The Worst Job in the World (FMG On Demand)

Work have you down? Feeling underpaid and overworked? Perhaps a bit of global perspective will improve your outlook.

What if it was your ”destiny” to clear excrement out of public latrines--with your bare hands? Maybe what you are doing right now would seem, um, not so bad. "The Worst Job in the World", an online documentary provided via FMG On Demand, profiles two Dalit families who are charged with such dehumanizing tasks. This 30 minute streaming video gives the viewer an overview of both public health and caste/class issues in modern day India. Though the film does open with a gut-wrenching look at the work done by these Dalit families, it ends with an interview with Bezawada Wilson—a hereditary latrine cleaner-turned-activist determined to free all Bhangis from what is arguably the worst job in the world. A hopeful end to a truly depressing story.

To view this movie click here. Note: this is a UW Restricted resource.

Reviewed by John Vallier

Rocket Science (DVD HBO 071)

I remember when the film “Rocket Science” came out. I remember because I stole a poster off of the wall of the HUB and then promptly lost it. I didn’t know anything about it I just liked the poster. Then as I was checking in items one day I came across the film and decided that in order to justify my stealing of the poster (it was really nice card board and everything) I should at least watch the film. So I did. Come to find out that the poster I stole was not that of the film “Rocket Science” and my remembering of when it came out was 2 years too early. Ignoring this fact after watching the film I felt better about both the stealing of the poster and my crappy High School Speech and Debate career. The film is about a kid, Hal, who has a bad stutter and is recruited by, Ginny, whom he has a monster crush on, to be her debate partner. Wonderful awkward High School drama ensues, including but not limited to: an awkward make out scene in a janitor’s closet, an awkward spying, awkward other peoples parents, etc. I would recommend this film to anyone who ever did policy debate, stuttered, or went to high school. You could even make it a High School double feature with the film “Welcome to the Dollhouse” (DVD CTHV 001) which is approximately 2.5 times more awkward than this film.

Reviewed by Anna

Lust, Caution (Se, jie) (DVD UNIV 195)

At the surface, Lust, Caution is a WWII spy thriller set in Shanghi during the Japanese occupation. A group of theater students get caught up in a plot of vengeance against a traitorous business man, Mr. Yee. They use one of the young girls in the troupe to gather information and get close to Yee.

Once you inject this premise with Ang Lee’s master story telling, you get an emotionally complicated and erotically charged drama. As we’ve seen in his other films like “Brokeback Mountain” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Ang Lee is a true master of telling love stories. Lee knows he’s bigger than that standard "Boy meets girl-Boy wins Girls love- Boy and Girl live happily ever after" framework. Lee really takes time for the details; creating a deep level of intimacy with his characters.

Finally, if you revel in non-Hollywood ending’s, you will love the end of Lust, Caution.