Book: American Theocracy (Kevin Phillips, Viking Adult, 2006, 480 pages)

This is an extended historical essay, very carefully researched, which explains how certain economic interests (especially big oil and financial services) are interacting with a Biblical worldview common among many Americans, and leading to all the symptoms which have led previous great powers to sharp declines after long periods of supremacy. Absolutely fascinating!

Film: Shut Up & Sing (Directed by Barbara Kopple & Cecilia Peck, Weinstein Company & Cabin Creek Films, 2006)

The filmmakers travel with the country music trio the Dixie Chicks for three years - from the peak of their popularity as the darlings of country music through the now infamous anti-Bush comment made by the group's lead singer Natalie Maines in 2003 and the political firestorm that resulted - raising questions about freedom of speech and the negative consequences it sometimes has.

As we see the resistance from country music radio stations in the US South to playing their music during the War in Iraq solidify, we see it begin to affect these artists and their manager; we also see them grow from just musicians into honest independent heart-felt citizens. Two of the Dixie Chicks are sisters who have been giving concerts since age 12; now in their mid-thirties, they decide they will not choose between self-censorship and their goal of Arena-scale musical tours.

Highly recommended.

Film: Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollack? (Picturehouse, 2006, Harry Moses)

This is a humous and compelling documentary! At one level it is about the art market. At another level it is about some amazing people. See it if you can.
Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollack?.

Film: An Unreasonable Man (about Ralph Nader) (Henriette Mantel & Steve Skrovan, 2006)

An Unreasonable Man follows the 40-year-long career of public interest attorney turned two-time Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader, bringing the insights of two dozen insiders who worked with him, for him, against him, and sometimes both for-and-against him at different times. The film is trying to explore several themes: What makes Nader tick? Are his recent Presidential runs advancing or detracting from the pro-citizen policies he articulates? How do third party candidates get treated by the press and by the two main parties? His most passionate defenders and his most ardent detractors are here, speaking candidly to the filmmakers.

Neither filmmaker had ever made a documentary, but this one is extremely thought-provoking... Try to see it when it comes to your town, or wait for the expected release on DVD in 2007.

Film: Encounter Point (2006, Ronit Avni, Just Vision)

is playing at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville NY on November 5 and November 6.

Film: 51 Birch Street (Doug Block, Copacetic Films, 2006)

51 Birch Street is a documentary that wasn't set out to be made until after 90% of the footage was shot for other purposes. Filmmaker Doug Block had been capturing little bits of video at all the usual family events, and decided to continue doing some of this with his retired parents at their home in Port Washington, New York. But a series of unexpected events leads him to learn, at age 50, some things about his parents that he had never known.

As he learns more about their lives, he captures a great deal about the dynamics of marraige, life in the suburbs, cultural shift over 60 years, all seen through what happened from his parent's immediately post-World War II courtship through a move to Florida at age 83.

What makes this such a powerful film is the honesty of his parents, their friends, his sisters, his spouse, and especially of Doug himself. This is a film that most people will identify with. Very highly recommended.