Selena (PG, 1997)

SELENA, a touching, effervescent, and ultimately tragic biopic, tells the story of the Grammy-winning Tejano singer Selena, who was killed at age 23 by her fan-club president. Jennifer Lopez shines in the title role of the movie, which chronicles the performer's rise to stardom and explores her relationship with her tight-knit family, including a domineering yet loving father, Abraham (Edward James Olmos). The story begins with one of Selena's last performances, a concert that drew record-breaking crowds, then flashes back to Selena's childhood in Texas. Her father, a former singer, recognizes Selena's natural singing abilities, and organizes her and her siblings into a musical group. The kids perform at festivals, and Selena slowly develops a following. By the time she's a young adult, she's a superstar in the Tejano music scene. Abraham is proud of Selena, but can't accept that she's growing up. This leads to various conflicts, which boil over when Selena falls in love with the band's lead guitarist, Chris (Jon Seda). Just when Selena seems content and on the brink of mainstream pop success, her life is tragically cut short. Selena's untimely death mostly through TV news-style reports, although there's a scene of her killer (Lupe Ontiveros) holding a gun to her own head.

Although the film occasionally feels somewhat sugar-coated, Selena remains a very watchable, entertaining, and moving tribute to a beloved performer. It also includes portrayals of Mexican-American culture and Hispanic families.

Studio: Warner Home Video
Director: Gregory Nava
Cast: Constance Marie, Edward James Olmos, Jennifer Lopez
Genre: Drama
Run time: 128 minutes
Theatrical release: March 21, 1997
DVD release: September 18, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: mild language and thematic elements