Stand and Deliver (1988) PG - 4 Stars

Zola's pic for one you should see at least one time or own in your collection.

Based on a true story of Jaime Escalante, here is another movie that belongs in your collection. (Edward James Olmos) plays Jaime Escalante, a mathematics teacher in East LA high school. His assignment is to turn a bunch of gangster type misfits into students. The class ignores and makes fun of him till he starts relating to them from his own cultural background. He takes their street names and give them new nicknames of great warriors and achievers in the Latin community. The children find that class becomes something they want to achieve at if they ever are to leave the barrios they come from. Some of the parents feel threatened by him but he eventually wins them over and the class goes on to be one of the smartest in the history of the school. When they all score high on their SAT's the educational system strips them of their title as they must have cheated based on who they are. Jaime goes to bat for the kids and demands they be retested so he can prove the class is full of winners.

Awards include:

1988 - Stand and Deliver - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Supporting Actress
1988 - Stand and Deliver - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Screenplay
1988 - Stand and Deliver - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Director
1988 - Stand and Deliver - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Picture

Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Director: Ramon Menendez
Writers: Ramon Menendez, Tom Musca
Producers: Andrew Scheinman, Ray Gideon, Bruce A. Evans

I viewed 11/07