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By Michael Lopez

One of the best things about the TRON: Legacy sequel is that you don't have to watch the original 1982 film to enjoy it. Unlike the Harry Potter series, which is almost impossible to keep up with if you haven't seen the latest chapters (or read the books), Legacy doesn't expect its audience to know the characters going in, and does a great job of filling in the backstory while still including extra references for hardcore fans.

Written by two of the scribes behind the show Lost, the story incorporates a number of mysterious elements — a missing father, a secret room in an '80s arcade, even a plot about total world domination. Pretty heavy stuff for a movie you thought was just about flying discs and light cycles, right?

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of fun stuff to geek out on too. When the audience is first taken into the TRON "grid," the 3D imagery translates into an otherworldly experience. The main character, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), is on a desperate quest to locate his father (Jeff Bridges) in this breathtaking computer universe. But before he can get to him, he’ll have to battle with glow-in-the-dark motorbikes, neon gladiators and other forces you’d have to see to believe.

Garrett Hedlund does a great job as a cyberdude with daddy issues and Jeff Bridges, reprising the role he originated 28 years ago, emits an Obi-Wan-Lebowski vibe as a know-it-all human trapped in this virtual world. One of the more interesting (and controversial) CGI moves Legacy uses is a digital regression process where Bridges actually plays a younger version of himself. The jury is still out on whether Jeff 2.0 looks vibrantly real or synthetically creepy.

Technically, TRON: Legacy delivers. Some may even describe its state-of-the-art landscape as revolutionary (its certainly unlike anything this writer's seen on the big screen). The film's amazing storytelling and technical achievements make it a holiday must-see. So, all of you geeks out there, buy those advanced tickets now!

TRON: Legacy hits theaters Friday, Dec. 17.

Are you a fellow TRON geek? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Movie Reviews, Movies, Movies & CineMás, TRON: Legacy

By Michael Lopez

You could say Tuesday was a Biutiful evening in Los Angeles. The sky was clear, the weather was perfect and the stars were out for the premiere of Javier Bardem’s acclaimed new film. The cast and crew gave Tr3s lots of juicy soundbites about the Golden Globes, acting techniques and even Cowboys & Aliens!

The darlings of the night, Javier Bardem and director Alejandro González Iñárritu, beamed with pride after  Biutiful picked up a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

“[It] was fantastic!" Iñárritu told Blogamole. "It was really great news! I have been working four years for this film to happen.”

Biutiful’s nomination is particularly meaningful to Iñárritu after he and executive producer Guillermo del Toro recently slammed Hollywood studios for putting out “recycled” and formulaic movies. Biutiful obviously doesn’t fall into that category, and recognition from the Golden Globes proves that great cinema can still be appreciated.

Javier Bardem was just as excited, calling the nomination “great news.” He went on to tell us about preparing for such a challenging role.

“You really have to prepare yourself [for this role]," Bardem told Blogamole. "The most challenging aspect of this character was that he had to face himself, to evaluate his life, to see what he did wrong, and to find the right ways to fix it.”

Although the movie was filled with life-and-death drama (and some very dark undertones), you wouldn't know it from the light-hearted atmosphere of the premiere, which kept celebs such as Melanie Griffith, Andy Garcia and Milla Jovovich smiling throughout the evening.

We also caught up with Nacho Libre star Ana de la Reguera at the event. The actress, who recently added HBO’s Eastbound & Down to her credits, told us about her upcoming sci-fi western, Cowboys & Aliens.

“It’s going to be an amazing film, and it’s got a very interesting plot," de la Reguera told Blogamole. "Aliens in the 1800’s and all kinds of cool stuff.”

Coming from producer Steven Spielberg and the director of Iron Man, we can’t wait to see the film when it opens next July.

As for Biutiful, it's just as amazing as we hoped it would be. Though we’ve been sworn to secrecy for one more week, you can bet we’ll have an exciting review waiting for you before the movie officially hits theaters December 29.

Do you plan to see Biutiful? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Alejandro González Iñárritu, Ana de la Reguera, Biutiful, Exclusive Entrevistas, Golden Globes, Javier Bardem, Movies, Movies & CineMás

By Michael Lopez

The Golden Globe nominations are in, and we're excited that two of our selected holiday films, along with our favorite Modern Family gal, Sofia Vergara, were nominated for the coveted awards.

We admittedly haven't seen all of the nominated films yet, but we're going to go out on a limb here and cast our vote in the Best Motion Picture Drama category for David Fincher's The Social Network. The critically acclaimed movie weaves together an intricate story about the creation of Facebook with incredible performances from the cast, including Jesse Eisenberg.

In the Best Motion Picture Comedy category, we’re going against the odds and voting for Burlesque. Since so many critics panned it, we were actually surprised that Christina Aguilera's flick made the cut, but we like an underdog and we like Cher even more.

Last month, we made a point to praise Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal's chemistry in the film Love & Other Drugs. They both scored Best Actor nods for the film and, frankly, we hope they win. Each gave a funny, heartfelt performance. Plus, they showed off quite a bit of skin for their roles, which this writer has no problem endorsing!

Although Hollywood Foreign Press Association failed to deliver any Golden Globe love to Biutiful star Javier Bardem or director Alejandro González Iñárritu, we are thrilled that it was nominated for Best Foreign Film. The movie’s touching life-and-death story crosses language barriers, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it takes home the prize.

Moving on to television, we’ve got to give some props to Sofia Vergara, who was nominated for Best Television Actress. Is this her year or what? An Emmy nomination, an $8 million Kmart deal and now a Golden Globe nomination. She’s up against some heavy hitters, namely Glee’s Jane Lynch, but we still think she has a shot. And regardless, we can’t wait to see what she wears on the red carpet.

The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards airs January 16.

Who are you rooting for at this year’s Golden Globes? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards, Award Shows, Biutiful, Deep Thoughts, Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globes, Movies, Movies & CineMás, Television

By Michael Lopez

Watch out Selena Gomez, there’s a new Latina tween queen ready to break into the pop world. Come to think of it, if you add in Demi Lovato and Bella Thorne, there are quite a few, but 17-year-old Victoria Justice is one to keep your eye on. The half-Puerto Rican star of Nickelodeon’s Victorious series is set to release her debut album very soon and dropped a few hints about it to Popeater.com:

"I will say that a lot of songs that I've written are from my own personal experiences, which are special to me." Justice said. "One can only hope that people will like it."

What might those personal experiences be? Well, for starters, she's been acting since she was 11, appearing on such shows as Gilmore Girls and Disney’s The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody, so she's spent most of her childhood in front of the cameras. While she hasn't officially crossed paths with Selena on Wizards of Waverly Place, we’d love to see it happen.

In her interview with Popeater.com, Victoria pretty much discussed only music, including the artists that influence her most.

"It's hard to pinpoint just one artist, but I'll try to name a few: Pink, Sara Bareilles, Britney Spears, Madonna, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. [I also] love Motown music, Hall and Oates, Carly Simon, Billy Joel, Jackson 5, Karen Carpenter, The Beatles, I could go on and on.”

That's quite an eclectic mix. We can’t wait to see if she’s able to incorporate those styles into her new album. In the meantime, check out Justice's "Freak the Freakout" video:

Tags Hot Stuff, Música, Nickelodeon, victoria justice, Victorious

Tags johnny depp, Movies, Penelope Cruz, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

By Sharmaine Jones

Numerous media outlets are reporting that High School Musical co-stars and real-life couple Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens have split. But are the rumors true?

Here's what we know: Zac attended Sunday's New Orleans Saints game against the St. Louis Rams without Hudgens. We also know that Efron and Twilight's Kellan Lutz posed for a photo with Karimar Brown, the wife of Saints defensive end Alex Brown, and their two adorable kids.

After the game, Brown tweeted this message with a link the photo:

"For those who don't know: that's me my son and daughter with Zac Effron and Kellan Lutz http://plixi.com/p/62670597"

She went on to add:
"@ZacEfron_News he was fine, he was super nice to my son who is a super fan."

According to E! Online, Zanessa did in fact break up:

“They were together for so long," said a source close to the couple. "It just ran its course.”

The San Francisco Examiner also reported an amicable break-up:

"They are still talking and still friends,” a source said. “There's no drama. No one cheated. They just grew up.”

They don't seem too devastated, which might explain Efron's good spirits during the game. The couple has yet to release a public statement about the rumors, but if they're true, we hope Hudgens was able to enjoy her birthday on Tuesday.

Do you think Zac and Vanessa will get back together or are they better apart? Tell us below or @MTV3.

Tags Alex Brown, Karimar Brown, Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron

By Michael Lopez

It takes a special kind of person to get Carlos Santana, Los Lonely Boys and Willie Nelson in the studio for free. And legendary social activist Dolores Huerta is just that kind of person. Her charity and the Hermes Foundation assembled an awesome list of musical talent to record the album, Proyecto de Amor.

The 15-track Amor features spoken poems from spiritualist Deepak Chopra and no less than five renditions of the lead charity single, “Claro Que Se Puede.” There is an Español version from Santana, an English version from Willie Nelson, even a Los Bravos Del Norte Norteño version of the song!

Trust us, after hearing it you’ll understand why. The glowing guitar solos (courtesy of Mr. Santana), gorgeous melodies and “Yes We Can” message about positive change are inspirational on multiple levels. And interestingly enough, Huerta actually co-wrote the track along with Hermes founder Alberto Kreimerman.

Both were on hand, along with Sony representatives, to talk about the album at a press conference this week in Los Angeles.

“La música soporta la lucha,” Dolores said.

And “la lucha” is something the 80-year-old Huerta knows quite a bit about. Dolores, a co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association with Cesar Chavez, has been fighting for Latino rights for more than 40 years. Her foundation is extremely active in community organizing and will use profits from Amor to build awareness about immigration reform.

The Hermes Foundation is also backing the single and will use its portions of the profits to aid children in Mexico’s poorest districts. Since its launch 24 years ago, Hermes has given away more than 100,000 toys to kids in need and paid for countless cleft palate surgeries in Mexico’s Chiapas region.

So, if you think about it, picking up a copy of Proyecto de Amor should make you feel twice as good. Not only will you be aiding Dolores and her immigration fight, you’ll be improving the life of a child. And you’ll have a bunch of really cool new songs to load into your mp3 player. Sounds like a win-win to us!

Proyecto de Amor is available on iTunes and Amazon beginning Tuesday, Dec. 14.

Which version of “Claro Que Se Puede” do you like best? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Carlos Santana, Claro que se Puede, Dolores Huerta, Hermes Foundation, Los Lonely Boys, Música, Proyecto De Amor, Willie Nelson

By Michael Lopez

Long before there were online articles, Facebook posts and Tweets, people got their information from good old-fashioned books. And though most of us at Blogamole have begrudgingly embraced the e-Reader craze, we still love a hardcover page-turner every now and again. That’s why we were extra stoked to hear about LatinoStories.com’s list of the hottest Latino authors (and books) of the holiday season.

Topping the list is Cuban-born author Raul Ramos y Sanchez and his fictional novel, America Libre. This cultural breakdown has major movie potential and received big praise from such Hollywood heavyweights as Edward James Olmos. Rumor has it, Raul’s 2011 follow-up, House Divided, will be even better.

Moving to lighter fare, Mara Price’s Grandma’s Chocolate has two things we can’t get enough of — sweets and abuelitas! It’s a fun, heartwarming story with great illustrations by Lisa Fields.

Those looking for darker themes might want to check out Aaron Michael Morales’ novel, Drowning Tucson. With such heavy topics as family strife, murder and violence, it’s definitely not helping Arizona’s already tainted image (but it’s a great read).

What if you just don’t have the time to commit to a 400-page book? Not to worry, Patricia Engel’s Vida is a great collection of lighthearted short stories. And for all you Latin poetry fans, The Strange House Testifies by Ruth Irupe Sanabria offers wonderful glimpses into the history and culture of Argentina.

That’s only the beginning. There are fantastic works by Salvador Plascencia, Oscar Casares and many others. Thanks, LatinoStories, for compiling such an awesome list.

What is your favorite book this holiday season? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags America Libre, Authors, Books, Holiday Reading, Hot Stuff, Libros, Raul Ramod y Sanchez

By Michael Lopez

And you thought Christina Aguilera’s recent photos were racy. Wait until you pick up the new issue of Paper Magazine. Up-and-coming Latina actress Paz de la Huerta doesn't only talk about getting naked in her new interview, she willingly does it!

Model, New York socialite, and now a critically acclaimed TV star, you’ll probably recognize Paz from her most recent stint on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. Not only that, the half-Spanish beauty has been a rumored girlfriend of both Orlando Bloom and Jack Nicholson.

De la Huerta has built quite a rep for not being shy about her body. So far, her nude movie credits include films like Choke and The Limits Of Control. When describing her thoughts on the issue, she said,

“Nudity is a non-issue for me. Sex is a huge part of life. To pretend it’s not is being a liar, and people who are afraid of their sexuality are suffering.”

And as for the Paper photo spread, it looks like she more than lived up to her word. The cover pic features a topless de la Huerta wrapping her arms around her chest and there are plenty of sexy lingerie shots inside.

So fellas, if you’re looking for some great winter “reading” this season, we highly recommend checking out the intricate details of Paz’s new article.

Do you think the media is too sensitive about nudity? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Boardwalk Empire, Chisme, nudity, Paper Magazine, Paz de la Huerta, Television

By Michael Lopez

It looks like fans won’t be getting any recipes from the Calorie Commando for quite some time. News broke this week that Juan-Carlos Cruz, the star of that popular Food Network series, received a nine-year sentence for plotting to kill his own wife.

Cruz was originally arrested back in May, after he attempted to pay a homeless man $500 to assassinate his wife, Jennifer Campbell. Though no murder was actually committed, police are certain that Juan-Carlos was serious about carrying out the crime.

After getting tipped off, Santa Monica cops set up a sting operation and monitored Cruz as he approached two other men with the same murder-for-hire proposition. What was the motive? TMZ is reporting that Juan-Carlos wanted his wife dead simply because she was unable to bear children. Wouldn't it have been easier to adopt?

Whatever the reason, it looks like Cruz will have plenty of time to think about what he’s done. And as far as silver linings go, at least L.A.’s prison food may go up in quality now that the Calorie Commando is on nine-year kitchen duty.

Source: [CBS]

What do you think of the Calorie Commando's murder plot? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Calorie Commando, Chisme, Food Network, Juan-Carlos Cruz, Television