One hopeful note is that the trajectory of human freedom (not the same thing as democracy, but related) is an uneven line that circles back on itself, repeating mistakes and experiments yet never quite abandoning its course.

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If you have an even somewhat passing interest in Gregory Crewdson and/or visual art in general, Shapiro's film is worth your time.

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What his teasing, complex ideas show is how deeply Paul Goodman was willing to entertain new possibilities for social life, particularly for a vibrant, urban community like New York. Watching this film made me yearn for a city that I don’t recognize.

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If you want to fully grasp the impact of globalization on scales both large and small, look no further than Lixin Fan’s Last Train Home. An indirect companion piece to Yung Chang’s toweringly great Up the Yangtze (which was also produced by the Montreal production company EyeSteelFilm), Last Train Home is a visually breathtaking, emotionally devastating achievement that humanizes the massively complex issue of globalization by focusing on one Chinese family as they struggle to make ends meet.

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An act of great love and deep sorrow, The Oath is as essential a documentary as any that will grace American screens this year. Press the masterpiece button now.

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