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By Michael Lopez

Yes, we know Halloween on a Monday can be a bit of a drag. But even if work and school obligations keep you from partying your heart out tonight, you can still enjoy a scare at home with the newly released DVD, Atrocious. Written and directed by Mexican filmmaker Fernando Barreda Luna, it's reality-based horror puts Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch to shame. Fernando spoke to us exclusively about what went into his monstrous masterpiece.

"This is my first movie," Barreda Luna told us. "And I'm really enjoying the reactions I’ve been receiving. It seems to have already built quite a following both in the U.S. and overseas."

Shot entirely in Spanish, Atrocious follows the lives of a brother and sister who delve into a creepy local legend. Could a missing girl from the 1940's really be haunting the woods outside their parents' summer home? The two adventurous teens are determined to find out and bring their home video camera to document their explorations.

We think you can imagine what happens next. In the tradition of all those "found footage" horror movies, the audience sees the siblings' tapes after their vicious slaughter. Was the ghost in the woods behind it? Fernando's unique shooting style will keep you guessing until the very end.

"I had a lot of inspiration from other movies when making Atrocious, particularly in the suspense genre," he said. "If you don’t see the monster, it can be a much scarier experience. I wanted to keep that idea of not knowing the monster. Our imagination can be much more scary than what’s showing on the screen."

Barreda Luna also confessed that budgetary limitations prevented him from creating intricate CGI ghouls. But, he felt that worked to his advantage and ultimately challenged him to create a better film.

"The original idea was for a much more straightforward movie," he said. "But because of budget limits, we decided to make a much smaller film. We adapted it to this 'found footage' style and it worked. Paranormal Activity kind of follows the same mold. There's a lot of suspense and a lot of drama, but it wasn't expensive to do."

Having seen the film, we can definitely vouch for Fernando's fright tactics. A lifelong scary movie fan, he's picked up some great techniques from the cinema's best horror directors. And seeing how it's Halloween, we had to ask what his favorite films from the genre are.

"I have like 40 favorite horror movies," he jokingly said. "Rob Zombie's stuff is great. But I also really love the classics, like the original Alien, John Carpenter's The Thing, and Poltergeist."

You can find out more of Barreda Luna's horror inspirations (and even download the movie) by visiting the official Atrocious website.

What's your favorite scary movie? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Atrocious, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Fernando Berreda Luna, Halloween, Horror Movies, Movies & CineMás, Paranormal Activity, The Blair Witch Project, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Get ready Shrek fans. In just four days, the green ogre's courageous kitty sidekick is getting his own movie. Anticipation is already huge for this week's Puss In Boots release and the film's director, Chris Miller, spoke to us exclusively about how he brought the animated orange tabby to life.

"We wanted to make a movie that had a legendary, epic feel," Chris explained. "There's some Clint Eastwood in there, along with Indiana Jones and a bit of James Bond."

From a technical perspective, Puss In Boots features some amazing animated action sequences. There are dynamic rooftop chases, journeys to the top of a giant beanstalk, and even a wild ride on a monster goose. Miller explained how adding the element of 3D helped take the project to a new level.

"3D really lends itself to Puss In Boots’ world," he said. "The story really plays well in that format."

Chris also mentioned how having voice actors like Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek helped breathe more life into the film. Each of them threw in improvised lines that actually made it into the final cut.

"Making this movie was such a collaborative effort," Miller said. "Working with the entire cast. They're all great writers and great improvisers. Having them around makes my job a lot easier."

Another famous collaborator who helped out with Puss was horror director Guillermo del Toro. Listed as an executive producer on the film, Chris told us that he offered quite a bit of input during the story boarding process.

"Guillermo really fell in love with this movie and wanted to be a part of it," he said. "Having him on board was great. It pushed us to make things more fun and more exciting."

But Miller made sure to emphasize that the Puss character is the ultimate selling point of the movie. With his trademark one liners, exaggerated "sad kitty" eyes, and boot kicking dance moves, he's definitely proven himself to be a major leading man (and feline).

"Puss is such a bold and romantic character," he said. "He's larger-than-life and everything kind of springs out of his personality and what Antonio created. One of the things I love about Puss In Boots is how serious he takes himself and how dramatic he can be at times. It brings a great amount of comedy to the character."

You can see Antonio's furry alter ego in action when Puss In Boots arrives this Friday!

Are you planning on watching Puss In Boots? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Antonio Banderas, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chris Miller, Exclusive Entrevistas, Movies & CineMás, Puss In Boots, Salma Hayek, Shrek, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

With his gossip stories and larger-than-life attitude, you knew it was only a matter of time before Perez Hilton popped up on a Spanish-language soap. And what novela could be better suited for the chisme king than Popland? Yup, Carla and company are getting paid a visit by the mighty Perez and he spoke to us exclusively about the experience.

"It was a lot of fun to act in Spanish," he said. "It was actually something I had never done before and I love trying new things. I love doing fun things like acting."

Perez is no stranger to TV. He's got an appearance lined up Beverly Hills 90210 and has done cameos for Victorious and The Hills. Hilton actually confessed that he's quite the fan of the small screen and even has plans to start his own television production company.

"I'm starting my own TV production company because I want to do more in television," he said. "I want something that's my own and that I'm a part of. So far, I've pitched a talk show and a singing competition for female vocalists."

Calling Perez ambitious is an understatement. Outside of his TV work, he's currently managing five successful sites. Besides his flagship PerezHilton.com domain, the wonder blogger oversees Teddy Hilton (for pets), Coco Perez (for fashion), Fit Perez (for health), and his newest venture, Perezitos.

"Having these sites is like juggling," he explained. "I have a lot of balls in the air. And you can't get bogged down if one of the balls drops. You've just got to keep on juggling."

Hilton confessed that he works around the clock to keep his empire running. And the fact that he loves to write certainly makes things easier. Perez even branched out into the world of children's literature, publishing The Boy With The Pink Hair.

And all of you bloggers out there, take note. Hilton offered some sound advice for those looking to break into the world of online journalism.

"The best advice I can give anyone is to get a gimmick," he said. "There are so many blogs out there. You need to stand out and do something different. Come at it from a new point-of-view."

You can catch Perez' big Popland! debut, January 19 on Tr3s! Watch a trailer here:

Who's your favorite online blogger? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Exclusive Entrevistas, Novelas, Perez Hilton, Popland, popnews, Television, Tr3s Exclusives, Tr3s shows

By Michael Lopez

Who doesn't love a good horror movie? And more importantly, who doesn't love a good Hispanic horror movie? That's the question that Edwin Pagán answers on a daily basis with his site LatinHorror.com. Profiling the cinema's scariest offerings (from a Latin point-of-view), Pagán and his team offer great insights into the world of frights. And he recently spoke to us about which flicks to to queue up for this Halloween.

"Latin Horror was started to promote Latinos and the genre," he explained. "What we try to do is identify filmmakers here in the U.S. and in Latin America who work in the field and don't always get covered by the mainstream media."

Interestingly, Edwin's site was first launched on Halloween. Now three years later, he's got thousands of Twitter followers, a full staff of horror experts, and tons of cool YouTube videos. And his site goes way beyond movies. Latin Horror profiles comic books, games, artwork, and even the Halloween Horror Nights.

Speaking about the La Llorona attraction Universal recently added to their park, he said,

"It's great to see what they've done with La Llorona. Our tradition and folklore greatly affects people. We're adapting to American traditions and American traditions are adapting to us. We definitely have our own stories to tell."

But Pagán emphasized that his site offers commentaries on American-made movies too. He recently gave a "thumbs up" to the remake of The Thing and encouraged his fans to check it out.

"The 1982 John Carpenter film is a classic," he said when referring to the original. "A lot of us die-hard fans were up in arms when we first heard about the remake. We thought there was no way to make it better. But when we heard more and realized the director was making it a prequel, that made us want to give it a chance. We also thought the idea of incorporating digital CGI effects would be interesting to watch."

But seeing how The Thing is the only scary movie playing in theaters right now, we had to ask Edwin about his Halloween rental picks.

"There's definitely the obvious ones, like The Orphanage," he explained. "But you can also go back and see some other people; s work. Fragile, for example, was directed Jaume Balagueró and has some great horror elements in it."

He also made sure to share some love for Mexican horror god Guillermo del Toro. Besides recommending Pan’s Labyrinth, he shared a del Toro quote with us that really encapsulates what Latin horror is all about.

"One of my favorite Guillermo quotes was when he explained the difference between American horror and Latin horror. He said American horror tries to destroy the body, while Latin horror destroys the mind and soul."

Are you a fan of Latin horror movies? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Edwin Pagán, Exclusive Entravistas, Fragile, Guillermo del Toro, Halloween, Jaume Balagueró, La Llorona, Latin Horror, Movies & CineMás, The Thing, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Keep checking those calendars, there are only two more days left until Footloose returns to the big screen. Three years in the making, this dance happy reboot has got fun music, great choreography, and cast of fresh young faces. The movie’s two stars, Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough, shared their excitement about the project at a recent press event.

"We both loved the original Footloose growing up," Hough said. "And for this generation, there's a lot of different things that we're doing now. I think [my character] Ariel is more likeable in this version. There is much more depth to the script."

Audiences will instantly recognize Julianne from her work on Dancing With The Stars, but Kenny is a new discovery. Wormald is making his feature film debut with Footloose and told us that he went through quite a grueling process to nab the part.

"The Footloose audition process was grueling, but it was worth it," he said. "It pushed me harder knowing I was fighting for the role. Five auditions later, that’s when they were like, ‘okay cool'."

And Kenny definitely proved his worth in the dance department. A trained breaker, he performed on tours with stars like Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. In fact, Wormald's skills may have even been too good. He explained how director Craig Brewer actually made him tone down his moves to better fit the part.

"We had to dumb down our dancing, being professionals and all," he said. "But kids nowadays are exposed to such good dancing that you couldn't be bad. Plus, we had Jamal Sims as our choreographer and he's done everything. Between him, Craig, and us, we were conscious of making sure we did the right things while still adding our own flair to it."

Hough had a lot of flair to contribute too and told us that she’s extremely proud of the finished product. And she made a point to reassure hardcore Footloose fans that this remake will do the franchise justice.

"We have people asking us, 'Why would you remake Footloose?" she said. "But we are actually really proud of it. So we're just like, go and see it. We didn’t mess it up!"

And, for the record, original star Kevin Bacon has also given the reboot his blessing, so you know it's got to be good. Be sure to catch Footloose in theaters this coming Friday.

Who's your favorite celebrity dancer? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Craig Brewer, Exclusive Entrevistas, footloose, Julianne Hough, Kenny Wormald, Movies & CineMás, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

It's hard to find a musical duo quite like Domino Saints. Comprised of Giselle Ojeda and David Leal, these Puerto Rican powerhouses mix elements of reggae, pop, and dancehall into their inventive tracks and have captured the attention of radio outlets across the U.S. They've also caught the attention of the El Headliner voters, who've crowned them the September champs.

"We were super excited and proud to be chosen El Headliner," Giselle told us in an exclusive interview. "We love the exposure that the contest gives to independent artists and we've always wanted to be on MTV Tr3s. Things happen for a reason and they happen at the right time."

Interestingly both Ojeda and Leal have something in common with last month's winner, Ria. All three attended the famed Berklee School of Music. And it was actually at the famed training ground that Domino Saints had its earliest incarnation.

"Giselle and I have known each other since high school," David explained. "When we moved to Boston for music studies at Berklee, we decided we had to do a project together that felt right. We always wanted to do music you could dance to. Back in those days, we began writing our first songs together."

From there, Domino Saints was born. Starting in 2007, the duo began a string of well-received live shows and two years later they released their self-titled debut. An instant hit out of the gate, the first Domino album featured "Buenos Días San Juan," which won the 2009 Billboard World Song Contest.

"We consider our music Latin urban pop," Giselle said. "We have a pop side to our melodies and always add rap and dancehall elements to the songs. On top of that, you’ll regularly hear Latin rhythms, electronica, and lots of DS flava!"

And if you're curious about where the "DS" originated from, Leal explained the concept behind the group's very unique name.

"Los Santos y el Domino," he said. "Is there a better way to describe Caribbean culture in general? Domino Saints is a metaphor for the musical influences and styles we use in our music. Plus, people play dominoes all across Puerto Rico."

We expect the Domino Saints to score big in the music world with their latest batch of songs. Currently touring and recording, you can find all of the latest DS info by visiting their official site and Twitter page!

Are you looking forward to hearing more tracks from Domino Saints? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Berklee School of Music, Billboard World Song Contest, Blogger: Michael Lopez, David Leal, Domino Saints, El Headliner Contest, Exclusive Entrevistas, Giselle Ojeda, Música, OutStage, Puerto Rico, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

There is a very good chance that a Desmond Child song is in your iPod right now. This music writer extraordinaire has created some of the most memorable tracks of the past 30 years. And now he's up for three Latin Grammys for his work on Ricky Martin's Musica + Alma + Sexo. Desmond spoke to us exclusively about what went into making the album.

"I'm so excited about the nomination," Child said. "It's been so unexpected! I'm so glad that somebody heard the record and appreciated all of the hard work that we put into it."

And the true fans know that Desmond has put a lot of hard work into the Ricky Martin catalog. Along with Robi "Draco" Rosa, he's written classics like "Livin' La Vida Loca," "The Cup of Life," and "She Bangs." Child went on to explain how Música became a much more intimate project for the singer.

"The first time I worked with Ricky, I was collaborating with Robi Rosa," he said. "Ricky was touring a lot back then. He would come in and sing with us and then he would leave. This time he decided to stay put and be a part of every note and every word that went into the record. I’m really happy about that."

And don't think Desmond's work is strictly limited to the Latin realm. His songs have been recorded across nearly all genres and he’s built longstanding collaborations with bands like Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and Kiss. Explaining how he was able to bounce across so many musical genres, he said,

"I focus on the singer and not on the style. If you look at my work, I've done rock, Latin, pop, R&B, Broadway, and jazz. There's actually nothing different about working with a Latin artist and an English-speaking artist. You just need to focus on them and what they need. That's how it turns out good."

Child actually has very strong ties to the Latin music world. His mother is famed Cuban songwriter Elena Casals and his uncle was a regular performer at Havana's legendary Tropicana club back in the 1950's. So clearly, winning a Latin Grammy would be quite an accomplishment.

In the meantime though, we had to ask Desmond which Latin music stars he'd love to work with next.

"I would love to work with Luis Miguel," he said. "I would also love to collaborate with Shakira. I've actually never worked with her, though somewhere on my website it says that I have. Working with her would be a dream of mine."

We're sure another dream of Child's is taking home that Latin Grammy gold. You can root for him and Ricky when the festivities kick off on November 10!

Did you enjoy Ricky Martin's Musica + Alma + Sexo album? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Award Shows, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Desmond Child, Draco Rosa, Exclusive Entrevistas, Latin Grammys, Música, Musica + Alma + Sexo, Ricky Martin, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Get ready for another 80's remake. No, we're not talking about The Thing (though it does fall into that category), we're talking about the dance heavy drama Footloose! Featuring retro jams, a bevy of sexy stars, and shuffle moves that'll put J.R. Martinez to shame, we expect it to hit big at the box office this weekend. And so does writer/director Craig Brewer, who spoke with us about the movie at a recent press conference.

"I was a huge fan of the original," Brewer said. "I call myself a Footloose-ologist. I know everything there is to know. I was also very emotional about the whole thing. I needed Footloose when I was 13 and I know that there were a lot of people that needed Footloose at that age."

Craig went on to say that when the movie first came out in 1984, he had just turned 13 and experienced many of the same feelings that lead character Ren goes through. There was the constant moving, the small-town life, and (of course) the music and dancing.

And though the Footloose reboot has plenty of wild dance sequences, Brewer admitted that he wanted it to pack an emotional punch as well. Craig's resume is full of adult-themed dramas and you can definitely see elements of his hits, Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan, in this film.

Though Brewer did admit that at first, the studio wanted him to incorporate a much more Glee-esque feel into the movie.

"When we started pre-production, Glee had taken off and American Idol was huge," he said. "And I can understand why the studio wanted to go in that direction. I just tried to remind them of some of the things that were in the original. If that first Footloose came out now, it would be rated R. When I first submitted my movie, it came back R. I had to change many lines."

One thing Craig didn't change was the awesome dance-off at the end of the film. As he explained to us, he had a great choreographer on set to make sure the moves were always synchronized and always innovative.

"We felt really comfortable about the dance sequences," he said. "My choreographer and I bonded because we wanted it to be amazing dancing, but we didn’t want it to look too choreographed."

Other than practicing hand jives and pop n’ locks, we had to ask Brewer what he most wanted the audience to take away from the new version of Footloose.

"My wish is that people who have never seen Footloose are going to see it and feel inspired when they leave the theater," he said. "I felt a sense of camaraderie and friendship in that movie that I could experience in real life. I want them to have the experience that I had when I watched it with my family."

You can feel the Fooloose inspiration this Friday, when it hits theaters across the country.

Are you looking forward to the Footloose reboot? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Craig Brewer, Exclusive Entrevistas, footloose, Música, Movies & CineMás, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

There is no denying that Los Rakas are coming off an incredible summer. Having toured on both coasts and partnered with Heineken for “The Spot,” their notoriety has increased tenfold. But, with more fame comes more haters and Raka Rich has been feeling the need to silence them. So what better way to do it, than with a brand new solo single called “Nunca Cambiaré?”

“This song was inspired by the message of no change,” Rich told us in an exclusive interview. “People were saying that I changed and I’m telling them that I have not. I’m doing all the same stuff I had done before.”

And though some may think Rich going solo could signal a change, he explained that he and partner Raka Dun have been putting out individual tracks for years. He also assured us that Los Rakas is still very much intact and planning plenty of new stuff for the upcoming year.

“This track isn’t me trying to break off,” he said. “Dun and I started as solo artists and we are always about doing our own thing. That’s part of us and that’s part of Los Rakas.”

Rich also put out a very engaging video for “Nunca” which was actually shot while he and Dun were on tour with “The Spot.” In it, you can see him strolling the streets of New York and taking the mic in front of a very enthusiastic crowd. Interestingly, he told us that the video was just a mashup of footage they had randomly shot.

“When we were in New York, it wasn’t like let’s shoot a video for a song,” he said. “It was more like, here’s some great footage so let’s use it. The entire thing was completely natural and organic.”

One other interesting thing to point out in the video is the introduction of a new Raka. Shown as a tattoo and a gold medallion, Rich proudly introduces Raka Smiley, the unofficial mascot of Los Rakas.

“Our logo is about being proud where you came from,” he explained. “The dude doesn’t mean that you’re gangsta, it means that you’re a happy guy. We call him Raka Smiley. He’s the third Raka and the reason behind the movement.”

You can find a ton of more info about Rich, Dun, and Smiley by visiting the Los Rakas website. Get Raka Rich's 'El Flow Californianio: Mixtape Vol. 1'.  'Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada EP' is out now.

What do you think about Raka Rich’s new single? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Los Rakas, Música, Nunca Cambiare, popnews, Raka Dun, Raka Rich, Raka Smiley, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Forget the Van Halens, if you want to know about a true musical dynasty, look no further than the Rodriguez-Lopez's! In between Omar, Marcel, and Marfred, these talented hermanos are changing the face of free-form jamming. Omar and Marcel's Mars Volta outfit has won Grammys and made major dents on the Billboard charts. And Marfred’s ensemble, Zechs Marquise, is making big musical strides too, particularly with their new release, Getting Paid.

"We had a ton of fun making Getting Paid," Marfred told us in an exclusive interview. "We spent a lot of time on the songs and were really happy with the end result."

Described by critics as an "otherworldly groove album," Paid features all of the prog rock elements that Volta fans have come to love. Zechs had previously gotten attention for their 2008 debut, Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare. Though he was proud of that work, Marfred explained that Nightmare was a much darker record and differs greatly from Getting Paid.

"Our last record was very dark and moody," he explained. "But this one has a lot more light. It's way more colorful and it has more energy."

Just looking at Paid’s album cover, that's easy to see. Featuring a combination of suited owls, elephants, gorillas, and lions, it’s got quite a bit of symbolism buried beneath the lines. Though Marfred claimed that the cover art does not contain subliminal clues, he did admit that its imagery was open to interpretation.

"Every song on this album is its own character," he said. "We wanted the artwork on the album to fully represent that."

As the resident bass player of the band, Rodriquez-Lopez gets quite a few moments to shine on Paid. Typical tracks on the record can run anywhere from three to eight-minutes (with plenty of monster jams included). And though Marfred claimed to love everything on the record, he did admit to having a few faves.

"My favorite one to play is 'Mega Slap!'"  he openly confessed. "Although 'Getting Paid' and 'Crushin It!' are awesome live jams too."

You can check out all 9 experimental tracks on Zechs Marquise's Getting Paid, which is in stores now.

Who are your favorite experimental bands? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Getting Paid, Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez, Marfred Rodriguez-Lopez, Música, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, The Mars Volta, Tr3s Exclusives, Zechs Marquise