Rose Portillo Movies

Arriving in an eerily deserted San Francisco, the Sliders come across a tattered, half-mad Quinn lookalike (played by Jerry O'Connell, of course) who holds himself responsible for the end of Mankind. Actually, Mankind is still alive, but has been transferred en masse to a parallel world--resulting in a devastating population explosion, with far too many people (a "double" for every man, woman, and child) and far too few resources. It is up to the Sliders to restore the proper population balance before time (and space) runs out for untold billions of innocent humans. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Leaving Julia (Neve Campbell) in charge of the younger kids, Charlie (Matthew Fox) heads to Chicago for a surprise reunion with Kirsten (Paula Devicq), which does not meet with the approval of her troubled mother Ellie (Kathleen Noone). Before long, Kirsten is begging Charlie to take her away from all this. . .as far as San Francisco. Back at home, Julia is convinced that her pesky sister Claudia (Lacey Chabert) is feigning illness--until Claudia ends up in the hospital with appendictis. And in her efforts to find out why Bailey (Scott Wolf) is avoiding her, Sarah (Jennifer Love Hewitt) finally learns the awful truth. Several awful truths, in fact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This landmark of Chicano cinema is an adaptation of Tomas Rivera's 1971 novel of the same title. Told from the perspective of Marcos, the 12-year-old son of migrant Mexican-American farm workers, the film follows their travels over the course of a year, each of its 12 sections linked to a month of the calendar. The family starts off in Texas at the beginning of harvest season. Their hardscrabble journey takes them across the length and breadth of the Midwest. Along the way, Marcos and his family encounter a rich, difficult, and, at times, pathetic cast of characters including other migrant workers, a shoe salesman, and, in the most startling part of the film, white Americans. Through these encounters, Marcos comes to understand his place in the order of things, namely, near the bottom, discovers the power of familial bonds to comfort and overcome hardship, and uncovers in himself a desire to learn and educate. ~ Brian Whitener, All Movie Guide

Barbra Trent's Oscar-winning documentary takes a harsh look at a black period in 20th-century democracy, the late '80s and early '90s when during "Operation Just Cause," the U.S. invaded Panama, ostensibly to oust dictator and known arms and drug kingpin General Manuel Noriega, whom the U.S. aided for over a decade. Basing her information on eyewitness accounts, Trent alleges that U.S. troops killed up to 4,000 Panamanian men between the ages of 15 and 55, buried them secretly in mass graves, and then reported back home that only 250 civilians died. She also alleges that the troops destroyed untold amounts of buildings. Shocking photographs back up her stunning allegations. Trent spares neither the U.S. government nor the media -- that blindly accepted and reported anything released by the White House -- from blame in keeping the horror a secret. The film begins with a history of the U.S. relations with Panama, beginning with Panama's fight for independence from Colombia -- something the U.S. backed so it could build the Panama Canal -- to President Carter's 1977 treaty that would give control over the vital shipping lane back to Panama in the year 2000. One of the most shocking aspects of the story is that according to Trent, "Operation Justice" was really launched so that the U.S. could renege on the treaty and retain control. She also suggests the U.S. military used the invasion to test out sophisticated new weapons in preparation for the Gulf War. The photos and violence depicted are not for the squeamish. Elizabeth Montgomery narrated the events. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This time, the spotlight is on a friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury--namely, Bill Boyle (Ken Howard), a former football star turned detective. When Bill agrees to temporarily take care of a pal's valuable poodle, he ends up permanently saddled with the pooch when the owner is murdered, clutching three empty IV bags in his cold, dead fingers. It soon becomes clear that the murderers have now targeted both Bill and the poodle, plunging man and dog alike into a hotbed of international intrigue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast on January 26, 1982, Seguin was the third presentation of PBS' American Playhouse. Though not top-billed, A Martinez plays the central role of the controversial real-life Mexican Juan Nepomuenco Seguin (1803-49). A hero in Mexico's war against the United States, Nepomuenco later straddled loyalties by becoming mayor of San Antonio, and then a Texas senator. The film speculates as to why this enigmatic figure spent his last years in exile, cut off from both his native and his adopted country. Seguin is distinguished by a virtually all-Latin cast, including Robert Viharo as Stephen Austin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a Chicano gang member falls in love with a beautiful, wealthy Anglo girl. She tries to get him to leave the gang, but the young man is too deeply involved in being macho to listen. Then his grandmother dies and he travels to Mexico for the funeral. There his mother decides to introduce him to his estranged father, a boozy Anglo-American neer-do-well. Seeing his father causes the boy to take a good look at himself. He decides he wants a better life. He tries to leave the gang and they end up beating him senseless. Still he persists, and soon he is reunited with the girl he loves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Four years after her bout of demonic possession, Regan MacNeil seems at peace as she enjoys a privileged but lonely adolescence. Her actress mother, absent on-location, leaves her in the care of her childhood nanny, Sharon, who feels inextricably bound to her young charge despite the terror she endured during the girl's possession. Regan attends frequent counseling sessions with Dr. Gene Tuskin, an unorthodox psychologist who believes Regan remembers more of her ordeal than she admits. Meanwhile, Father Lamont, a protégé of the priest who died exorcising Regan, is called to investigate the death of his mentor. The Church is divided over the teachings of Father Merrin and wants to gather documentation of his views about demonic existence. Father Lamont himself is conflicted -- haunted by images of a possessed woman he could not save. As he and Dr. Tuskin become convinced that the demon still exhibits a hold on Regan, the priest sojourns to Africa in search of Kokuma, who as a boy was possessed by the same demon and exorcised by Father Merrin. Learning the true name and ancient origins of his supernatural foe, Lamont returns to America to stage a climactic battle for Regan's soul. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide