Danny Trejo Movies
With his intimidating, tattooed, muscle-bound appearance, character actor Danny Trejo has formed a successful career as the all-purpose hard case over his curious and enduring cinematic career. Beating the odds of repeat offender syndrome after being released from prison, Trejo has risen through the ranks to find himself in high demand as an actor, and has even expanded his talents to include a producer credit to his resumé. His life story is just about as pristine an example of rehabilitation as one could ask for.Raised in the mean streets of East L.A., Trejo spent many of his early years incarcerated in such legendary prisons as Folsom and San Quentin on drug and robbery convictions. Channeling his intense energy into the boxing ring and winning numerous lightweight and welterweight titles, Trejo was released as a new man after completing a life-changing 12-step rehabilitation program to overcome his addictions. Applying the ideas that changed his life in an attempt to help others headed down a similar path, upon release Trejo became involved with numerous rehabilitation and counseling programs. A chance meeting with a young man who asked for his support at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985 later found the sympathetic ex-con meeting the struggling addict on the set of Runaway Train, and Trejo was quickly offered a role as a convict presumably based on his threatening appearance. Chance piled upon chance found an old prison buddy/screenwriter who remembered Trejo's hard-hitting boxing skills on the same set, and Trejo was then offered a chance to train Eric Roberts for a film, and was eventually offered the role as his opponent in the ring. Following with roles in The Hidden (1987), and later Lock-Up (1989), Marked for Death (1990), Mi Vida Loca (1993), and Heat (1995), Trejo formed an alliance with director Robert Rodriguez with Desperado in 1995, and soon graduated to such bigger-budget films as Con Air (1997) and The Replacement Killers (1998) in the latter 1990s. The Rodriguez-Trejo twosome found the actor taking on the role of Uncle Isadore "Machete" Cortez in the director's 2001 smash hit Spy Kids, and was later cast in both the film's sequel and Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2002). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2010
Robert Rodriguez makes good on expanding his Grindhouse fake trailer Machete into a feature film with this Overnight Productions picture. Danny Trejo will once again star as the knife-wielding vigilante who nearly dies in an assassination conspiracy, only to return later on and seek vengeance against those who wronged him. Robert De Niro, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Don Johnson, and Jeff Fahey fill out the supporting cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Trejo
- 2009
- R
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Paul Giamatti, Brian Posehn, Rosario Dawson, Danny Trejo, Daniel Roebuck, Tom Kenny, Tom Papa, and, of course, Sheri Moon Zombie all lend their voices to director Rob Zombie's animated tale of a washed-up luchador who makes it his mission to battle the forces of the supernatural. As the heroic El Superbeasto (voice of Papa) advances ever closer to his ultimate confrontation with the diabolical Dr. Satan (Giamatti), each adventure becomes more surreal and terrifying than the last. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Papa, Paul Giamatti, (more)
Director James Cotten recruits an all-star roster for this crime thriller set along the Mexican-American border. Mexican drug lord Pelon has managed to escape the ire of the American government, but his decision to switch from cocaine from Colombia to heroin from Afghanistan attracts their attention. Numerous assassins come for the man's blood, but Pelon evades them all. Hitman Mark Shields sets himself apart from the pack with 20 years of killing experience, but he becomes distracted by the presence of a woman and her daughter. This character-driven action film stars Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Armand Assante, and Esai Morales. ~ Kimber Myers, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Liotta, Esai Morales, (more)
- 2009
- R
A compulsive gambler attempts to cure his addiction by moving from Las Vegas to Albuquerque and working at an auto insurance company, only to find old temptations cropping up once again when he's sent out to investigate a dubious car accident just outside of Sin City. After a string of bad luck at the tables, John (Steve Buscemi) decides to give up gambling and take a shot at a "normal" life. Arriving in Albuquerque and landing a job at an auto insurance company, John goes to work for Mr. Townsend (Peter Dinklage), who pairs him with the company's top fraud debunker, Virgil (Romany Malco), and sends them out on an investigation together. While John is eager to get a promotion, he's reluctant to go anywhere near Las Vegas, and before he leaves he strikes up a tenuous romance with his eccentric co-worker Jill (Sarah Silverman). On the road, Virgil and John encounter a series of offbeat characters including a nude militant (Tim Blake Nelson), a wheelchair-bound stripper (Emmanuelle Chriqui), and a carnival human torch (John Cho). But while Virgil is the one with the experience, John gradually begins to assert himself and soon his efforts begin to pay off as the case moves closer to conclusion. As John's confidence grows, he becomes increasingly aware of the fact that running away from his gambling problem is not the solution, and that he'll only be able to move forward by returning to Las Vegas to face his demons head on. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Buscemi, Romany Malco, (more)
- 2008
- PG
An ex-football star takes in his young nephew after the child's parents are killed in an accident, and convinces the fragile boy that his parents are convalescing in the hospital. Johnny Dunn (Richard Tyson) is a former gridiron giant who left the game behind to purchase a small desert town. He calls the place Jake's Corner, and despite the barren surroundings, the few people that live their flourish. They're a small, eccentric group, but for what it's worth, they're family. After the accident, Johnny's nephew Spence comes to live in Jake's Corner. Uncertain of how to raise a child, Johnny reveals to his friends that Spence still doesn't know that his parents are dead, and that it's their job to help him maintain the ruse. Their spirits lifted by the presence and energy of the curious young boy, the residents of the secluded town take the opportunity to share their homespun wisdom with Spence, and try to prepare him for the hard truth he's about to face. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
When the peaceful inhabitants of the planet Terra come under attack from humans in search of a new home, the friendship between a human pilot and an alien girl may hold the key to saving both races. Mala (Evan Rachel Wood) is an alien girl living on the planet Terra. The Terrians are gentle race of extraterrestrials that have no need for war, and harbor a deep respect for nature. When Earth's natural resources began to dwindle, the human race established colonies on Venus and Mars. Although that solution worked temporarily, tragedy struck when the colonies on Venus and Mars attempted to declare independence from Earth, and all three planets were destroyed in the ensuing war. Now, humankind's only hope for survival is to reach Terra. The few remaining humans have developed a machine that will make Terra habitable for them yet poisonous for Terrians, and while the human council is dedicated to finding a peaceful means of coexisting with the Terrians, the villainous General Hemmer (Brian Cox) is fast losing patience. When heroic human fighter pilot Lt. Jim Stanton (Luke Wilson) crash-lands on Terra while chasing Mala into uncharted territory, the empathetic alien girl saves his life, and an interspecies friendship is forged. But time is running out for both the humans and the Terrians, and when General Hemmer stages a military coup d'état, the stage is set for a battle that threatens to destroy both species. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Evan Rachel Wood, Justin Long, (more)
When a hard-luck blue-collar worker and his two best friends are mistaken for Army Reservists by a tough-talking Army sergeant, the plane set to fly them to the front lines of Iraq mistakenly drops them in the middle of Mexico to disastrous results in a freewheeling military comedy starring Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and D.J. Qualls. Larry (the Cable Guy) has lost his job and his woman in the short span of 24 hours. Convinced that some suds and target shooting are just the right remedies for a broken, jobless heart, Larry sets out with his next-door neighbor Bill (Engvall) and their trigger-happy pal Everett (Qualls) in order to blast off some rounds and down some brews. Their relaxing weekend soon takes an unexpected turn, however, when hard-case Army sergeant Kilgrove (Keith David) mistakes the trio as slacking Army reservists and loads them in a plane bound for Fallujah. Subsequently air-dropped over Mexico due to pilot error, the clueless, wannabe war heroes become convinced that they're actually in the Middle East and set out to save a rural village from what they assume to be an insurgent uprising. Though the thankful locals champion the noble but dimwitted trio for their heroism, the celebration is short-lived as ruthless warlord Carlos Santana (Danny Trejo) pays a personal visit to the town with a plan to confront the fearless warriors who dared to challenge his iron-fist rule. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, (more)
The Grand Prize winner of the 2004 WriteMovies.com International Screenwriting Contest, Valley of Angels follows a twenty-something drug dealer who falls into the dark side of the underworld after realizing that the City of Angels has lost its soul. Zachary "Zeus" Andrews is a Chicago transplant who moved to Los Angeles as a young boy, and quickly realized that he would never fit in there. A stranger in a hostile plastic landscape, Zues quickly became the go-to guy for rich kids in search of chemical kicks. One day, after meeting a girl who appears to transcend the materialistic culture they both inhabit, the small-time drug dealer receives a tantalizing glimpse of his true destiny. Now, just as Zeus becomes convinced that he is finally on the path to enlightenment and begins preparing to leave his old life behind, the harsh reality of his grim existence strikes back with deadly vengeance. George Katt and Danny Trejo star in a crime drama from first-time writer/producer/editor/director Jon Rosten. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Trejo, George Katt, (more)
Dominic Swain, Master P, Tom Sizemore, and Danny Trejo star in this flashy action thriller about a beautiful mental patient who embarks on a violent killing spree after learning that her own father has put a bounty on her head. Anyone who gets in this lethal lady's way is sure to pay with their lives, whether it be the nightclub owner, the bartender, the call girl, or even the exotic dancer. Who will be alive when her violent rampage has ended, and what will be left of them but a fleshy bag of broken bones? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Ward, Corey Large, (more)
One woman's day goes all to pot in this resinous comedy from independent filmmaker Gregg Araki. Jane (Anna Faris) is a college dropout and aspiring actress who suffers from a certain lack of ambition, doubtless reinforced by her fondness for marijuana. One morning, Jane wakes with a busy day ahead of her -- she has a big audition, she has to pay the electric bill on her apartment to prevent the power from being shut off, and she needs to pick up some pot after paying her debt to her dealer -- and decides to take the edge off her anxieties by getting a little stoned. Under the influence, the cupcakes her roommate Steve (Danny Masterson) has made for his friends to enjoy at the weekend's Sci-Fi convention look too good to resist, and she gobbles them down. What Jane doesn't realize until it's too late is that the baked goods were laced with some especially strong marijuana, and what starts as a pleasant buzz turns into a world-class high that refuses to go away. As Jane struggles to make her way through the day, fate keeps throwing her into strange and surreal situations involving police officers, Steve's lovesick best friend, and a rare original manuscript of The Communist Manifesto. Smiley Face also stars Adam Brody, John Krasinski, Jane Lynch, Michael Hitchcock, John Cho and Roscoe Lee Browne. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Roscoe Lee Browne, (more)
The Devil's Rejects director Rob Zombie resurrects one of the most notorious slashers in screen history with this re-imagining of the 1978 John Carpenter classic that spawned numerous sequels and countless imitators. As a child, young Michael Myers (Daeg Faerch) committed one of the most unspeakable crimes imaginable. Subsequently locked in an asylum and placed under the care of Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell), the hollow-eyed boy grew into an emotionless man determined to escape back to his hometown of Haddonfield and complete the murderous mission that he began so many years back. These days, the long-abandoned Myers house sits decrepit and overgrown on a peaceful suburban street, its boarded windows and rotting wood a silent testament to the slaughter that has haunted Haddonfield for decades. Now Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) is back, and as the children of this typical Midwestern town fill the sidewalks for a fun-filled night of tricks and treats, Haddonfield is about to find out that there is no escape from pure evil. Brad Dourif, William Forsythe, Udo Kier, Dee Wallace, Sheri Moon Zombie, Danny Trejo, and Adrienne Barbeau co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie, (more)
An emotionally stunted ex-convict whose recent release from prison finds her attempting to form a relationship with her young daughter finds that redemption doesn't come easy in this emotional family drama, the feature debut of award-winning documentary filmmaker Laurie Collyer. When Sherry Swanson (Maggie Gyllenhaal) was sentenced to three years in prison on a drug-related robbery conviction at the age of 22, she had just given birth to a daughter named Alexis (Ryan Simpkins). Placed in the care of Sherry's brother, Bobby (Brad William Henke), and sister-in-law, Lynette (Bridget Barkan), while her mother was behind bars, young Alexis has grown into an affectionate young girl eager to reconnect with the mother she has never met. Though Sherry at first seems determined to stay on the straight and narrow, increasingly infrequent visits to Alexis and a troubling revelation about her family past soon begin to lead the protective Lynette to take a stand in protecting the vulnerable youngster. Later, when compassionate 12-step veteran Dean (Danny Trejo) makes an effort to help Sherry become the mother she longs to be, the troubled ex-con is faced with the choice of truly living up to her word or potentially losing her daughter forever. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad William Henke, (more)
Their lives going nowhere fast, two middle-aged friends from Los Angeles start up their own business in a bid to gain the respect of their friends and colleagues. As young children, Brenda (Sean Young) and her immigrant friend Jonathan (Christian Schoyen) were bullied mercilessly. Now they're adults, and not much has changed. In an attempt to get their lives on track, they take a shot at the American Dream. But while owning your own business is easy, getting to the top in a city like L.A. is nearly impossible. Seduced by the prospect of success and caught up dreams of fast cars and fat bank accounts, Brenda and Jonathan quickly realize that they don't know the first thing about running their own business. When their latest client Chuck (Danny Trejo) discovers they've been living the dream on his dime, the two friends are in for a rude awakening. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2006
A crew of documentary filmmakers exploring an abandoned prison which was shut down in the wake of a deadly riot discovers that sometimes the horrors of the past have a way of bleeding into the present. It was years ago when the inmates at Isla del Roca penitentiary rose up against the guards in a brutal display of violent rebellion, and now the condemned building sets as a silent reminder of archaic brutality. Upon learning of Ilsa del Roca's dark history, a group of ambitious documentary filmmakers determine that the penitentiary would make an ideal subject for the film that could serve as their calling card to greatness. Their plans for the film are quickly sidetracked, however, when the crew discovers that a band of desperate fugitives have taken up residence in the vast complex. While the criminals who currently call the prison home may be dangerous, the victims of the notorious riots who still haunt the cold concrete corridors of Ilsa del Roca are not only terrifying, but downright deadly. Jake Busey, Stacey Keach, and Danny Trejo star in a gore-drenched shocker from Slayer director Kevin VanHook. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg takes horror fans on a ride through the scary underside of life in the 'hood in this horror anthology. The self-described "gatekeeper of the after-party" (Snoop Dogg) introduces three stories of life in a ghetto neighborhood in which the unscrupulous get what's coming to them. Posie (Daniella Alonso) is a nice girl who turns mean when a gang of thugs murder her mother. Posie swears revenge against the gangsters, but isn't sure what to do until she encounters a member of the undead (Danny Trejo) who gives her some lessons in bloodthirsty behavior. Next, Tex Woods Jr. (Anson Mount) is a ugly-spirited Southerner who claims ownership of a house belonging to his father after the old man dies at Tex's hands. Tex and his wife, Tiffany (Brande Roderick), waste no time in evicting a handful of impoverished war veterans who were friendly with Tex's dad, but he pushes them too far and Roscoe (Ernie Hudson) leads the former soldiers in a shocking act of revenge. And finally, a rapper who has betrayed most of his friends on the way up gets his just deserts on the way down. Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror also features Billy Dee Williams, Method Man, Jason Alexander, Lin Shaye, and Aries Spears. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Snoop Dogg, Ernie Hudson, (more)
- 2006
In his 1961 speech to the National Association of Broadcasters Newton Minnow claimed that television had become a "vast wasteland," and with this comedy the warped folks at National Lampoon prove that Minnow's so-called "vast wasteland" has since been flooded by a festering cesspool of filth and depravity. Absolutely nothing is sacred as Jackass stars Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Preston Lacy, and Jason "Wee Man" Acuna skewer small screen conventions by targeting everything from reality television to talk shows. For viewers looking to find out just how far the bar has been lowered, who better to turn to than the satirical minds at National Lampoon? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve-O, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, (more)
- 2006
Michael Paré, Danny Trejo, Ja Rule, and Tom Sizemore star in this nightmarish tale of a maximum security prison overtaken by a malevolent supernatural force. Upon entering into a notorious penitentiary to explore a gruesome series of deaths, Detective Michael Turner (Paré) discovers that his latest case may not be as cut and dry as he initially suspected. It seems that these cold concrete halls are home to not only some of the world's most dangerous criminals, but also a force beyond human comprehension. Now, as this vengeful entity lashes out and the body count begins to rise, the hardened inmates struggle desperately to stay alive and the tireless detective works around the clock to reverse this deadly curse. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ja Rule, Michael Paré, (more)
Directed by the prolific Rob Zombie, The Devil's Rejects is a sequel of sorts to 2003's House of 1000 Corpses, and picks up several weeks after House left off. This time, the clash revolves around the tribe of violent lunatics and decidedly valueless family members of the original film, who have come to be known as the "Devil's Rejects." After learning of the extended family's horrific attacks, a SWAT team is sent to take them into custody; all but their crazed Mama escape. In addition to creating a full-fledged media circus, this sends the sociopath housemates on the run, and they initiate a deadly road trip. Meanwhile, Mama has to deal with a violent, vengeful sheriff (William Forsythe). The Devil's Rejects features Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Sheri Moon, Michael Berryman, and Ken Foree, among other cult horror regulars. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, (more)
Their dreams of making it in Hollywood dashed following an unexpected break-up, a group of scheming independent filmmakers plot to get their picture made by stealing a case of government-issued marijuana, and returning it to the FBI for a sizable reward. Tom and his posse had it all figured out: By getting Tom's famous girlfriend to star in their latest production, they're sure to get noticed by the Hollywood bigwigs. Trouble is, Tom has just been dumped, and as a result the film has lost its one shining star. But they could still get their movie made if they could just scrape up enough cash, and a stolen stash of medical marijuana may be just the break they've been looking for. If they can only outsmart the FBI, Tom and his friends may actually have a shot at getting their movie made. Corin Nemic, David Faustino, Jason Mewes, and Edward Furlong star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Mummies stars Danny Trejo, Max Perlich, and Billy Worth as members of a group of criminals who set out to find a cache of gold hidden in Mexico. The group soon discovers that mummies are in charge of protecting the valuable commodity. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
