In addition to some fine American films, this month we also have several excellent foreign and classic docs for your viewing pleasure. Take a look at what’s new to our shelves in the last thirty days:
Citizen Stan (2004) - This documentary tells the incredible story of Stanley Sheinbaum, a citizen activist who has negotiated with Prime Ministers, Presidents and Kings, and found himself in league with gang leaders, peaceniks and Palestinians. Narrated by Richard Dreyfuss. – [imdb]
The Grin Without a Cat (Le fond de l’air est rouge) (1977) – An extraordinary three-hour overview of the worldwide political upheavals during the Sixties and Seventies. (France) – [imdb]
I.O.U.S.A. (2008) – A bold examination of our rapidly growing national debt and its consequences for the United States. – [imdb]
Inquiring Nuns (1968) - A provocative but enlightening documentary featuring a pair of nuns who pound the pavement on the gritty streets of 1968 Chicago asking everyone from hippies to professors, Are You Happy? – [imdb]
Inside Outside (2005) – A look at several graffiti artists from New York, Stockholm, Copenhagen and São Paulo who all make a living off their art, but also have an urge to exhibit their work illegally in the streets. - [allmovie]
National Geographic: Direct from the Moon (2009) – This documentary from National Geographic explores how some lunar discoveries continue to pay scientific dividends, and the possibilities afforded by future moon missions. – [allmovie]
Of Time and the City (2008) – Acclaimed filmmaker Terence Davies gives a very personal portrait of the Liverpool of his youth. – [imdb]
The Town that Was (2007) – In 1962, the town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, was evacuated because of an underground coal-mining fire that continues to burn more than 40 years later. As of 2007, only 11 residents remain, and this documentary chronicles their efforts to save what little is left of their community. – [imdb]
Top Secret Trials of the Third Reich (Geheime Reichssache) (1979) – This scintillating documentary looks back at the 1944 trial of a band of Nazis who sought to assassinate Hitler, and explores similar instances of internal resistance in the Third Reich. (Germany) – [imdb]
The True Story of Palestine (Etz O Palestina) (1962) - This classic Israeli documentary traces the country’s fight for statehood and the issues that made the road such a difficult one. (Israel) – [imdb]
We Feed the World (2005) – This globe-trotting exposé of our modern agricultural system presents a sobering portrait of the people who define the contemporary food industry, where the constant pursuit of profit takes precedence over the health of the workers, the hungry, and the environment. (Austria) – [imdb]
(Thanks to IMDB, RottenTomatoes, and Metacritic for help with parts of these synopses)