Stand and Deliver does just that. This moving, acclaimed crowd pleaser is the dynamic saga of real life heroes determined to conquer a foe few people dare confront: the National Advanced Placement Calculus Exam.

Edward James Olmos gives a performance of fire and grit as Jaime Escalante, a math teacher at East Los Angeles' Garfield High who refuses to write off his inner city students as losers. Escalante cajoles, pushes, threatens and inspires 18 kids who were struggling with fractions to become math whizzes.