Our Picks Reviews - Page 35

For five decades, it’s cropped up around the world—printed on banners, hoisted on signs, scrawled on walls, painted on faces—as an emblem of unity and harmony. But where did the now-ubiquitous peace symbol begin? This engrossing words-and-pictures exploration, timed to coincide with the symbol’s 50th anniversary in April, is a colorful journey into the story of one of mankind’s most universally recognized icons, born when a British peace-activist designer combined the semaphore signals for the letters “N” and “D,” for nuclear disarmament.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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This beloved 1942 “biopic,” still one of the best-ever baseball movies about a real player, starred Gary Cooper as the legendary Lou Gehrig, whose record-breaking career was cut short at age 37 by the deadly nerve disease that now bears his name. Tracking Gehrig’s life and career from New York childhood to the day of his famous “luckiest man” farewell speech, this inspiring tale of an all-American sports hero is newly enhanced for DVD with a documentary on the real-life Gehrig, a look at his exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, plus an interview with present-day MLB hurler Curt Schilling on the disease that felled a titan of the game and the ongoing search for its cure. (Rated G)
Neil Pond, American Profile

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With more than 100 photos, this fascinating look at baseball fever in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and other south-of-the-border countries creates a new appreciation of the ongoing legacy of Miguel Tejada, David Ortiz, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez and dozens of others who traveled far to chase down an all-American dream.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Get the scoop on the biggest stars and most promising new hotshots with this inside look at the game and its top fielders, heaviest hitters and standout pitchers. With updates from last year’s season, playoffs and World Series, and including more than 70 player profiles and 150 color photos, it’ll make you the smartest kid on the sandlot.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Wallace, a baseball obsessive whose love for the sport has been chronicled in five previous books, pored through the rich photo archives of Major League Baseball for this collection of images—one for each day of the year—depicting the game, players, fans and magical moments over the decades. And while a picture’s worth a thousand words, Wallace adds a few of his own for every image, providing essential background that makes each photo even more meaningful. It’s an overflowing, batter’s-up buffet stocked with goodies for fans of all ages.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Tim Robbins plays a hotshot young pitcher with an uncontrollable wild streak, Kevin Costner the seasoned-pro catcher assigned to rein him in, and Susan Sarandon the baseball-worshipping groupie who wants them both. Who’ll round the bases in this 1988 love triangle—or strike out? Set in the small-town, day-to-day world of the minor leagues, Bull Durham’s switch-hitting combo of humor and sensuality has for 20 years been a home run with both sexes. Extras include commentary from Costner and Robbins, a making-of featurette, a documentary on minor-league ball, and memories from cast, crew and fans. (Rated R)
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Forget baseball’s modern-day woes with steroids. It took the sport decades to recover from the smear of 1919, when the Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to lose the World Series, sending players’ careers and the reputation of the game down in flames. An all-star cast, including Charlie Sheen, John Cusak and Christopher Lloyd, brings this 1988 dramatization to life with a compelling look at the sad chain of events that led to one of baseball’s most tarnished moments. Extras include a 20-year retrospective from the cast and an in-depth look at the scandal that took the noble shine off America’s favorite pastime. (Rated PG)
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Since entering the American musical scene five decades ago, Ireland-born Morrison has ridden atop the charts with hits that became classics, including “Moondance,” “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Wild Night,” and expanded his repertoire with brilliant album excursions into Celtic music, jazz, R&B, country and gospel. His latest CD, as the title might suggest, rolls along easily on soulful, slow grooves that showcase the straightforward, poetic messages of 11 new original songs such as “School of Hard Knocks,” “Song of Home” and “How Can a Poor Boy.”
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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One of America’s most acclaimed literary voices fell silent last year, but this collection of 12 previously unpublished writings and speeches—released on the one-year anniversary of his death—keeps Vonnegut’s memory vibrantly alive. Mixing fact and fiction, the recurring themes of war, peace and the onward, often muddled march of humanity stretch back to his own experiences as a World War II P.O.W. and resonate as strongly today as ever.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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This classic Easter TV special from the early 1970s featured “old-school,” stop-motion animated characters in a wholesome, hour-long tale of spunky Peter Rabbit and his quest to become the season’s No. 1 bunny. Ringing again with the delightful voices of Casey Kasem as Peter and Vincent Price as his nemesis, Evil Irontail, plus narration and singing by Danny Kaye, this spruced-up, re-mastered, bargain-priced DVD will have baby boomers hopping for delight and remembering happy, hopeful Easters of yesteryear.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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