Spanning three generations, "My Family" ("Mi Familia" in Spanish) is fascinating account of one family's struggle to stay together and survive the mean streets of East Los Angeles. Narrated by Edward James Olmos ("Stand & Deliver"; television's "Miami Vice"), the film centers on a Mexican-American family who want to achieve the American dream, however they face obstacles along the way.

The film, directed by Gregory Nava ("Selena") is an honorable, beautiful, and tragic masterpiece that captures the essence of what it is to be Latino in Southern California. Using realism and incorporating local and Mexican slang, Nava, along with writer Olmos provide the viewers with close yet a distant relationship with the family.

Many actors, including Scott Bakula ("American Beauty"; television's "Quantum Leap"), Esai Morales ("La Bamba"; "Rapa Nui"), Michael DeLorenzo (television's "NY Undercover") and Lupe Otinveros ("Selena") lend their wonderful artistic support to this film, however the real scene stealer here has to be Jimmy Smits ("Old Gringo"; television's "NYPD Blue"), who plays younger brother Jimmy. Jimmy, who gets released from prison finds himself helping his sister, who was a former nun, in preventing the deportation of a young Salvadoran woman, who faces death if she was to return to war-stricken El Salvador. While he is coerced in marrying her, he believes it is only a short-term marriage. But when these two accidental-lovers get together and discover the beauty and support they lend to one another, love is here to stay. However all happy stories come with their tragic endings and Smits carries this film through most of its final stages with his effective acting.

Whether it is dealing with intercultural marriages, street gang violence, or the everyday fears many illegal immigrants face each day with deportation lurking around the corner in some cases, "My Family" is an excellent portrait of how important culture and family are among Latino households. This is a must see film for anyone interested in Latino Studies. An excellent film and an eternal classic, "My Family" is a stunning film that should be watched by all who want to understand the history, legacy, and contributions of America's fastest growing minority group.

My Family chronicles the Sanchez family over three generations. From the parents migration from Mexico to East LA. The movie shows the struggle of the Immigrants to survive in America with the lack of education, but a determination to improve their lives in America. The family is split by the cynical views of the rebel sons Chucho(Esai Morales) and Jimmy(Jimmy Smits) and the political views of the NUN(eventually marries) sister and her also political (former priest) husband, and the educated lawyer brother, who is engaged to the white girl from UCLA and is slightly embarrassed when his future in-laws visit EAST LA. All the time the Sanchez family is struggling with their lives Jose and Maria try to keep the family together. The movie trys to show the diversity that can occur in the lives of this mexican/american family and the culture associated with a typical family of that ERA it illustrates some of the hostile feelings felt by this familiy of their perceived prujudices against them by the establishment. The characters all go thru some transformations as they mature. James Olmos as the oldest son Paco and his narration is the movie. Esai Morales and Jimmy Smits turn in some brilliant performances, and my wife swoons at every scene with them both. They have mastered the 50'S/60'S Pachucos roles. The allstar cast of LA Latin Actors Enrique Castillo, Morales , Olmos are excellent as always and aptly supported by Mary Steenburgen and Scott Baculla as well as the other latino actors Lupe Ontiveros Jennifer Lopez and others. If you are of thAt ERA and ethinic background this movie is a must. Its a great family movie and just as awakening as AMERICAN ME AND ZOOT SUIT. In closing, being of that 50's era and my Mexican background I especially enjoyed the generous portions of the slang and music references throuhout the movie to recreate the way it was back then, and referencing an actual artist Rosie and the originals (Jeanette Jurado of Expose) was genius on the part of the director/Author Mr. Nava. Addios Vince Guillen from Burque.

This acclaimed saga traces three generations of the Sanchez family and their trials and tribulations from their journey to California in the 20's, through the 1950's and into the 1960's.

Crumley's an original who doesn't write enough. Like the characters of his books, he's a hard drinker, and it unfortunately affects the output. But would he be the same writer if he wasn't the same drinker? We'll never know, so we'll just have to enjoy what precious little escapes. In The Muddy Fork there's a little bit of everything, most of it illuminating on Crumley, as well as on the slightly seamy side of the West. This is the modern Western, warts and all, as unlike John Wayne as cyberpunk is unlike Asimov. My favorite stuff here is the non-fiction, but the short fiction and the brief interview is worthwhile. The novel excerpts (from uncompleted novels) I could have missed, at least while Crumley is still alive and the possibility remains that he may finish one of these.

This was a terrible book. Multiple authors were not able to successfully make the book flow from chapter to chapter. Character development was disjointed to say the least. Way tooooo much celebrity name dropping...it almost read like People Mag. Buy "The Greatest Player Who Never Lived" instead.

At first I thought this was going to be a serious mystery novel, until I realized that each chapter was written by a different author. It was almost like they were challenging each other, coming up with situations that were more and more ridiculous. I found myself laughing out loud. I should have known something was up when I saw that Dave Barry was one of the writers. It's a great book for those who like golf and for those, like me, that have never swung a club.

It is said that a camel is a horse designed by a committee. Since a camel is very efficient doing what camels are intended to do, then the remark must mean that a camel is a very funny looking horse. Well, in The Putt at the End of the World, a committee of nine individually popular writers has turned out a very funny golf story.
The Putt at the End of the World is apparently the brainchild of last-listed author Les Standiford, shown as editor and compiler. It also seems to be a salute, at least in part, to recently deceased British writer Douglas Adams, author of the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy series which includes The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. It is certainly reminiscent of Adam's work, with zany characters interacting amidst nefarious schemes, all centered around a golf tournament. But not just any golf tournament. Computer zillionaire Philip Bates has bought a Scottish castle and cleared original growth timber to construct the ultimate golf course-as well as rehabbing the castle into an exotic hideaway retreat. This infuriates both environmental terrorists and the last of the MacLout clan, who claims that the MacGregor sellers usurped his family's claim to the property and he should have gotten the money. Then Bates (no relation to this reviewer) scheduled a conference and golf tournament inviting all of the world's political leaders and top golf players.
One of the invitees is Billy Sprague, club pro from Squat Possum Golf Club in rural Ohio. Billy is a magnificent golfer, unless there is money involved in which case he can't even get the ball of the tee. Billy's mentor is the old retired family doctor whose life is golf, who build the Squat Possum Club and who dies immediately after giving Billy his invitation and telling him that he has to go to Scotland and play in order to lift the curse and "...save the world as we know it..." Then FBI and British Secret Service refugees from the Keystone Kops get involved because of the terrorist threat, and the rest is-not history, but hilarious.
Each of the nine authors wrote one of the chapters. They did a good job matching styles, and/or Standiford did a great job of editing, because the novel is seamless. It is a farce, but at the same time has a "Bagger Vance" note of paean to the wonder of golf. It reads fast, and it reads great.