New 'To Sir with Love'

Going to the movies with the whole family is always a tough negotiation. I'm dying to see "Children of Men," which scored over 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. But it's rated R.

Instead, we went to "Freedom Writers," which I expected to be a paint-by-the-numbers "Stand and Deliver" type faux inspirational.

I was blown away (and so were the wife and kids). "Freedom Writers" found a new angle (in a new amazing true story) on the miracle teacher story that left a tear in my eye and had the audience cheering.

Unfortunately, the film fared poorly at the box office. If you see it and like it, talk it up.

TANGENT ALERT:

At one point, Hilary Swank's character, a new teacher in an inner-city integrated school, asks the kids how many of them have seen "Boyz in the Hood."

All of them had.

John Singleton's 1991 masterpiece remains the best, most heart-breaking gangsta flick ever made.

It's a film that's fiercely against gang violence.

But here's the irony: it not only sparked violence in the theaters when it opened, it stands to this day as a template for how gangstas should dress and behave.

"Well, then it failed," my wife says.

Did it? Is an artist responsible for the way people misunderstand his work?

What do you think?