POLLYWOOD | DOUBLE FEATURE

If it's Tuesday it must be "Thin"

By MAX AND RENEE DRAKE

While on a ski trip to Park City, former Washington "Govinda Girl" Renee Drake and her husband Max made it a point to see as many films as they could. Here are a few of their picks. What were their favorites? Read on...

thin

If you are dying to be thin, this 105-minute documentary film by the well-known photo journalist/first-time film director Lauren Greenfield may cause you to reconsider your weight goals. "Thin" follows four troubled anorexic/bulimic girls seeking voluntary treatment at a residential clinic in Florida. There is no candy coating by Greenfield who, after gaining the trust from patients, therapists and staff, is allowed access to private moments that are frankly uncomfortable to watch. The footage is not for the faint of heart and is critical to our understanding of the nature of the disease. In a century when our planet is plagued by tragedy, one can't help but wonder if it is possible to feel sorry for these self-obsessed, self-hating women who sadly measure their own self-worth by the number, usually below 100, that appears on the scale or the amount of calories they consume at each meal.

so much so fast

Twenty-nine-year-old Stephen Haywood's battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) is a heartbreaking account of the systematic loss of his neurological function and his family's quest to find a cure for him as the grains of sand rush through the hourglass of his life. The film directed by Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan opens with a touching family photograph of Stephen and his brothers when they were young boys

climbing the sand dunes of Duck, North Carolina before ALS would become the all-consuming fabric of their lives. Shot over five years, it is remarkable to witness the incredible support system that Stephen has in family and friends who put their own lives on hold to chase every lead and tap every resource to raise funds to keep their research lab going. What we are left with is a portrait of an indomitable spirit who retains humor, hope and love in his struggle for life.

what remains

Eleven years after "Blood Ties" was nominated for the short docu Oscar, director Steve Cantor goes to the lush green hills of Lexington,Virginia, that surround Sally Mann's family farm for a film focusing on death and decay. Family is clearly the most important thing to this country doctor's daughter who is at once philosophical and scientific in her approach to life. She is direct and honest, whether she is talking about the controversy that swirled around the photographs of her children that catapulted her to fame, or coming to terms with her husband's battle with crippling MS. Her photographic investigation at a forensic lab, that somewhat shockingly has decaying bodies exposed to the elements in an adjacent yard, are respectfully recorded with an unerring eye for detail and a sincere curiosity. What remains with the audience after seeing Cantor's film is a portrait of an artist who is true to her vision of the world and is willing to share it.

neil young: heart of gold

Opening with several interviews with Young and other band members on their way to Nashville's Rymann Auditorium, we are given the background on the brush with Young had with a brain aneurysm that inspired him to write and quickly record the songs on his Prairie Winds album. He is a man who has looked death in the face time and time again and is thankful to be alive, embraced by the love of family and friends, and nostalgic for those he has lost. His voice has lost none of its soulfulness and magic and he captivates the audience as he picks, strums and plays his harmonica alongside such notable talents as Emmylou Harris. If your expectations are to see a series of interviews and historical montages of Neil Young in his everyday environment, you may be disappointed because this film lets his Prairie Wind concert performance speak for itself. Young's story telling originality and guitar playing skills win the day.

alpha dogs

Hollywood youth culture against the backdrop of the true story of Jesse James Hollywood, a notorious California drug dealer still incarcerated and waiting to be tried, is the energetic and depressing storyline of this Nick Cassavetes big budget production. Weirdly cartoonish at times and loaded with violence, the film is carried by Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Justin Timberlake and Washington native Olivia Wilde, who all give interesting performances but cannot ultimately make sense or ignite compassion from the audience for this depressing tale of teenage hormones spinning out of control. A noble effort perhaps on the part of Cassvetes, but ultimately a dog with fleas.