Active With the Activists

CRIP CAMP (A-minus) - A bit of a head fake, this documentary about an upstate New York summer camp for handicapped children back in the 1950s, '60s and '70s focuses more on the later activism of some of the camp's alumnae who went on to fight for disability rights. By the end, it is a powerful celebration of their dedication to the cause that led directly to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.

The stars are Judith Heumann, the clear leader of this disability-rights movement, and Jim LeBrecht, an AV geek at Camp Jened who went on to carve out a career as a sound editor and mixer (in film and theater), who co-directs here with Nicole Newnham ("The Rape of Europa"). Archival footage is crucial here, as we get to spend quality time with the camp's residents in the late 1960s, as they let their hair down and raise their consciousness. It is a joy to watch the young people from a different era find a home among others who could understand their situation.

Heumann would go on to recruit some of her former Camp Jened pals to conduct a sit-in at the San Francisco offices of the federal department of Health, Education and Welfare, eventually convincing the nascent Carter administration to enforce laws that the Nixon/Ford administrations had ignored. Her dogged devotion to the cause would culminate in the ADA under the first President Bush. The scene of people with physical challenges crawling up the steps of the Capitol in 1990 to drive home their message packs an emotional wallop as a symbol of decades of struggle.

She, LeBrecht and others are interviewed in the present day to discuss their lifelong triumphs and challenges. The tone throughout is upbeat but not sappy. The title is unfortunate, but the outcome is a success.

I AM GRETA (A-minus) - This is an incredibly intimate portrait of the teenage climate conscience of the world, delving into her world of instant celebrity among admirers who often seem to not be listening to her urgent message. What impact, if any, will Greta Thunberg or this documentary have on the health of the planet?

The day after we watched this, inspired by the passion and commitment of this Swedish 16-year-old, we noted news reports that lifetime pol John Kerry, about to turn 77, is Joe Biden's idea of an inspired choice to be America's climate envoy. Turn, turn, turn.

What's amazing about this film is the extremely close access the filmmakers (led by director Nathan Grossman) have arranged. It almost feels overly intrusive, considering the Asperger's that Greta deals with. We see her and her doting father as they travel Europe by train, hobnob with dignitaries, and then take a harrowing boat ride across the Atlantic (beware of viewer sea-sickness) for her triumphant appearance at the United Nations in New York.

But that rare intimacy with the subject is the selling point here. We become familiar with Greta's mood swings and the loneliness of her journey, even when she is mobbed like a rock star at rallies. She obsesses over the grammar of her speeches, and she often has to be reminded to eat something. She has the air of a tragic Shakespearean character or a suffering saint from biblical times. And this doesn't seem to be a put-on for the camera. Instead, it's an insightful character study and a helpful time-capsule moment that will be interesting to revisit years and decades hence.

BONUS TRACKS

"Crip Camp's" soundtrack leans a little too heavily on Boomer icons like the Grateful Dead and Neil Young, but there's no denying the beauty and power of Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time."

And a centerpiece in "Greta" is Billie Eilish's "End of the World":

Not to be confused, for better or worse, with the Skeeter Davis classic: