Movies

Here is a short review of some of the movies we have watched recently:

Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang - This was a clever and funny crime/action comedy with Robert Downey Jr. (looking a bit older these days). However, it had quite a bit of language and nudity in it, so not one that I highly recommend.

Lost Boys of Sudan - A documentary that follows a group of young refugee men from Sudan who are brought to the States to study and make a "better life" for themselves. Poor planning and follow-through on the part of the assistance agencies that initiated the program left the boys largely on their own to sort things out. The perspective of the young men themselves and the challenges and cultural issues that they face were all very interesting.

The School of Rock - A very silly Jack Black movie. I don't remember anything terribly offensive in it. It was okay; enjoyable fluff.

Glory Road - The story of the college basketball coach who first dared to play an all black line up in 1962. The story itself was interesting, but the execution was rather cliche and the characters lacked good development. There are similar stories that are better done, IMHO.

Touch The Sound - Documentary about deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie, who has an uncanny ability to "hear" sound with her whole body. It is hard to believe that she is really deaf as you watch how well she interacts and collaborates with other musicians all over the world. This is a very slow movie that most people would not enjoy, but would be interesting to musicians or other artists.

Seducing Doctor Lewis - A cute Canadian comedy about a rural town in Quebec that needs to find a town doctor. They go to elaborate lengths to try to coerce a temp. Dr. to stay on.

The Devil's Miner - Documentary about a young boy who works in the mines of Potosi, Bolivia to support his family. This is an excellent portrayal of the struggles of the working poor in Bolivia, their religious beliefs (which are a blend of Catholicism and ancient traditional animistic beliefs). I have been to the mine in Potosi and seen the "devil" of the underground.

No Direction Home: Bob Dylan - Documentary about the early years of Bob Dylan's singing career. He was just a bit before my time and I was completely unaware of the controversy surrounding his switch from folk music to rock and roll. This is long and at times it was hard to follow the chronology as they kept showing scenes from a single concert in London (which was the culmination of controversy). But my opinion about Bob Dylan completely switched from the early part of this two disc set to the end of it.