Gustavo Sanchez Parra Movies
A tense examination of Mexico's multi-billion dollar drug trafficking business, director Brian J. Bagley's gritty crime drama follows a naïve business journalist as he travels south of the border to interview the leader of the country's most notorious drug cartel. Jules Land was looking to jump-start his career when he requested an audience with the murderous former priest-turned-drug kingpin who now oversees a substantial portion of the drug flow into the United States. But it doesn't take Jules long to realize that he's in over his head, and as the situation intensifies he goes from trying to understand the principals behind the cartel's success to simply trying to escape before disappearing into the desert sands. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The shared lives of six distinctly different characters who at times find themselves at a specific set of coordinates that allows them to continue life in a new body are detailed in director Iván Ávila Dueñas' mind-bending drama. When this threshold is crossed, however, an unusual mutation occurs. Now, as one of these characters experiences a remarkable transformation, their bizarre out-of-body experience forms an entirely new network of experiences and memories. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gustavo Sanchez Parra, Jostein Roustand, (more)
Jon Seda, Alison Eastwood, Paul Rodriguez, Ed Begley, Jr., and Karen Black star in writer/producer/director David Siquerios' fish out of water comedy following a conservative half-Mexican, half-Caucasian businessman as he attempts to navigate a foreign land that he could have called home. The year is 1994. California Governor Pete Wilson has just signed the proposition that drove a sizable wedge between Mexicans and Americans. Into this catastrophe wanders Richard Macedo (Seda), an average businessman of mixed heritage who's about to get lost in Mexico. Can Richard survive one night in this close but strangely foreign land, or has he been so Americanized that he's forgotten what it means to be a true Mexican? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The debut feature from director Patricia Riggen, this drama centers on a young boy's journey across the U.S./Mexico border to be reunited with his mother. Adrian Alonso stars as Carlitos, a Mexican adolescent living with his grandmother while his mother works as a maid in the U.S., hoping someday to send for her child. But when the grandmother dies unexpectedly, Carlitos must sneak across the border and seek out his mother. Featuring a supporting performance by America Ferrera of ABC's Ugly Betty, Under the Same Moon premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, (more)
- 2005
- R
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Veteran screen star Tommy Lee Jones makes his directorial debut with the fractured tale of murder and injustice on the U.S.-Mexico border scripted by Amores perros and 21 Grams screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga. Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) is a fresh-faced Border Patrol officer in Cibolo County, Texas whose dedication to his new job leaves his lonely wife Lou Ann (January Jones) with little to do but spend her days at the local diner, where she strikes up a friendship with waitress Rachel (Melissa Leo). Despite her own status as a married woman, Rachel is unfulfilled in her marriage and is intimately involved with both rugged rancher Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones) and local Sherrif Belmont (Dwight Yoakam). Soon after Pete hires Mexican illegal Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cesar Cedillo) as a ranch hand, the growing bond between the pair is suddenly shattered when, in a moment of panic on a routine patrol, Mike hastily guns down the innocent Melquaides. When an enraged Pete learns that Mike had unceremoniously buried the illegal immigrant in an unmarked desert grave and local authorities opt to overlook the case, he kidnaps the crooked lawman and sets out to ensure that justice is served with or without the involvement of the local police force. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, (more)
Fans of man-eating midgets, incompetent criminals, and violent ex-luchadors will find plenty to cheer about in director Alejandro Lozano's vibrant and comedic thriller that was awarded "Favorite Movie," "Favorite Actor," and "Most Bizarre Sex Scene" at Mexico's 2006 MTV Movie Awards. Oscar Cabos is a wealthy entrepreneur who is well known for his violent temper. When two men kidnap the unconscious Oscar as another team of criminals embark on their own quest to capture the despised millionaire, the chaos that erupts leads all involved on a wild chase through the streets of Mexico City. Highly stylized and endlessly energetic, Lozano's non-stop joy ride is certain to appeal to Quentin Tarantino fans and lovers of extreme international cinema alike. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Dalton, Ana Claudia Talancón, (more)
The bloody civil war which tore apart El Salvador in the 1980s is seen through the eyes of a young boy in this drama from director Luis Mandoki. Chava (Carlos Padilla) is 11 years old and growing up in a small town in El Salvador where the fighting between rebels and government troops is a daily fact of life. Chava's father has abandoned the family, leaving him behind as the man of the house while his mother (Leonor Varela) and sister try to maintain a normal life by day while dodging bullets by night. Chava's 12th birthday is coming up, which puts the boy in a dangerous position -- at 12, he'll be old enough to join the army and be used as cannon fodder against the rebels, so he and his classmates try to find out when military recruiters will be coming to their schools so they can plan to be absent that day. However, as Chava faces both danger and adventure in his little town, the war edges in closer all the time until it can't be avoided any longer. Voces Inocentes (aka Innocent Voices) was the first Spanish-language film in 18 years for director Mandoki, who came to the United States after the international success of 1987's Gaby: A True Story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela, (more)
A man whose ideals have been shattered for the last time is out for violent justice in this thriller. Creasy (Denzel Washington) is a former United State intelligence agent-turned-mercenary who has seen too much of the violence and corruption in the world and has become jaded and withdrawn. Creasy is hired to act as a bodyguard for Lupita (nicknamed "Pita", played by (Dakota Fanning), a ten-year-old girl whose wealthy family (a Mexican father and American mother) currently lives in Mexico City, where kidnapping has become a near epidemic. While watching over Pita, Creasy becomes fond of the girl, and finds himself regaining some of his faith in humanity. But things take an ugly turn when Pita is abducted by gunmen who shoot Creasy and leave him to die in the streets. Enraged beyond reason, Creasy recovers and sets out to find the men responsible for kidnapping Pita, no matter who he has to kill along the way. Man on Fire is based on a novel by A.J. Quinnell, which was previously filmed in 1987 with Scott Glenn as Creasy. Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, and Mickey Rourke highlight the supporting cast for this remake. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, (more)
Ulrich Noethen stars in this Spanish-language espionage thriller from Mexican director Eva López Sánchez. Fleeing Germany for Mexico, spy Helmut (Noethen) is tapped by the Mexican secret service to go undercover as a professor to help bring down a group of local militants. Unfortunately, Helmut becomes emotionally involved with one of the extremists, thus complicating matters. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
