|
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
vidlib@videolibrarian.com
 
Updated June 23, 2009 |
||
|
The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies  (2008) 56 min. DVD: $24.99. PBS Home Video (avail. from most distributors). PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 978-1-59375-895-0. 
Many of us have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the marvelous lifecycle of the Monarch butterfly, but few have witnessed the marvelous details displayed in this exceptional NOVA episode. Directed by Nick de Pencier and gracefully narrated by Stockard Channing, The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies (based on the book Four Wings and a Prayer by Sue Halpern) follows the astonishing annual 2,000-mile migration of 100 million Monarch butterflies from as far north as Winnipeg, Canada, to a relatively tiny forest area in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. Although scientists continue to explore possible explanations for this amazing feat of insect navigation (with theories related to patterns in Earth’s magnetic field, specific angles of sunlight, and genetic factors in the butterflies themselves), the Monarch migration remains—for the most part—a true mystery of nature. Both a picturesque travelogue and a breathtaking feast of macro-cinematography, the documentary features extreme close-up footage of the Monarch’s stunning transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly, informative testimony (mostly from Monarch migration experts Lincoln Brower, Bill Calvert, and Orley “Chip” Taylor), and amazing “in flight” footage shot in the midst of hundreds of thousands of butterflies. The final stages of the Monarch lifecycle are equally fascinating, with five months of near-complete dormancy in Mexico followed by mating, the birth of a new generation, and northward migration (in a four-generation cycle of mating, birth, and instinctual travel, before the entire cycle starts all over again in Canada and the northeastern United States!). Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)
|
||
|
Adina’s Deck: The Case of the Plagiarized Paper  (2008) 27 min. DVD: $19.95 ($54.95 w/PPR: public libraries; $70 w/PPR: middle & high schools). Adina’s Deck (tel: 650-455-6936, web: www.adinasdeck.com). 
Because a) someone in Mr. B’s eighth grade class cheated on a paper, and b) Mr. B grades on a bell curve, c) David didn’t receive the “A” he deserved, so now he’s headed off to boarding school. In this third episode of the DVD series Adina’s Deck, the members of the titular detective club—comprised of student Adina and her friends—begin to question the students who did get A’s, but Adina herself becomes the prime suspect! As the case progresses, viewers learn about various forms of plagiarism, ranging from wholesale copy-and-pasting to paraphrasing without citing references. Boasting excellent production values, decent acting, and a hybrid reality/scripted drama stylistic feel, this series offers a realistic portrayal of middle/high school student life. DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes documentary and an interview with Stanford professor/expert advisor Denise Pope. The other titles in the Adina’s Deck series are Solving Cyber Bullying Mysteries and The Case of the Online Crush. Recommended. Aud: I, J, H. (E. Gieschen)
|
||
|
Create Faces: Face Painting—Masquerade (2009) 92 min. DVD: $24.95. Aesthetic VideoSource (tel: 800-414-2434, web: www.videoshelf.com). PPR. 
A practical, well-produced instructional video aimed at would-be face painters working community fairs and birthday parties, Create Faces: Face Painting—Masquerade is hosted by Sharon Neilson, who has 20 years of experience. Neilson covers all of the basics—from materials selection to economy of motion (to keep the customer line moving) to practical clean-up tips (remember: water-based paint is your friend)—and offers detailed instruction for painting intricate, beautiful, and popular masquerade designs, including three variations of fairies, three harlequins, and two high-demand (in my house, anyway) butterflies. Also included are tips on marketing, setup, and health considerations when working with the public. Other titles in the Create Faces:Face Painting series (series price for all five: $100) include Animal Faces, Halloween Classics, Halloween Horror, and Holidays & Seasons. Recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)
|
||
|
H2 Worker (2009) 70 min. DVD: $39.95. Docurama (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 0-7670-9809-9. 
For decades, Caribbean workers armed with H2 temporary worker visas could harvest sugarcane in the U.S. for six months at a time. Stephanie Black’s 1990 documentary, winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, notes that some 10,000 individuals were annually granted H2s for this work. Using guerilla filmmaking techniques, Black follows a group of men from Jamaica to Florida, where they strap on protective gear (hard hats, shin guards, and gloves), grab machetes, and commence cutting. One worker notes that those who can’t keep up are sent home, while a farm superintendent acknowledges, “If we didn’t have the Jamaicans, we couldn’t harvest, because the local people wouldn’t do it.” A former cutter, who arrived in 1941, describes the living quarters as “a prison”—his employers would later face charges, although the overcrowded barracks of the late 1980s don’t seem like much of an improvement. Combining interviews with labor representatives and politicians (including then-New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley and the late former Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley) together with archival footage and excerpts from letters to relatives, H2 Worker offers a telling indictment of the guest worker program, and while Florida has since switched to mechanical harvesters, terrible conditions still persist elsewhere (such as Dominican plantations). DVD extras include a new audio commentary by Black (who notes that she shot the film covertly because “access to the workers was prohibited by the sugar industry”) and an update on the guest worker program. Highly recommended.
[Note: this title is also available with public performance
rights for $250 from Valley Filmworks (www.lifeanddebt.org/h2worker).] Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)
|
||
|
Twelve: Is There Life After Rehab in Recovery? (2008) 43 min. DVD: $149.50. YRD Productions (tel: 405-842-2334, web: www.12recovery.com). PPR. Offering a frank look at the progression of substance abuse addiction, from initial usage to rehab and beyond, Twelve: Is There Life After Rehab in Recovery? features the personal stories of 13 individuals in different stages of recovery. Some have been sober for just months, others for more than 25 years; however, despite hailing from very disparate backgrounds, all tell similar tales of their early teen years, when they began to use alcohol and drugs to “numb the pain,” but “never thought [they] had a problem.” Although Twelve is essentially strung-together interview clips, the editing is skillful, powerfully interweaving personal testimonies to create a brutally honest portrait (the documentary includes profanity) of addiction, with rehab and recovery presented as “progress, not perfection,” as each interviewee feels that his or her now-sober life is an ongoing choice. A fine cautionary/inspirational program aimed at teens and young adults experimenting with drugs and alcohol, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (E. Gieschen) |
||
|
Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic (2007) 92 min. DVD: $26.95. Docurama (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 1-4229-2908-6. 
John Adams’ 2005 opera revolving around J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project has already bowed on DVD in a superb 2007 production from Der Nederlandse Opera (VL-1/09). Jon Else’s documentary takes viewers behind the scenes, deftly juxtaposing the story of Doctor Atomic’s development (from initial conception through premiere, featuring interviews with Adams and librettist-director Peter Sellars) together with an historical account of the bomb’s creation and Oppenheimer’s career. Regarding the opera, Else not only effectively chronicles the evolution of the work, but also captures the excitement of pulling it all together for performance—a process exacerbated by a last minute decision to replace a major cast member with his understudy. Meanwhile, the historical side examines the daunting subject of nuclear physics, while also exploring the Manhattan Project’s moral ramifications, which would lead Oppenheimer to exclaim in anguish, “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” Melding the stories of two very different creative processes—one that resulted in the most destructive weapon yet devised by man and another that brought to fruition a major work of art, Wonders Are Many is an intriguing meditation on the contradictory impulses inherent in human nature. DVD extras include audio commentary by Else, and a biographical sketch of the filmmaker. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
|
||
|
Building Self-Esteem: You’ve Got the Power (2009) 27 min. DVD: $108; VHS: $98 (instructor’s guide included). LINX Educational (tel: 800-717-LINX, web: www.linxedu.com). PPR. ISBN: 978-0-9797510-8-0 (dvd), 978-0-9797510-9-7 (vhs). 
More than just a pep talk, this fine program not only offers nine specific steps towards building better self-esteem, but also does a good job of communicating the critical importance of self-confidence. Josh was a geeky loner who hid his bad self-esteem behind an apathetic, sullen attitude, while Sadie was a popular pretty girl whose low self-esteem arose from fear of rejection and a belief that she was dumb. Both Josh and Sadie—hailing from opposite ends of the high school social spectrum—share their stories here in an interview setting, explaining how they broke out of the poor self-esteem cycle to become more confident and happy with themselves. The nine steps (“take action, make a change,” “accept yourself for who you are,” etc.) might sound somewhat vague and self-help-boilerplate-ish, but since Josh and Sadie introduce them within the context of their own personal experiences—presented in black-and-white flashbacks—many of the suggestions come across as both practical and realistic (such as “improve your personal hygiene” and “don’t compare yourself to other people all the time”). Teaching viewers that building healthy self-esteem is a learnable skill requiring time, practice, and possibly some challenging emotional work, this is highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (E. Gieschen)
|
||
|
Fatherhood Dreams (2007) 55 min. DVD: $49.95: public libraries; $249 w/PPR: colleges & universities. Interfilm Productions (dist. by FilmWest Associates, tel: 888-982-3456, web: www.filmwest.com). ISBN: 978-0-9784976-0-6. 
Canadian filmmaker Julia Ivanova’s documentary Fatherhood Dreams looks at the fatherhood experiences of four gay men. Randy and Drew are a married couple (legally in Canada) who adopt an infant but keep the birth mother and father, as well as the maternal grandmother, in the child’s life. Scott is a single man preparing for the arrival of his twins, born of a surrogate mother. Stephen, a gay man who fathered two daughters with his wife—who is now in a committed relationship with a woman—co-parents his children with their mother and her partner. Each of these stories is uplifting and effectively intertwined, thanks to Ivanova’s deft handling of the material. DVD extras include two bonus profiles: in the first, Kelly struggles to adopt a child against his own family’s opposition, while in the second, Murray adopts two foster children with his partner Duane (this last segment contains some of the most powerful moments of all, including Murray’s recollection about how his sister broke with him over the adoption, sympathetic remarks by an Anglican pastor, and a moving explanation from young adoptee Justin about why he’s so attached to his stuffed animals). Additional extras include a Q&A with Ivanova and the three featured main families after a screening of the film, and a photo gallery. Offering a sensitive treatment of a controversial subject (even more so in the United States), Fatherhood Dreams is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
|
||
|
FDA: A History (2008) 82 min. DVD: $39.95 ($274.95 w/PPR). Compliance Media (tel: 650-566-9000, web: www.fdahistory.com). ISBN: 978-0-615-23820-3. The Food and Drug Administration regulates 25 cents out of every dollar spent on consumer goods in the United States, being responsible not only for food and drug safety, but a host of other products as well, including cosmetics, prosthetics, and any electronic device that emits radiation. Made in cooperation with the FDA History Office, this documentary chronicles the history of this influential agency from its inception during the wild and woolly days of patent medicines in the late 19th century up to the more recent scandals involving the drug Vioxx and E. coli-tainted spinach. FDA: A History takes a chronological approach, incorporating archival footage, photos, and clips from educational videos, together with interviews of authors, scholars, and former FDA officials. Viewers learn about the origins of many developments we now take for granted, while also witnessing how science, politics, and public opinion shape the work of the FDA. For example, muck-raking exposés led to the Food and Drug Act of 1906 (the law requiring companies to list the ingredients in their products), while later during the 1950s, the FDA introduced procedures for testing drugs that would set the standard for the pharmaceutical industry. As significant—and essential for public health—as the work of the FDA has been, however, this documentary unfortunately has the hallmarks of an archaic institutional production: tinny voiceover narration, cheesy graphics to outline bureaucratic realignments, and an unimaginatively linear approach to the subject. Still, the quality of the expert testimony makes up for these flaws. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Wadland) |
||
|
Fillmore: The Last Days  (1972) 105 min. DVD: $19.98. Rhino Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). 
Coarse, cantankerous, and combative, the German-born, Bronx-raised, street-wise Bill Graham was the kind of no-nonsense entrepreneur that the nascent rock concert business needed back in the ‘60s. Graham’s two San Francisco venues—the Fillmore and Winterland—as well as the Fillmore’s New York counterpart, were among the most important in rock history. But by the early ‘70s, Graham had grown tired of the ego-driven demands of the bands he helped establish and decided to shutter the Fillmore West: the five days of concerts leading up to the July 4, 1971 closing are the subject of this 1972 documentary. While the lineup is promising—with San Francisco bands ranging from obscure (Cold Blood, Lamb) to well known (Quicksilver Messenger Service, Elvin Bishop, It’s a Beautiful Day) to big stars (Santana, the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane)—the performances are mostly brief (or virtually non-existent—Jefferson Airplane occupy about two minutes of screen time total, little of which shows them actually playing) and uninspired, while the quality of both the audio (with Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo options) and video is variable on this extra-less (aside from a folded liner notes sheet) presentation. The most interesting clips here aren’t music-related, but rather find Graham remonstrating with and hectoring band managers and others. “Everyone wants their shtick,” he says, “and I’m caught in the middle. What about me? I want it my way, too—that’s why I’m getting my ass outta here.” Nostalgic fans may be drawn to this, but overall it’s an optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)
New Video Movie Reviews • New DVD Reviews To search the full video review database, click here. (You must be a Video Librarian Plus! subscriber. More info....) |
||
 |
| Home • | Contact Us |
| VIDEO LIBRARIAN PLUS: | Login/Subscribe • Review Database • Distributors News Briefs • Calendar • Bi-Weekly Guide • Resources |
| ABOUT VIDEO LIBRARIAN: | Overview • FAQ's • Subscription Info • Issue Preview Video Submission • Advertising |
| NEW VIDEO REVIEWS: | Video Movies • Docs & Other • TV & Classic Films |
Site by Ladd Media. Databases by Allison Brucker
Copyright . Video Librarian. All Rights Reserved.