Library of Congress Movie Reviews

Hallelujah! How better to respond to this wonderful document than with some measure of the joy and passion displayed by the participants? Filmed at Oakland, California's Paramount Theater, the 1982 film brings together some of gospel music's heavy hitters (including the Rev. James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, the Hawkins Family, and the Mighty Clouds of Joy). And folks, there is some serious testifying going on here, both onstage and in the audience, as one performer after another does his or her best to tear the roof off the sucker. Don't be deceived by the gospel moniker. Take this music out of the pew and into the pub, and you've got Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown--that's how good some of these singers are. And if righteous rave-ups like the Hawkins' "Right On" and Cleveland's "Determined to Make Heaven My Home" don't get you moving, consider investing in a defibrillator. --Sam Graham

Dear Aunt Lucy, I've just compiled 42 of my favorite stories into a tidy little collection, called The Adventures of Paddington Bear. Do you remember all the post cards I've sent you from around the world? Well, now children (perhaps 3- to 7-year-olds) can learn from these many international adventures of mine. Imagine a little bear such as I nearly becoming a NASA astronaut, a Chinese acrobat, or a sumo wrestler! Whether at home in England or abroad, kind words and marmalade sandwiches often save the day. Each story in my 300-minute collection unfolds like the classic Paddington Bear tales told by author Michael Bond, and contains delightful animation with high attention to detail. One minor curiosity: the little booklet enclosed with the collection proves as chaotic as my trip through the London underground. Best to ignore it, pop in a show, and enjoy a lovely marmalade sandwich! Fondly, --PB (as told to Liane Thomas)