Film Reviews
| 
Film Reviews from World Wide Work bulletin
This is a searchable archive of movie reviews that appeared in past editions of the free emailed bulletin, World Wide Work. They appear in chronological order, from most recent to least recent.
You can sign up on TheWorkSite.org to receive the bulletin free 8 times per year. The bulletin also contains reviews of books and music you may not know about.
Gideon’s Army. An important 96-minute documentary follows three inspiring young African American public defenders in Georgia and some of the clients they serve. The film shows how district attorneys use mandatory minimum sentencing laws to force people to plead guilty to lesser crimes in order to avoid longer sentences, when they would otherwise not plead guilty to anything. It also shows how huge caseloads and underfunding of public defenders makes it difficult for poor people to get a fair trial. The film will air on HBO in early July.
Herman’s House. More than 80,000 prisoners in the U.S. are being held in solitary confinement. Herman Wallace has been in solitary for 40 years, ever since he joined with other imprisoned Black Panthers in protesting prison conditions and was then accused in the murder of a prison guard. Artist Jackie Surnell has collaborated with Wallace to create an art installation that is a full-scale model of Wallace’s dream house if he ever wins his appeals. This unusual 81-minute documentary tells their story.
Aquí y Allá. As politicians debate U.S. immigration policy, this subtle, beautifully acted and directed feature film tells the poignant story of one Mexican family in which the husband/father must cross the border to provide basic support.
Book Reviews
|
Book Reviews from World Wide Work bulletin
This is a searchable archive of book reviews that appeared in past editions of the free emailed bulletin, World Wide Work. They appear in chronological order, from most recent to least recent.
You can sign up on TheWorkSite.org to receive the bulletin free 8 times per year. The bulletin also contains reviews of films and music you may not know about.
Eco-Business by Peter Dauvergne and Jane Lister (MIT). A thoughtful analysis examines how the world’s largest corporations are incorporating “green” branding into their marketing strategies, often in collaboration with well-meaning nonprofit organizations. The net result, they argue, actually undermines ecological sustainability by strengthening over-consumption and wealth inequality.
The Courage to Hope by Shirley Sherrod (Atria). Sherrod is a lifelong civil rights activist in Georgia who was fired from the Agriculture Department by the Obama administration when a right-wing blogger edited a video clip to give the false impression that she discriminated against white farmers. She tells the inside story of her interactions with Obama himself, describes in powerful detail the violence perpetrated against her family and other protestors in the 1960s by white mobs led by the local sheriff, and chronicles courageous efforts by her and others over the past 50 years to improve the treatment of poor farmers, black and white.
Music Reviews
|
Music Reviews from World Wide Work bulletin
This is a searchable archive of reviews of music CDs that appeared in past editions of the free emailed bulletin, World Wide Work. They appear in chronological order, from most recent to least recent.
You can sign up on TheWorkSite.org to receive the bulletin free 8 times per year. The bulletin also contains reviews of useful books and films you may not know about.
Tooth & Nail by Billy Bragg. The British songwriter presents low-key songs about love, the state of the world, and why his wife should overlook his lack of handyman skills.
Love for Levon (StarVista). Musicians gathered for a benefit concert to honor the memory of Levon Helm. Included were My Morning Jacket, Mavis Staples, Grace Potter, John Hiatt, Roger Waters, Lucinda Williams, John Prine, Warren Haynes, and many more.