El Cantante

Though they don't look much alike, slight actor-singer Marc Anthony was born to play robust salsa sensation Héctor Lavoe. In addition to similar ancestry and vocal skills, Anthony has been building a respectable cinematic resume with roles in Big Night and Martin Scorsese's Bringing out the Dead. The title of El Cantante comes from a number Rubén Blades wrote for The Singer. Lavoe would make it his signature song. In the film, Anthony's wife, producer Jennifer Lopez, plays Puchi, the Nuyorican beauty who won Lavoe's heart. She narrates their story from the perspective of 2002 (the real-life Puchi passed away shortly afterwards). Leon Ichaso (Piñero) contrasts Lavoe's rise from Puerto Rican street singer to New York superstar with his fall from innocent immigrant to heroin-addicted ladies man. By the mid-1980s, Lavoe's popularity hit its peak, and Ichaso spends the rest of the time ticking off the tragedies of his final years: the break with trombonist Willie Colón (John Ortiz), stay in a mental ward, etc. It's a dynamic portrait, and Anthony and Lopez work well together, but despite the urban setting and Latin-flavored soundtrack, El Cantante follows virtually the same trajectory as Ray and Walk the Line (Ichaso has also directed biopics of Jimi Hendrix and Muhammad Ali). His movie looks and sounds authentic, but Lavoe's story might've been better served as nonfiction. There's a sense that there was more to the man than what appears on screen. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Customer Review: El cantante sings!
I loved this movie and I also love JLo and Marc Anthony! I think this movie was underrated. If you are truly interested in Hector Lavoe, you will love it. If you buy it just cause you want to see JLo and Marc, you probably won't like it. They are good in the movie but the story is what made it for me. Of course, it goes without saying, Marc Anthony's voice is supberb!
Customer Review: WONDERFUL....
I rented this film recently and was surprised at how good it was. The story depicts the stormy life and tragic end to the great salsa legend Hector Lavoe. This movie hits you in the heart from the start. It makes you care about the character and his music. I now own a cd of Hector Lavoe and I never knew I could like salsa. Who knew?? His music is amazing and the tragic events of his life makes you want to know the person behind the prose of his songs. My ears know good music when it hears it and this man was a icon. Hector Lavoe.......rest in peace! I'm not much of a fan of Jennifer Lopez but she played a good role. However, another actress (a more popular one) would have made this film more marketable to the non-Hispanic population ( mass audience).

The very best time to work on perfecting that Talent is at the earliest age possible. Does your babies really like music? Do they beat and bang on any and all things in their way?

Do they try to work on their toys? Do they talk or walk to early for their age? When you hum a song, do they try to dance? Do your sons or daughters learn something very fast, any thing? Even playing video games can lead into a career. Then they may just be Intellectual gifted.

Find out what it is that interest your child the most. What is it that makes them most happy besides candy and cookies and sweets. The very best age for this is 3 years old. If you have younger children, they may or may not follow the same path. If you have older children, then it best if you work with them first. What ever it is they enjoy the most, that is what you build upon.

A FACT:

"You can never get anywhere in life, doing what you hate. You may buy a home, own a new car, wear nice clothes. But it came the hardest way to get it. By doing what you hate."

EXAMPLE:

My dad and mom worked in an old cotton mill all their lives. Dad had that security of a paycheck every week. My brothers and I wore patched clothes to school. We walked to school in the rain. We heated our home with coal. Yet, we never went hungry. We never slept out in the cold.

We never had as many toys as the neighborhood kids. Because dad had to work hard. Mom had to work hard. For only a meager paycheck. Dad was to tired to play with us. Mom was to tired to play with us. Don't let that happen to you.

What ever your child likes, build on it. If you play an instrument, and your child really likes to hear you play. Teach it to them. If they like sports, let them join a team. Encouragement and praise goes along way in a child ear, eye, heart, and MIND. Please don't misunderstand me, our out come may not be your out come. Your out come may be totally different. My family failed to parse our Talents. But many many times I have often thought about just how differently my life would have been if dad had a took that mans advice and we had made a career out of our singing.

Michael Wood has been associated with music since age 3. My family and I have sang at countless churches, events, radio stations, and a few times on 2 different TV stations. For 14 years we sang and made music. Several times we preformed in front of over 3500 people. Our family band broke up in 1971. Now I am trying to correct that mistake. By trying to help other people find and improve the talent they may have hidden with in them. You can listen to several samples of Gospel Music and even purchase a CD online at: The http://www.odds10to1.com I can also be reached at odds10to1@bellsouth.net

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