Robert Rodriguez’ sequel to El Mariachi and Desperado is more of a witness to something than a story anyone can repeat. Johnny Depp is back in another 2003 film, loopy and dangerous, as a CIA operative trying to manipulate Mexican politics. “El” (Antonio Banderas) is out to avenge the murders of his wife and daughter who represent his country, Mexico. It’s hard to believe that the creator of the family-friendly Spy Kids franchise could produce a trilogy so violent it repels... Read more

Fine drama, fine acting, fine story-lines… I am always surprised that the hour has gone by so quickly. Amy is now a criminal court judge in Hartford, CT. I did like her when she was on the bench in juvenile court, so we’ll have to see how adult crime fares in her courtroom. Juvenile court was just as often about the crimes perpetrated against children as it was them doing wrong. Tyne Daly is a marvel. This is serious television done fine,... Read more

This is my must-see TV show of the week. I watch it for no other reason than it’s totally engaging, unreal, and the plot keeps surprising me. And it has a female as the heroine in a television landscape that has precious few of those. I know it’s “only” TV. Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) is this … spy. Now she’s in with the good guys (?) the CIA. It’s impossible to explain the plot, so the best thing to do is... Read more

Whale Rider was the BEST film of the summer of 2003, the highlight, the blessing. If you were enchanted by “Island of the Blue Dolphin” as a kid, and “Gifts of the Sea” as an adult, then you’ll want to experience this quiet contemplation of a young girl’s life and her desire to belong to her Maori tribe and make a contribution. There is a deep longing in the film that if you let it, will move you and stay... Read more

Everyone says the Academy won’t give an Oscar to a Disney film. If that’s the case, I will give Johnny Depp my own Candle Award (I just thought of that!) He is so loopy and fun in this movie – it has to be the most entertaining film of the summer. He owned this movie. Pirates had all the right ingredients – fantasy, history, reality, romance, quirk, adventure … to name a few. And if you dig a little deeper... Read more

This is not a great movie, but my 5-year old and 2-year old nephews kept chanting “Daddy Day Care! Daddy Day Care!” And they sat there and watched the film all the way through (my sister was so relieved because she had told them they were going to see Finding Nemo, and it was a week too early!!) As I have said before, the funniest thing was seeing a 3-year old talk Klingon with an adult. The thread about marketing... Read more

Fighting Temptations is a fun movie. Sure, the premise is thin, but it’s about the rousing Gospel music and human goodness. You’d have to be a block of wood not to just sit back and enjoy. Not-so-subtle message about the whys, ways and means of the advertising industry, too. Read more

Haley Joel Osmet is still acting like he was in A.I., but if you can look beyond that to the very original story and the eccentric personas of the characters that Robert Duvall and Michael Cane play, you’ll have a good time. It’s about having dreams and living them – or maybe not. The thing is to be so free on the inside that you can live your dreams. As usual, the trailers have most of the good parts in... Read more

In a year filled with dark films, here’s another with a difference. This one has to be a contender. It takes place in London. An illegal immigrant from Nigeria tends the front desk at night for a small hotel. The manager is involved in harvesting organs from the willing and the unwilling for profit. The Nigerian man lives illegally with a political refugee from Turkey. She has her own struggles. Just when human dignity seems to be completely lost, an... Read more

A cautionary tale, written by a fifteen year-old kid. Amazing though dark and desperate. No one “likes” a film like this, but parents, if you are in a listening mode, listen. A “nice” girl goes bad when she hits middle school and mom doesn’t have a clue about the kinds of questions she might ask and her kids don’t come first. She (Holly Hunter) is not a bad person, just so clueless and without personal resources. She kind of floats... Read more