Monday, September 14, 2020

Mayan Adventure – Movies Filmed in Belize and Latin Flavors Blogfest! Plus Bill and Ted Face the Music, Project Power, and More

Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure!

Movies Filmed in Belize

Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure takes place in Belize. When Alex asked me to come up with a movie-related post, I thought it would be interesting to see if any movies had been filmed there. I knew from my own visit that it had a lot of cool places that would be perfect for filming beach and jungle scenes. Sure enough, I found six. Here they are:


1. Curse of Xtabai (2012). This 80-minute thriller is the first dramatic movie filmed entirely in Belize. When a sealed Mayan cave is blown open, the evil Xtabai is freed. She infects the inhabitants of a nearby village with a deadly virus and wreaks havoc on the world. Maybe she’s the one who caused the corona virus pandemic! 

2. Alien Origin (2012) This action-packed movie features scenes of Belize’s cave system. The premise is that the origins of life on earth are revealed in these deep, dark caves.


3. The Dogs of War (1980) A mercenary on a job in Africa is tortured and deported. He comes back to lead a coup. This one features many well-known Belize landmarks. 

4. Mosquito Coast (1986): Starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. An inventor moves his family to the jungles of Central America to make a utopia. I wonder how that worked out! It features San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Belize City. I’d like to see this one because these are all places I saw or stayed at on my trip to Belize.


5. Mega Piranha (2010): Action movie shot entirely in Belize about killer piranhas that threaten to destroy everything in their path. I’m sure glad I didn’t meet any of those when I went SCUBA diving there! 

6. The Cay (1974): Staring James Earl Jones. This one is about people wrecked on a tropical island following a WWII torpedo attack.

Have you seen or heard of any of these movies? Are there any you’d like to see?

Thanks for having me as a guest, Alex!


Latin Flavors Blogfest


Prompt: What is your favorite Latin-flavor recipe?

I have to go with my standby favorite – chicken fajita quesadilla!
Bell peppers, onions, chili powder, Mexican cheese blend, and chicken cooked and finished off in a tortilla sandwich. Easy and tasty!



An Ancient Mayan civilization!
That’s what Bubba and Squirt find when they travel through the mysterious vortex for another wild adventure. There they meet archeologists who are unearthing priceless artifacts.
But someone is stealing them. And an encounter with the Tat
e Duende awakens magic within Bubba. Throw in the mysterious Alux and a new discovery and things get sticky.
Will Bubba and Squirt solve the mystery, or will they be stuck forever in the jungles of Belize?
 
Find it at Amazon, iTunes Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Goodreads, Books A Million, Amazon UK, and Amazon CA


About the Author: Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis has previously published, Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China; Don’t Feed the Elephant; Ten Zany Birds; That Mama is a Grouch; and That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN. Ellis lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Find Sherry at her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon

Movie Reviews


Bill and Ted Face the Music


From the IMDB:
Once told they'd save the universe during a time-traveling adventure, 2 would-be rockers from San Dimas, California find themselves as middle-aged dads still trying to crank out a hit song and fulfill their destiny.
The last Bill and Ted was in 1991 – their Bogus Journey. It ended with them returning after studying with the masters for two years with kids – Ted Jr. and Bill Jr.
Only, they weren’t boys! Nope, this movie kicks off approximately twenty years later with their teen daughters, who act just like them, trying to help their fathers create that perfect song that will save the world. (Special props to Brigette Lundy-Paine who plays Billie, Ted’s daughter – she is more Ted than Keanu Reeves.)
Where it works, it really works. We’ve missed Bill and Ted! But the film is a bit uneven. There is a lot happening and several groups of people time jumping through the phone booth and more. Plus one thing that is noticeably absent is the music soundtrack. There is no Extreme’s Play With Me or Winger’s Battle Stations. And William Sadler does show up as Death, but not until towards the end of the film.
This was supposed to be a big release this past summer. Now you can either rent it for twenty bucks or buy it for twenty-five. If you’re a fan, you might as well just buy it.
Despite the issues, we will be watching it again.
Recommended.


Project Power


From the IMDB:
When a pill that gives its users unpredictable superpowers for five minutes hits the streets of New Orleans, a teenage dealer and a local cop must team with an ex-soldier to take down the group responsible for its creation.
Starring Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback.
Had I gone to the theater, I would’ve been very disappointed. It’s not bad, but it’s not anything groundbreaking or new. A lot of average.
Probably the best part is the relationship between Foxx and Fishback. She was one sharp cookie. And Foxx is always entertaining.
Gordon-Levitt was a little bit lost in the film. Odd to hear him with a Louisiana accent, that’s for sure.
If you’re bored, there are worse ways to kill time.



Ninja News


Urgent! My friend Roland Yeomans is homeless due to Hurricane Laura. He lost almost everything and if he doesn’t find a place to stay by the end of the month, he will be homeless and lose his cat, Midnight.
You can help him by donating to his PayPal account - rxena77 @ yahoo.com

Author Jacqui Murray read and loved CassaStar. She featured it so please be sure to visit her!


Katherine’s Corner is hosting a Tell Me a Story series through September.
Every Tuesday is a new author and excerpt.
On September 8, she featured me and Dragon of the Stars!
Please visit her site for my Tell Me a Story feature.

New releases:


Zero Usage by Pat Hatt

Day by day. Meter by meter. That was my life for years. But then I came across a meter that read zero usage. If only I hadn't read that meter. If only smart meters had gotten in sooner. If only my fair-weather vehicle hadn't broken down. If only could be my life story. Instead, I have this story to tell.
Find it on Amazon


Tales from the Toxic World by Sean McLachlan

A scavenger with a wondrous artifact from the Old Times sets out to avenge his past …
Find it on Amazon


And finally – Wonder Woman 1984 has been pushed back to December! (I should get to see it in the theater by then.) Apparently the numbers for Tenet, expected to be sixty million but with theaters at one third the capacity, was only twenty million.
And yes, for those who asked if I would dare go out to a theater – I would! Goodness, I am in more danger at work than I would be at a theater. And life must go on. Mask, distance, and I am on it.


Have you seen any of those films filmed in Belize? What’s your Latin flavor? Seen Bill and Ted or Project Power? Visited either of those amazing features – what an honor for me!
Be back in two weeks with some music reviews and more!


82 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Congratulations Sherry.
And best wishes to Roland. He really doesn't seem to be able to catch a break.

Shady Del Knight said...

Go, Sherry, GO! Congratulations on the debut of your latest book Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure! I wish you much success with it, dear friend.

Alex, thanks for the tip on the new Bill & Ted iteration. I watch Brigette Lundy-Paine along with J.J. Leigh in the Netflix series Atypical. She's great!

Very sorry to learn what happened to Roland.

Have a nice week, good buddy Alex!

Ray Rousell said...

I saw Project Power on Netflix a few weeks ago, just like you I wasn't impressed, it could have and considering the cast should have been a lot better than what it was. Worth a watch if there's nothing else on.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Congrats to Sherry!

How awful for Roland. I hope he's able to find somewhere soon.

Bill & Ted is definitely one we'll be watching :-)

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Mosquito Coast has two actors I really like! I may have to try to find it online. Congratulations, Sherry!

Mason Canyon said...

Alex, thanks for hosting Sherry today. It's fun learning where movies were filmed. I know parts of Mosquito Coast were also filmed in Georgia where Sherry lives.

Congratulations to all those with new releases. Praying things will improve quickly for Roland.

Joanne said...

Nice to see you kick off Sherry's blog hop - I've got a post for her Wed. And of course - Pat Hatt - glad he's got a book to keep Amazon in business.
Did not see a movie this weekend - maybe Tues we'll hit Tenet.
I tried watching the Power movie and it didn't have me hooked. Bill and Ted won't get my money - I'll see it free in a few years. Stay well!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elephant's Child, no he doesn't.

Shady, she was excellent in this film.

Ray, exactly.

Mason, happy to feature her.

Joanne, you knew I'd feature Pat's book. Hope you get to see Tenet.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats to Sherry on her book. I can't believe she found so many movies set in Belize. I'm looking forward to reading her book. Congrats to everyone else on their new releases.

Nilanjana Bose said...

I'm so very sorry to hear about Roland! Just beyond understanding why some people have to suffer so much. Best wishes to him and Midnight, hope they can remain together.

Jemi Fraser said...

Loved Sherry's book! Haven't seen any of the movies though!
Those quesadillas sound great!!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

We watched The Silencing (with "Jamie" from GoT!) and really enjoyed it.

Also re-watched Alien, but found it didn't hold up as well as we'd hoped. Felt very long, longer than I remembered. But, of course, it might've just been me - I'm older now and have less patience. :)

kaykuala said...

Congrats to Sherry! It is a great thing to get published. Sorry to hear of Roland's predicament. Sometimes things are just isn't fair. Thanks, Alex for the array of info extended to us.

Hank

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Congratulations, Sherry. Best of success for you and your newest book. Roland, hope you're okay. You're in our thoughts. Happy Monday, Alex.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Bubba and Squirt are such neat characters. Congratulations on a great story, Sherry.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thank you for featuring Sherry and her new book.

I liked Bill & Ted but I didn't love it like I did the others.

Andrew Leon said...

My review for B&T went up last week.
-I- wanted to just buy it because I wanted to watch the extras and stuff, but I got overruled and we only rented it. Which sucks, because I want to watch it again, but I'm not going to pay to do that again, right now.

Stacy McKitrick said...

I haven't seen any of the films and only heard of one (Mosquito Coast). I've been to Belize a couple of times, so maybe I'll check some of them out (if I can find them).

Liz A. said...

I seem to recall when Mosquito Coast came out it didn't get great reviews. But I could be misremembering. I have, of course, heard of the Alien movie, but not the others.

I've been reading about Bill & Ted and Project Power. They sound interesting, but I would have waited for them on TV if they had gotten theatrical releases.

Carrie-Anne said...

Congratulations to Sherry! That sounds like a really fun, cute story.

Sherry Ellis said...

Thank you for featuring me on your blog and for participating in my Latin Flavors! Your recipe sounds easy and delicious!

nashvillecats2 said...

Congrats to Sherry on her wonderful book, have been a follwer for some time. Great Post Alex much to read about.

Enjoy this new week.
Yvonne.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Natalie, I can't either!

Madeline, I identify with less patience.

Diane, happy to!

Andrew, that's why we splurged the extra five bucks and bought it.

Stacy, that's cool you've been there.

Sherry, you're welcome!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Congratulations to Sherry.
I'm sobered to read about Roland. That man has too much trauma to contend with. Thank you for posting.

Be safe and well, Alex.

J E Oneil said...

I really don't think theaters should be opening yet. You don't know how careful anyone else is going to be. I really think direct to digital is going to be the norm from here on out.

John Wiswell said...

If you're looking to watch something fun, Netflix has #Alive. It's a Korean zombie movie with just as much heart as Train to Busan, but half the heartbreak. Lots of clever uses of modern tech and some memorable characters.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I've seen Project Power - enjoyed it, but glad it was on Netflix.
And, I have seen Mosquito Coast with Harrison Ford - it's been a long, long time, and what I remember is it was more drama than I expected. Good, but more about the family.
Congrats to all!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Robyn, I know.

JE, most are open. Only a few states remain closed. No more dangerous than going to the grocery store.

Thanks, John - I'll look for it.

Pat Hatt said...

Only one I've seen is Mosquito Coast out of those. Project Power I heard was meh, haven't bothered with it. Still have to give Bill and Ted a go too. Thanks for the shout.

Botanist said...

Fajitas and quesadillas are firm favourites in our family!

Damyanti Biswas said...

One of these days, I'll get to Alien Origins! Congratulations Sherry.

Damyanti at Daily (w)rite

Walter Knight said...

I can remember when everyone wanted to retire to Belize.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Look at all the new books. How exciting. I've read Sherry's and love it. Adding the others to read. Congrtulations to everyone.

Tony Laplume said...

Looking forward to Face the Music.

XmasDolly said...

Well, I'll tell ya you got a couple of good ones here I see... well, maybe! Project Power with Jamie Fox, yeah I'd probably watch it, and 1, 2, and 4 yep, I'd watch those in a heartbeat. Wonder woman I would like to see I think. Yes, life must go on that's why we're leaving for Michigan tomorrow to see my step-brother a really great guy who married my best friend years ago. We haven't seen his place yet so we're offffffff!!! Have a great day, be safe and don't forget your mask! Hugs and thank you for being you!

Sandra Cox said...

Congrats to Sherry.
So sorry to hear about your friend. Very distressing.
I'd be happy to copy and post to my blog.

Rhonda Albom said...

I have been to Belize three times, and have also visited San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and Belize City, plus many more spots. I was surprised to see Mosquito Coast on your list. Jeff and I got married on Sanibel Island (Florida), and we were told that it was filmed there. I wonder if it had parts done in both or if we were just given the wrong info years ago.

Truedessa said...

Congrats to Sherry and Pat on their new releases.

I saw Bill and Ted on demand but, it is almost $20 that is a bit pricey for me to watch. That's more than a movie ticket.

I did watch "I Met A Girl" on demand. That was heartbreaking.

Wishing you a pleasant week.

sage said...

Congratulations, Sherry. As a movie, you forgot Apocalypto! But I don't think the Mayan descendants were happy with the film. When I first visited Mayan ruins in Honduras in 2004, I remember hearing about the Mayan calendar ending in 2012 and the world ending then. Interestingly, that's when a lot of those movies came out even though the world didn't end (at least to my knowledge).

www.thepulpitandthepen.com

dolorah said...

I've heard Belize is a fabulous place to visit. Someday, maybe, when I win the lotto and people can travel without masks and fear of bumping into someone.

Sad to hear about Roland.

Sounds like your world is going well Alex. Good to hear.

Denise Covey said...

So shocked to hear Roland lost his home. I pray he'll soon be in safe accommodation. Unbearable to think of him losing his beloved cat!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - congratulations to Sherry and her books ... I've seen quite a few independent films - but none you mention.

Difficult to hear about Roland - so many are in dire straits ... life is very troubling for so many.

I'd chimichurri sauce to many South American dishes ... take care and thanks for all these updates - all the best Hilary

Doralynn Kennedy said...

I hope everything works out for Roland and Midnight. It's been a very bad year for so many people.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Good to know about Bill & Ted. We loved those movies!

Victoria Marie Lees said...

So sorry to hear about Roland. You are in my prayers, sir. But Bravo to Sherry Ellis on her new release. The mystery adventure sounds intriguing. All the luck with the novel.

John said...

'He had to stay focused and not think like a love-struck stalker' ... you just have to love Dave. دانلود آهنگ های پرطرفدار جدید

mshatch said...

I watched Project Power and agree with you. It was fun, but I wouldn't have wanted to pay $10 to see it at the movies! Did like the raps tho.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

It's amazing how many movies one can find with the setting over in Belize!

mail4rosey said...

My oldest son read The Cay in school years ago. He loved it so we read it together again at home. Now that's going way back... I'm very sorry to hear about your friend. Sent what I could, which isn't much, and I hope others do the same. A lot of people able to do a little bit, can make a big difference.

Have a wonderful day.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Pat, you're welcome!

Marie, go enjoy and safe travels!

Sandra, that's nice of you to do that.

Rhonda, not sure.

Truedessa, that's why we just bought instead.

Sage, not yet anyway!

Rosey, that was nice of you.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Three cheers for Sherry! I hope her Bubba and Squirt series continues for many years. It's interesting that there are that many movies set in Belize. I saw "Dogs of War" and "Mosquito Coast," but it was so many years ago, I don't remember much about them other than I think I enjoyed them. (I probably wasn't even aware of its Belize setting at the time.) As for a Latin-type food, mine is a quesadilla, too, only it has shrimp, mushrooms, spinach, pickled red onions and lots of cheese in it. Totally decadent.

My younger son set me up with NetFlix, and I've thoroughly been enjoying it. Any movies I watch will probably be on there. What's surprising to me is how mediocre the recent movie reviews have been in our newspaper. Most of them have been rated C. I'd have expected a better reaction to the advent of new movies to watch... or maybe we just need some better movies.

Take care, and have a super weekend.

Mary Kirkland said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Roland, I hope he finds a place soon.

DMS said...

I have not seen the latest Bill and Ted movie- but I plan to for sure. I loved Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure when I was growing up and was excited as soon as I heard about this one. Glad it seems pretty good.

Congrats to Sherry! I haven't seen any of the movies she mentioned- but I have heard of The Cay. Wishing her all the best with her latest release.
~Jess

Fundy Blue said...

Such a great post, Alex; well except for the sad, sad news about Roland. Life can be so heartless. I'm happy and excited for Sherry, and I'll likely check out some of those movies. And of course, I'm happy and exited for Pat. I'm waiting on both their books. I think we're all realizing that life must go on somehow. I'm all for venturing out with the appropriate precautions. For the right movie, I too would venture out! Take care!

Jenni said...

I saw Mosquito Coast years ago. It's very memorable, but I'm not sure I'd see it again. It definitely shows how utopia can go wrong. How cool that you've been to Belize and seen those places. I've been to Honduras, but that was after watching that movie. The jungle is something else.

Hope you get to get out to the theater soon. It is certainly worth it just to have some normalcy back.

Toi Thomas said...

I have seen Mosquito Coast, not sure about the others. Nice to know Bill and Ted isn't a big let down. Project Power sounds a lot like other Netflix actions flix, not great but not bad.
I hope you do get to see WW1984 in a theatre.

SpacerGuy said...

Alien Origin now that’s getting down and scarey, I remember Bill and Teds excellent adventure- delighted 😁 to see they’re back. Poor Roland, horrific, nature can be merciless

Cathrina Constantine said...

Congrats to Sherry!

I watched Mosquito Coast with Harrison Ford so long ago, I barely remember it. I like just about every movie he's been in.

I wish the theaters around here would open up at some kind of capacity. I look forward to watching movies on the big screen...some day...fingers crossed...

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I haven't seen the first Bill and Ted movie. Not my cup of tea, but it's cool there is another.

I am so worried about Roland--and Midnight. There are people who foster pets for soldiers, but I'm not sure about natural disasters pet fosters.

T.

Sandra Cox said...

I want to see Wonder Woman in the worst way.
I'm a mask girl. The only problem....popcorn. Hopefully, they will seriously limit the number of folks in the theatre.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Susan, I think they are just dumping a lot of average movies onto us right now.

Louise, good for you!

Jenni, yes!

Cathrina, we are hoping ours will open soon.

Sandra, I've heard they are. We usually don't do popcorn, so not a problem.

Lidy said...

Seen Project Power when it first came on Netflix. The hubby and kids loved it, especially the girl who got dragged into helping Foxx's character find his daughter.

Watched Face the Music this past weekend. Tried to get the hubby to do a marathon and watch the first two Bill & Ted movies first but he was against it. I enjoyed the movie and you're right the girl that played Ted's daughter was more of a Ted than Keanu Reeves.

kimlajevardi.com said...

My Latin flavor is enchiladas. I love them with ground meat or just plain cheese. I'm not sure about Bill and Ted. It was fun when I was a kid, but I struggle with revisiting some of that stuff. I've had more than one good movie/franchise ruined with a grown-up revisit.

Sandra Cox said...

Any updates on Roland?

Sandra Cox said...

You don't eat popcorn at the theatre? Clutching my heart and reeling backwards. Heh. Of course you save about $15 that way. It's pretty outrageous.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Finally stopping by for a visit! I'm sorry to hear about Roland. And I'm not ready to go back to the theater just yet, but we did go to a couple of drive-in movies over the summer. Besides, my husband and I have made Saturday night board game night instead.

Tonja Drecker said...

Yay, Sherry! It's a fun adventure, too. I was on the fence with the Bill & Ted's but sounds like it might be worth it.

J Lenni Dorner said...

I am loving Sherry's tour idea. Nothing like bringing flavor to a book promo!
I have seen Alien Origin.
Bill and Ted Face the Music was great. A real "feel good" type of movie.
Project Power was pretty good too.

I am excited for the upcoming YA scavenger book hunt (YASH), and for the Pass or Pages query contest at Operation Awesome with the YA category this October. I hope you've been staying healthy and thriving as best as you can this year.

- J

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

I'm praying that Roland and his cat will find a place to live soon. The Meter story sounds fascinating.

Jennifer Lane said...

I love Harrison Ford, but I thought Mosquito Coast was a total snore.

I hope Roland is receiving many donations.

Himawan Sant said...

Congratulations to Sherry on winning the award.
Her weighty writing deserves to win the competition.
Sherry is also a friendly person and she has stopped by to comment on my blog several times.

From all of the films above, I have watched the film 'Alien Origin', whose shooting location was amazing.

Greetings from Indonesia.

Sandra Cox said...

CassaStar's review is well deserved.
Have a great one.

Sandra Cox said...

Love the coffee cup:)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Oh I hope Roland finds a home soon. Additionally, I love all the talk about Belize. I'm thinking of retiring there someday.

Chrys Fey said...

I had no idea so many movies had been filmed in Belize.

Big congratulations to Sherry!

Anonymous said...

Poor Roland, oh my gosh!

Congratulations to Pat, Sherry and Sean! That's awesome. I need to get my writing butt in gear.

I have Project Power marked on my watch list, but haven't gotten to it yet. Sounds like it's good for a "migraine" day.

Have a great weekend, Alex!

Warmly,
Elsie

Angela Brown said...

Wishing Sherry the best with her latest release.

Belize may be a place worth really checking into, especially for what sounds like a grand adventure.

I haven't seen the latest Bill and Ted movie, though I'd have to admit that it would be interesting to see it now that I've come to associate Keanu with Neo, John Wick, and not knowing that he and are meant to be together :-)

I enjoyed Project Power and have to echo your point regarding the relationship between Foxx and Fishback.

I was very sad to hear about what happened to Roland. Praying his situation improves. And though I don't have much, I pray that what I could share helps.

Deniz Bevan said...

Wait, what? I hadn't heard! Thank you for letting us know about Roland.

Belize! Author Monica Byrne's upcoming release is set there!

Sandra Cox said...

How's Roland doing?

Denise Covey said...

Congrats to Sherry. Lovely to combine history and fiction! Poor Roland. Is there an update as the end of the month has been and gone? I hope he found a place and managed to keep Midnight.

Patsy said...

It is a good question! I expect there will be nearly as many interpretations as there are writers.

Patsy said...

Writing what you can't find elsewhere sounds like an excellent way of ensuring your work is original – and we all like to find something new which suits our tates.