Sonia Braga Movies
Born in Maringa, Brazil, Sonia Braga acted on the stage as a teenager. She quickly rose to stardom on Brazilian soap operas during the '60s, but it was not until Bruno Barreto's Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1977) that she gained international screen stardom. She played the title character, a remarried widow who is prone to erotic visits from her first husband's ghost. She worked with Barreto again for the 1983 erotic drama Gabriela, based on one of her TV roles.Her first mainstream Hollywood movie was Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), in the dual role of the mythical title character herself and the woman of Raul Julia's past. She then appeared with Julia in her next few films, including Paul Mazursky's Moon Over Parador (earning her a Golden Globe nomination), Clint Eastwood's The Rookie, and John Frankenheimer's The Burning Season (earning her an Emmy nomination). She hasn't always played a sexpot, however; she was firey garage owner Ruby in Robert Redford's The Milagro Beanfield War as well as the math teacher known as "the Dragon Lady" on The Cosby Show. After living in the U.S. for some time, she returned to Brazil in 1996 to star in the romantic comedy Tieta of Agreste, which she also co-produced. The role of Tieta was a self-reflexive one, that of a mature beautiful woman returning to Brazil after several years away. In the late '90s, she worked on the miniseries Streets of Laredo, A Will of Their Own, and Four Corners. In 2001 she joined the cast of Gregory Nava's PBS series American Family as matriarch Berta. She can also be seen as Jennifer Lopez's mother in Angel Eyes and as Kim Cattrall's lover Maria on Sex and the City. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 1978
- R
In this sequel to Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, Sonia Braga stars as a new wife who copes with her sexual frustration by sleeping with strangers she picks up on buses. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonia Braga, Nuno Leal Maia, (more)
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)
Jennifer Lopez stars in this gritty, emotional drama as police officer Sharon Pogue, who covers up a painful past with an anger that fuels her job performance in one of Chicago's toughest precincts. Although her partner Robby (Terrence Howard) is concerned about Sharon, she won't confide even in her closest friend. Sharon's life takes a turn, however, when she's saved from a violent assault by Catch Lambert (James Caviezel), a haunted, enigmatic do-gooder whose guardian-angel deeds make him a hero to some, like disabled shut-in Elanora Davis (Shirley Knight). Sharon becomes romantically involved with Catch, with whom she has more in common than she imagines, as Catch is also tortured by a painful, traumatic event from his past. Angel Eyes, which is directed by Luis Mandoki and written by Gerald DiPego, co-stars Sonia Braga, Alfonso Arau, Jeremy Sisto, and Victor Argo. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Lopez, James Caviezel, (more)
The celebrated Latino director Gregory Nava (American Family) helmed, scripted, and co-produced (with star Jennifer Lopez) Bordertown - a suspense thriller with an A-list Hispanic cast. Lopez portrays Lauren Adrian, an American correspondent from a Chicago newspaper, who longs to cover the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Instead, Lauren's mentor at the paper, George Morgan (Martin Sheen) reassigns her to Mexico. She is promptly shuttled off to Juarez, a troubled community on the Texas-Mexico border rattled by a series of brutal, unsolved homicides. The victims - all young women, employed in the maquilla plants that manufacture electrical components for exportation to the U.S. - are uniformly found raped and strangled to death. One of those women, Eva, manages to escape her captors (who believe her dead) and flees not to the corrupt police, but to the local newspaper. There, her life intersects with those of Lauren and Lauren's former boyfriend and lover, the reporter Alfonso Diaz (Antonio Banderas). Suddenly, Lauren foresees, in the prospect of reporting Eva's story, an assignment that could bring her closer to Iraq than she ever dreamed possible. Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Maya Zapata and Juan Diego Botto co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maya Zapata, Jennifer Lopez, (more)
- 2005
Eduardo Noriega dons the beret of beloved Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara in this biopic from director Josh Evans. The leader of the socialist revolt that would shake the entire world, Guevara gave birth to a legacy that would inspire idealists and revolutionaries for years to come. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eduardo Noriega, Sonia Braga, (more)
Based on the novel by Jorge Amado, this Brazilian comedy follows the strange events that befall Doña Flor (Sonia Braga) after she is left a widow by the death of her wild, irresponsible husband. (He died after another wanton night of carousing) Attempting to marry more wisely the second time around, Doña Flor weds a stable, but boring, pharmacist who has no interest in sex. When she discovers that her new sex life is less than satisfying, Doña Flor is visited by the sexy ghost of her late husband. This film is in Portuguese with English subtitles. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonia Braga, Jose Wilker, (more)
A man who has made good in an illegal business discovers going straight is a more complicated matter than he imagined in this urban drama. Victor Rosa (John Leguizamo) is a drug dealer who has made a small fortune selling a heroin-based drug cocktail he's concocted called "Empire." Victor doesn't see himself as a dope pusher; instead, he considers himself an entrepreneur and a businessman who is simply making the most of the economic opportunities presented to him in the ghetto. Through his girlfriend Carmen (Delilah Cotto), Victor makes the acquaintance of Jack Wimmer (Peter Sarsgaard), an upscale investment banker who admires Victor's business savvy and street smarts. Victor is interested in getting out of drug dealing and into a legitimate business, and when Jack offers Victor the chance to buy into a new business, Victor eagerly accepts and makes a good profit in the deal. After this, Victor is all the more enthusiastic when Jack gives him the opportunity to invest in a much bigger project; the price, however, is more than Victor can afford, and he has to borrow from another high-stakes drug dealer, La Columbiana (Isabella Rossellini) in order to make the nut. It isn't long before Victor learns La Columbiana is not a good person to be in debt to -- and that Jack may not be all he imagined him to be. Empire marked the directorial debut of dancer and choreographer Franc Reyes; the supporting cast includes Denise Richards, Sonia Braga, Ruben Blades, and rapper Fat Joe. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Leguizamo, Peter Sarsgaard, (more)
- 1981
- R
This Brazilian erotic exercise stars Sonia Braga and Paulo Cesar Pereio as lovers who aren't in love. Attracted to each other's all-stops-out sexuality, Braga and Pereio use one another in every sense of the word. It is only at fadeout time that they learn to their surprise that they have genuinely fallen for each other. Though it shies away from closeups, I Love You is about as hard-core as it's possible to get in a mainstream film. Originally titled Eu Te Amo, I Love You made its American debut sans a rating of any kind -- "X" or otherwise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonia Braga, Paulo Cesar Pereio, (more)
- 1998
One of the most highly touted projects of the 1997-1998 TV season, Four Corners was introduced by CBS as a four-part miniseries, debuting February 24, 1998. Ann-Margret heads the cast as Amanda "Maggie" Wyatt, the headstrong widowed matriarch of a once-powerful California rancing family. Despite the encroachment of housing developments and ski resorts, Maggie is determined to keep Four Corners up and running. Unfortunately for her, Maggie's son Alex (Doug Wert) has evinced sympathy for the land developers; also, her best friend Carlota Alvarez (Sonia Braga) has cast her lot with a group of local migrant workers. In other intrigues, Maggie's amorous daughter Kate (Megan Ward) still hopes to get her lunchhooks into Carlotta's son Tomas (Kamar De Los Reyes), and never mind that he has become a priest; and Maggie's foreman Sam (Raymond J. Barry must deal with the return of his jailbird son Caleb (Justin Chambers). The plan was to follow the pattern set by the classic prime time soap opera Dallas by introducing Four Corners as a limited series, then go to a full weekly program once it had won the viewers' hearts. But those hearts turned cold in a hurry--and as a result only three of the four completed episodes had been telecast when CBS abruptly axed the project on March 3, 1998. Since that time, Four Corners has been rebroadcast as a two-part TV movie by the Lifetime cable network, under the title Homestead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann-Margret, Sonia Braga, (more)
- 1999
- R
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An outlaw who recently defied death by escaping his noose is on the run with his gang and the daughter of his intended executioner in this prequel to the 1996 series original, From Dusk Til Dawn. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ara Celi, Marco Leonardi, (more)
- 1983
Gabriela was based on Jorge Armado's novel Gabriela, Clove and Cinammon, which also served as the source of a typically steamy Brazilian TV soap opera. Set in 1925 (when the novel was first published), the film stars Marcello Mastrioanni as Nacib, a bartender in the Bahian village of Parati. When a drought descends upon the surrounding countryside, slovenly-but-sexy Gabriela (Sonja Braga) wanders into Parati with some friends and relatives. Immediately entranced by Gabriela's earthy sensuality, Nacib hires her as a cook and potential lover. Jealous of the attentions paid to Gabriela by the local menfolk, Nacib decides to marry her, then orders her to dress and behave in a more prudish fashion. But Gabriela can't help straying sexually, and as consequence it is Nacib who is forced to undergo the film's major character transformation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonia Braga, Marcello Mastroianni, (more)
- 1986
In another indictment of the flaws of our so-called civilization, this satire from the late director (Marco Ferreri) features (Christopher Lambert) as Michel, a miserable man who has failed at love and finds solace in a mechanical key holder. Michel has just been dumped by Barbara (Anemone) because he has not been able to get her pregnant. He is feeling pretty low when he finds a key holder with blue eyes and big red lips that responds to the sound of a whistle with "I Love You." Michel tacks this gadget up on his TV set and whistles away. He seems happy with this fool-proof declaration of love until one day, the key holder responds to the neighbor's whistle and Michel goes berserk. After all, if your key ring can't be faithful, what's the world coming to? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anémone, Eddy Mitchell, (more)
Political prisoner Valentin Arregui (Raul Julia) and homosexual pederast Luis Molina (William Hurt) share a Brazilian prison cell in this fantastical drama from the book by Manuel Puig. Sensitive and flamboyant, Molina helps pass the time by recounting memories from one of his favorite films, a wartime romantic thriller that just may also be a Nazi propaganda film. He weaves the characters into an ongoing narrative meant to spur Valentin's imagination and distract him from the brutal realities of political imprisonment and separation from the woman he loves. Hard around the edges, and willing to die for his political principles, Valentin nonetheless allows Molina to penetrate some of his defensive shell. An odd friendship forms between the two vastly different prisoners, the dreamer and the activist. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that Valentin is being poisoned by his captors, to compel him to reveal names and secrets, and that Molina may have other agendas that belie his honesty and openness with Valentin. The intense character study builds toward a surprising conclusion. Kiss of the Spider Woman received Oscar nominations for best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay, and Hurt took home the best actor trophy for his portrayal of the soulful and conflicted Molina. The film was later adapted into a Broadway musical. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hurt, Raul Julia, (more)
- 2003
A cab driver is murdered, sending Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) on another clue-gathering expedition. The trail leads to a lost book, a brace of authors, and a onetime child prodigy. The story takes a bizarre twist when the suspect demands to be sentenced to death. And, oh, yes, also figuring in the proceedings is the former law school professor and mentor of ADA Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- PG13
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Randall Miller's Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School compiles an all-star cast to tell an unabashedly emotional story about life, love, and destiny. Robert Carlyle portrays Frank Keane, a man who has been in a deep depression ever since his wife passed away. One day while driving, Frank sees an accident. He investigates the scene to see if he can help and meets a dying stranger (John Goodman), who tells Frank that he was headed to a dance school in order to reunite with a woman he loved many years before. Frank decides to attend the dance school, and becomes involved with a variety of people. Originally beginning as a short film, Randall Miller's feature-length film was screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, (more)
- 2001
A man who has just met his fate looks back on the life he's just completed in this historical comedy-drama based on a novel by Machado de Assis. 19th century tycoon Cubas (Reginaldo Faria) has just died, and his spirit takes a long look back on his life and his loves, as he courts a number of beautiful women in his youth -- including a lovely but greedy prostitute (Sonia Braga) -- and later in life strikes it rich by creating a popular patent medicine, Bras Cubas Poultice. The younger Cubas is played by Petronio Gontijo); Andre Klotzel directed and adapted the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reginaldo Farias, Vietia Rocha, (more)
- 1998
In this drama, a Vegas casino worker's love affair with a beautiful hooker turns dangerous when he allows her to draw him into a gambling scam. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Scheider, Sonia Braga, (more)
Jack Noah (Richard Dreyfuss) is all actor: Self-possessed, obsessive, vulnerable, and an addict for praise, his soul burns with "the craft." Having just finished a grade-Z straight-to-cable crime thriller in the fictional South American country of Parador, he gets the ultimate acting challenge (though it's more like an offer he can't refuse) from Roberto Strausman (Raul Julia), the Paradorian dictator's chief advisor. The challenge: impersonate the country's dictator, whose just died. Strausman knows just how to manipulate Noah: He takes him to a meat locker, shows him the director's body (actually Dreyfuss' brother, Lorin), threatens to kill him, and he brings clips of Noah's best reviews. Thus enticed, and bearing a striking resemblance to the man, Noah accepts the job. Under the exacting direction of Strausman, he follows the script precisely. Noah immediately enjoys the job's perks, not least of which is the dictator's scorching mistress, Madonna (Sonia Braga), but of course cannot conceal his real identity to her. A close call with Parador's revolutionaries and Madonna's brimming social conscience push Noah to take command of the role. He starts pushing a kinder, gentler social agenda, and incurs Strausman's wrath. It begins to look like Noah will play the dictator's last act, but a chance meeting with a stunt man friend (Michael Greene) inspires a caper that will change all of the characters' fates. ~ Nick Sambides, Jr., All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dreyfuss, Raul Julia, (more)
As a number of luminaries on the international fashion scene converge for a major show, their personal and professional crises come to a head in this comedy-drama. Lorenzo Mancini (Paul Sorvino) is an internationally famous designer who has learned he has only a short time to live. As Mancini tries to make his peace with both his ex-wife (Sonia Braga) and his long-time companion (Peter Gallagher), he also tries to mend fences with his son (and heir) Mario (Michael Sorvino) while persuading him to not merge the family business with the hip-hop fashion empire of J.B. (Omar Epps. Anthony (Jared Harris), a famous and influential fashion photographer, is having a career crisis as his marriage to Francene (Michelle Forbes) begins to collapse. Cutting-edge designer Roberta (Rita Wilson) is scrambling to complete her latest line as her underlings start leaving her one by one. Camille (Leslie Mann), Roberta's business partner, may be the next to hit the road, as she becomes involved with Jamie (Jeff Goldblum), who works for a firm run by arch-rival designer Phillip (Harris Yulin). And Janice (Joanne Baron), the editor of a leading fashion journal, is facing a deadline when she gets an unexpected visitor -- her daughter Halley (Michelle Williams), whom she hasn't seen in over a decade. Taking an unusual approach, director Michael Rymer and screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson wrote a detailed outline for Perfume and in-depth background sketches for all the characters, but allowed the cast to improvise all the dialogue used in the film. Perfume had its world premiere at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joanne Baron, Angela Bettis, (more)
Milcha Sanchez-Scott adapted her own play for this moving and poetic tale of family obsessions directed by Robert M. Young. Edward James Olmos stars as Gallo, the macho head of the Morales family. He has been in prison for the last seven years for murdering a man over a cockfight, but now he is returning home to his family -- his wife Juana (Sonia Braga) and his sister-in-law Chata (Maria Conchita Alonso). Also awaiting his homecoming are his two children -- Hector (Danny Nucci), who is embittered by his father's imprisonment, and Angela (Sarah Lassez), who eagerly looks forward to his return. Gallo, however, has his own agenda upon returning home. Consumed by his passion for cockfighting all his years in prison, he wants to begin to raise a new prize flock of roosters -- and he won't let anyone or anything stand in his way. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward James Olmos, Sonia Braga, (more)
- 2007
Mexican screen legend Angelica Maria returns to the silver screen for the first time in twenty years to star alongside Brazilian star Sonia Braga in this magic realism style film that eschews the cynicism and violence so common in 21st Century cinema to explore the mysteries and wonders of human relationships. Convinced that she shares a powerful connection with the sea, a beautiful woman defies everyone around her and soon discovers that, in a world where myths are reality and truth imaginary, sometimes humans can connect with nature in the most remarkable ways. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnathon Schaech, Sendi Bar, (more)
This miniseries follows the original Lonesome Dove miniseries, and both are based on the characters created by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry. Although much of the cast has changed from the original, the compelling saga is as satisfying as ever. The Western tale continues with the gritty Captain Woodrow Call (played this time by James Garner), a former Texas Ranger who is hired as a bounty hunter to track down the elusive and brutal Mexican gunman Joey Garza (Alexis Cruz). The characters Pea Eye Parker (Sam Shepard) and Lorena (Sissy Spacek) also return in this moving and atmospheric drama. ~ Jessica Frost, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Alexis Cruz, (more)
Plagued by memories of his mysteriously departed boyfriend, a man travels all the way to Argentina for some closure in this comedic thriller. TV's David Sutcliffe plays Dean, a comic book artist living in relative comfort in Los Angeles, until an accidental fire destroys his domicile. With no place to live and an egregious case of writer's block, Dean decides to flee the States for South America, where his former lover Pablo (Antonio Sabato Jr.) has retreated without an explanation. Tracking down Pablo's aristocratic mother (Sonia Braga) only brings the attention of the police; Dean has better luck with Pablo's enigmatic neighbor Sofia (Celina Font) and her loose-cannon brother, although even they aren't what they seem. Testosterone co-stars Jennifer Coolidge as Dean's brassy editor. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This highly acclaimed made-for-cable movie tells the real-life story of one man's battle to save his land. Raul Julia stars as Chico Mendes, the Brazilian union leader who rallied his people to rise up and fight the exploitation of the rainforest. Mendes called on the locals to protest land developers building a road through the Amazon in an effort to make it more accessible for business. Julia is outstanding in his portrayal of the impassioned worker, who was subsequently assassinated in 1990. Nominated for many awards, the film took the Golden Globe for "Best Mini-series for TV" and several Emmy awards. Raul Julia won the Golden Globe and the Emmy for his inspiring lead performance. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1986
When their math teacher Mrs. Westlake (Sonia Braga) goes to the hospital to have her baby, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and Cockroach (Carl Anthony Payne II) wonder if they will be spared an upcoming math test. The "answer" arrives in the form of a substitute teacher, leading to a surprisingly serious monologue from the usually insouciant Cockroach! Meanwhile, Denise (Lisa Bonet) comes to the rescue when Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) gets a zit, and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) tries to master a bike with the nervous assistance of Cliff (Bill Cosby). Fashion model and future Jamie Foxx Show regular Garcelle Beauvais appears unbilled as a nurse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
