Esai Morales Movies
A New York-born actor of Puerto Rican descent whose performances in such efforts as La Bamba and Rapa Nui offered a lingering, devastating sense of depth, Esai Morales found success on screens both large and small. Frequently challenging stereotypes and always imbuing his characters with individuality, he was first inspired at the age of 12 by Al Pacino's searing performance in Dog Day Afternoon in 1975. Speaking only Spanish until the age of five, Morales showed talent in a series of stage roles in and around New York City. He graduated from New York's prestigious High School of the Performing Arts before appearing in productions at the Ensemble Theater Studio (El Hermano) and New York's Shakespeare Festival in the Park (The Tempest). In 1982, the actor made his screen debut in the Paul Morrissey film Forty Deuce. His role as Sean Penn's imposing nemesis in the following year's Bad Boys offered a horrific glimpse of the violence of juvenile detention facilities, and, in 1987, Morales cemented his reputation as a talent to watch when he played ill-fated rock & roll singer Ritchie Valens' brother in La Bamba.Equally adept at playing menacing tough guys or more sensitive characters, Morales eschewed stereotypes with roles as an Irish bootlegger in Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989) and an Argentine gangster in Naked Tango (1991). A memorable role as an Easter Island native involved in a painful civil war in 1994's Rapa Nui earned him rave reviews, despite going largely unseen, and the handsome actor was again impressive as a Mexican-American youth in My Family the following year. Morales also drew praise in 1997 for his top-billed role in The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, and after portraying the father of Cuban refugee Elian Gonzales in the made-for-TV feature A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story, Morales stood out with an ALMA-nominated role as Lt. Tony Rodriguez in the enduring police drama NYPD Blue. He also appeared in such features as Paid in Full (2002) and Isla Bella (2004), and had a recurring role in PBS's eagerly anticipated Mexican-American-themed series American Family. In addition to his TV and film work, the self-described activist volunteers time to such organizations as the Earth Communications Office, the Wildlife Preservation Fund in Costa Rica, and the Health Education AIDS Liaison. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
When a woman murdered over fifteen years ago is again found dead, a small-town Arizona policeman (John Beck) must solve the case without stepping on the tender toes of procedure, courtesy of a federal agent from Phoenix (Steven Bauer). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Beck, Steven Bauer, (more)
- 2002
- Add American Experience: War Letters - Stories of Courage, Longing and Sacrifice to QueueAdd American Experience: War Letters - Stories of Courage, Longing and Sacrifice to top of Queue
One commonality that seems to link every modern war is that soldiers almost invariably write their families and loved ones on a regular basis and their correspondence covers a broad range of human emotions -- funny camp stories, reassurances to worried folks at home, confessions of fear, anxieties about the dangers of the battlefield, and prescient goodbyes from fighting men and women who know they may never return. American Experience: War Letters -- Stories of Courage, Longing and Sacrifice is a documentary produced for PBS which follows America's history in armed conflict through the letters written home by men and women in uniform. American Experience: War Letters features readings from a cast of distinguished performers, including Joan Allen, Edward Norton, Bill Paxton, Giovanni Ribisi, David Hyde Pierce, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Beyond the fact that it was seen on PBS, the dramatic series American Family bore no relation to the classic docudrama series of the 1970s. Created by filmmaker Gregory Nava, the series focused on a "typical" Latino family in East L.A., and as such was the only program on "regular" TV to feature an almost exclusively Latino cast. Edward James Olmos starred as patriarch Jess Gonzalez, a Korean war veteran, barber, and staunch conservative. Jess often found himself at ideological war with his daughter Nina (Constance Marie), a feminist attorney who'd returned to the family home in the wake of a personal tragedy. Also on hand was Jess' semi-estranged wife Berta (Sonia Braga); his older son Esteban (Esai Morales), a recent prison parolee who struggled to maintain custody of his own son Pablito (Austin Noah Marques); younger offspring Cisco, who incessantly videotaped his family and posted his handiwork on his own website; and the family's zany Aunt Dora (Raquel Welch), who, perhaps inevitably, lived next door. According to Gregory Nava, the series' dramatic thrust was that the Gonzalezes were "trying to deal with their identity -- who they are, where they came from, and where they are now." American Family began its 12-episode run on January 23, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward James Olmos, Raquel Welch, (more)
A woman stuck in middle age may yet find love if her mother can stay out of the way in this comedy from first-time director Frank Lin. Yvonne (Sylvia Chang) is a divorcee who is about to turn fifty and feels as if life is passing her by. Yvonne works for a throw-away newspaper where ad sales is more important than content, and her life is dominated by her overbearing mother (Lan Yeung), and to a lesser extent her slacker son, Joshua (Randall Park). When Yvonne meets Jose (Esai Morales), a handsome dentist, while working on a piece for the paper, the two hit it off and begin dating. However, Jose is Hispanic, and Mother is horrified at the prospect of her daughter marrying a Mexican-American, and with Mother about to undergo major back surgery, her stranglehold over the family is stronger than ever. Can Yvonne choose between her own happiness and that of her mother? American Fusion also stars Pat Morita, Collin Chou and James Hong. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvia Chang, Esai Morales, (more)
In this satirical farce, porn maven Ronny Bartolotti (Robert Loggia) has big plans for his daughter Katrina (Mena Suvari) to go to college and become a lawyer. Katrina, however, has other plans. An aspiring actress, she leaves her high school sex ed class early one day to appear on "The Quaint Show," where host Quaint McPerson (Sally Kellerman) informs an expectant audience that Katrina, a bona fide virgin, has agreed to be deflowered on the show by the appropriately named Tony the Salami. The blessed event is the idea of Joey Quinn (Bob Hoskins), a one-time protégé of Ronny's who is now a rival porn king. Ronny sets out to stop the show, as does Quaint's son, Brian (Gabriel Mann), who once dated Kristina. Meanwhile, in the true spirit of 21st century exploitation, thousands await the big show via Internet hook-up. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Hoskins, Robert Loggia, (more)
In this made-for-TV thriller, a train hauling a cargo of radioactive waste is passing through Colorado when its brakes fail in the Rocky Mountains. The train begins rolling out of control and is headed for Denver with no way to stop it. John Seger (Rob Lowe), an agent with the National Transportation Safety Board, has to find a way to bring the train safely to a halt, and he soon learns that the stakes are even greater than he imagined -- a faulty Russian atomic bomb is also on board, which could blow the city sky high in the event of a wreck. Atomic Train also stars Kristen Davis, Esai Morales, and Mena Suvari, the latter shortly before she bolted to stardom with roles in American Pie and American Beauty. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Kristin Davis, (more)
Following magnetic performances in Taps (1981) and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), young actor Sean Penn sealed his reputation as one of his generation's most gifted performers with his gritty star turn in Bad Boys (1983), an entertaining tale of teen hoodlums in juvenile lock-up. Penn plays Mick O'Brien, a Chicago street tough who's planning on ripping off drug dealer Paco Moreno (Esai Morales). When the scam goes bad and his partner Carl (Alan Ruck) is slain, Mick flees from the cops in his car and accidentally runs over Paco's little brother, killing the boy. Sent to juvenile hall, Mick encounters a violent prison society run by the murderous trustees Viking (Clancy Brown) and Tweety (Robert Lee Rush). After Mick defends himself by savagely beating Viking, he becomes the facility's new top dog. On the outside, however, Paco seeks revenge by raping Mick's girlfriend J.C. (Ally Sheedy). Enraged, Mick escapes with the help of his brainy roommate Horowitz (Eric Gurry), but Mick is captured by compassionate guard Ramon (Reni Santoni). When Paco is arrested and unwisely sent to the same jail holding Mick, a showdown between the two old rivals is inevitable. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Penn, Reni Santoni, (more)
Produced for theatrical released by PBS' American Playhouse, Bloodhounds of Broadway is not exactly a remake of the 1952 film of the same name, though both pictures use the same Damon Runyon stories as inspiration. The scene is Broadway: the time is New Year's Eve, 1928. Madonna plays small town girl-turned-hoofer Hortense Hathaway, who loves gambler Feet Samuels (Randy Quaid) more than somewhat. Since it is known far and wide that Feet has not a penny to his name, he must find some way to pay off his debts in a hurry. So he offers to sell his huge feet to a demented-an operation which will, alas, cost Feet the use of his life. Upon waking up to the fact that Hortense loves him, Feet decides that he prefers breathing to pushing up daisies. Meanwhile, a society doll named Harriet MacKyle (Julie Hagerty) turns on the spigots when her pet parrot is laid low by a clumsy gunman. And while all this is transpiring, high-roller Regret (Matt Dillon) has to beat a murder rap. Even while Regret is sweating it out, "The Brain" (Rutger Hauer), who is bleeding profusely after confronting the business end of a shiv, searches high and low for someone willing to donate blood to save his life. If you can, keep an eye out for author William Burroughs as a butler. Bloodhounds of Broadway was the first non-documentary effort of filmmaker Howard Brookner-and the last, since he died before the film was released. To gloss over the film's plot holes, the distributors added a Winchell-like narrator to the proceedings, courtesy of actor Joseph Sommer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Hagerty, Randy Quaid, (more)
Set fifty years before the events of Battlestar Galactica, Capricia follows the rivalry between two feuding families competing and thriving in the 12 Colonies. Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) and Joseph Adama (Esai Morales) both sit at the head of powerful tables. Their world is at the peak of its power, yet as science and technology both continue to grow, so too does the potential for disaster. As artificial intelligence and technology paves the way towards the future - and the dreaded Cylons - corporate conspiracy and sexual politics put the Graystones and the Adamas on a tragic collision course. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, (more)
- 1998
Having walked out on her cheating husband Jeff (Esai Morales), Terry Silva (Janine Turner) moves in with her best friend Elaine Greer (Joanna Cassidy). This set-up proves most untenable when Terry finds out that Elaine is Jeff's longtime mistress! Vowing to exact revenge on both Jeff and Elaine, Terry fakes her own death--intending to frame her husband and her faithless friend for murder! Yet another variation on the old Diabolique formula, the made-for-TV Circle of Deceit was clearly conceived to showcase the versatility of Northern Exposure star Janine Turner, who also served as one of the project's producers. The film first aired over ABC on January 29, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
William Russ, Cheryl Pollak, and Esai Morales star in this made-for-TV movie about a young television reporter's adventures in San Francisco. Also shown as Bay City Story. Direction credited to Alan Smithee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Russ, Cheryl Pollak, (more)
- 1995
In this made-for-TV sequel to Deadlock, Jack Claremont (Stephen McHattie) wants Allie Thompson (Nia Peeples) out of prison, and has a plan to help her escape. Jack has Tony Archer (Esai Morales) framed for murder, and then tells Tony he'll reveal the truth and clear his name if he can help Allie escape. Tony agrees, but it isn't long before he learns that breaking out of prison and staying ahead of the law is no easy task. Deadlocked: Escape From Zone 14 also features Jon Cuthbert and Sarah Strange. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Esai Morales, Nia Peeples, (more)
- 1997
- R
Drawing its basic story from author Ian Gibson's investigation into the real-life murder of Andalusian poet Federico Garcia Lorca at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War, this English-language thriller begins in 1935 as exiled Spanish journalist Ricardo and his family resettle in Puerto Rico. For most of his life Ricardo has been obsessed with the poet. In 1954, Ricardo returns to Spain to look closely into the circumstances of Garcia Lorca's death. His father advises Ricardo not to go, but the writer, who wants to do a book about the poet, disregards him. Ricardo is also driven by his desire to ease his guilt about a close friend who was shot by the Nationalists. While doing battle with tight-lipped government officials, Ricardo is followed by Centeno, a member of Franco's security team. He is also followed by an amiable taxi driver who has an uncanny knack for showing up when Ricardo needs him most. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Garcia, Esai Morales, (more)
- 1996
- R
In this crime drama, a tough San Francisco policeman is shocked to discover that his recently murdered partner was actively involved in departmental corruption. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Esai Morales, (more)
- 1994
- R
The secret longings of three young, hip L.A. couples provides the impetus of the conversations in lightweight drama which focuses upon the issue of commitment. One member of each couple, Suzanna and Dodger, Alicia and Robert, and Michelle and Charles secretly carries a torch for former lovers. It seems that while Suzanna begs for Dodger's attention, he is still attracted to Alicia, who's pregnant with Robert's child but hesitates to tell him because Robert is attracted to Michelle who is with Charles who still yearns for Suzanna. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Graham, James LeGros, (more)
- 1996
Ellen Hart Pena was a woman who seemingly had it all -- she was beautiful, a respected athlete, and the wife of a successful politician, Federico Pena -- the mayor of Denver, CO, before being named U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Clinton. But Ellen also had a dangerous secret -- she suffered from the eating disorder bulimia, which not only came close to claiming her life, but also threatened the health of her unborn child. Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story is a made-for-TV movie that documents Ellen's struggle to conquer her eating disorder, as well as overcome the poor self-image that led her to starve herself. Ellen Hart Pena is played by Crystal Bernard, while her husband Federico is portrayed by Esai Morales; the supporting cast also includes Casey Sander and Tom Atkins. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Crystal Bernard, Esai Morales, (more)
Inspired by author Eric Schlosser's New York Times best-seller of the same name, director Richard Linklater's ensemble drama examines the health issues and social consequences of America's love affair with fast food and features an all-star cast that includes Greg Kinnear, Ethan Hawke, Kris Kristofferson, Patricia Arquette, and Luis Guzman. Mickey's is the most popular fast-food chain in America, and The Big One is the top-selling burger that put them on the map. When the higher-ups at Mickey's corporate offices learn that the frozen meat patties used to make the wildly popular burger have somehow been tainted with contaminated meat, they send marketing executive Don Henderson (Kinnear) on an urgent mission to ensure quality control and find out precisely how their product became compromised. It's a long way from the Southern California boardroom to the immigrant slaughterhouses, though, and the further Henderson works his way through the bustling feedlots and toward the ubiquitous restaurant sites that have become a staple of modern culture, the more he begins to realize just how dangerous convenience can become when it leads to blissfully ignorant complacency. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Arquette, Bobby Cannavale, (more)
The seamy underworld of Manhattan's 42nd street provides the background for this gritty drama that centers around a sleazy male prostitute, addicted to heroin, who tries to get drug money by selling a tender runaway boy to a homosexual. The kid soon over-doses on heroin and dies. The prostitute then begins framing the homosexual. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orson Bean, Kevin Bacon, (more)
Geoff Murphy directed this time-travel chase movie. Emilio Estevez stars as Alex Furlong, a racecar driver from 1991, who is just about to experience a deadly crash in his Formula Atlantic. But at the last moment Alex finds himself transported to the streets of New York in 2009. He is saved from certain death and zapped into the future by 21st-century bounty hunter Vacendak (Mick Jagger), who wants to take over Alex's body. Alex escapes Vacendak's clutches and decides to look up an old girlfriend. When he locates Julie (Rene Russo), he enlists her support to help him from being captured by Vacendak. Much to Alex's surprise, he discovers that Julie now works as a top executive for a giant corporation presided over by McCandless (Anthony Hopkins). Julie, separated from Alex for almost twenty years, must decide whether to renew their relationship. But there is not much time for thought by either party, since Vacendak is still coming after Alex. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, (more)
- 2006
- Add How to Go out on a Date in Queens to QueueAdd How to Go out on a Date in Queens to top of Queue
The comedy How to Go Out on a Date in Queens involves two seemingly unrelated storylines. One tale features a womanizing operator who ends up taking his best friend along on one of the worst dates he's ever had. The second story involves a bookie who owes a little too much money to men with hired killers on their payroll. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Estes, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, (more)
Comedian Pauly Shore goes to boot camp in this comedy adventure set in Chad. It was filmed on location in the California and Arizona deserts. Shore is cast as Bones, a dreamer who wants to open his own stereo shop with his best friend Jack. To earn the cash, Bones talks Jack into joining the Army reserves. In boot camp, they are trained as water purifiers. While in camp, they meet the feisty Christine who takes no guff from men and Fred who is afraid of everything. The foursome are called to active duty and positioned in the deserts of Chad. Through a great mix up, they find themselves driving a water tanker behind Libyan enemy lines. There they must extricate themselves and eventually save the day. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pauly Shore, Andy Dick, (more)
Jericho returned for a second astounding season thanks to unprecedented and impassioned support from its legion of loyal fans, many of whom sent peanuts (reportedly totaling thousands of pounds) to the CBS offices in New York and Los Angeles. Why peanuts? That was a reference to the Season 1 cliffhanger finale, which ended with a character uttering "Nuts." CBS responded by bringing the series back for this concluding seven-episode Season 2 run in the spring of 2008. In the aftermath of a devastating nuclear explosion, and a battle with neighboring New Bern, the once peaceful town of Jericho begins to rebuild itself as it attempts to communicate with the outside world. The newly formed Cheyenne government strives to establish its stronghold in the region, but Jericho's citizens become suspicious of these new leaders as they question their true intentions.
- Starring:
- Skeet Ulrich, Ashley Scott, (more)
Lou Diamond Phillips plays legendary 1950s rocker Ritchie Valens (born Ricardo Valenzuela), in this musical biography. Before scoring radio and concert success with hits like "La Bamba", "C'mon Let's Go", and "Donna", Valens was a 15-year-old migrant worker who worked with his mother Connie (Rosana De Soto). Valens' half-brother Bob Morales (Esai Morales) is a vitriolic ex-con who roars into the migrant camp on his Harley after his release from jail. Valens' musical talents are encouraged by his family -- though later various members of his family react to his fame with varying degrees of pride and envy -- and he soon earns an audition with legendary record producer and former Artie Shaw clarinet player Bob Keane (Joe Pantoliano). Valens soon appears in an Alan Freed rock n' roll teen exploitation film, lip-synching his blistering recorded version of "Ooh, My Head". When a romance with Donna Ludwig (Danielle von Zerneck) is forbidden by her conservative father, Valens pens the famous ballad that bears her name. Tours follow his chart success until the fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of Valens, The Big Bopper (aka J.P. Richardson), and Buddy Holly on February 3rd, 1959. The supporting cast is excellent with power-pop icon Marshall Crenshaw playing Buddy Holly singing "Crying, Waiting, Hoping". Brian Setzer accurately portrays rocker Eddie Cochran, and Howard Hunstberry plays Jackie Wilson and sings "Lonely Teardrops". Additional music is provided by Los Lobos, a band who traces their musical roots directly to Valens and other Mexican influences. Also making cameo appearances are the real-life Mrs. Connie Valenzuela and Bob Morales. Although not 100% historically accurate, La Bamba is much more accurate than 1978s The Buddy Holly Story. The feature turned a new generation on to the influential Tex-Mex rock that was an inspiration to such later rockers as The Bobby Fuller Four as well as Los Lobos. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, (more)
