Last weekend, I took my mother to see The Second Most Exotic Marigold Hotel. For months after seeing the first preview trailer, she’d ask impatiently almost weekly when that movie was going to open!

Her report? “It’s not as good as the first one.”

My report? While the first film was charming as well as predictable, this sequel doesn’t have much zing even though some of the actors are among my favorites, and Richard Gere is aging quite well.

No magic this time around.