Luisa Huertas Movies

A woman invites a total stranger to join her on a vacation to a remote paradise in this romantic drama from director Ernesto Contreras. Marina has won a trip to Playa Salamandra, but the sad fact remains that the disheartened prizewinner has no one with whom to share her good fortune. Feeling that it would be better to explore paradise in the company of a stranger that with no one at all, Marina invites an unfamiliar man named Victor to accompany her on the upcoming trip. In the days that follow Marina and Victor will discover that an emotional connection is essential to fueling romance, and that the setting love blooms in is simply a matter of fate. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A priest discovers the path of virtue can be steep, and temptation can demand a heavy price, in this controversial drama from Mexico. Father Amaro (Gael Garcia Bernal) is a young Catholic priest whose mentor, the Bishop (Ernesto Gomez Cruz), expects great things from him. However, like all priests, Amaro must first be assigned where he is needed most, which leads him to the small rural community of Los Reyes, where Amaro is to assist Father Benito (Sancho Gracia). To his shock, Amaro discovers Benito is hardly following Holy Law -- he's having an affair with Sanjuanera (Angelica Aragon), a woman who runs a local restaurant, and he's been helping a drug dealer launder his profits in exchange for large donations to the church, which Benito feels is justified as the funds are being used to build a hospital and orphanage for the poor. Amaro is disgusted with Benito's actions, but he soon discovers his own weaknesses when he falls in love with Amelia (Ana Claudia Talancon), Sanjuanera's teenage daughter. As Amelia finds herself falling for Amaro, she breaks off her relationship with Ruben (Andres Montiel), a reporter. Ruben responds by publishing a story which reveals the details of Benito's dealings with the drug dealers; Benito in turn tries to lay the blame at the feet of noble Father Natalio (Damian Alcazar), whose work with local peasants has been wrongly interpreted as supporting armed revolutionary factions. As Amaro tries desperately to distance himself from the growing scandal, he receives shocking news from Amelia when he learns she's pregnant with his child. The Crime of Father Amaro's portrayal of corruption within the Catholic Church led to an outcry from Catholic organizations, both in Mexico and the United States, where they attempted to organize a boycott of the film. However, the tactic failed in Mexico, where the controversy helped to boost ticket sales, making it the highest-grossing Mexican film ever in its native country. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A woman serving on the jury of an anti-Mafia trial must protect herself and her young son from a psychopathic gangster in this thriller. Demi Moore stars as Annie Laird, a single mother and artist who readily agrees to do her civic duty on the jury in the trial of a major organized crime figure. She quickly comes to regret this decision when a mysterious and eccentric Mafia associate known as The Teacher (Alec Baldwin) threatens to kidnap her son and harm her friends unless she promises to vote not guilty. Fearing for their lives, she plays along, but unfortunately the Teacher shows no sign of backing away from his plans, having become personally obsessed with Annie. Unwilling to trust the authorities, Annie instead develops a plan to save her child by taking on the Teacher and the mob. Adapting a novel by George Dawes Green, the screenplay was written by Ted Tally (The Silence of the Lambs). ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

The violent lives of Mexican street kids are examined in this intense Mexican social drama that centers upon the friendship between two adolescents. Mauricio has come from Tijuana to Mexico city to visit El Boy. El Boy teaches Mauricio about life in the streets of Mexico's capital. El Boy kills a security guard at a small market and must leave the city and hide out. The opportunistic Mauricio betrays his friend by impersonating El Boy and selling Boy's aunt's mortgage papers to a fence. Still pretending to be El Boy, he then gets involved with a young woman who stays at the property. Unfortunately, El Boy returns and a major confrontation ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This Mexican drama, set in 1941 just before the U.S. entered WW II, examines the lives of Communists who worked and spread propaganda in Mexico. Jose is an aspiring novelist and Communist living in Mexico. Raquel, a prostitute and waitress, lives with him. She loves him deeply. He carries a torch for Aurora whom he recently met while on an assignment. Trouble ensues when Raquel's ex-lover Nereidas breaks out of prison. The insanely jealous man believes she turned him into the authorities. Jose also has trouble as he has just been assigned to kill Aurora for betraying the Communist cause. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide