Fabulous Films for Young Adults

YALSA has issued its 2008 winners! For those who are searching for just the right film to enrich content area subjects, we recommend the following independent films for you. These are middle school and high school level films and should definitely be previewed for language, violence, and sexual content, but the messages they impart are important in the lives of teens (without all the hype). Here is a synopsis of the films that were voted the best of DVDs and videos that came out in 2006-2007. The YALSA committee mentioned that some of these films were pricey and some were reasonably priced, but the high price often includes public performance rights. For more information about pricing/rental/booking fees, check the YALSA website at

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/selecteddvds/fabfilms.cfm .


The Grace Lee Project
What's in a name? Korean filmmaker Grace Lee thought she knew. Growing up in the midwest, she knew that a) she was the only Grace Lee she knew, and b) she wasn't like anyone else in the community. It made her feel unique, original. When she went to college, she discovered that there were many other women who shared her name. Not only that, but people who knew any Grace Lee described the same qualities. It was almost as if all these women were smart, nice, and quiet. So who IS unique? Grace performed an exhaustive search for her "twins" through various methods, including a website that invited all other Grace Lees to respond. A fun film for information literacy and other social studies areas for both middle and high school.



Nightmare at School
This is a nine minute animation from the National Film Board of Canada all about the anxieties teens have about their first day of high school. It is a humorous thought-provoking piece about transitioning. It contains an homage to the Polar Express in that a train serves as the metaphor of the jouney about to begin. Dark corridors, mazes, mysterious people who disappear into mid-air all pervade the film and create the actor's nightmare feeling. The film is wordless, but filled with sounds and music that enhance the tension. School counselors at the middle school level would find this an invaluable tool for those entering high school in the fall.


Juvies
This is one of the films that needs a cautionary note, but the character education component makes this a film that high schoolers should see. Produced as an animation production workshop at Los Angeles Juvenile Hall, it takes a look at kids behind bars. Their crimes are violent (all the episodes of Law and Order come to mind) but the significant point is that these children have been convicted as adults and are serving life sentences. Over 200,000 kids are serving time today for adult offenses and it is at the largest juvenile prison in the US. that we see these kids up close and very personal. It is harsh and stark and important information, especially for those children who feel that actions may not have consequences. The film does ask the standard questions: does the media plays a role in the proliferation of violent crime? Are we condemning a generation unnecessarily? It cites statistics that youth crime is down, but that the sentences are longer. Will the penal system create super predators? As an educator, I feel that the interviews that are painful to watch, and yet at the same time, I wished some of my students could see this so that I could discuss it with them. The statistics are staggering. This is an important film for both public and high school libraries. (Narrated by Mark Wahlberg.)

The Guarantee
A promiment nose on the face of a dancer has unusual problems. In this creative, personal narrative, reminiscent of Woody Allen, a ballet dancer tell his story about trying to be physically perfect at the request of his ballet teacher. You see, it's his nose. After a lifetime of name-calling, and verbal harrassment, he opts for plastic surgery in exchange for the guarantee to be admitted into a dance conservatory. How ironic that this school actually refers him to the “company plastic surgeon!” The narrator vivdly explains the whole procedure and the outcome with whimsy and irony. What teenager cannot relate to the price of outer beauty and the agonies of "not being perfect?" What is perfection ? Should we all strive for it? How does peer pressure push kids into action?

Eminent Domain
Use or misuse? This documentary examines the constitutional issue that makes business and homeowners shiver. An excellent demonstration of governmental power, the bias here is thwt eminent domain is an abuse – a man's home is his castle is the message. (The government takes your property even if you don't want to sell it.) The Fifth Amendment is scrutinized with examples that include the interstate highway system and Washington DC's urban renewal. How does this apply globally? What are the abuses that involve private industry? Some sources say it's a good tool, others say it is is abuse of power. What rights do citizens have in relation to their American Dream? How far can the interpretation of this Amendment go? How does it affect those who are poor? All these questions will stimulate classroom discussions.

It's Not About Sex
Oh, yes it is. This film is produced by teens for teens and cuts right to the chase. Attorneys don't mince words about the legalities of sexual crimes. They provide definitions about sexual predators and sexual violence. What are the causes of sexual violence? Prepare students ahead of time about the realistic vocabulary. Powerful statistics and personal interviews bring out the emotions involved with incest and child abuse. This documentary is highly recommended for high school sex education classes. No words are minced and the facts are astonishing. Is it psychological? Is it cultural? What makes people sexually violent? Again, we are asked to consider how media contributes to sexual violence? Where do we get the message of what it takes “to be a man/woman?' Advertisements? Song lyrics? There are examples of music that glorifies sexual assault. Public libraries might consider using this film as part of community service collaboration projects.

In Debt We Trust: Before the Bubble Bursts
This is a hard-hitting documentary about young adults being “strangled” by debt. “While some music and narrative is tongue-in-cheek ("hard to serve the master and mastercard”), there is no denying that young people are the next target for financial institutions. A minister whose church actually aids those who have had credit problems by asking for donations to pay their bills, states quite frankly, "A credit card is a loan – period." Can we live without credit cards? In a society that shops till it drops, are educators doing enough financial literacy? We are living in an economy that relies on consumerism to fuel itself, and very few students have a grasp of the concept of debt. This film attempts to explain that cutting back on spending is as important as cutting back on waste.

Fish Bowl
This is an interesting 28 minute film set in Hawaii 1975 in which a 12 year old girl explores her identity and the meaning of friendship. While it is rife with mild profanity, it is common to adolescents of the time. There are quite a few messages bout cliques, those who are "undesireable" in social circles. We've seen a lot of these messages before.

Again, thanks to the Alex Committee for all their hard work! The theme for 2009 is "Coming of Age Around the World." Please check the website to nominate your favorite film for next year's Alex Awards.