Martha Higareda

In the wake of the L.A. riots, an LAPD vice detective who always went above and beyond the call of duty to keep the streets safe receives a startling wake-up call that leaves him convinced he can no longer employ the tactics that made him so effective in his work. LAPD veteran Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) has borne personal witness to the worst that the streets have to offer, and when his partner, Detective Terrance Washington (Terry Crews), is killed the violence strikes a bit too close to home. Now Ludlow is on a mission to bring his partner's killer to justice, though Captain Walker (Forest Whitaker) is concerned that the hotheaded detective is taking the case too personally. Now, as Captain Walker attempts to convince Ludlow to work within the confines of the law, Internal Affairs Captain Biggs (Hugh Laurie) begins following the vengeful lawman's every move. In order to accomplish his mission, Ludlow recruits fresh-faced Robbery Homicide Detective Diskant (Chris Evans) to trace Washington's killers through the winding streets of Los Angeles. Later, when Ludlow and Diskant come face to face with the remorseless cop killers, they must chose between upholding the law and seeking bitter vengeance. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director Zev Berman teams with screenwriter Eric Poppen to explore the occult-based Mexican border town murder spree that claimed the lives of sixty innocents between January and March of 1989 alone. Graduation is drawing near and the spring breeze is blowing, what better time for three thrill-seeking Texas University students to make a run for the border to celebrate with one last wild weekend of drinking and debauchery? Though all the elements were in place for the perfect weekend getaway, this hard-partying trio is about to find out just how quickly things can take a turn for the worse when you're a stranger in a strange land. Upon running afoul of an ancient blood cult in search of the perfect human sacrifice, the three unsuspecting students are abducted and prepared for the ritualistic execution that will give Mexican drug runners supernatural protection that reaches above and beyond the laws of man. Sean Astin, Rider Strong, and Jake Muxworthy star in an ominous tale of occult bloodletting inspired by actual events. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Javier Fox's drama Fuera del cielo (AKA Beyond Heaven, 2006) spans a 24-hour period. It begins at 6am with young Cucú, who is greeted by the return of his brother Malboro after a five-year separation. The brothers unite and embark on a long journey to the locales inhabited by their relatives, and wrap at 6am the following morning. The theme of Fox's film is "orphanhood," not in the literal sense (where children lose their parents to death) but in the abstract sense - the sense in which individuals can easily fall out of touch with their family ties. That estrangement brings to Cucú and Malboro a sense of social disconnectedness that causes a great deal of inner pain, pain they must strive to overcome. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Mexican director Fernando Sarinana's comedy Charm School (aka Niñas Mal) represented the first feature to be produced by Columbia Films Producciones Mexico. This Spanish-language teen film follows the adventures of 18-year-old Adela (Martha Higareda), a terminal misfit whose parents ship her off to Mexico's only remaining preparatory school for young ladies. They want to prevent her misbehavior from standing in the way of her father's election as governor of Mexico City. Upon enrollment, Adela experiences an endless series of comically outrageous clashes with the school's headmistress. Camila Sodi and Blanca Guerra co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A guy on the lower rungs of the music business shoots for the moon by bringing one of the biggest bands in the world to his hometown in this drama. Claudio (Eduardo Arroyuelo) is a music promoter who is tired of living in the shadow of his successful brother, who came to dominate the business before his untimely death. Claudio has decided he wants to stage a concert that will earn him a reputation all his own, and pulling in every favor he has, he attempts to pull off a major coup -- bringing U2 to Mexico City for a series of concerts. However, he'll need nearly half a million dollars in seed money to make the shows a reality, and coming up with that kind of cash will require little short of a miracle. 7 Días also stars Julio Bracho, Jaime Camil, and Martha Higareda. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Inspired in part by the classic tale of Romeo & Juliet, Amar Te Duele stars Martha Higared and Luis Fernando Pena as a man and woman who must overcome many familial and societal prejudices in order to share their love with each other. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide