This
film follows one of the advocates for the war against Saddam Hussein.
Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Perle travels the globe
articulating, defending and debating the neoconservative case for an
assertive American foreign policy. Perle finds no shortage of
candidates willing to challenge him on these issues. 60
minutes.
Oct. 9 - The People's Republic of Capitalism (Part I) (2008)
Ted
Koppel examines the growing and complex economic ties between the
United
States
and
China
as the People's Republic settles into its role as
America
's
largest business partner—and its biggest economic rival. This
four-part documentary looks to the city of
Chongqing
and its populace to explore the impact of
China
's
expanding economy and reviews the effects of cheap labor, imported goods
and job outsourcing on
America
.
90 minutes.
Oct.
16 - National Geographic: Guns, Germs and Steel (Disc I) (2005)
NOTE:
This week will be in Mendocino 2009 because of the Library's furlough
closure.
Why
is life on Earth inequitable? After journeying to the four corners of
the world to answer to that query, Prof. Jared Diamond came up with a
straightforward explanation: People's fortunes hinge on their geography
and their contact with guns, germs and steel. Interlacing science,
anthropology and historical reenactments, this insightful documentary
based on Diamond's best-selling book brings to life his intriguing
hypothesis. 90 minutes.
Oct.
23 - A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (2006)
Award-winning
filmmakers Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack examine the world's dependence
on oil and the impending chaos that's sure to follow when the resource
is dry in this straight-from-the-headlines documentary. Through expert
interviews on a hot-button topic that might represent the world's most
dire crisis, the film underscores our desperate need for alternative
energy and spells out in startling detail the challenge we face in
finding it. 82 minutes.
Oct.
30 - View from a Grain of Sand (2006)
Combining
verité footage, interviews and rare archival material, this film is a
harrowing, thought-provoking, yet intimate portrait of Afghan women's
history over the last 30 years—from the rule of King Zahir Shah in the
1960's to the current Hamid Karzai government. Told through the eyes of
three Afghan women—a doctor, a teacher and women's rights
activist—this documentary tells the story of how war, international
interference and the rise of political Islam have stripped Afghan women
of rights and freedom. Together with rarely seen archival footage, their
powerful stories provide
illuminating context for
Afghanistan
's current situation and the ongoing
battle women face to gain even basic human rights. 82
minutes
Nov.
6 - Frontline:
Inside the Meltdown (2009)
Shining
a light on the economic meltdown that changed the mood of the 2008
presidential election, this edition of Frontline offers an inside
look at what caused the crisis and who--if anyone--could have stopped
it. Segments focus on the failures of Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and
AIG; the
U.S.
government bailout costing taxpayers $700 billion; and the roles of the
U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve in repairing the damage.
Nov.
13 - Food,
Inc. (2008)
Drawing
on Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan's The
Omnivore's Dilemma, director Robert Kenner's documentary explores
the food industry's detrimental effects on our health and environment.
Kenner spotlights the men and women who are working to reform an
industry rife with monopolies, questionable interpretations of laws and
subsidies, political ties and rising rates of E. coli outbreaks.
Nov.
20 - Frontline:
Ten Trillion and Counting (2009)
What
do you do when you're hundreds of billions of dollars in debt and still
counting? That's what Frontline seeks to find out in this episode
that explores the impact of the growing national deficit on President
Obama's plans for this country. Enlisting commentary from financial
experts and government finance insiders, the program explains why our
national debt has soared and offers solutions for reducing it.
Dec.
4 - The People’s Republic
of Capitalism: Disc 2 (2008)
Ted Koppel examines the growing and complex
economic ties between the United States and China as the People's
Republic settles into its role as America's largest business partner
—and its biggest economic rival. This documentary looks to the city of
Chongquig and its populace to explore the impact of China's expanding
econid.
