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The History of Cinco de Mayo and The Legend of La Llorona

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It’s May 5th everybody! You know what that means…it’s Cinco de Mayo, and just like St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a celebration of a culture, food, music and heritage. Let celebrate Mexican heritage by talking about one of their biggest and most widespread legends: La Llorona.

But first, let’s dig in a little on the holiday’s history first. Cinco de Mayo isn’t as widely celebrated in Mexico as it is here. Unlike what you might believe, it is not considered to be Mexico’s Independence Day which occurred 50 years before on September 16, 1810.

Cinco de Mayo

(Image credit: cafeconlecherepublicans.com)

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican defeat over the French on May 5th 1862 during the Battle of Puebla in the Franco-Mexican war. Suffice to say the holiday is more widely celebrated in Puebla, but is celebrated throughout the country. There are parades, festivals and battle recreations.

According to History.com, in the 60’s in America, Chicano activitists pursued the holiday in the states as a celebration of Mexican heritage and the holiday took off. So, celebrate today with more traditional Mexican food like homemade tamales, tacos al pastor and Mexican pastries and learn a little bit about a legendary woman call La Llorona.

The name La Llorona means “The Weeping Woman.” Like most legends, there are many different stories that explain her. The most common of which tells of beautiful Maria, who was married and had two children. As years pass, her husband grows cold and, upon finding out her husband has eyes for another woman, in a fit of rage and revenge she throws the children in the river, drowning them.

After seeing what she has done, she tries to save them. In some stories she drowns and in others she wastes away from grief. Other stories tell of her drowning her children to be with the man she loves and then killing herself when she is rejected.

Whatever the beginning may be, the outcome remains the same. At the heavenly gates, she is denied entry for being without her children and she is sent back to wander until she finds them. The story of La Llorona is used as a warning story to children to keep them from wandering out at night or disobeying their parents.

Cinco de Mayo

(Image credit: popcorntimeforandroid.com)

It’s said that if she even finds a child that looks like one of her children she lost, she will take them away to a watery grave. Stories like that exist all over the world and its similar to the Irish legends of bad faeries that take away children and replace them with their own.

She is sometimes seen wandering along the banks of the Santa Fe river in her white burial dress, wailing and crying out, “Where are my children?” However the story goes, the consequences are equally as devastating. Many movies, good and bad, have been spawned from the legend. One of the most popular being La Leyena de la Llorona.

Cinco de Mayo

(Image credit: remezcla.com)

Universal Studios Orlando even opened up a haunted house just for her.

Cinco de Mayo

(Image credit: youtube.com)

If one day you find yourself in Mexico near the bank of a river, keep an eye out for a white dress, perk up your ears for the cries, and watch yourself near the water. Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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