MOVIES

Set in contemporary Los Angeles and starring Diego Luna ("Y Tu Mamá También"), Criminal explores explores the story of a pair of small-time swindlers, master and mentor, who can't the perfect opportunity to make a big buck. What results is a bitingly funny caper that explores the lengths one will go to for love - or just for money. This film also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal ("Mona Lisa Smile") and John C. Reilly ("Chicago"). "Criminal" is a retelling of Argentina's "Nueve Reinas" (Nine Queens) and is set to release on September 10.

BOOKS

For parenting advice and guidance, Latino parents can now seek answers from award-winning psychologist Carmen Inoa Vazquez's book, Parenting with Pride - Latino Style: How to Help Your Child Cherish Your Latino Values and Succeed in Today's World (Rayo, August 2004). "Parenting with Pride" is the first bicultural childrearing how-to book written exclusively for Latino parents who want to preserve classic Latino values in a multicultural world. 

Through self-assessments, scripted examples, and reflection exercises, Latino parents will learn that there is not one single way to raise a child. Vazquez, a mother herself, is one of New York City's most prominent psychologists and counsels many Latino parents. 

TELEVISION

The Mountain, a new drama series starring Alana de la Garza ("All My Children"), is a headliner on the WB's fall lineup. "The Mountain" revolves around brothers David (Oliver Hudson) and Will Carver (Anson Mount) who find themselves in conflict when David inherits the family business. If that weren't enough, the two are also caught in a love triangle with De La Garza's character, Maria. "The Mountain" will air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on the WB. 

My Americas offers public television audiences a picture of the culture, spirituality and landscape of various locations in Latin America. The new 30-minute series, hosted by Roberto Alcaraz and Leticia Vasquez, will explore the complex cultural and historical interplay in a different Latin American region every week, from Cuba to Bolivia to Ecuador. "My Americas" premiers this fall on PBS.

MUSEUMS

Mexican folk artist Lucia Angela Perez will exhibit her work at the Rose Marin Theater as part of the Fort Worth, Texas, Latin Arts Association's 2004 Tapestry of Cultures Festival. The exhibition will be on display from Sept. 18 through Jan. 3. For more information, visit www.rosemarinetheater.com or call 817-624-8333.

From Sept. 4 to Nov. 28, Our Journeys / Our Stories: Portraits of Latino Achievements will be on display at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose, Calif. The traveling exhibition explores the rich diversity of the Latino experience in the United States through stories and portraits of Latino men and women. For more information and a complete tour schedule, visit http://www.sites.si.edu/exhibitions.

Gabriel Orozco: Extension of Reflection, an exhibition of the artist's color photographs, is currently on display at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. Orozco's photographs portray his interest in the beauty of familiar objects, as well as an appreciation of urban social interaction. The exhibit will run through Sept. 6.

MUSIC

Hip-hop rhythms, R&B vocals and a pop flavor define the work of the multi-talented Brazilian-American singer Bianca West. With the release of her self-titled debut album, West breaks into a music scene that is sure to welcome her unique, hip sound, for which she draws inspiration from her father's taste in classical music and her Brazilian mother's love of samba. 

The singing-songwriting duo Nina Sky recently released its self-titled debut album, to instant success. Their hit single "Move Ya Body" is already being played on over 69 radio stations. The 18-year-old identical twins Nicole and Natalie Albino, of Puerto Rican descent, infuse their R&B sound with classic rock and hip hop influences. The sisters combined the first two letters of their names to form "Nina" and added "Sky" as a representation of the unlimited heights they can climb to achieve their dreams.

KIDS' CORNER

• The first video for Hispanic babies, Mi Bebé Discovers Latin America, is designed to familiarize Hispanic children (ages one to 36 months) with Latin American musical rhythms and culture while enhancing their educational development. The video was created, written and produced by a Latin American family raising a child in the United States. "Mi Bebé Discovers Latin America" was released last May and comes with an easy-to-follow guidebook for parents on how to use the video.

• Arte Público Press recently released three new bilingual children's titles. Kikirikí, by Diane de Anda and illustrated by Daniel Lechón, tells the story of two girls, Marta and Celia, who try to save their pet rooster from ending up on the Sunday dinner table. Isabel Allende: Memories for a Story, by Raquel Benatar and illustrated by Fernando Molinari, imagines the story of celebrated author Isabel Allende's childhood and the memories that later became her novels and stories. And author Ethriam Cash Brammer and illustrator D. Nina Cruz collaborate on The Rowdy, Rowdy Ranch, the story of a family's first visit to grandpa's ranch.