CAST: Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, Ruben Blades, Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Enrique Iglesias, Danny Trejo, Marco Leonardi
SYNOPSIS: Sequel to 1995's Desperado. Banderas returns as El Mariachi, a guitar slinger and gunslinger wrapped in one sexy package. Depp co-stars as a CIA agent bringing the mariachi into a plot to assassinate a Mexican president.
WHAT WE SAID: Times film critic Steve Persall called the film "the coolest mess I've seen on screen in a long time, an ultra-stylish blend of action and acting sailing blissfully - certainly not quietly - over the top. You can find lots of things wrong with Robert Rodriguez's film, yet his energy and edgy humor when making mistakes is downright irresistible." Persall, who gave the film a B, said El Mariachi will always be Banderas' signature role. And, he wrote, Depp steals the film.
MPAA RATING: R for strong violence, profanity, sexual situations
RUNNING TIME: 100 min.
DVD FEATURES: Also available as a set with Desperado.
Spellbound
DIRECTOR: Jeffrey Blitz
CAST: Harry Altman, Angela Arenivar, Ted Brigham, April DeGideo, Neil Kadakia, Nupur Lala, Emily Stagg, Ashley White
SYNOPSIS: Documentary account of the 1999 National Spelling Bee, focused on eight bright students with dreams and fears and parents that nurture both. The winner was former Tampa resident Nupur Lala.
WHAT WE SAID: Times reviewer Colette Bancroft gave the film an A. She wrote, "Blitz weaves us so skillfully into their lives that when they get to Washington, it's thrilling to watch them confidently crack out the letters and heartbreaking to watch some of them freeze onstage. And when several get down to the bee's final round, it's a rush. It's also a pleasure to see children on film who come off not as shrunken standup comics or syrupy little angels but real live intelligent kids. Now that's a special effect."
MPAA RATING: G
RUNNING TIME: 95 min.
Secret Lives of Dentists
DIRECTOR: Alan Rudolph
CAST: Campbell Scott, Hope Davis, Denis Leary, Robin Tunney, Gianna Beleno, Cassidy Hinkle, Lydia Jordan, Jon Patrick Walker, Kevin Carroll, Kate Clinton
SYNOPSIS: Director Rudolph methodically portrays the erosion of a marriage and especially the husband's (Scott) psyche.
WHAT WE SAID: Persall gave the film a B, saying it was sometimes tedious, but praising Scott as "the most underrated actor working today." Scott's character, Dave, thinks he sees his wife, Dana, sharing a romantic moment with someone else. "The beauty of Rudolph's film is how he allows us to see what Dave sees, then steers toward reasons why we might not be able to trust his eyes. His behavior becomes erratic, especially his imagined conversations with a rude patient named Slater (Leary), who eggs him on to confront Dana. Obviously Dave is losing it, but is that the effect of the escalating household tension, or its cause?"
MPAA RATING: R for sexuality and language
RUNNING TIME: 105 min.
Open Range
DIRECTOR: Kevin Costner
CAST: Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, Diego Luna, James Russo
SYNOPSIS: A former gunfighter (Costner) and his cattle drive partner (Duvall) battle a corrupt land baron (Gambon).
WHAT WE SAID: Persall gave the film a C. "Open Range is located somewhere in the midlands between classically triumphant Westerns and more recent films that deconstruct the myths. There aren't any magnificent moments deserving Elmer Bernstein's brand of musical punch, and only a few forced instances of dark regret straight out of Unforgiven and The Wild Bunch," Persall wrote. "Something tells me that Open Range is a more accurate representation of Western conflict than John Wayne ever displayed. The Duke's version is much more enjoyable. Costner doesn't have much story to tell but does it earnestly, creating what was identified in Blazing Saddles as authentic frontier gibberish."
MPAA RATING: R for violence, profanity
RUNNING TIME: 135 min.
Pokemon Heroes
DIRECTOR: Jim Malone, Kunihiko Yuyama
CAST: Voices of Veronica Taylor, Addie Blaustein, Rachael Lillis, Eric Stuart
SYNOPSIS: The continuing animated adventures of Ash and his Pokemon.
WHAT WE SAID: The Tines did not review this film.
MPAA RATING: G
RUNNING TIME: 80 min.
TV on DVD
Ballykissangel, season one, season two or a two-season set. . . . Barney Miller, the first season. . . . Dinotopia: The Series. . . . Jeremiah, season one. . . . Punk'd, the first season. . . . The Simple Life. . . . Stargate SG-1, season five.
