While the destruction of the communities of English colliery towns under the Thatcher government is no longer a "hot" topic, having lost its sizzle and left only scar tissue, I was recently reminded of this human drama when Billy Elliot, the musical, came to town. And then I remembered this gem of a little movie, and ordered it.

At times polemic in a Michael Moore kind of way, the film nevertheless has a great big heart, which beats to the rhythm of the great Pete Postlethwaite, who grounds the story with his brilliant portrayal of a tragic coal miner/colliery band leader. A young Ewan McGregor and the usual band of fabulous British character actors keep the story grounded.

The film is given further energy through the performance of an authentic colliery band; an energy that carries the viewer right through to the historical inevitability of its demise.

This film is flawed and sometimes heavy-handed, but it is a lovely elegy to the generations of men who descended into the blackness of the mines scattered across Britain; the same mines that fueled the industrial revolution and the growth of tenacious and indomitable communities across the English landscape.

Quiet and tender, this little book is all about the compassion and empathy that children are capable of and which is also a source of suffering in their lives. Attachment is wonderful: attachment is sometimes painful. Bonds of love should always come first.

This is an eccentric and whimsical little book ideally suited for parents and children who love to read humorous books side by side. The art work is unique, and the humor, just a wee bit subversive.

This film is a small gem: a wonderful, tongue in cheek paean to the art of acting. With his brilliant cast, the great Stanley Tucci has created a real romp of a movie.
For a brief while, we travel along on this ship of fools whose passenger list and crew include every stock character imaginable.

Oliver Platt, Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Buscemi, et.al. appear to be having a great time and we're just happy to tag along, with a delightful soundtrack to put some spring in our step.

Warning: Campbell Scott steals every scene he's in.

A brave and fascinating exzploration of the mind/body connection and the myriad ways human beings live with the lifelong effects of the coping mechanisms they developed in childhood.
This books deepens our understanding of health and illness, and moves away from feelings of blame and resentment.
For Gabor Maté, wellbeing, compassion and empathy go hand in hand.

A sweet and gentle-spirited movie for one and all. Trevor Eve plays a surprisingly geeky and rather innocent art curator, while the kids steal the show.

This documentary, by the same filmmaker who brought us "An Inconvenient Truth" (Davis Guggenheim), is a must see. Though focused on the problems within the American public school system, its message can definitely cross national borders. After depicting and incisively analyzing the abyss that public schools have become (with dropout statistics that are staggering), Guggenheim leads us to a handful of "charter schools", many in the poorest neighborhoods of urban America, and to their visionary, even heroic leaders. Among these, Harvard educated Geoffrey Canada stands as a giant. Optimism is sparse in this film, which makes his conviction and energy even more inspiring.

A large part of the effectiveness of this film is due to the very human faces of the children (and their families) that we follow through the course of a single school year. Culminating in the lottery scenes, where an impossibly small number of children are randomly picked to attend the only schools that will give them a chance at a true education, the film is heartbreaking.

This is both the film's strength and its weakness. The injustice of a system that eats up and spits out young minds that will never be given a chance to develop and whose fate is predetermined, is brilliantly rendered. Less so is the film's single message of hope: that great teachers, no matter where they work, can make all the difference. Sadly, we are given only tiny glimpses of these committed professionals, these educational missionaries, at work.

The concept is simple: an all girls choir with a rock, grunge and popular repertoire. But the effect can be breathtaking and even...haunting. A large part of this choral ensemble's success is due to the brilliance of its accompanist. In this recording, choir and piano are equals. One never gets in the way of the other; it is rather a musical conversation.
Listen especially to the startling covers of "Smells like Teen Spirit", "Creep" and "With or Without You".

How great is the GRUBB concept? A fascinating, eclectic and marginalized culture is re-introduced to the world through the dancing and musical energy of Roma youth. Kinetic, noisy and often soulful (especially the female voices), GRUBB the record is a must. Listen, and try to pick out all the influences that are woven into the ballads and dance mixes.

I stumbled onto this series after browsing online. Though the pilot episode is actually the weakest of any I have watched,this series just gets better and better, as we get to know the characters of the Cold Case Squad and as the chemistry between them develops in leaps and bounds.
While it doesn't have the gripping, blow torch intensity of the Prime Suspect series, Waking the Dead, season 1, is still a fascinating ride, blessed with just enough humour and wit to be immensily entertaining.