Marlena Novak: Surfaces in Transition

A technically well-made portrait of the artist, this mercifully brief documentary by Michael Hoffman provides everything that we would expect to see in an art film: boring art critics ("very exciting reds and blues and blacks"), discordant music for atmosphere, and loving shots of a whole bunch of Novak's minimalist work. Taste in art is, of course, somewhat subjective, but Novak--who uses colored wax, among other materials--seems to focus more on process than content, with the result that her work is, at least to this particular philistine, of less interest aesthetically. Ultimately, a whole lot of effort (and it's a very professional-looking piece) has gone into the making of this documentary, but the container is more interesting than the contents. Not a necessary purchase. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)