By Michael Lopez

It's a little hard to deduce what you’re in for staring at the poster for The Grey. Beyond a few snowflakes, it's literally a giant image of star Liam Neeson, looking like he's been to hell and back. But after watching the movie, it all becomes clear. Liam owns this heavy-duty action flick, which dabbles in horror, fast thrills, and, most importantly, the emotions of one man's internal struggle.

As the story begins, we are introduced to a professional Alaskan hunter named Ottway (played by Neeson). A truly broken man, Ottway's yearning for his lost lady love drives him to the brink of suicide and ultimately leads to some very emotional scenes.

But just when you think you're in for a heart-wrenching drama, The Grey turns into an explosive disaster flick. Ottway soon finds himself on a doomed airline flight alongside several arctic rig workers. Utilizing director Joe Carnahan's superb filmmaking skills (a la his last outing, The A-Team), we get to experience one of the most realistic plane crash sequences captured in modern cinema.

Seats are flying, wings are getting torn apart, and before you know it, Ottway and his fellow passengers are stranded in an isolated patch of snow. To make matters worse, the wreckage happens to be in the vicinity of a massive wolf den and the fang-faced locals are not happy about it.

The remainder of The Grey is where the true substance comes in. Ottway and his fellow survivors soon encounter treacherous blizzard conditions, raging rivers, and the concept of their own mortality.

Believe it or not, The Grey is actually a very deep film. Yes there is a lot of machismo mixed in, but at its core, this movie is about the life experience and how each individual interprets it. Ottway and his fellow survivors each represent a different personality type of and a different perspective on what it means to "live." Yes you can enjoy The Grey as a wolf-packed action flick. But dig a little deeper and you'll see something much more special.

Bottom line: Imagine a National Geographic film on steroids and you'll have a pretty good understanding of The Grey. There are beautiful snow-drenched mountains, majestic trees, and animated wolves full of rage and unpredictability. But beyond that, there is a multi-layered story about friendship, survival, and the struggles between life and death. It not only makes for a great movie, but for some great talking points after the credits roll.

Are you planning on watching The Grey? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Joe Carnahan, Liam Neeson, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, The Grey

By Michael Lopez

How does ace wide receiver Victor Cruz wind down before his big trip to the Super Bowl? With a few high spirited salsa classes in the heart of New York.

The Giants star has already become well known for his signature merengue moves after every touchdown. And this week he capitalized it, by teaching a few die-hard fans his famous steps at a New York sporting goods store.

And, as he told Yahoo News, Cruz (who is part Puerto Rican) is mighty proud of the salsa sensation he's helping to create.

"There was no celebratory dancing in high school," he said. "But once you get to the NFL, when you're young watching, you just want to have your own trademark stuff, so I'm fortunate to have something the fans can cling to. It's fun to do."

Interestingly, it's not just Victor who's making the most of the touchdown dance. Local merchants have created Cruz-inspired shirts, hats, and bobbleheads that sway to Latin beats.

Are you a fan of Cruz' salsa moves? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Football, New York Giants, NFL, Salsa, Sports, Super Bowl, Victor Cruz

By Michael Lopez

Feeling the need for more John Leguizamo? Not to worry, the talented actor/comedian/theater god has got a ton of stuff lined up for the new year, including a role in Friday's release One For The Money. This past week, we got to speak to him exclusively about his multitude of upcoming projects.

"I think One For The Money is a very clever film," he told us. "[Director] Julie Ann Robinson got a very good vibe going with it. It’s a little edgy, but it’s also a bit of a rom com."

Money happens to be based on a popular book series written by Janet Evanovich. Mixing in elements of romance, action, and good old fashioned gunplay, it's got Katherine Heigl as its headliner and, as John explained, she fit her role perfectly.

"It was really fun working with Katherine," he said. "I play her boxing manager in the movie, so we definitely share a lot of screen time. She's a very sharp lady."

Heigl actually has a lot more than screen time invested in the project. She also serves as one of the producers on the film. But if bounty hunter chick flicks aren't your cup of tea, you can still catch Leguizamo in two other potential blockbusters later this year.

"I've got Ice Age 4 coming out in July," he told us. "This one's going to be cool because you’ll get to meet my whole sloth family. And I've also got a fun character I'm playing in Men In Black III. You can see me in the trailer as Graffiti Man."

And John assured us that he's staying true to his theater roots too with a new all-Spanish version of his hit play Ghetto Klown. As he explained to us, this latest revamp will be sending him all the way to South America.

"I'm going to Colombia to do a Spanish version of Ghetto Klown," he explained. "It's really wild. I've been working three or four months to translate it. It’s like I'm re-conquering my heritage."

Clearly there will be no Leguizamo shortages in 2012. But if you want to get the jump on what he's up to now, check out his role as Jimmy Alpha in One For The Money, which hits theaters tomorrow.

Are you planning on watching One For The Money? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Ghetto Klown, Ice Age, Janet Evanovich, John Leguizamo, Julie Ann Robinson, Katherine Heigl, Men in Black III, Movies & CineMás, One For The Money, Theatre, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

After months of hype (and a breakup in between), Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's ¡Q’Viva! series is finally set to debut this weekend. We happened to catch a sneak peek of the premiere episode, which shows a very interesting side to the newly divorced power couple.

In all honesty, the ¡Q’Viva! format does play a lot like Jennifer's "other" reality competition show. And if you ask us, it's kind of strange to premiere both series so close to each other. Could it be giving the TV viewing audience a little too much J.Lo on a weekly basis?

One thing's for sure. With Lopez, what you see is what you get. Jennifer actually comes off quite the same on ¡Q’Viva! as she does on Idol. She's the "sweet" judge, the big-hearted talent scout who clearly hates giving out bad news.

Anthony, on the other hand, is a little more rough around the edges and has some stern moments during the premiere. Sometimes he gives the thumbs up and other times he's crushing karaoke dreams.

But of course, what the audience really wants to see is how well these two interact together. Now keep in mind, ¡Q’Viva! was shot before the Casper Smarts and Shannon de Limas entered the picture.

With the split still pretty fresh, both Jennifer and Marc come off professional and genuinely sweet with each other. There are even a few brief mentions of their twins, Max and Emme.

And the producers made a smart decision by having them address their public breakup almost immediately (vs. glossing over it like it never happened). Clearly part of the season's subplot will include how these two former lovers learn to work hand-in-hand to find talented Latinos.

Which of course brings us back to the "substance" of the show, the talent. In the first episode we meet quite an interesting array of characters. There are Brazilian fighter dancers, Chilean guitar masters, and a pair of Central American twin sisters who have some funny (and flirty) moments with El Cantante.

Superstar choreographer Jamie King is featured as a central figure too, adding input on a few dancing contestants from Argentina. And with his history teaching moves to Ricky Martin, Madonna, and Britney Spears, we're sure he'll add a lively touch to the show.

That being said, ¡Q’Viva! has the potential to turn into quite an interesting reality experiment. But, as we know with all talent competition shows, the true fun doesn't begin until the final eliminations.

Are you looking forward to ¡Q’Viva!? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, ¡Q’Viva!, ¡Q’Viva! The Chosen, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Celebrity Divorce, Jamie King, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Música, Reality shows, Television

By Michael Lopez

Remember those infamous pictures of Oscar de la Hoya in fishnet stockings? It seems like they're coming back to haunt the Golden Boy once again, with a former model suing him over events that took place the night they were taken.

Angelica Marie Cecora wants Oscar to fork over $5 million for "verbally assaulting" her, stealing her clothes, and stiffing her on a hotel bill. As she put it, de la Hoya was on a drug-fueled rampage that night and had some very kinky demands.

"It would be nice to start with an apology," she told the press outside of a New York courthouse. "Oscar needs to acknowledge his mistakes. He knows he did something wrong."

Wrong and bizarre, if you ask us. Angelica seems more than willing to dish out the dirty details, which include "extreme sex acts," fetish toys, and that whole cross-dressing incident.

In recent months, Oscar has ‘fessed up to the fishnets and checked himself into rehab. But with a possible civil trial looming, it looks like this story is far from over.

Are you curious to hear the “whole story” behind Oscar's fishnet photos? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Angelica Marie Cecora, Blogger: Michael Lopez, boxing, Chisme, Lawsuits, Oscar de la Hoya, popnews, Sports

By Ikam Acosta

Happy to be the mother of adopted baby boy Benito Dxuladi, Lila Downs realizes being a biological mother was not meant to be.

Lila has always wanted to be a mother, but having babies was just not in the cards. The 43-year old Mexican folk singer, along with her partner jazz pianist, Paul Cohen, adopted Benito in 2010.

When asked about her new album Pecados y Milagros, Downs explained to Latina magazine,

"My son was my inspiration. Motherhood is an extraordinary life- one of which I learn from everyday. This experience has renewed me as a woman. It took a lot of devotion to get to where we are now because it wasn't in my path to be a biological mother, but naturally I tried to find a solution."

Lila hopes her new album will inspire people to adopt. She also hopes it will break the taboo of adoption common in Latino culture.

"It has created such an unexpected joy in my life. He is a miracle."

Would you adopt a child if you could not have your own?

Tags Benito Dxuladi, Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Celebrities, Lila Downs, Paul Cohen

By Michael Lopez

Could Olivia Wilde be suiting up for Nacho Libre 2? Not quite, but she looks pretty darn close in the behind-the-scenes shots that were released from her new movie, Burt Wonderstone.

Dressed in a flaming red wrestler mask and shiny cape, the Cowboys & Aliens star created quite a bit of buzz across the web. Apparently Olivia will be playing a magician's assistant in the movie, which is currently shooting in Sin City.

Clearly Wilde's getup is meant as a loving tribute to the flair of Las Vegas' cheesy magicians. Wonderstone star Steve Carell was snapped a few weeks back decked out in his own outrageous costume, which emulated the style of Siegfried and Roy.

Burt Wonderstone will also feature Jim Carrey and The Sopranos' James Gandolfini in over-the-top comedy roles. Expect it to serve up big laughs when it hits theaters in 2013.

Are you excited about Burt Wonderstone? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Burt Wonderstone, James Gandolfini, Jim Carrey, Lucha Libre, Movies & CineMás, Olivia Wilde, Steve Carell

By Michael Lopez

Keep your eye on Javier Fernandez-Han. This 17-year-old science whiz may very well change the world within the next decade. And we're not the only ones who think so. Forbes recently put him on their prestigious "30 Under 30" list.

Tapped into the magazine's Energy category, Javier is among some very elite company. 24-year-old Danielle Fong already runs her own renewables company called LightSail Energy. Her inventions have made great strides in the electrical world, giving scientists new ways to store and harness solar power from the sun.

Though Fernandez-Han hasn’t quite reached the level of CEO yet, he's well on his way. The Texas high school student (who is half-Mexican and half-Chinese) has invented a groundbreaking system that can break down sewage and convert it into methane for fuel.

Not only that, he's already founded his own humanitarian organization called Inventors Without Borders. Javier hopes his ".org" will allow for new inventions to be used in poverty-stricken areas around the world.

"Once I realized I enjoyed inventing, I began to see how I could provide solutions to common problems," he told NBC Latino. "Inventing things became a way to help people."

And interestingly, the science world is starting to take notice. Fernandez-Han has already spoken at conventions for the popular website TED and been flown to Spain to deliver a speech to eco-engineers (which has become a YouTube sensation).

But if you were to ask his proud parents, Javier is still very much a "normal" teenager. He enjoys ping-pong, afterschool social events, and, well, saving the world.

"All teenagers have potential to solve problems. My vision is that one day that what Javier does will be considered typical," Fernandez-Han’s dad Peter explained. "As parents, we can expect kids to be creative in everything they do. When you refrain from providing a quick answer or buying solutions to a kid’s boredom, you cultivate the expectation that your kids can, and will be creative."

Have you ever tried to invent anything? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 30 Under 30, Agentes De Cambio, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cultura, Danielle Fong, Ecology, Education, Forbes, Inventors Without Borders, Javier Fernandez-Han, LightSail Energy, Science, Technology, TED

By Michael Lopez

Did Sergio Mendes spill the beans about Rio Part 2? Not exactly, but the legendary Brazilian musician did confirm that the team behind the animated hit is "strongly considering" putting out a sequel.

"Fox has been talking about [it] and it looks like it's going to happen," Mendes told the press. "We're going to have a meeting I think next week and [director] Carlos Saldanha is coming to town to tell us the story, and it looks like it's a go."

Clearly the Oscar love it received yesterday may have something to do with that decision. Mendes received an Academy Award nomination for his song in the film, "Real In Rio." And with Brazil so much in the news lately, there are a lot of fun things the next movie could capitalize on.

Sergio mentioned that Rio 2 may focus around the country holding the next World Cup. Whatever premise brings Blu, Jewel, and Rafael back to the big screen, we're for it!

Would you be excited to see Rio Part 2? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Brazil, Carlos Saldanha, Movies & CineMás, Real In Rio, Rio, Rio 2, Sergio Mendes

By Michael Lopez

The next time you pull one of those delicious popcorn bags out of the microwave, you may want to give a little shout out to Peru. According to some recent discoveries, the South American country may be the originator of what we now know as popcorn.

National Geographic is now claiming that Peruvian civilizations created the crunchy kernels over 6,700 years ago. Archeologists exploring the Andean region of the country recently discovered ancient corn remnants wrapped in foil-esque material and resting near coals.

They believe the Peruvians used the coals to "pop" kernels, simulating the same fluffy edibles we now enjoy today. Was there liquid butter, salt packets, and Diet Coke cups? Probably not, but the discovery is groundbreaking nonetheless.

It's all pretty amazing stuff, though it's a shame the ancient Peruvians weren't able to copyright their invention. Because as we all know, there are going to be A TON of kernels popping come Super Bowl time.

What's your favorite flavor of popcorn? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cultura, Food, National Geographic, peru, Popcorn