an all-time great. I first watched Nosferatu at a film class in college and I couldn’t believe how many themes in this film are still used today. We are proud to have this film in our collection. A must-watch for film lovers everywhere.