Full Frame Documentary Shorts, Vol. 1
An often-stirring selection of seven documentary shorts culled from the annual Full Frame Documentary film festival, this DVD provides a healthy cross-section of the nonfiction form. "Short" is something of a misnomer; except for the nifty 2-minuteLucy Tsak Tsak, these pieces tend toward the half-hour running time. Standouts includeWe Got Us, a warm look at four elderly ladies who share a mah-jongg game every week, and the oddly hauntingMojave Mirage, about a telephone booth in the middle of the desert that became a cult tourist destination (its number ringing constantly, from curious callers around the world). Director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) contributes the utterly delightfulLaughing Club of India, a look at a growing phenomenon:  people who gather in groups to laugh themselves silly, like a yoga class with guffaws. It sounds crazy, and might be, but it will bring a smile to your face.--Robert Horton