Norman Cabrera Movies
In this reteaming of actor Antonio Banderas and director Robert Rodriguez -- their first film together since the 1995 feature Desperado -- Banderas plays Gregorio; he and devoted partner Ingrid (Carla Gugino), comprise the greatest pair of secret agents working. Both are masters of disguise and have the ability to prevent wars, but eventually they want to settle down and begin raising a family. Nine years later, after retiring and giving up the lives of super-spies, Gregorio and Ingrid find themselves at the call of duty again when techno-genius Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming) and his insidious, ruthless sidekick Minion (Tony Shalhoub) have plans for world destruction. The only hope for Gregorio and Ingrid are their children, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara), who are called upon to save their missing parents, eventually learning their former identities. The film also features Cheech Marin, Robert Patrick, and Danny Trejo. In the summer of 2001, five months after Spy Kids had become a major box office success, an expanded edition was released, featuring several minutes of footage not used in the film's original cuts (including special effects sequences that couldn't be completed within the film's original budget). ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, (more)
- 1993
Charles Band's Full Moon Productions followed up their vampire hit Subspecies by returning to Romania for two sequels. This second entry begins with the revival of master vampire Radu (Anders Hove) by his legions of homunculi (the "subspecies" of the title, neat stop-motion beasties who only appear in the opening scenes this time). The tiny slaves reunite Radu with his lopped-off head, enabling him to destroy his brother and rival Stefan. His first human victim, Michelle (Denise Duff), manages to escape -- but not before stealing the "bloodstone," a relic which holds the key to Radu's power. Michelle is also infected by Radu's bite, and he pursues her throughout Romania in an effort to enslave her and recapture the relic. Michelle's American sister Rebecca (Melanie Shatner) comes to her aid in Bucharest, accompanied by a historian (Michael Denish) who reveals the secret of the bloodstone. This sequel retains the menacing Gothic atmosphere of its predecessor, and Duff plays an attractive and interesting anti-heroine, but the overall mood is diminished by a weak script which leaves Radu with little to do until the climax, in which he is joined by a few surprise guests to complicate things for the imperiled ladies. Shot back-to-back with the third installment, Bloodlust: Subspecies III. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anders Hove, Kevin Spirtas, (more)
