Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - (Page 30) REVIEWS I YOUNG & RESTLESS IN CHINA Street 7/29 www.homemediamagazine.com of a loveless arranged betrothal. All of this takes place against a backdrop of an Zeitgeist, Documentary, $29.99 DVD, NR. industrial boom that is changing the landscape of China literally and psychologically. Capitalism wo decades after PBS brought us The has put greater focus on gaining wealth, creating Heart of the Dragon, Ambrica Produc- challenges of balancing work, goals and extended tions and Zeitgeist Video bring us families. Young & Restless in China. What a difference a couple of decades make. This is life in China through the eyes of nine young adults. Filmmaker Sue Williams met with each of them yearly in 2004 through 2007 to follow the paths of their lives. The stories are told with English and Mandarin soundtracks. Some are urban professionals returning after a decade or more in the West; they come back for opportunity but find it challenging to retain their ethics while dealing with ingrained corruption. Some who never left speak of the influence of the student movement that led to the showdowns in Tiananmen Square in 1989: One decided against politics because of the danger; another became a public interest lawyer. Others are migrant workers who leave their villages for manufacturing jobs in the cities. Their lives and problems are strikingly similar to those Americans face, with a few exYoung & Restless in China is an eye-opening jourtremely traditional exceptions. They struggle with ney for its similarities and contrasts to American the desire to get ahead, the lack of health insur- life. It’s plain to see that industrial development ance, the challenges of finding love and keeping in China is an unstoppable juggernaut; some will it alive and of raising families. But some also ride it and some will be crushed under its wheels. face problems most Americans will never know: This much is clear: Americans had better get used One woman tracks down a mother kidnapped by to ambitious competitors, wiling to sacrifice to human traffickers 18 years earlier; another fears get ahead. shaming and angering her family by backing out – Holly J. Wagner T I 21 UP SOUTH AFRICA: MANDELA’S CHILDREN Street 7/22 First Run, Documentary, $24.95 DVD, NR S urviving the teenage years can be a challenge; doing so in post-apartheid South Africa is cause for a documen- tary. Following the Jesuit maxim “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man,” filmmaker Angus Gibson since 1992 has chronicled a group of 14 children (black, white, mixed race, rich, poor, male and female) from the ages 7, 14 and now 21. The predecessors to this film, 7 Up South Africa and 14 Up South Africa, are not available on DVD. This series is based in part on Michael Apted’s landmark British “Up” Series that began in 1964 and continues to follow the lives of 14 children from different socio-economic backgrounds. The children, who come from township slums, apartheid-era mansions and the bushveld, confront their early prejudices and attitudes while discussing life, race relations, education, crime and unemployment. While the personal stories are compelling, so too is the impact technology (Internet and mobile phones), education, HIV/AIDS and political correctness have had on the children’s lives. One black child, who learned English with an American accent from TV shows and was educated in predominantly white schools, now is a construction supervisor, aided by his bilingual ability as well as governmentmandated affirmative action policies that reward black-run businesses. A privileged white boy — now a promising rugby player — comes to grips with the increasing numbers of black teammates while maintaining a vow of celibacy until marriage. A mixed-race young woman also refrains from sexual activity, cognizant of the fact that AIDS kills 1,000 South Africans each year, including her childhood friend. 21 Up’s original group has dwindled to 11 (three kids died of AIDS in the intervening years), but their honesty, dreams and aspirations — seen through time-lapse photography and interviews — remain undeniably strong. – Erik Gruenwedel I THE COOL SCHOOL Street 7/29 Arts Alliance America, Documentary, $29.95 DVD, NR. T hroughout the 20th century, Los Angeles was well-known for many things: earthquakes, nice weather, race riots, gang warfare, smog, traffic and the often notorious elements of the celebrity culture surrounding the entertainment business. However, for a megalopolis of its importance in the world at large, up until the late 1950s the one major thing that the region was not associated with was a fine-art scene. It was almost as if L.A. was so concerned with being at the forefront of all things modern, hip and contemporary, that something as elemental a form as painting was forgotten, ignored or even dismissed. It is this cultural climate that sets the stage for Morgan Neville’s documentary examination of the scene that eventually developed there, a scene that seems almost so informed by its surroundings and its lack of an existing art scene that it could have happened only at this particular time in history and in this particular dot on the map. Neville’s film gives ample face time to the vast bulk of major players: the scholars, critics, patrons of the arts and, of course, the artists themselves who emerged and came to become synonymous with Walter Hopps’ Ferus Gallery. Narrated by Jeff Bridges, the film has a slick, appropriately artsy style, punctuated and even propelled by a period jazz score. But, even at a mere 86 minutes, it sort of feels like everything that needed to be said could have been said in half as much time. Fascinating special features provide additional information for people who are interested in the story beyond the film, including a short doc called “The World of Ed Keinholz” and a reunion of some of the figures from the film, reminiscing and reflecting on the scene. – David Greenberg I PUPPY PLAYS THE CLASSICS Prebook 7/22; Street 8/19 Victory Multimedia, Children, $14.99 DVD, NR. P retty much everybody loves puppies, so unless you’re fighting the “Can I have a puppy?” battle with your child, this could be a fun introduction to classical music. Geared for preschool-age children, this program stars golden retriever pup Ollie sneaking into the elementary school music room after school. As he encounters each instrument, we fade to “puppy tales” — short puppy pantomimes centered on themes such as puppy love, adoption and friendship. They also strive to teach a little about values such as not being judgmental and the Golden Rule. The dogs, and their accompanying animated special effects, are cute and should catch children’s eyes. However, the storylines may be a little hard for the target age group to follow just from classical soundtracks, puppy pathos and a few animated tricks. That said, most toddlers should enjoy 45 minutes of gratuitous cuteness set to classical music. The program may even encourage attention spans, since the storylines are not explicitly told by the soundtrack. Musical selections are some of the most recognizable classics — “Carmen,” “Swan Lake,” “Peer Gynt,” “Ride of the Valkyries” — and it can’t hurt for youngsters to hear music they will recall and identify later. Bonus features include puppy pointers from the Humane Society, a behind-the-scenes featurette with the puppy trainers and cast (also set to music), and an extra puppy tale (beware, the box says three). There’s no real illusion of teaching music here, but the other lessons are fine for any age child. And after all, if you’re going to have a song stuck in your head because the kids play the video over and over, wouldn’t you rather hear Mozart than “This Old Man”? – Holly J. Wagner Home Media Magazine July 20–26, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 Contents News TV DVD Commentary Horror/Halloween Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - June 20-26, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Commentary (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Horror/Halloween (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 29) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 30) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Reviews (Page 31) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 32) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 33) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 34) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 35) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 36) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 37) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 38) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 39) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 40) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - July 20-26, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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