DVD of the Week: Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass: This unadorned documentary tells the story of the two (heterosexual) cowboys who drove thousands of sheep on the last sheep drive in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains.  Because it is not dressed up with narration or music, the audience is left with the story, the people, their quest, the sheep and the landscape – and that’s more than enough.

If you’re life is too frenetic, pop this movie on and take a contemplative 101 minute respite.

It’s also available on Netflix streaming.

It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2010 – So Far.

DVD of the Week: Crumb

Crumb (1995):  The Criterion Collection has released a great documentary, Terry Zwigoff’s profile of the counterculture cartoonist R. Crumb, the creator of Keep On Truckin’, Mr. Natural, Fritz the Cat and  influential rock album covers.  By exploring Crumb’s troubled family, Zwigoff reveals the origins of Crumb’s art.  When we meet Crumb’s shattered brothers, it’s clear that Crumb’s artistic expression preserved his very sanity.

In honor of At The Movies, which ends its long run on television, let’s hear Siskel & Ebert assess Crumb.  Siskel placed it #1 on his Top 10 list for 1995 and Ebert had it at  #2.

Check out my other recent DVD recommendations at DVDs of the Week.