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(1983) Scarface: Oliver Stone's gangster epic was the gift and the curse. While it laid the blueprint for superb drug dealer-led films (Traffic), it also encouraged the Latino stereotype of the slimy drug lord. Al Pacino, a non-Latino actor, played Tony Montana, a ruthless kingpin who snorted Costco amounts of cocaine, loved tacky clothing, romanced coke-addicted women and disdained Colombians. Pacino's over-the-top Cuban accent influenced a generation of imitators (insert rapper name here).

(1995)The Perez Family: What does a white actress do after an Oscar win? Portray a sexy immigrant from Cuba of course! Marisa Tomei acts as Dorita Evita Perez, a former prostitute, whose top two priorities are bedding men and even more importantly getting a green card. Angelica Huston lends to the great cast as Carmela, a cubana who works at Saks (hey that's a good yob, er, we mean job). Thankfully due to protests and paltry sales this atrocity was pulled early from theatres.

(2000) Next Friday: Ice Cube's Friday was a cult/hood classic and we usually heart his albums. But the Don Mega dropped the ball on Next Friday. Jacob Vargas was cast as Joker, one of three cholo brothers (the other two named Lil' Joker and Baby Joker), who dealt drugs, wore khakis and essentially were walking Los Angelino Mexican stereotypes. This hurts coming from Cube, who as a born and bred Californian lives (or at least walks) amongst Mexicans and has been one of hip-hop's most sociopolitical artists since 1988.

(2002) Maid in Manhattan: From 1998 to 2002, Jennifer Lopez took a break from playing Latinas on film because who else was going to play an Italian wedding planner? The Bronx-born boricua finally made her return to being Latin on screen as Marisa Ventura as (wait for it) a maid and a (it gets better) single mom in Maid in Manhattan. Even though Lopez portrays one of the oldest stereotypes in the racist handbook the storyline does blossom into an even more hackneyed tale. She falls in love with a rich politician of the Caucasian persuasion, who is willing to rescue her from the Bronx. As a testament to the Red State movie-going public's ideas of brown folk as the "help," Maid made close to $100 million and remains La Lopez's highest grossing film.

(2008) Beverly Hills Chihuahua: If an animated film featured the voices of Andy Garcia, Cheech Marin, Edward James Olmos, Placido Domingo, Paul Rodriguez and other Latino legends you'd expect it to be about the Incas or Aztecs. Alas, this is a Disney production so it's about Chihuahuas in Mexico. The lead b**ch is voiced by non-Latina Drew Barrymore and also features one of our favorite telenovela actors Manolo Cardona (¿Por Què Diablos?). The Colombian Cardona acts as Sam, a Mexican landscaper. To add insult to injury the film is receiving good reviews, which leads us to believe mainstream critics are highly anticipating Disney's next hit—Boston Irish Terrier.