Peter J. Rowan Movies
In the late '30s, mandolin player and bandleader Bill Monroe had the idea of merging the lonesome sound of classic Appalachian string bands with the speed and melodic force of the blues. As Monroe put together a band that could play the new sound he heard in his head, a new musical style called bluegrass was born, and with the dawning of the 21st Century, the sound Monroe pioneered was not only alive and well, but gaining a whole new generation of fans, thanks to the success of the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Bluegrass Journey is a documentary which offers a look at the history of bluegrass as well as a glimpse of its current stars as they perform for fans and jam with fellow greats. The film includes interviews and performances from the Del McCoury Band, Nickel Creek, Jerry Douglas, Tom O'Brien, Tony Rice, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Del McCoury Band, Tim O'Brien, (more)
Set in 1953, Mona Lisa Smile tells the story of Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts), a new young art history professor at Wellesley College, an all-female campus with a prestigious reputation for academic excellence. Unfortunately for free-minded Berkeley grad Watson, her East Coast teaching stint comes during a less-progressive time that finds most of her students -- among them Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst), Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles), and Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) -- more interested in nabbing a good husband than achieving scholastic and intellectual growth. Watson challenges her students and the Wellesley faculty to think outside of the current mores of the community and redefine what it means to be a success; meanwhile, she tries to come to terms with her own heart's desires. Mona Lisa Smile co-stars Marcia Gay Harden, Juliet Stevenson, and, as Watson's conflicting love interests, Dominic West and John Slattery. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, (more)
Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Teach: Songs, Guitar and Musicianship features the two celebrated bluegrass talents sharing a number of tips and techniques that will help anyone become a better guitarist. The program offers lessons on chords, soloing, and rhythm. A number of songs are performed in order to showcase these various maneuvers including "Midnight Moonlight," "Angel Island," and "Let the Harvest Go to Seed." ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
