Allen Spruill's Daily Thoughts

Russia Rating 2 out of 5 An odd movie - done in the documentary style but mostly made up (10% real footage and 90% made up footage), this is a story about the secret that the Russians went to the moon years before the Americans did. Viewed 6/15 at Harvard Exit

France Rating 4 out of 5 Touching romantic comedy about an older man who lives on a farm and has recently lost his wife. Since she helped with a lot of the work, he needs assistance. So he ends up at a matchmaker firm and visits Eastern Europe, himself looking for a work partnee while the younger women are looking for a husband and a ticket to greater prosperity. He just never figured he'd find love along the way. Viewed 6/14 at Neptune

Guinea Rating 4 out of 5 Very interesting documentary about refugees from Sierra Leonne who form a band while in the refugee camps in Guinea. We learn about what it is like to be a refugee and why people are sometimes slow to return home. The music is very good, and the band has actually recorded an album and is touring the USA this summer. Viewed 6/13 at Neptune

Russia Rating 2 out of 5 A bit slow and confusing for me - story about a cook in Russia set around the start of the space race. Viewed 6/12 at Neptune

France Rating 3 out of 5 Story about a lonely older man who starts Tango dancing for the exercise and then meets a younger woman who wakes up his life; a nice story Viewed 6/12 at Neptune

Rating 5 out of 5 Viewed 6/10 at Pacific Place Very interesting documentary about how Sesame Street is brought to new countries. We see the effort behind a new co-production in Bangladedh and how the Sesame Workshop people (formerly Childrens Television Workshop) work with locals to make the show relevant for each country, focusing on what they want their preschool kids to learn. This will air on PBS in October.

Czech Republic Rating 2 out of 5 Film about the Holocaust experience from the Czech people. It was a bit slow for me, and I have seen better Holocaust related films. Viewed 6/10 at Harvard Exit

USA Rating 5 out of 5 Very engaging documentary about the electric vehicles that appeared in California ten years ago, and that are now virtually extinct. The film examines how the cars came to be and who is responsible for their demise. It is an awakening in how far we have come technologically and how other factors hold us back from making good choices. Viewed 6/10 at Neptune