Mike Schmidt

Rock the Boat -- Winner of the 2012 People's Choice Award at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Rock the Boat is a fun, high-energy and ultimately moving documentary that follows the 2008 unlikely tale of a group's 51-mile boating expedition down the notorious Los Angeles River. The waterway was channelized by the Army Corps of Engineers to move water away from Los Angeles and to prevent flooding. In an absurd act of civil disobedience, the group led by local satirical writer George Wolfe boated down the fenced-in river, hoping to have the EPA declare it navigable, so that it could gain protection under the Clean Water Act. What a delightful film! praises acclaimed PBS Author/Filmmaker/Producer (Affluenza) John de Graaf. At a time when the messages of so many documentaries are decidedly pessimistic, Rock the Boat offers a positive and inspiring story of a small group of committed people whose actions, playful and smart, are forcing the government to clean up and restore the LA River. This funny, informative film moves at a clip and leaves viewers drying their eyes, standing to cheer, and ready to hit the streets (or rivers) to save something else. Don't miss it! Five stars out of five!

Ella helps Lewis select laundry detergent at the supermarket.

Rose attends a wedding shower thrown by her stepmother Sydelle.

Maggie tries to get her grandma to talk about sex.