"42" and "No"

What do you do during torrential rainstorms before you lose power? Run to the library and take out movies. Thanks to Mother Nature we watched two wonderful films last week: ''42" and "NO"--terse titles but meaty, each in their own way. Both are non-fiction. Fiction movies have left me feeling like I've consumed empty calories, rotting my mind and making my body crave something real. Enough diatribe.

"42" is the compelling story of Jackie Robinson who was the first "negro" to enter Major League Baseball. He played with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and wore number 42. It was tough for fans, players and even managers to accept that the color line was broken; that it was by such a talented player, galled them further. Robinson helped the Dodgers get to the World Series in 1947.

Because I'm a NY Yankee fanatic, I revel in the continued honor Jackie Robinson receives from my team: Mariano Rivera, the best closer ever, wears number 42; Robinson Cano, who was named after Jackie, wears the reverse, number 24. When Rivera retires after this season, the number 42 will be retired by Major League Baseball.

"NO" tells the story of Chile's democratic elections in 1988. Pinochet had been dictator since his coup over President Allende's government in the early 70's. Everyone thinks Pinochet has the election in the can, but a talented ad agency who wants to bring true democracy to Chile in a fair election creates an ad campaign that is both funny, effective, and based on US-style ad campaigns. Ultimately, the NO's win the day and Pinochet concedes. "No" is the only foreign-language movie to be nominated for an Academy Award.