Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home

Filmmaker Jenny Stein delivers a passionate animal-rights documentary focusing on a handful of Americans—formerly in the livestock trade—who grew progressively horrified at the inhumane treatment of farm animals. They have since ceased raising cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and sheep for food or auction, and instead use their land as critter sanctuaries, allowing hens and their chicks, for example, to live natural lives together (in comparison to heartbreaking footage of beak-mutilated caged birds and their offspring mass-asphyxiated in farm factories). A key figure here is author-lecturer Howard Lyman, who turned his back on a successful cattle-ranching career to campaign against the pathologies of modern "agribusiness," including rampant animal cruelty and cancer-causing pesticides (not surprisingly, no opposing viewpoints are heard from the beef/poultry industry). DVD extras include 90 minutes of bonus material, including Q&A footage of Stein and producer James LaVeck during screenings. A powerful advocacy piece, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)