Video Reviews, September 15, 2011
Sep 15, 2011| In this Article |
| Gender Blenders |
FICTION
Bordertown: The Complete Series. 3 discs. color. 9 hrs. Ken Cameron & Ian Gilmour, dist. by BFS Entertainment, www.bfsent.com. 2011. DVD UPC 066805309823. $34.98. F
This Australian Broadcasting Corp. production takes viewers to a place called Baringa, an isolated converted army barracks somewhere in post–World War II Australia. Here are gathered migrants from many countries waiting to be assigned jobs and with those jobs new lives in that vast country. The cast of characters includes mostly people with troubled pasts—these travails unfold during the nine episodes of this soap opera. While the advertising touts the series as “poignant, amusing, lusciously pretty, beautifully acted,” along with the acting chops of Cate Blanchett, it is also filled with people who are not easy to like. They drink a lot, commit murder and mayhem, and are disloyal to the people who care about them. Everyone has an accent, some barely comprehensible, and the Blanchett presence is early career and minimal. Not rated, but would likely be “R” owing to nudity and language. Not recommended.—Joan Greenberg, Warminster, PA
New Tricks: Season Four. 3 discs. color. 461 min. Rob Evans & others, BBC, dist. by Acorn Media, 888-870-8047; www. acornonline.com. 2011. DVD ISBN 9781598284447. $39.99. SDH subtitles. F
The old dogs of this popular and long-running BBC television series are retired Metropolitan Police Service detectives who were recruited to assist in the unit’s open case squad. Reporting to Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman, played by Amanda Redman, the three officers draw on extensive past experiences and connections while applying both traditional and modern policing methods to get to the bottom of long-unsolved crimes. Gerry is the three-times divorced womanizer; widower Jack serves as Sandra’s mentor, and borderline obsessive-compulsive Brian battles bouts of depression. Following a successful British mystery series formula, each of the eight episodes here is well written and well acted, featuring guest and recurring appearances by both new and familiar British actors. Although the series began airing in Britain in 2004, North American viewers who have not seen earlier seasons will quickly come to enjoy and be entertained by the London setting, the gradual development of main and supplementary characters, and the lightly comedic touches that characterize the show. Recommended.—Linda Frederiksen, Washington State Univ. Lib., Vancouver
ARTS & HUMANITIES
Guest of Cindy Sherman. color. 88+ min. Paul H-O & Tom Donahue, Trela Media in assoc. with Sundial Pictures for Sundance Channel, dist. by Microcinema, 415-447-9750; www.microcinema.com. 2011. DVD UPC 880198114297. $29.95; public performance $250. ART/BIOG
Guest of Cindy Sherman examines the burdens of celebrity on the famous as well as on their partners and spouses. Unfortunately, it takes on a lot more, as Paul H[asegawa]-O[veracker], codirector/artist/ex-boyfriend of the renowned titular artist, guides viewers through more than a decade’s worth of action on the New York art scene, which he covered in the 1990s for his homegrown public-access TV series GalleryBeat. H-O connected with Sherman in his capacity as an interviewer for that program, and their relationship progressed, but, ultimately, he couldn’t adjust to being Sherman’s “+1.” The film is breezy and enjoyable, but none of its subjects are explored with much depth. Sherman officially opposes the film, but she steals the show: Who knew that she is as disarmingly sweet and unpretentious as she is reclusive? Extras include interview outtakes, the trailer, and footage from GalleryBeat. With some profanity and disturbing images, this film is suitable for mature audiences. Essential for collections with a focus on modern art; an optional purchase for most other libraries.—J. Osicki, Saint John Free P.L., NB
Movie Music Man: A Portrait of Lalo Schifrin. color. 60 min. Rodney Greenberg, dist. by Kultur, 732-229-2343; www.kultur.com. 2011. DVD ISBN 9780769790640. $19.99. FILM/MUSIC
Argentine-born Lalo Schifrin (b. 1932) has written dozens of movie and TV scores and is most famous for the themes from Mission Impossible, Cool Hand Luke, and Bullitt. The classically trained pianist and conductor has also had an extensive concert career. After developing a relationship with famed jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie in the 1950s, he moved to the United States, where he performed with Gillespie and other jazz greats and was able to develop his film career. This documentary includes clips from some of his screen classics as well as an interview with Schifrin in which he discusses the process of film and TV scoring and how it differs from composing for the concert stage. Excerpts from a concert he gave in Cannes with the Orchestre National de Lyon includes performances by Gillespie, Ray Brown, Grady Tate, and soprano Julia Migenes. A highlight is a section from Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasileiras. This program would be a good choice for any music or film fan.—Tom Budlong, Atlanta
The Arbor. color. 95+ min. Clio Barnard, dist. by Strand Releasing, 310-836-7500; www.strandreleasing.com. 2011. DVD UPC 712267301928. $24.99. LIT/BIOG
This “hybrid documentary” follows three generations of a dysfunctional family in a Yorkshire, England, housing project. The film centers on Andrea Dunbar (1961–90), who wrote several critically acclaimed plays about her family before her untimely death at 29. Her words, the words of her plays, the most well-known of which is Rita, Sue and Bob, Too, are delivered by actors on a living room set, placed in a park in Bradford, UK, and watched by the neighbors. A depressing saga of drunkenness, poverty, addiction, and lack of affection, The Arbor is also brilliant filmmaking, but the stories it tells offer no redemption, no sense that the suffering will actually improve anything. The words are spoken by the actual people the film documents but are lip-synced by the actors. Bonus features include the trailer. This film will be of keen interest to students of filmmaking and perhaps to social workers, but it will leave the casual viewer on the edge of despair. [See Trailers, LJ 8/11.]—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH
Falco: The Rise and Fall of an 80’s Icon. color. 109+ min. In German w/English subtitles. Thomas Roth, dist. by Strand Releasing, 310-836-7500; www.strandreleasing.com. 2011. DVD UPC 712267301829. $24.99. MUSIC/BIOPIC
Sex, drugs, and 1980s dance-pop abound in this biopic of Austrian superstar Falco (Johann Hölzel, 1957–98), whose “Rock Me Amadeus” and “Vienna Calling” (both 1985) made him an international pop star before he succumbed to debauchery and self-pity. The film focuses on Falco’s turning to heroin, alcohol, and infidelity under the strain of trying to sustain his monumental early success. What easily could have been just another clichéd pop star biopic is surprisingly devoid of contrived melodrama and features strong acting (Manuel Rubey as Falco is especially impressive) and sharp writing. Some aspects of Falco’s life are, unfortunately, downplayed or passed over, including his early years as a classical protégé, Hölzel’s transformation from post-punk band bassist to the urbane Falco persona, and the many years of making music after personal failings cost him his superstar status. Re-creations of iconic music videos are initially fun but quickly grow tiresome. There is plenty of female nudity and a graphic sex scene. Still, this engaging film is recommended for adult viewers interested in Falco’s life and ultimate downfall.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Sync or Swim. color. 90+ min. Cheryl Furjanic, Two Foot Landing Media, dist. by www.synchromovie.com. 2011. DVD ISBN 9780981914985. $49.95; public performance $195 + $4.95 s/h. SPORTS
Synchronized swimming, an Olympic sport for women since 1984, has been the butt of jokes, perhaps because of the permanent smiling or the choreography. This film puts to rest any lingering suspicions that it isn’t a sport as it chronicles the competition to make the U.S. Team for the 2004 Athens Olympics. The young women put their lives on hold as they train 12 hours a day and listen to their belittling coach urge them to achieve perfection. One athlete describes the sport as “running and holding your breath at the same time, plus looking good.” The footage is stunning; even difficult elements look faultless to the untrained eye. Despite attempts to dramatize the competition, the process does become repetitive. Viewers will enjoy the camaraderie and learning about the various moves and formations and, yes, the hair gel. Rhythmic music enhances the film, which will appeal to Olympics fans and fans of women’s sports.—Kathy Ruffle, Coll. of New Caledonia Lib., Prince George, BC
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Samuel Goldwasser. color & b/w. 27 min. Renee Sotile & Mary Jo Godges, Traipsing Thru Films, www.teacher1986.com. 2010. DVD UPC 753182124339. $14.95 + $4.95 s/h. Public performance. BIOG
This brief documentary focuses on Samuel Goldwasser (b. 1926) and his experiences as a Jew during the German occupation of Poland. With visible difficulty, Goldwasser, who now lives in Florida, recounts his childhood in what later became a Jewish ghetto. He speaks of the last time he saw each member of his family, and viewers then are shown photographs of each camp in which the young man was incarcerated. While the documentary is somewhat amateur in its execution (with music that sometimes overpowers the dialog), it does illustrate the experiences so many endured. Horrifying and sad in its inevitability, this documentary mostly impresses us with Goldwasser’s quiet dignity. A strong choice for history buffs and Holocaust collections.—B. Allison Gray, Santa Barbara P.L., Goleta Branch, CA
Why Reading Matters: A Holistic Study for the Digital Age. color. 59 min. BBC, dist. by Films Media Group, www.films.com. 2010. DVD ISBN 9781616168230. $169.95. Public performance; closed-captioned. ED/SCI
Taking its inspiration from the Brontë sisters’ ability to create worlds of imagination, this program studies the brain’s role in the process of reading and what we gain from reading, especially of fiction. British writer Rita Carter leads us through a fascinating journey on what the brain does to allow us to gain reading skills. Tracing the brain’s adaptation to reading historically and through modern medical imaging technology, the film shows us how the brain reacts to words and what happens when medical conditions prevent it from doing so. Looking specifically at Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, the documentary constructs the argument that fiction may provide the brain’s most cerebral workout; more significant, fiction provides us with the ability to develop empathy. Ironically, the same imaging technology that allows us to understand the brain also helps to create blogs, Internet sites, and video games, those things that now distract people from some forms of fiction writing. An approachable, balanced look at brain research related to reading as well as the effects of the digital age on that activity. Strongly recommended for literacy professionals and educators.—Ernest Jaeger, formerly with North Plainfield Schs., NJ
QuickBooks Ultimate Lesson Guide 2011. 2 vols. 5 discs. color. 16 hrs. with computer CDs and textbook. Andrew G. Poulos, Poulos Accounting & Consulting, Inc., www.QBLibraries. com; mention “Library Journal” for discounted price. 2011. DVD UPC 736211850461. $199; Vol. 1 (UPC 728028142099) or Vol. 2
(UPC 728028142105) w/o book, $54.99; also available from Midwest Tape, AV Café, Follett, Baker & Taylor. $249; $69.99. Public performance. FINANCE
Poulos, an accountant, a national speaker, and a financial talk-show host, provides a package of learning materials for the popular QuickBooks accounting program. He presents in 16 lessons the basic concepts of QuickBooks, including setting up a new company, entering and paying bills, working with foreign currencies, and doing payroll. Most of the lessons feature Poulos in front of a screen at the head of two long tables addressing about a dozen students. The scenes are interspersed with complementary close-up screens of the QuickBooks program in action. Poulos, who is a forceful and knowledgeable instructor, mixes strong opinions with humor to hammer home his points. Some of the later lessons consist solely of QuickBooks screens with voice-over explanations. Included with the package is a computer CD with review questions, a 140-day trial copy of QuickBooks Premier Accountant 2011 with sample files, and a copy of the textbook QuickBooks Learning Guide 2011. The DVDs are best viewed with simultaneous access to a computer running the included QuickBooks training software. Viewers with some accounting background but new to QuickBooks would find their investment of time and money rewarded by these thorough presentations.—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA
Waiting for Armageddon. color. 74+ min. Kate Davis & others, dist. by First Run Features, 800-229-8575; www.firstrunfeatures.com. 2010. DVD UPC 720229914307. $24.99. PARAPSYCH
Among the 50 million U.S. evangelical Christians there exists a significant contingent who believe that the Bible predicts events in human history. According to them, Earth is now at the “End Times.” In this film, believers describe the three major events (Rapture, Tribulation, and Armageddon) that will precede the complete destruction of the world and the establishment by Jesus of a Christian paradise. Key to this belief is that Israel must be only a Jewish state and that Muslims must be driven from the Temple Mound where currently the Al-Aqsa Mosque stands. Filmed in churches, homes, and schools around the country, interviewees discuss their religious beliefs and how it informs their political agenda—and U.S. policies. This program presents these Christians’ creeds in their own words yet also allows for the expression of differing opinions. Bonus features include a segment in which Christians and Jews present views that significantly differ from those seen here. This documentary provides balanced information about a very important political and religious movement and is highly recommended for all viewers.—Kathleen Sullivan, Phoenix P.L.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Candymaking: A Guide for Home Confectioners. color. 76 min. Larry Withers, On Air Video, 215-885-2828; www.onairvideo. com. 2011. DVD UPC 881303000238. $16.95. COOKING
Craft expert Sharyn Pak believes anyone can make candy at home, and she sets out to prove this theory with very successful results. In clear and concise steps, Pak demonstrates the skills needed to create seven different types of candies—from basic dipped treats to molded chocolates to taffy—frequently repeating a step as needed to reinforce a particular skill or concept. The menu allows viewers easy access to the various sections; the production values are simple yet solid. While the confections viewers learn to make may be more Good Housekeeping than Gourmet, Candymaking is still a terrific introduction to the art of candymaking, and Pak’s latest crafty effort would be a stand-out title for those who like to sweeten up their table.—John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ
Danny Meyer: The Restaurateur. 57+ min. Roger Sherman. DVD UPC 720229914581.
Guy Martin: Portrait of a Grand Chef. 52 min. In French w/English subtitles. Lionel Boisseau. DVD UPC 720229914598.ea. vol: color. dist. by First Run Features, 800-229-8575; www.firstrunfeatures.com. 2011. $24.95. COOKING
Serious foodies will enjoy these two beautifully made documentaries. The first traces the history of Tabla and Eleven Madison Park, two of Danny Meyer’s most successful New York restaurants. Meyer is shown to be a visionary blessed with enough practical smarts to make his dreams come true. The film highlights how unbelievably complicated and expensive it is to create restaurants of the kind Meyer imagines—the finest dining amid elegant surroundings in one (Eleven Madison Park) and a more relaxed atmosphere with adventurous menus in the other (Tabla). The second film moves viewers into the kitchen, detailing the splendid career of chef Guy Martin, winner of three Michelin stars for his cuisine at Paris’s Le Grand Véfour. The lavish portrayal of his rise from simple country boy to grand chef is very entertaining. Both films are more than a good value and highly recommended for those who appreciate food in all its glory.—Sheila S. Intner, Prof. Emerita, Simmons GSLIS at Mount Holyoke Coll., South Hadley, MA
Ghost Bird. color. 85+ min. Scott Crocker, Small Change Prods., dist. by Microcinema, 415-447-9750; www.microcinema.com. 2010. DVD UPC 880198119292. $99. Public performance. NAT HIST
Crocker’s first documentary since 1991’s Boneshop of the Heart explores the effect the sighting of the supposedly long-extinct Ivory-billed woodpecker has on the scientific community and the small town of Brinkley, AR. Civic leaders, federal government representatives, and hobbyist bird watchers share in the excitement, but the sighting is eventually doubted and debunked. The possible reappearance of this mysterious species is placed into a larger context of ecological destruction and animal conservation, adding complexity and pathos to an already fascinating and important story. This compelling, suspenseful film does a masterly job of maintaining interest as researchers look for evidence of the bird’s existence and townspeople hope to revive their local economy with woodpecker-themed tourist destinations. Crocker allows ample time for all camps to chime in. Bonus features include a plethora of deleted scenes. Highly recommended for ornithologists, animal conservationists, and fans of intelligent, well-crafted documentaries about science and the South.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Genius of Britain: The Scientists Who Changed the World. 3 vols. color. 236+ min. boxed set. Athena Learning, 888-870-8047; www.acornonline. 2011. DVD ISBN 9781598286229. $59.99. SDH subtitles. SCI
Britain’s significant contribution to the many facets of scientific progress over the centuries is highlighted in this welcome anthology of individual minibiographies of both famous and unheralded researchers. Organized into five somewhat chronological episodes and then subdivided into multiple individually accessible chapters, the nicely paced program offers researchers or general-interest viewers a variety of methods of access. Many of the narrators/hosts are recognized contemporary experts in the particular subject field of the targeted scientist, for example, naturalist David Attenborough, industrial designer James Dyson, and geneticist Paul Nurse. A rich mix of photographs, graphics, illustrations, and vintage film clips adds much to the viewing experience. Especially valuable is the final episode in which cosmologist/physicist Stephen Hawking and biologist Richard Dawkins discuss the future possibilities from the scientific community. A bonus DVD focusing on the significance of Hawking’s monumental book, A Brief History of Time, while using computer graphics to explain his research and theories makes this set an unbelievable bargain. This stellar title will be a favorite for a broad variety of library patrons.—Dwain Thomas, William Rainey Harper Coll., Palatine, IL
Gender Blenders
In modern society, much attention is paid to the changing definitions of sexuality. More and more people are involved in relationships that fall outside the traditionally accepted “norms,” and the terms straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, and transsexual barely address all of the possibilities. These days, sexual orientation has become a fluid concept. This notion of fluidity is increasingly being applied to gender, and the binary precept of male and female may be viewed by some as too limited. Two recently released documentaries have set out to explore this idea in depth.
Gender Redesigner. color. 72+ min. Johnny Bergmann, Rainbow America, dist. by Outcast Films, 800-343-5540; www.outcast-films.com. 2010. DVD UPC 797734486971. $29.99; public performance $295.
Youth & Gender Media Project: I’m Just Anneke; The Family Journey. color. 25 min. Jonathan Skurnik, dist. by New Day Films, 888-367-9154; www.newday.com. 2011. DVD ISBN 9781574482805. $95; acad. libs. $225. Public performance; closed-captioned. GENDER STUDIES
Gender Redesigner follows transsexual fAe Gibson as she embarks on the arduous transformation from female to male. fAe experienced gender dysphoria from a young age, even wishing for a prosthetic penis that would let her urinate standing up like a boy. When fAe reached adolescence, she assumed a lesbian identity but still experienced ambivalence to and dissatisfaction with her gender orientation. After years of reflection, fAe came to the conclusion that she was actually a male who had been born in female form. To embrace her true self, fAe undergoes a double mastectomy and begins a strict regimen of testosterone therapy. All of this takes place at fAe’s parents’ farm in rural Pennsylvania, an area not particularly known as transfriendly.
The Youth and Gender Media Project comprises two short films that focus on the many faces of gender-nonconforming youth. I’m Just Anneke is the story of a 12-year-old girl who is ambivalent about her gender orientation. To buy her time to make up her mind, Anneke is prescribed Lupron, a drug that suppresses her hormones and staves off adolescence. Anneke herself is articulate and winning, and the film is both inspiring and insightful. The Family Journey chronicles the emotional and intellectual roads that families must travel together in order to support their gender-nonconforming children. In candid interviews, family members stress the critical importance of acceptance and love in helping these children to grow and flourish.
Gender Redesigner is an illuminating examination of one individual’s personal journey, and filmmaker Bergmann has resisted the impulse to sensationalize, glamorize, or clinicalize the trans lifestyle, choosing instead to treat the plight of people who transgress gender norms with honesty and compassion. When paired with the Youth and Gender Media Project films, which focus on the themes of acceptance, tolerance, love, and self-esteem, these ideas become accessible, moving, and thought-provoking, hopefully even to people who are opposed to the idea of gender fluidity.—Jeanne Bogino, New Lebanon Lib., NY
