Hot Latino summer
Stars’ lively slate of releases brings the heat.
The summer movie scene is heating up thanks to some of Hollywood’s top Latino and Spanish stars.
Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Ana de Armas are only a few of the big names headlining a loaded lineup of thrillers, comedies and documentaries this season. And with plenty of options coming to theaters and streaming services, there’s something for everyone to look forward to.
The lively summer slate follows an awards season in which Latino-focused movies such as “Encanto” and “West Side Story” won coveted trophies at the Oscars and Golden Globes.
Here are movies to get excited for between now and early August.
“Halftime”
Jenny from the Block is back on top in this aspirational documentary chronicling the Bronxborn Lopez’s prolific career while looking ahead to her next act.
But the film doesn’t just cover the high notes. It also explores the immense pressure and scrutiny Lopez faced as a superstar dancer, actress and singer — and how her talents came together in an unforgettable performance at the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Known for songs such as “Waiting for Tonight” and “On the Floor,” Lopez has sold more than 75 million records, while her films, which include “Selena” and “The Wedding Planner,” have grossed over $3 billion combined.
When: “Halftime” fittingly
made its world premiere in New York this week at the Tribeca Festival and arrived Tuesday on Netflix.
“Father of the Bride”
This Latino-led adaptation of the classic 1949 novel features the perfect marriage of icons, with Andy Garcia and Gloria Estefan putting their own spins on the timeless story.
Garcia stars as the old-school, overprotective Billy, who struggles to accept that his daughter is getting married while dealing with troubles in his own relationship with Estefan’s Ingrid.
In addition to the veteran star power, “Father of the Bride” features one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars in Adria Arjona — daughter of singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona — who plays the bride Sofia. The Puerto Rican-born Arjona starred earlier this year in the Marvel movie “Morbius,” and next appears in the live-action “Star Wars” series “Andor.”
The new “Father of the Bride” comes more than seven decades after audiences fell in love with the original 1950 adaptation starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor.
When: It debuted Thursday on HBO Max.
“Official Competition”
The hype around this Spanish-argentine comedy is no joke after it earned rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival last year.
Banderas and Cruz teamed up to lead the Spanish-language movie about a group of filmmakers enlisted by a billionaire to create an instant-classic flick.
The film’s American release comes shortly after Cruz received an Oscar nomination for the Spanish thriller “Parallel Mothers.”
When: “Official Competition” made its U.S. premiere Tuesday at the Tribeca Festival before hitting theaters in some markets today.
“The Gray Man”
Fresh off a scene-stealing turn in last fall’s James Bond epic “No Time to Die,” the Cuban-born De Armas is back in action with another exhilarating thriller.
De Armas stars alongside fellow action heroes Ryan Gosling
and Chris Evans in “The Gray Man,” which centers on a former CIA mercenary who becomes his agency’s target after discovering a dark secret.
“The Gray Man” marks the latest high-profile role for De Armas, who previously worked with Gosling on 2017’s “Blade Runner 2049’ before earning a Golden Globe nomination for the 2019 mystery movie “Knives Out.”
When: Directed by Marvel veterans Joe and Anthony Russo, “The Gray Man” arrives in limited theaters July 15 and streams on Netflix starting July 22.
“Bed Rest”
The versatile Melissa Barrera adds to her building horror résumé with this freaky flick about a pregnant woman who witnesses paranormal phenomena in her home as she nears childbirth.
Barrera starred earlier this year in the fifth “Scream” slasher movie after striking a chord with audiences as one of the leads of the Manhattan-set movie musical “In the Heights” last summer.
The 31-year-old actress from Monterrey, who studied at NYU, previously starred on the Starz drama series “Vida.”
When: “Bed Rest” creeps into theaters July 15.
“Bullet Train”
The chart-topping, Grammy-winning rapper Bad Bunny is now approaching movie superstardom at blazing speed, thanks in large part to “Bullet Train.”
The Puerto Rican artist has a supporting role in the Sony action-thriller but must have impressed with his performance — he’s since booked the title role in the studio’s “El Muerto,” which will make him the first Latino actor to lead a Marvel movie.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Ocasio, appears alongside Brad Pitt in “Bullet Train,” which follows assassins competing to complete their missions aboard a zooming locomotive.
When: It zooms into movie theaters Aug. 5.