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Faces of America
This entertaining and
"light" US documentary series called Faces of America investigates the
history of immigration in the United States by showcasing a variety of
famous American celebrities. From African-American professor and poet
Elizabeth Alexander to Yo Yo Ma, a Cello Master of Chinese descent or
the beautiful yet talented Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) who has
Mexican heritage. The individuals highlighted in this series really helps
portray a positive message of immigration in this country but of course,
it's not without its downfalls.
The series is hosted by
Henry Louis Gates Jr. (African American literacy critic) who
successfully links these high calibre American citizens with the history
of immigration in this country and how these cultures changed the face
of the United States and made it what it is today.
Thankfully the series
does not just dwell on just the highlights as mentioned and pinpoints a variety of
racial factors into the information and how this drove their families as
a catalyst for their future. Just like the series another similar series
that traces the family trees of celebrities, Faces of America provides a privilege
to viewers as they let us into their lives that is filled with personal
achievements and at times heavy emotions.
With that said, the series includes the following
memorable individuals;
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Elizabeth Alexander
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Mario Batali
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Stephen Colbert
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Louise Erdrich
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Malcolm Gladwell
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Eva Longoria
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Yo-Yo Ma
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Mike Nichols
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Queen Noor
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Dr. Mehmet
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Meryl Streep
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Kristi Yamaguchi
For me, two stories
stood out, that of Queen Noor or Jordan who has an amazing clash of
cultures in her blood which include Syrian, British and Swedish descent.
The other story was Eva Longoria who really opens up to the viewer and
is more than just a pretty face but a person of experience, culture and
determination. This is how documentaries should be made and Henry Louis
Gates, Jr. creates a very special snapshot at this amazing country
called the United States of America.
Video, Audio &
Special Features
The video quality of
this presentation is above average and features sharp images, deep
blacks and vibrant colours. Audio is a little lacking and when it comes
to special features, this disc is quite barren but generally most
documentaries don't have special features.
At the end of the day, Faces
of America is a very insightful series that will give you another
perspective at how you look at one of the world’s most powerful
countries from those that know the country best. |
