Video Round Table Notable Videos for Adults 2014

The American Library Association (ALA) Video Round Table Notable Videos for Adults Committee has compiled its 2014 list of Notable Videos for Adults, a list of 15 outstanding programs released on video within the past two years and suitable for all libraries serving adults. Its purpose is to call attention to recent video releases that make a significant contribution to the world of video. The list is compiled for use by librarians and the general adult populace.

The Notable Videos for Adults committee selected 15 outstanding titles from among 34 nominees for this year’s list of Notable Videos for Adults.

  • Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry (2012) 91 minutes. MPI Media Group. Available from various distributors. 

           Profiles Chinese dissident artist Ai WeiWei and his mission to draw attention to political oppression in China.

  • Brooklyn Castle (2012) 101 minutes. Rescued Media. Available from various distributors.

            Public school kids and educators overcome economic challenges to compete in national chess championships.

  • The Central Park Five (2012) 119 minutes. IFC Films. Available from various distributors.

            An indictment of the press and the criminal justice system's mishandling of the Central Park jogger case from the perspective of the five young men falsely accused, and ultimately exonerated.

  • The Gatekeepers (2013) 101 minutes. Sony Pictures Classics. Available from various distributors.

            A glimpse into machinations of Israel's counterterrorism operations through unprecedented interviews with six former leaders of Shin Bet. 

  • The House I live in (2013) 108 minutes. Charlotte Street Films. Available from various distributors.

            Lays bare the social consequences of America's failed war on drugs.

  • How to Survive a Plague (2013) 109 minutes. Public Square Films. Available from various distributors.

            Members of ACT UP fight to provide lifesaving drugs to their community and raise awareness during the outbreak of HIV/AIDS.

  • The Imposter (2013) 99 minutes. A&E Indie Films. Available from various distributors.

            Well executed high-tension thriller about a trickster who manipulates his way into a family grieving for their missing child.

  • Invisible War (2012) 98 minutes. Docurama Films. Available from various distributors.

            An expose about sexual assault in the military and the system that perpetuates it.

  • Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2012) 82 minutes. Magnolia Pictures. Available from various distributors.

            An aging sushi chef demonstrates that mastery comes from lifelong dedication to improving one's craft.

  • Kumare (2013) 84 minutes. Kino Lorber Available from various distributors.

           By posing as a guru, the filmmaker explores the common longing for spiritual guidance.

  • Leviathan (2013) 87 minutes. Cinema Guild. Available from various distributors.

            An Immersive experience using experimental techniques to explore the lives of commercial fisherman.

  • A Place at the Table (2013) 84 minutes. Magnolia Pictures. Available from various distributors.

           An exploration of America’s food insecurity and its negative impact on the nation’s most vulnerable

  • Project Nim (2012) 93 minutes. Red Box Films. Available from various distributors

            A chimpanzee is raised as a human, taught sign language, and later abandoned by those he trusted.

  • Soul Food Junkies (2013) 63 minutes. PBS. Available from various distributors.

           A film that celebrates the soul food tradition while advocating for modifications to minimize its negative health effects on the community.

  • Where Heaven Meets Hell (2013) ITVS.

            Beautifully crafted film that reveals the difficult lives of sulfur miners in east Java.

The Notable Videos for Adults Committee members are: Julia Churchill, Oak Lawn Public Library (Chair); Brian Boling, Temple University; Linda Frederiksen, Vancouver Library; Mary Hanlin, Reynolds Community College; Wendy Higby, James A. Michener Library; Maura Lynch, Guilderland Public Library; Sandra Macke, University of Denver;  Michele McKenzie, Berkeley Public Library; Maureen Tripp, Emerson College