kelvin-43178

This documentary features four historians discussing the background, presentation, and after-effects of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, perhaps the most famous and consequential debates in American history. Responsible both for clarifying the stakes in the battle over slavery and for giving a national profile to a previously little-known country lawyer, the debates were reprinted and discussed nationally. The historians lay out the arguments made in each of the seven debates, though sadly there is far more commentary about the debates than there is actual quoting of the debates. While actors represent Lincoln and Douglas, it's all in pantomime with the historians commenting, rather than hearing Lincoln and Douglas actually making their arguments. At the end, a book written by each historian is featured; the "host" historian has a full-length book on the debates which is obviously the foundation for this documentary. Nonetheless, it's a good introduction to the debates and the larger societal debate of the time.

Camp Cool Kids is a well-meaning movie, humorous, that encourages facing one's fears and loyalty to family. Set in a Christian camp (with a few short snippets of Biblical teaching, particularly on forgiveness), where Spence and his older brother Zach are going soon after the loss of their father, it depicts a group of older bullies who mercilessly pick on the younger kids. Worse, Zach joins the bully group, and while he isn't thrilled with what they're doing, he doesn't oppose them, either. When the younger boys seek revenge, though, success leaves a bad aftertaste. The girls at the camp serve as a voice of conscience; they're not impressed by either the bullying or the revenge.

The lack of adult supervision is rather distressing; while a camp counselor appears at times to talk things over with Spence, none are in sight in any of the cabins or in the dining hall during a meal, nor do the bullies receive any reprimands (unlike their victims). The camp director is unaccountably uninterested in the camp. (And requiring everyone to wear life vests whenever in the water, even if they pass the swim test, is just bizarre.) But the point is that the kids need to figure this out themselves rather than relying on the adults to do it for them.

It's not a great movie, but the message is decent and the presentation is safe (the "severe" ratings in the parents guide are libelous). It's a pleasant story that encourages taking the high road to be a Cool Kid.