American Me (DVD)

In what The Hollywood Reporter calls a brilliant debut, awardwinning actor Edward James Olmos sets the screen ablaze with his directorial bow: a powerful, stunning examination of a Latino crime lord, set against a backdrop of prejudice and hopelessness. Olmos stars as Santana, a youth from the streets of East Los Angeles, who becomes the leader of the Mexican Mafia behind the gates of Folsom Prison. With his two childhood friends, Santana rules the prison with an iron fist, continuing a vicious cycle from which there is no escape. After serving his sentence, Santana is back on the streets for the first time since his teenage years. But he learns life on the outside is as rough as it is behind bars. For the harsh reality of barrio life and his blood-stained past will not give Santana the chance to turn his back on his former way of life. With a vehement anti-drug and anti-gang theme, American Me is an explosive and unforgettable epic.