Our Picks Reviews - Page 41

An insider on the rock scene since the 1960s, photographer Lynn Goldsmith clicked away with her camera for three decades, capturing an amazing array of stars both onstage and off. Bruce Springsteen, Kiss, The Rolling Stones, The Police and dozens of other performers headline this impressive collection of 245 images, a visual tour of the frequently glamorous, sometimes gritty but never less than fascinating realm of rock ’n’ roll royalty at work, at rest and at play.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Take one actress (TV’s Keri Russell from Felicity) who really knows how to brighten up a scene. Set in a small Southern town crawling with characters. Sprinkle in fine supporting performances, including a welcome comeback by Andy Griffith and Law and Order’s Jeremy Sisto as a slobbish lout of a husband. Wrap in a funny, poignant story about life, longing, sisterhood, babies and mouth-watering homemade pies. And voila—you have Waitress, a feisty, “chick-flick” romantic comedy from last year that will fill you up with a warm feeling. Extras include a memorial to director-actor Adrienne Shelley, whose murder just before the movie was completed makes Waitress a bittersweet tribute to her life’s work. (Rated PG-13)
Neil Pond, American Profile

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What are the 50 best TV shows of all time? How about the 50 worst? The 20 top Bugs Bunny cartoons? Greatest guest stars? Most shocking soap-opera deaths? Nuttiest TV neighbors? Strangest moments in televised sports? Even if you’re not a TV junkie, you’ll find it hard to turn off this oh-so-browsable collection of more than 150 lists covering a dizzying array of shows, episodes, stars and commercials.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Most of us have never gone to a dinner or other formal affair at the White House. This elegant, uniquely themed coffee-table book, subtitled “200 Years of Dining and Diplomacy,” is the next best thing: A sweeping history of the American presidency from George Washington to George W. Bush, as told through the ornate invitations and customized menus that defined each Chief of State’s social scene. No tuxedo required!
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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With interviews, photos and archival video and newsreel footage, this documentary traces the life and surprising career trajectory of the shy young British schoolboy, Reginald Dwight, who grew up to become the flamboyant, wildly successful international pop superstar Elton John. As he notes in this revealing look at the man behind the music, “The greatest thing about rock and roll is that someone like me can be a star.”
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Collected by the editors of Cabinet magazine, these 100-plus drawings, scribbles, squiggles and cartoons offer a fascinating glimpse into the wandering minds of George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and dozens of other Chiefs of State. On pieces of scrap paper, in the margins of official reports and on official White House stationery, these unguarded self-expressions reveal worlds of hidden personality, peculiarity and purpose behind some of the world’s greatest leaders.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Don’t let the page count scare you. This compelling history of America’s Apollo space program, which sent a succession of men to the moon beginning in 1969, races along with dramatic urgency and dynamic detail provided by 23 of the astronauts who have—quite literally—been there, done that.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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A perennial family favorite since its theatrical release in 1988, this fun-for-all-ages tale of dashing derring-do, comedic cleverness and storybook romance, the charms of its outstanding cast (Robin Penn Wright, Cary Elwes, Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Guest and Andre the Giant) and the finely tuned craft of its director, Rob Reiner, become even more evident with age. DVD extras include a game, three featurettes and a storybook with two different (but dovetailed) versions of the adventure of Princess Buttercup and her daring pirate-prince, Wesley. (Rated PG)
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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An information-rich owner’s manual for the human body, this illustration-rich, easy-to-understand overview from a group of science writers covers just about everything between our heads and our toes. With fascinating side trips into maintenance tips, medical breakthroughs, body trivia, modern-day health concerns and other fun, lively and often essential topics you won’t find in most run-of-the-mill, dry-as-dust reference books, it’s a fascinating, authoritative resource that will captivate anyone who’s ever wondered just what makes us tick.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Actor (and Red Sox fan) Matt Damon narrates this exclusive 60-minute recap of Boston’s amazing four-game sweep past the Colorado Rockies in a fall match-up still fresh on the memory. The perfect stocking stuffer for any baseball fan, its highlights include Red Sox rookie Dustin Pedroia becoming just the second player ever to lead off a World Series Game 1 with a home run in the first at-bat, the first back-to-back home run hits (by Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez) in World Series history, and candid moments inside the dugout and the clubhouse, plus interviews with players and coaches. All the excitement, none of the dull spots, and no commercials—it’s a home-entertainment home run!
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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