Video

What's a guy to do when he has a life crisis and feels the need for something more? The heroes of these two releases answer this question in quintessential American male ways—one enters a marathon and one takes a motorcycle road trip. The twist? Both men use wheelchairs. In Pushin' Forward, filmmaker Tanaka trains her lens on James Lilly. Lilly, paralyzed by a bullet in a gang dispute, continued his gang activities until he found competitive wheelchair sports. Now, he gives motivational speeches and is a perennial competitor in Sadler's Midnite Sun Ultra Challenge, wheelchair racing's longest competition. Lilly recognizes that entering the yearly Alaska race is as much an indulgence as an affirmation. When we see him with his family in their modest home, it's clear that finding the time and money to send him on these trips must be more of a challenge than the race itself. And it is this type of straightforward filmmaking that allows Pushin' Forward to negotiate the "wheelchair hero" genre successfully.

The Seeker cover hints at disappointment with the teaser, "You think driving a motorcycle across country is tough...." Actually, this reviewer doesn't know why, aside from having to build the darn thing, driving a motorcycle from a specially designed sidecar with a van and crew keeping up with you at every step is especially more difficult than driving an adapted car. Yet for reasons that are never clearly explained, weeks into a planned cross-country road trip, protagonist Evan Somers only gets from Los Angeles to Sturgis, SD. Other aspects of the trip derail as well, as we watch Somers's Roger and Me—like quest to talk to actor Christopher Reeve and leading researchers in spinal cord injury. The result is a meandering 90-minute mishmash that seems to parallel the journey itself. Public and high school librarians should strongly consider adding Pushin' Forward to their collections. The Seeker is recommended only for comprehensive disability-related collections.—Courtney Deines-Jones, Grimalkin Group, LLC, Silver Spring, MD

Former Clinton administration advisor and Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz presents here a sobering critique of the current state of globalization. He talks about its inequities and says that special interest groups have been too influential in guiding globalization. He warns of financial perils that threaten global economic stability. Despite such concerns, he says globalization has benefited too many people to reverse course but that it will be necessary to ameliorate its economic and social costs to ease continued progress. Alone on camera, Stiglitz makes a creditable effort and presents his views as clearly and crisply as possible over five segments. The problem is that watching even a Nobel Laureate talk for six hours makes for tedious television. Occasional extreme close-ups of Stiglitz's face, probably done to break up the visual monotony, don't help. Those wanting to learn Stiglitz's views on globalization would be better served reading his more digestible printed works Globalization and Its Discontents (2002) and Making Globalization Work (2006). This is great content shoehorned into an inappropriate package; an optional purchase for larger economics collections.—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA

A highly successful British mystery comes to a conclusion with Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act. The story opens with frantic parents looking for their missing 14-year-old daughter, Sallie. Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) comes into the case in a haze. Her alcoholism has gotten worse over the years and now is leading to blackouts. Her drinking, combined with her father's diagnosis of terminal cancer, the shooting death of a friend, a fight against impending retirement, and a difficult case, is beginning to impact her performance. As Jane struggles with her personal demons, Sallie's body is found. Jane must discover who brutally murdered this pregnant young girl. Was it Sallie's intense and overprotective father; her bad-boy boyfriend, Curtis; Curtis's friend Lester; or someone else? This two-disc set is highly recommended for general audiences. [Mirren won a 2007 Emmy Award as Best Lead Actress in a miniseries or movie for her performance.—Ed.]—Karen A. Plummer, Univ. of Akron Lib.

Qi gong, or chee gong, is the self-healing art of meditation, mind and body assimilation, and controlled breathing, employed to increase vitality. Both Hot Body Cool Mind and 7 Minutes of Magic incorporate the principles of qi gong, blended with other well-known Eastern and Western fitness regimens. 7 Minutes of Magic, with public television favorite Lee Holden, is an initially challenging routine that will become easier with practice and repetition. Infused with tranquil visuals and using movements from yoga, tai chi, and contemporary exercises, 7 Minutes is easy to follow, efficient, and designed for viewers of all ages and skill levels. The DVD is divided into three distinct segments: morning for abundant energy, evening for deep relaxation, and basic for health and vitality. The 7 Minutes of Magic book (Avery. ISBN 978-0-58333-276-4. $24.95) provides a more in-depth tutorial on Holden's wellness philosophy, with black-and-white photos that deftly outline the routine.

Each of the Hot Body Cool Mind DVDs is comparatively longer and more comprehensive than 7 Minutes of Magic, with a fitness routine that is less Eastern in its presentation. Using movements from ballet, jazz, Pilates, qi gong, 5 Tibetans, and yoga, both Waking Energy and The Life Force Power Workout Level 1 have several sequences providing the viewer with an endless number of workout variations. Pilates master, dancer, and choreographer Kries has combined all of her talents to launch this innovative series to suit the needs of viewers of all fitness levels. It is difficult to state a preference for either 7 Minutes or Hot Body as they are unique in their presentation though similar in their goal to release the body's energy by combining old and new exercise secrets. If choice were necessary, higher marks would go to Holden for a more traditional program that engages mind, body, and spirit in a routine that has lasting appeal.—Kathy Wicks, Urbana Free Lib., IL

Filmed between March 2003 and December 2005, In the Pit documents the thoughts and feelings of construction workers charged with building a mammoth addition to Mexico City's Periférico Beltway. Hyperaware of the camera recording them in close-up, the men ham it up, epitomizing the stereotypical blue-collar laborer: sexist, homophobic, and proudly masculine. Some are braggarts, others dreamers, but most seem to buy into the idea that they don't control their destiny.They see themselves as disenfranchised but nevertheless happy to be alive, proclaiming that God exists. This cast of characters represents the soul of Mexico City. They are laying the foundation for others' successes throughout the largest city in the world, and they know it; a tone of sarcasm and awareness pervades the film. Set against a nearly seven-minute aerial tracking shot of the many miles of freeway under development, the film concludes with a voice-over audio montage that includes a final statement of irony spoken by a worker: "It's looking really nice. Too bad I'll never use this fucking freeway because…I don't even have a bicycle!" Recommended for all public and academic libraries.—Eric Pasteur, Peoria P.L., IL

These programs are designed to enlighten parents on a variety of health-care topics that arise with the birth of a new baby. Beginning with The Stages of Labor: A Visual Guide, InJoy Videos employs a combination of computer graphics and interviews with expectant parents to cover the physical and emotional changes experienced during labor. Starting with the anatomy of pregnancy and moving through prelabor signs, the onset of labor, and the three stages of labor, the disc covers every phase succinctly and clearly. Equally well done for new parents is Newborn Care: A Guide to the First Six Weeks, which presents all the basics of infant caregiving in a comprehensible, nonthreatening manner. As the baby's brain develops over the first few weeks and both physical and emotional changes start to occur, parents can discover how to interpret cues for hunger and comfort, what to look for as the five senses start to develop, and how to keep baby clean and safe. Breastfeeding basics are introduced as well as formula feeding, how to reduce the risk of SIDS, and observing signs that something might be wrong. The 7 Steps To Reduce the Risk of SIDS goes in-depth into preventing this rare and unexplained syndrome. Scientists believe it may be related to subtle brain abnormalities that cause the baby not to roll over when carbon dioxide is too high. The video covers back sleeping and correct positioning of the infant, the proper sleep environment, temperature control, and coping techniques for caregivers. Some of the same scenes from the SIDS video are used in Newborn Care when covering the same issues. These three InJoy programs should be part of any patient education collection on pregnancy and childbirth. They're a little pricey but worth it for public libraries; the substantially higher pricing structure for academic libraries may limit the usefulness for those collections unless patient education is a priority.

Focusing on the breastfeeding of infants, Mother of 7, Inc. has produced a reasonably priced series of four DVDs that function as nesting dolls. In about 20 minutes, Breastfeeding Basics goes over all the how-tos, from positioning to let-down techniques, together with advice and tips from mothers, pediatricians, and researchers. Breastfeeding Intensive includes Breastfeeding Basics along with fuller explanations about breast milk, communicating and bonding with baby, and support and safety issues, among other topics. Breastfeeding Comprehensive includes Breastfeeding Intensive, plus additional information on breast anatomy, pumping and weaning, and the challenges of special circumstances. Breastfeeding FAQs: Ask the Experts features the host and founder of Mother of 7, Stephanie Scholz Neurohr, posing questions to a group of mothers, physicians, and La Leche League members. This set is quite thorough in scope and should meet the needs of breastfeeding education in a variety of settings. As one might expect, these are pro breastfeeding and provide convincing arguments on this sometimes controversial topic. The content is extremely comprehensive, which compensates for minor technical annoyances such as uneven audio, incomplete DVD navigation, and onscreen promotion of the videos. For libraries supporting patient education, communities where there is a strong La Leche League, and health-care training collections, the entire set would be useful. If you need to choose just one, Comprehensive is the most complete, while Intensive is a good choice if there are budgetary considerations. [Also now available is Breastfeeding Basics & FAQs: Multilingual (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese). 65 min. DVD ISBN 978-0-9766430-3-6. $147.]

Another title from Mother of 7, Autumn's Story chronicles Neurohr's ordeal with the birth of her special-needs daughter, Autumn. Experiencing a complicated pregnancy from the start, Neurohr goes from the elation of a new baby girl to sadness, depression, and complete breakdown in the days and weeks following the birth. Born with an improperly formed esophagus and trachea, not allowing her to feed properly, Autumn undergoes several surgeries while only hours old. The ensuing nightmare for her family highlights the inadequacies of our health-care system and of support systems for at-risk families. Broadcast on the Discovery Health network, this very affordable program includes postpartum issues and commentary on hospital and health-care support systems in this country. For all libraries.

In all the programs out there on newborn through toddler health, very little attention is paid to dental care. Smiles for a Lifetime is a welcome addition from mommy-dentist Jamie Johnson. With an affordable $30 price tag, it covers every detail of dental care all the way from infants without teeth to kids making their first visit to the dentist. Johnson explains dental anatomy, how cavities form, simple and effective preventive techniques, nutrition, and oral trauma. She stresses the importance of brushing and flossing and easy ways parents can make dental care fun. Divided into useful sections, this DVD fills a void in programming for child health. Some of the audio is uneven and the narration seems amateurish, but a good program nonetheless.

Created by a deaf mother, Teaching Signs for Baby Minds is a three-disc set that instructs parents how to teach American Sign Language to babies and toddlers. Full of bright colors and big graphics, the programs build on one another to create a well-rounded foundation for visual communication. Everyday Signs explains the benefits of sign language and covers signs that babies can learn for creatures, family, meals, and common household objects. Concepts & Combinations, for infants around 12 months of age, is slightly more complicated, featuring signs for colors, numbers, and combinations of basic words. Dictionary & Alphabet is just that—finger-spelling and individual words. Another mom-created program that fills a special need where there are few other quality options.

At Highest Risk looks at pregnancy, labor, and delivery from an anthropological viewpoint. An intriguing story, it follows Judyth Aguero Vega, a 27-year-old Peruvian woman, as she goes through her first pregnancy. In a small rural village high in the Andean mountains, Judyth adheres to ancient rituals and customs designed to help her as her due date approaches. Her long journey by bus to the city to deliver her baby in a hospital illuminates on many levels the stark contrast between traditional medicine and modern Western health care. A valuable document of native rural health, this title is recommended for academic collections in the health sciences, women's health, and medical anthropology.—Lori Widzinski, Health Sciences Lib., Univ. at Buffalo