Webster's Dictionary defines Grindhouse as: "a cinema specializing in violent or exploitative films ...".
In other words - One of the finest sub-genres of movie making - over the top action, in your face machismo, and ladies that make any man's heart stoke with desire and a not so subtle message. MACHETE has raised all of these qualities to a fine art level.

Danny Trejo IS the legendary hero, Machete. A man repeatedly betrayed by the law, nation and brotherhood he values. Machete as a film features the magnification of current American political turmoil surrounding immigration and human rights. Although many of the themes are met with in your face grit and explosiveness, they are no less passionate in their telling of how the entitled feed their superiority with backhanded political dealings and martyrdom. Loyalty and revenge drive Machete as a film.
His allies include Sartana, an Immigration officer (Jessica Alba) working the immigration beat when the line blurs for her between the law and what she knows is right; Michelle Rodriguez maintains her no-nonsense, attitude aggressive role as Luz / She', the mythical leader of a network helping undercut an immigrant hating, homicidal Senator. Cheech Marin is The Padre of the bent halo, not quite as beautiful as Machete's other compatriots but no less passionate for the cause.

There is no lack of villainy in Machete. Steven Segal is Torrez, International Drug Kingpin who has tormented Machete at every turn, starting with Machete's family; Robert DeNiro is the aforementioned immigrant hating, homicidal Senator McLaughlin who feeds American's fears of being overrun and destitute. Senator McLaughlin is just trying to guide his flock in the right direction, the American Way, and possibly a little deadly force; Don Johnson is the good old boy leader of an unofficial vigilante border patrol hunting party and the puppet master, Booth (Jeff Fahey, the grisly helicopter pilot Frank from LOST).

Danny Trejo is a household face now, seen often in Tarantino and Rodriguez films, which usually feature Trejo as a knife wielding, tattooed, bad guy. Trejo's troubled past with the law and prison may be an indication to his career direction. Troubled early years grew to become 11-years incarceration in places like San Quentin and Folsom, for various violent crimes. Trejo's successful rehabilitation and his decisions that followed won him the opportunity to become the main villain in an Eric Roberts' film.

Built through blood, guts, sweat and action, Machete, is a visceral ride back to the days of an eye-for-an-eye and don't cross the people. Otherwise, you may find the sharp edge of Machete in your face.

Go See It Now!!

Help! I'm trying to find a park-like area to have an event for Pet Appreciation Day on Sept. 11th. What we need: Contact with an Orlando / Winter Park area pet rescue, a place big enough to have some fair type set-up for an inflatable bouncing things for kids, face painting, and a couple of booths. We'll take care of all the logistics, we just need a place to do it and maybe animal adopters. Please contact me ASAP

Play N Trade Video Games in Lake Mary and RavenLoches is teaming up with Mako's and ICPlaces.com for a big Resident Evil Afterlife Pre Screening tickets give away at Makos.

Enter the raffle for an Xbox 360 along with games, play Resident Evil 5 on scene, and enter for screening tickets for Resident Evil Afterlife 3-D.

Exorcism movies in the last few decades have been chasing the formula laid down by Rosemary's Baby and THE Exorcist. The Last Exorcism does an excellent job of bringing the legend into the 21st Century as it follows former priest and current charlatan, Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian), who has taken the religious right and made it his sideshow trade. His justification is that no matter what his beliefs are for doing the ceremony, the results are self evident. His faith has never been truly tested until he meets Nell.
The Sweetzer family's daughter, Nell, played by the endearing Ashley Bell, has been acting oddly and there have been many strange occurrences surrounding her on their farm. Nell's father Louis has suffered many tragedies and is at his faith's end with the possibility that his daughter is possessed by demons.
Cotton must question his true beliefs in order try and save Nell.

The entire film is outstanding with its tongue in cheek revelations on how a modern exorcism might be used to scam those who have nowhere else to turn. Ashley Bell is amazing as Nell who wavers from sweetly innocent to painfully possessed by something outside herself.
Many clues are hinted at throughout the story and will leave you, at times, more horrified at the possibilities outside the realms of the devil. Man can be more evil than anything imaginable. Up to the very end, everyone has a different theory of what is actually happening to Nell.
The ending suffers from the Hollywood current staple of having to create a twist from left field. It does not do the rest of this outstanding cast and film justice.
Creepy, Nell is comparable to a young Linda Blair in the way she makes you love her and feel sorry for her and then scares the pants off of you.

THE LAST EXORCISM rates a 3 out of 5 stars.

Joey Cruz - RavenLoches.com

If any of you know or have young women from the ages of 6 and 15 years of age, please contact me.

There is a promotional event Saturday at the Florida Mall JCPenny from 2 - 3:30. 5 time Olympic Medalist Nastia Liukin is having a Meet & Greet for her "Supergirl by Nastia" line of young girls clothing, and ORLANDO is the last city on the tour.

She believes young ladies should be empowered to be who they are. The Supergirl S-Shield is a universally recognized symbol, this coupled with Nastia’s passion for sports and fashion makes for a heroic combination.

Please email me for details or if you are going. Thanks very much.