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Stephanie Zacharek does not see the film as immoral, but merely more subtle in its portrayal of the damage done. "It never stoops so low as to lecture us," she writes in her review at Salon.com. "That shirking of responsibility on Demme's part is going to be very disturbing to those who feel that the message 'Drugs Are Bad' has been underrepresented in our culture, but most of the rest of the responsible adult population should be able to handle it. But even in a movie as morally lax as Blow, actions do have their consequences. In the end, George doesn't get away with murder. As Depp plays George, the unspoken shame of what he has done is just a blink away, deep inside his eyes." Movie Parables' Michael Elliott argues that "the story is told from the perspective of George Jung and it is obvious that he was so self-absorbed that he remained oblivious to the horrific consequences which his actions caused the nation." And Focus on the Family's Bob Smithouser claims the film "does a remarkable job of showing how a series of immoral, illegal choices devastated Jung and the people he loved. Heartbreaking. He learned too late that drugs and crime don't pay. Maybe Blow will spare others similar pain."

Pokémon 3 throws fuel on the fire of an already outrageously popular children's entertainment and merchandising phenomenon. And this installment actually gains something other than the ridicule hurled at the previous movies. Phil Boatwright at The Movie Reporter writes, "this newest sequel may be the best yet. While it's the Fight Club for toddlers with its constant battles, it's not just an exercise in violence. With its jazzy score, life lessons about working together and your ability to become anything you want to be, Pokémon stimulates the imagination of tiny tots." Preview's reviewer agrees: "The basic message seems to carry a warning about getting trapped in imaginary worlds, and balancing imagination with reality. It also comments about remaining friends even when on opposite sides." But Preview's critic adds a caution: "Parents should be aware that the movies and TV series only serve as gateways to the Pokémon collection which includes aspects of occult and mysticism."

The U.S. Catholic Conference doesn't find any reason to recommend the film: "Though the popular animated creatures are likely to make director Michael Haigney's film a hit with children, the premise is nonsensical and the animation, while colorful, is flat."

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April (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45