The reason that movie series thrive is because the filmmakers continue to update the stories, attracting new audiences.
Take the Spy Kids franchise. It's hard to believe that the first Spy Kids came out in 2001. Kids who saw that movie probably are no longer in the demographic who appreciate these charming, fun family movies.
So it's time for a new generation of families to enjoy the new film, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World.
Far from the James Bond approach, the Spy Kids films explore the trials of growing up, of dealing with one's parents and, for adults, the need to have a life outside the home.
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World opens in movie theaters on Aug. 19 and, judging from the extended clips I've seen, looks to be as fun and charming as the other Spy Kids.
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World stars Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, Joel McHale and Ricky Gervais and is directed by Robert Rodriguez.
I'll see anything with Jeremy Piven and Joel McHale!
The plot revolves around Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) who is married to a famous spy hunting television reporter. She is the mother of a toddler and stepmom to twins. But her stepchildren, mother Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook), don’t want her around. Her husband, Wilbur (Joel McHale), isn't that great of a spy hunter as he doesn't know Marissa’s a retired secret agent.
Marissa’s called back to service when the maniacal Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) threatens to take over the planet.
The first three Spy Kids are, naturally, now on DVD and available in a box set. There's also a series of Spy Kids books such as Spy Kids Adventures: Freeze Frame - Book No. 8 and One Agent Too Many (Spy Kids Adventures, No. 1).
Photo: Jessica Alba stars as Marissa Cortez Wilson in Spy Kids: All The Time In The World. Photo by Rico Torres
The mystery community is quite small and when we lose one of our own, we all feel the loss.
And those of us who consider ourselves part of that community know that it's not just the authors who are the genre's movers and shakers.
Enid Schantz was one of those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to promote and uplift the genre, to improve the quality of novels published and to make sure readers had novels that would appeal to them.
Enid Schantz died at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2011, from cancer.
To say she will be missed is an understatement.
Our deepest sympathies go to her husband, Tom Schantz, their family, and friends. The photo at left shows Enid as most of us saw her -- always smiling -- with Tom by her side. The young lady on the right is their daughter, Sarah.
Enid was a bookseller, a book publisher, and a reviewer. Since 1970, Enid and her husband, Tom, have been involved in the mystery community and their efforts earned them the 2001 Raven by Mystery Writers of America.
Enid and Tom, Barbara Peters of the Poisoned Pen, and Jim Huang of The Mystery Company helped found the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA), a trade association of retail businesses wholly or substantially devoted to the sale of mystery books. The IMBA's goals are simple but so important: to promote specialty mystery booksellers to both the book-buying and the publishing communities and to offer support to member booksellers.
Many an author has seen their career boosted because IMBA was behind his or her books.
The legacy of IMBA will continue.
Enid and Tom also were founders of both the Rue Morgue Mystery Bookstore and the Rue Morgue Press in 1997. I was always amused by the description of the Rue Morgue Press on its website: "dedicated to the idea of reprinting what we like to call 'mysteries for little old ladies of all ages and sexes'.” That was, as the couple said, "just another way of saying that our specialty is the traditional mystery which first came to prominence during the Golden Age of detective fiction (1920-1940)." The Schantzes chose the books, edited them and prepared them for publication.
"As a bookseller, critic, and publisher, Enid Schantz was instrumental in the renaissance that the mystery genre has undergone over the past few decades.This is a great loss to the mystery community she and her husband Tom helped build," said Kate Stine, publisher of Mystery Scene Magazine.
Many tributes to Enid are pouring in, posted on DorothyL, other message boards and authors individual websites.
"Enid was a lovely lady. I remember meeting her in the bookstore at one of my early Bouchercons. I was a lost puppy, clueless, and she was very generous with advice and encouragement. Not a good day when we lose a friend like her," said Kris Montee, who writes as P.J. Parrish.
"In 1993 Enid (with her husband Tom) hosted me at the Rue Morgue in Boulder, CO. I was a newbie author who had written a book about dieters getting killed off at goal weight, and I didn't know what to expect," Denise Dietz posted on DorothyL. "The talk/signing was SRO, with people spilling out into the street. Among other things (a buffet of goodies), Enid gave me a T-shirt with my book cover on it. I still have the shirt, although today it's probably two sizes too small. But my heart grew three sizes that night."
Lise McClendon offered this memory on her blog.
Janet Rudolph's blog also brought other authors' comments.
Retired librarian Doris Ann Norris offered this perspective on DorothyL: "I know that one of the quotes often used by people in my profession is that heaven will be a kind of library. I'm all for that, but I will add that it will also be an on-going mystery convention. We will see Enid again, as well as Anthony Boucher, Robert Parker, Anne George, Elizabeth Daniels Squire, who will have no trouble with her memory, etc. etc. And there will also be Conan Doyle, Ed McBain, Ngiao Marsh, Carole Epstein,and, of course, Dorothy L. Sayers. I'm certainly looking forward to attending a prequel in St. Louis and while missing Enid, and so many other mystery fans and authors I've met at cons, I will console myself that we will meet each other again at that great mystery convention in the "sky".
May Enid rest in peace and our deepest sympathy to Tom and her family and friends.
Mystery Scene is giving away a free book to one Facebook follower a week for the rest of the summer, now through September 22, 2011! Just post your favorite read to the MS Wall. We'll choose one recommendation each week and send the winner a FREE BOOK.
So zip on over to the Mystery Scene Facebook Page, and tell us what you're reading!
www.facebook.com/mysteryscene
CONGRATS TO OUR FIRST WEEK'S WINNERS!
In our first 24 hours of the Mystery Scene Summer Book Giveaway we've received so many great recommendations that we had trouble picking just one. So, we decided to kick off this summer reading fun in style with FIVE WINNERS.
KELLEY CREASEY DWORACZYK said, "My all time favorite mystery would probably have to be Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout. I have read and re-read this book so many times, but I will never get tired of it."
DARRELL MORING wrote to say, "A fantastic novel is In a Lonely Place by mystery writer Dorothy B. Hughes. It is a compelling portrait of a psychopathic serial killer written in 1947. It is of particular interest because the killer's psychological inner thoughts closely mirror what we know of today as to how psychopaths view themselves and the world around them."
CLAUDIA FITCH wrote, "At this exact moment I'm reading CSI: The Burning Season, but in the past week I've read Tahoe Hijack by Todd Borg, I've started A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Larry Block, and I'm in the middle of Without Fail by Lee Child. Wow!"
JACK GOODWIN recommended P.S. Your Cat is Dead by James Kirkwood saying, "Just enough desperation and just enough wonder at repeated burglaries, and then sweet revenge. But then it transforms completely into something else."
CARL CHRISTENSEN wrote, "Just finished The Silent Girl, Tess Gerritsen's first book that has a basis in her Chinese-American roots. A great read, and it was good to find that Tess did not let the TV success of Rizzoli and Isles alter her own depiction of her characters."
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