The Other Side of Sports

Sports fans! Get your game on with our sports-themed how-to and documentary films.

Sprint upstairs to the second floor educational DVDs for mixed martial arts and wrestling titles and more. Need to coach your team more efficiently? Hope Bruce Weber can teach you how to dribble a bball? Want to relive classic football or baseball games? Do you thrill to the jostling elbows in roller derby? Is NASCAR your thing? Are you a marathoner? If so, we have the DVD(s) for you!

But the library also has sports documentaries that have a more serious bent.

You can take home ESPN's collection 30 for 30. (In two parts of 15.) This acclaimed documentary series contains 30 films covering the sports world from 1979-2009.The filmmakers used their own points of view to create very personal features about athletes, teams and issues prominent in those three decades. Films like The Two Escobars, about soccer in Colombia; or Without Bias, detailing the effect of basketall player Len Bias' cocaine overdose ; or Into the Wind, celebrating amputee Terry Fox's run across Canada.

 ESPN released another documentary late last year--Unguarded. Chris Herren of Fall River, Massachusetts, was the quintessential home-town hero--a superb basketball player recruited by many colleges. But his glory days ended. Drafted by the NBA's Boston Celtics, Chris found it impossible to conquer his addiction habits. He bounced from team to team to the end of his career til he hit bottom. During Unguarded, three years sober, Herren seeks redemption by sharing his story, unvarnished and explicit, in hopes that other won't follow his path.





In What Happened, Dad? young high school quarterback Max slips into a coma during a football game, having suffered a concussion earlier due to a faulty helmet. What have schools and coaches done to protect their students from the dangers of contact sports? Here's an online clip where Max's dad talks about helmet certification.

Coming soon--Blood Equity--a film about the heavy toll of playing pro football.

These and many other DVD tales and how-tos of sports are available for you to enjoy at The Urbana Free Library. Place a hold online, or contact the adult services librarians at 367-4405 or reference@tufl.info

Dull? Boring? Not these thoughtful documentaries.

Looking for a different viewing experience? Rediscover our educational DVD collection, housed on the second floor. We offer feature documentaries which are wonderful, quirky or substantive. Drawn to films detailing peoples' lives?. Here are trailers for four recent arrivals that will pique your curiosity or make you quite thoughtful.

BECOMING CHAZ


This documentary follows the start of Chaz Bono's journey from the woman he was born as to the man he's always known he was. Chaz is quite perceptive, well aware of how his parents' celebrity has affected his life. At one point he mentions that a baby usually pulls parents together as they focus on their child. But  famous people still focus on themselves. Chaz and his girlfriend, Jennifer Elia--the other main character--recently split. Poignant, but in hindsight, was this foreshadowed in the film? Watch Becoming Chaz, and decide for yourself.

SONS OF PERDITION: THE STORY OF POLYGAMY'S EXILED YOUTH


Prophet Warren Jeffs of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) was a powerful Utah polygamist. His followers had plural wives; children were raised strictly according to the beliefs of their religion. And there was no place in the community for many teenage boys. They left, poorly educated and with limited resources. Where did they go and how did they survive? The documentary follows three young men over the course of several years, as they learn to live in the unknown secular world, yet try to stay in touch with their family loved ones.


DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER


What can you say about a young man who dies? Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne is devastated when his best friend from childhood, Andrew Bagby, is murdered. The prime suspect? The girlfriend from whom Andrew had recently separated. The woman flees to Canada, where it's revealed she's pregnant with Andrew's child. Can she be extradited so the charges against her can be considered? Will Andrew's parents be able to gain custody of his son? Kuenne is there, every step of the way in this tragedy, doing what he knows best to do--documenting Andrew's life and that of his son on film.

THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS



Twin sisters, singers, comediennes, lesbians, national treasures in New Zealand. Meet the Topp Twins. Jools and Lynda have performed on stage, television and movies for more than 30 years. From a happy childhood on the farm to street performers to yodeling country singers to cult status, they appeal to a broad audience. But they're not just entertainers; they're also cultural activists.The documentary takes a fond yet frank look at their lives, from coming out to Jool's recent bout with breast cancer. You'll laugh with and appreciate this unique pair--the Topp Twins.

All of these documentaries are available now to check out at The Urbana Free Library. Place a hold by following the links in the titles to our catalog. Or, you can email or call the Adult Services librarians to reserve one for you. (217-367-4405)

September Staff Picks DVDs

I know I'm late with these this month, but I think I missed noting the August picks entirely.  They were really good picks, too.  I'm sorry you missed them, assuming you didn't visit the analog staff picks DVD board, which is located by our DVD collection, right next to the two computer catalogs in that area.  Wow, and I mean wow, August, what picks.

September's not bad, either.  I got one last recommendation from John Dunkelberger, my retiring supervisor.   There will be a party, in case you hadn't heard already.  Anyhow, his final pick is the Oscar-winning Czech comedy, Closely Watched Trains, which we recently acquired from the Criterion Collection.  Actually, maybe we'll get some emeritus picks from him after he's retired, too.  He'll have plenty of time for DVD viewing.

Check out Closely Watched Trains   -   IMDb page for Closely Watched Trains

Pat, IT Guru, recommends The African Queen, starring Bogart and Bacall.  Fight you for it? 

Check out The African Queen   -   IMDb page for The African Queen

Elaine recommends Son of Man, a re-imagining of the life of Jesus set in contemporary South Africa.  Ebert notes that this film shows the contemporary world's reaction to Jesus would be to consider him a "dangerous political leader."  It sounds fascinating.

Check out Son of Man   -   IMDb page for Son of Man

Mary WT picks The September Issue to highlight from the educational DVD collection on the second floor.  It's a documentary about the Vogue editor's preparation of the 2007 issue on Fall fashion.  This is one of those films you would have made a mental note to check out and perhaps forgot about, so cheers to Mary for reminding us.

Check out The September Issue   -   IMDb page for The September Issue

Carol  recommends Jellyfish, and Israeli film by Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen.  If you missed the screening and discussion of the film hosted by the Cohen Center on campus, featuring Keret and Geffen, well, at least you can check out the film here.

Check out Jellyfish   -   IMDb page for Jellyfish

I've blogged my pick before, so I won't write much about it.  Train Man, the Japanese romantic comedy about a nerd's fortuitous encounter with a girl on a train and what becomes of them.

Check out Train Man   -   IMDb page for Train Man

Check out the trailer at YouTube

In this picks posts, I also like to note the new release from Film Movement.  This month, they've sent us Bomber, a comedy from the UK about an older couple finally taking that trip to Germany that they've been planning with the unplanned addition of their adult son coming along.

Check out Bomber   -   IMDb page for Bomber

Tapped

"Oh, it's just a bottle of water", you say.

But it's not so simple--there's a whole industry and a slew of health and conservation issues lurking behind each sip you take.

The thoughtful new documentary Tapped presents three major points that all of us should be aware of and, if we feel the case is proven, should make us participate in solutions.

1. Much bottled water is just tap water, siphoned from rich watersheds around the country. Who owns this water? The community or the business harvesting it? Who should profit? Should these businesses participate in water conservation efforts during time of drought?
2. What sort of medical implications are there? Is the plastic bottle packaging commonly used safe? There are real concerns about chemicals leaching into the water from plastics labeled #1 PET/PETE (typical water bottle) & #7 PC/PLA (water coolers, etc.)
3. What happens to all the water bottles? They aren't all recycled; many are discarded. Even if bottles ARE recycled, communities wind up paying the bill for disposal--the businesses don't. The bottles thrown away go into landfills. Many have wound up in our waterways--and the oceans. The bottles help make up huge floating garbage dumps, or disintegrate into tiny pieces ingested by sea critters. This all has a huge negative impact on nature and our environment.

Obviously, this is a button-pushing issue. Take the time to get informed. The Urbana Free Library has a copy of Tapped available for you to check out and watch at home.

We have several books on bottled water which might be of interest:
Bottled and sold : the story behind our obsession with bottled water by Peter H. Gleick
Bottlemania : how water went on sale and why we bought it by Elizabeth Royte

Visit the Tapped documentary website, to find out more about the issues and how to take action.

Watch the trailer:

It Might Get Loud

New this week at The UFL--It Might Get Loud, a documentary featuring three iconic rock 'n roll guitarists. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2), and Jack White (The White Stripes) reveal how they achieved their unique styles and sound, and give us quite a bit of their rock history, too. These are men driven by their music and creativity.

Best of all, the three come together in a guitar summit and jam, blending their three perspectives into extraordinary music. A highlight of the film for me was the closing credits, where the three collaborate on an acoustic version of The Band's classic, The Weight.

Intrigued? Place a hold or call us at 217-367-4405, and we'll add you to the list.

Here's the trailer, to hold you through until your turn. Play it loud!

June DVD Picks

New from Film Movement: Only When I Dance, a documentary about two aspiring ballet dancers living in, and trying to escape, Brazilian favelas.



We also have six (six!) staff picks this month.

Brian L's pick: Millions, directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire), about two young brothers in Ireland who find a bag of British pounds days before the adoption of the Euro.



Brian R's pick: You're Gonna Miss Me: A Film about Roky Erickson, vocalist and guitarist of the 13th Floor Elevators, and a pioneer in psychedelic rock music.



Carol's pick: Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train, the life and times of the author and activist, who died this past January.  First Run Features hasn't posted a trailer, but they have posted several clips.



John D's pick: L'auberge espagnole, starring Audrey Tautou, of Amelie fame, among other great films.  International students share an apartment in Spain, building friendships and, according to the trailer, generally having a good time.  If the poor video quality of the trailer bothers you, try this one at IMDb.



John G's pick: Delicatessen, co-directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, also of Amelie fame, in addition to other great films.  A dark comedy set in a future where cannibalism is no longer taboo, and a new assistant in the butcher shop could feed the tenants of the whole building.

 

Mary WT's pick: Good Hair, Chris Rock's documentary about the lengths to which African American women (and the industry that serves them) go for those fantastic 'dos.

El Sistema

Intrigued by tonight's Sixty Minutes segment featuring El Sistema--"The System"--in which the lives of thousands of Venezuelan children have been changed through classical music? (The segment itself was about Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic/Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, himself a graduate of el sistema.)

Find out more about the Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra by watching the excellent documentary El Sistema.

This DVD and many other fascinating films featuring real life are available at The Urbana Free Library. Place a hold by following the catalog link above, or call us at 217 367-4405.

While you're waiting, experience just a small taste of El Sistema through the trailer:

Virtual Ebertfest!

Can't attend all the Ebertfest activities this week? Neither can I, alas.
(But check out the Ebertfest website. Some tickets are still available, and you'll get a great taste of what's going on.)

Here's an exciting new Ebertfest option! You can view some of the activities from the comfort of your own computer!

Roger Ebert, an avid user of Twitter, has just tweeted
"Ebertfest will stream live on the net. Here is the *correct* link *with* the guide with days and times. http://j.mp/cOj3pW"

The page Mr. Ebert points to has the schedule, times, and the link to the streaming videos.

Not the movies, of course, but you can access the morning UIUC panel discussions and the Q&A sessions after the films.

Enjoy Ebertfest! Now it's only a computer away!

Food Inc. on WILL-TV

Food, Inc. reveals surprising — and often shocking truths — about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

This Academy-Award nominated documentary will make its broadcast debut on the PBS series POV this coming Wednesday, April 21. Tune in to WILL-TV at 8:00 p.m. CDT on your local cable or broadcast channel.



Food, Inc. will be accompanied by Notes on Milk, a short documentary which highlights little known facts about a favorite American beverage.

Interested in learning more about the film? Watch the trailer. Or, visit the movie's official website or the PBS POV website.

If you can't catch the POV screening on TV, you have other options to watch this significant and unsettling documentary. View Food, Inc. in its entirety online with streaming video for a limited time--April 22 through April 29, 2010.

The Urbana Free Library owns four copies of Food, Inc. on DVD. Place a hold and we'll notify you as soon as the film is available for you to take home.

You also can check out a print participant's guide: Food, Inc. : how industrial food is making us sicker, fatter, and poorer-- and what you can do about it, edited by Karl Weber.

The Messy Business of Democracy

PBS's award-winning series Frontline has produced a documentary on the recent health-reform legislation called Obama's Deal.

The program "reveals the dramatic details of how an idealistic president pursued the health care fight--despite the warnings of many of his closest advisers--and how he ended up making deals with many of the powerful special interests he had campaigned against."

The complete broadcast can be viewed online.

Most interesting are the widely diverging viewer comments in the site, expressing outrage (from both sides of the political aisle) about the legislation or the documentary's supposed biases; offering counter-perspectives (from other countries); and occasionally noting appreciation for what has been accomplished thus far.

A sample:

Although I'm in agreement with the notion that a nation as successful and capable as the United States should insure every American is provided with basic health care coverages and services, I detest how we got here, and do not believe that we have achieved "reform" in any serious regard. I have looked at the tea party uprisings in America with disdain and looked on in horror at how polarized we have become. Yet I also believe we should throw the whole Washington insider lot out and bring into lawmaking people who will put the interests of the American people first, and stop trying to protect their political careers and the interests of big Pharma, Insurance and health care providers. We seem to have totally lost our ability to "do the right thing" in Washington.

Watch it and decide for yourself.

Photo courtesy of marcn (CC BY 2.0).

Music is forever, but are bands? ANVIL

Back in the early 80s, before the rise of Metallica, Scorpions, Whitesnake, Guns 'n Roses and the rest, there was Anvil--a heavy metal band that other musicians admired and imitated. The core of the group, childhood friends, were crazy-charismatic Lips, the lead singer, and Robb, the talented drummer. Anvil never lived up to its promise. Why? Perhaps they just weren't in the right place at the right time. Perhaps their management didn't promote them or their albums well. Anvil faded in public memory.

Anvil forged on. Back in their Canadian homeland the band continued, picking up gigs here and there, creating albums, members taking day jobs to support themselves. No longer rock gods. But 25 years after their first album, a former roadie and long-time fan started filming a documentary about the group. This film, highly regarded and reviewed, has kick-started Anvil's career.

If you enjoy rock documentaries, and even if you haven't viewed one before, watch Anvil: The Story of Anvil. You'll hear from other metal stars, such as Slash (G'n R) and Lars Ulrich (Metallica). You'll empathize with and be enraged by Lips. You'll admire the loyal Robb. Most of all, you'll get a snapshot of what the music biz can be like. And how the desire to create music and perform drives musicians to continue, even without success.

Currently we can't post the trailer in this blog post, but here's the link to the official Anvil The Story of Anvil website, where you can view it.

Monty Python--ROFL!

Monty Python's Flying Circus--the amazingly funny and influential TV comedy sketch series--debuted on TV the UK in 1969, and soon crossed the pond to the colonies. And wondrous movies followed. Hard to believe it's been 40 years since the start of all the farcical insanity . The laughs are just as fresh today as they were when created.

If you're a Monty Python fan, want to be, or just are interested in finding out about the men behind the comedy troupe, you'll be thrilled to discover the new,original multipart documentary--Monty Python, Almost the Truth, The Lawyer's Cut.

The documentary, shown in entirety recently on the IFC cable Channel, does present snippets from performances, but the real highlight is the focus on the performers. The episodes feature interviews with the surviving members of Python, and honors the 40th anniversary of their debut.



If you like to laugh, if you want to go behind the scenes and discover the real craziness behind the Monty Python phenomenon, look into this series. Place a hold and ensure your turn to laugh and consider. It's--Almost the Truth.

Dreams with Sharp Teeth

If you're a fan of science fiction, you're probably already aware of the controversial and gifted author Harlan Ellison, winner of Hugo, Nebula and other awards. While he's written numerous short stories and novels and television screenplays, I always think of him as the creator of the fabulous Star Trek episode from the 60s--City of the Edge of Forever.

But I'd never really considered Harlan Ellison, the man. I was intrigued when I discovered the recently finished documentary of his life, Dreams with Sharp Teeth, so I purchased it for our library collection. And thoroughly enjoyed every last minute. What a quirky, irritating, brilliant, opinionated, talkative persona Ellison displays! A bit of a roué, a person some would consider a brat, but truly fascinating. The documentary contains current interviews plus clips of Ellison filmed in the 70s and 80s. Neil Gaiman, Robin Williams and others are featured.

Now I'm ready to grab examples of Ellison's oeuvre, just to round out my viewing experience. I'm thinking of starting with the oft-mentioned short story 'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman, which is frequently anthologized.

Below is the trailer for the film. More clips from the documentary are available online. The film isn't rated, but the language is adult at times. Cover the appropriate ears!



Check out Dreams with Sharp Teeth to learn more about the fascinating Harlan Ellison. The Urbana Free Library has many of Harlan Ellison's books and short stories that you can enjoy, after this documentary intrigues you!

Here's the New York Times review of the documentary.

So Much Testosterone

A former English professor of whom I'm greatly fond once wrote me,

I can't hear what happens in rock music. Indeed, it's as bizarre to me as watching a baseball game or a football game--it's as though I see people moving but I cannot begin to understand how anyone can appreciate what is going on, which seems to be bodies moving around in a blur.

Rick Ernst's documentary Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal is unlikely to help him decipher these mysteries. But it goes a long way in explaining the mindset and passions of many young males in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Um ... myself included.

Our educational DVDs are growing by leaps and bounds!

We've recently revamped our educational DVD section on the second floor. Not only have we rearranged the display books for maximum viewing pleasure, but we've also added over 100 new titles to our collection. Our recent selections range from documentaries to travel films to how-tos to exercise programs to much more.



Here's a taste of some of the new titles waiting for you to take home and enjoy!

Radiant City
DVD/307.74/RAD
Discover the dark side of suburbia.

Please Vote For Me: An Experience in Democracy By Chinese 8-year-olds
DVD/324.72/PLE [in Mandarin]
School elections are the same all over, aren't they?

Dancing With The Stars: Latin Cardio Dance
DVD/613.715/DAN
Exercize with Maks, Ashly and Kym.

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
DVD/779.092/LEI
Get to know well-known photographer Annie Leibovitz through interviews with her subjects and with the photographer herself.

Memorial Stadium: True Illini Spirit
DVD/796.068/MEM
Hear the history of the stadium, share fond memories, and enjoy visual images of Memorial Stadium in this documentary of the University of Illinois' football facility.

Man of Aran
DVD/941.748/MAN
View Robert Flaherty's quasi-documentary of the hard life in the 1930s off the west coast of Ireland.

Trouble the Water
DVD/976.335/TRO
An aspiring rapper films her experiences before, during and after Hurricane Katrina. Produced by former Urbana resident Carl Deal and his partner, Tia Lessin, this documentary has drawn strong local interest.


Check back with us often to see what other new films we've added to our documentary and non-fiction collection. We welcome recommendations.