Breaking the Mayan Code, NOVA ,2008 (grade B+)

From the PBS SERIES NOVA --here is a winner.

sez says: This subject is fascinating all by itself--that is how do you break a code and learn to read a language that is near dead, etc.  But add to that, the history of why we knew so little for so long, and a new importance is added --that is to see how we, as humans, stumble all over ourselves creating, and destroying and struggling back to understanding.  What I didn't know in its entirety is that Europeans--by way of the Catholic Church--burned libraries in the effort to destroy the Mayan culture and language. I knew they had engaged in torturing people to convert them to Catholicism, and that they may have made the violence that the Mayan people themselves practiced, look tame in their rampage against all things Mayan. But the loss of all of the written history I didn't know about.  But what they didn't destroy were all of the building that were hidden under the jungle's growth--and those building were covered with symbols/hieroglyphics.  Once discovered these markings ignited the curiosity-turned to passion--of multiple generations of people who worked to decipher the meaning of these markings.  Throw in the Cold War, which kept people from working together and toss that with human pride, a little one-ups-man-ship and a 12 year old genius and slowly, slowly we find our way back from the time of the original book burnings into the light of  some understanding about who the Mayans were. This is well worth watching--and while I'm not sure I really understand how they finally broke the code, I now know something about how it was done. (Grade B+)      

I.M. Pei, Building Modern China, American Masters Series 2010 (Grade A)

PBS Series Modern Masters says of this show ... "I.M. Pei has been called the most important living modern architect,  defining the landscapes of some of the world’s greatest cities.  A monumental figure in his field and a laureate of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, Pei is the senior statesman of modernism and last surviving link to such great early architects as Corbusier, Gropius, and Mies van der Rohe.   Entering into the twilight of his career and well into his eighties, Pei returns to his ancestral home of Suzhou, China to work on his most personal project to date.   He is commissioned to build a modern museum in the city’s oldest neighborhood which is populated by classical structures from the Ming and Qing dynasties.  For the architect who placed the pyramid at the Louvre, the test to integrate the new with the old is familiar but still difficult.  The enormous task is to help advance China architecturally without compromising its heritage.  In the end, what began as his greatest challenge and a labor of sentiment, says Pei, ultimately becomes “my biography.”"

sez says -- I couldn't say it better so I am just sharing with you their description. I might add that a man of remarkable charm and grace is also reveled  here and that meeting him this way was a delight.  Also, you get to see, at lest in part, the process of creating this museum. I'd very much like to go see it in person. (Grade A)

The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell, 1982 (Grade C)

Director: Richard Patterson
Topic: The Marx Brothers


sez says: Knowing very little about the Marx Brother I did learn a number of things about them by watching this documentary that overviews their careers. There are a few talking heads: family and people that knew them. There is lots of film footage of them in action.  There is a narration (by Gene Kelly) that ties it all together. No question about it--they were a unique madcap bunch, who look spontaneous--but who were really absolutely disciplined, hard working guys.  The only problem, there is no analysis here--no asking why their unique humor has such a captivating appeal --and that is the sort of  question I'd be interested in seeing answered. Not that anyone has 'the answer' but at least I'd be interested in hearing some of the the theories.  In any case, this is a light weight bit of fun. (Grade C)

Martin Scorsese Presents: The Blues: A Musical Journey, Vol 4: Warming by the Devil's Fire (Grade C+)

Director: Charles Burnett
Topic: Gospel v The Blues (sort of)

sez says: I've loved this series--and I plan to see all 7 segments.  But if this had been the first one I saw I might not have been as enthusiastic.  It is not bad--but it is not great either.  Burnett uses a supposed story of a young boy being sent 'home' to the south, to be 'saved' (ie baptized in the family church.)  His uncle, a blues man, waylays the boy to show him what he is gong to be saved from--ie the blues.  We follow these two along (shot in full color, setting the 1950s) and as Uncle tells the story of the blues, B&W footage of real blues singers in the real 1950s is shown.  Simple structure..but a little hokey.  And while the blues were being juxtaposed to 'the church' there was a lack of clarity about what, exactly the topic was.  Anyway there was some nice old footage, and a wide variety of music (a lot of WC Handy in particular)  and that is worthwhilein my book--but probably not so much in everybody's book.  (Grade C+)

The Cove, 2009 (grade A-)

Director: Louie Psihoyos

Topic: Dolphins
Awards?  -yes Sun Dance (audience choice / documentary) and an Academy Award for best documentary

sez says: shame on you Japan. What a story. Dolphins are being slaughtered for no good reason. They are caught to be sold to sea-world circus type attractions. The ones not chosen for this profession are killed in mass and are being sold as 'whale' meat (they are a type of whale) to the Japanese people, Their meat is full of mercury--so they are poison to those who do consume them.  This is a documentary that tells how the proof of  these allegations has been brought to public attention. This is Activist Film Making -- It only tells one side...but that side would be hard to counter, No doubt that is why the Japanese are so adamant about trying not to let anyone know about this practice. And why these film makers had to go to such extremes to get the proof they present here.  Not for the squeamish  (Grade A-)

Religulous, 2008 (Grade C)

Director: Larry Charles
Topic: Religion

sez says:  This is not really a documentary--it tries to take the form of a documentary, with Bill Maher traveling around and talking to people about religion...but it is more of a comic stand up show with people as props and a platform for Bill Maher's opinions. I generally like Bill Maher and I am not a big defender of organized religion--but this really is a cheap shot.  Without a doubt much evil has been done (and is currently being done) in the name of religion.  And it is not hard to find wacky people professing belief in miracles and such.  But Maher never seriously asks anyone a question that he wants an answer to--rather the format is something like this: he asks, they get a few lines and then he provides the answer he is looking for via commentary that is disguised as another question.  If you watch this, note how much time he talks (probably over 80% of the time) vs how much time he gives to listening to the people he interviews. And when he does have them talk, it is edited material to make them look as stupid as possible.  Sometimes his is funny--and Maher's point is one worth taking about--but a documentary this is not.

mjc says:  being a methodist minister and all, I have come in for my fair share of ridicule and abuse for the sins of my fathers in the faith (and some mothers) and I am generally lumped together with the nut cases on the religious right, so I would have been happy to have a documentary that differentiated between the various religious perspectives.  This wasn't it, although Maher's conversation with the renegade priest in front of theVatican came close.  Don't bother.  (Grade C)

Martin Scorsese Presents: The Blues: A Musical Journey, Vol 3: The Road to Memphis

Director:  Richard Pearce
Producer:  Robert Kenner
Topic: American Music - The Blues

sez says: oh yes, we do love this series..and this may be the best we have seen so far.  It tells about blacks moving out of the deep south and forming a community in Memphis...among them were, of course, many musicians. In Beale Street as one of the men interviewed said. "if you were a white man and you could turn yourself into a black man for one night on Beale Street, you'd never want to go back to being a white man again"   A radio station, WDIA 1070, eventually found its place in the early 1960s by hiring black announcers and playing to the black community.  The station reached over a million blacks and became tremendously powerful/influential.  Among other things it played the music that had developed on Beale Street-the Blues.  That music made via the radio to the youth of the 1960s and crossed the race line. BB King is a prime example of a musician who come up via Beale Street and jumped the color line. He is heavily featured in this documentary. But he is not alone. There is lots more information, and musicians in this film--including Bobby Rush, a most interesting contemporary performer seeking his day in the sun. It organized itself around a reunion in Memphis of the men who started there musical careers in that city --and then it told some of the story of each one of a set of featured men including Ike Turner & Rosco Brown, Bobby Rush,  Calvin Newborn and more.  There is a very interesting interview with Sam Phillips (of SUN Record fame) who has a particular take of the time and music being a white man in the black community.  This is good enough to watch twice!

mjc says:  Once again, a great excursion through the history and musicians of the Blues using Memphis as a focus.  I had no idea of the history particularly of the radio station and its impact.  Watch it even if you never heard the blues, it will captivate you!(Grade A)