Sophie B. Hawkins: The Cream Will Rise

"Director Gigi Gaston's extensive, seemingly endless DVD recap of the life and career of platinum-selling 1990s pop star Sophie B. Hawkins makes a wonderful case for the subject's unquestionable talent. On the disc she's shown playing guitars, cello, drums, and piano, as well as singing, dancing, and talking about her life and philosophy in concert, in the studio, and at home. Her fans are going to love it; those unfamiliar with her will discover a unique talent. Others may find her long-winded and self-obsessed, particularly when she's trying to reconcile her inevitable stardom, but the DVD's about her, right? Whom else is she going to talk about? A chapter called ""bonus commentary footage"" includes raw footage of Hawkins cross-legged on the floor answering Gaston's questions about how she got to be so great. Three very polished music videos, a photo gallery of pictures of Hawkins in a meadow, and text bios of the singer and the director are included. The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is sharp and clear, but with just two speakers, one has to crank the volume to get the rock & roll feel. Stick with the documentary, which includes snippets of some 20 songs, and scan past the self-reverence."