Library Video of the Week, May 6, 2013.

Pink Ribbons, Inc. a documentary film by Lea Pool. Written by Patricia Kearns & Nancy Guerin and Lea Pool. Presented by the National Film Board of Canada.

Library Call Number: RC280.B8P56 2012.

            By now, the symbolism of the Pink Ribbon is known to just about everyone. Support for the campaign against breast cancer is all over and the pink ribbons, armbands t-shirts, sweatshirts, socks and hats can be found from NFL games to marathon runs across America. But there is controversy involved in some of the Komen Foundation’s work.
          As the National Film Board of Canada’s summary says: “Breast cancer has become the poster child of corporate cause-related marketing campaigns. Countless women and men walk, bike, climb and shop for the cure. Each year, millions of dollars are raised in the name of breast cancer, but where does this money go and what does it actually achieve? Pink Ribbons, Inc. is a feature documentary that shows how the devastating reality of breast cancer, which marketing experts have labeled a "dream cause," becomes obfuscated by a shiny, pink story of success.”

Library Video of the Week, December 10, 2012.

50/50, starring, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick. Directed by Jonathan Levine.  (2011.)  Library Call Number: PN1995.9.C55F54 2012.

 

          From the Amazon Product Description: “Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen team up to beat the odds in a film that Rolling Stone calls achingly hilarious and heartfelt. Diagnosed with spinal cancer, 27 year old Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) navigates the road to recovery with the sometimes overbearing support of his crude best friend (Rogen), his smothering mother (Angelica Huston) and an inexperienced therapist (Anna Kendrick).  Inspired by a true story of writer Will Reiser, 50/50 is an honest yet hysterically funny account of a young man's journey toward healing.”
          Although billed as a comedy, the film is more a serious look at cancer in a young man, with poignantly funny scenes mixed in.  The combination of drama and humor gives the film a more realistic feel and avoids what could have been the usual maudlin, Hollywood fare.