Entertainment

Learn how to live a sustainable life to celebrate Sustainable Living month this February with "[t]his insightful documentary [which] explores solutions to the global crises we face today through the inspiring stories of people pioneering change in their own lives and in their communities in order to live in a sustainable and regenerative way".

Children of Men dramatises the potential impacts of unsustainable living, showing "a world one generation from now that has fallen into anarchy on the heels of an infertility defect in the population. The world's youngest citizen has just died at 18, and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction. Set against a backdrop of London torn apart by violence and warring nationalistic sects, Children of Men follows disillusioned bureaucrat Theo as he becomes an unlikely champion of Earth's survival. When the planet's last remaining hope is threatened, this reluctant activist is forced to face his own demons and protect her from certain peril".

The 6th February is End Female Genital Mutilation Day, and 14th February is a day to consider ways to end violence against women. Learn about a period of intense violence against women with this "beautifully crafted [documentary] film [which offers] an in-depth look at the witch-hunts that swept through Europe just a few hundred years ago. False accusations and trials led to massive torture and burnings at the stake, and ultimately to the destruction of an organic way of life. The film advances the theory that widespread violence against women and the neglect of our environment today can be traced back to those times".

Featuring an insidious form of violence against women, Carol is a beautiful film "[s]et in 1950s New York, [in which] two women from very different backgrounds find themselves in the throes of love... A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet, is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol, an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens" and they work to overcome the limits imposed by society.

The 21st February is Mother Language Day. Celebrate the diversity and sheer number of languages spoken by people around the globe with this 5-part documentary series. "Currently there are more than 6,000 languages spoken around the world. This five-part series traces the history and evolution of language and attendant theories and controversies while evaluating the scope of linguistic diversity, the dissemination of language, the expansion of language into written form, and the life cycle of language".

This wonderful film, in which the dialogue is spoken entirely in the Aboriginal languages of Arnhem Land, is "a parable of forbidden love from Australia's mythical past, narrated by Australian icon David Gulpilil and starring his son Jamie as the covetous youth Dayindi[.] Ten Canoes is a ground-breaking glimpse into aboriginal life centuries before European settlement. Shot in and around the Arafura Wetlands of Central Arnhem Land, Rolf de Heer and the People of Ramingining have created a pioneering and timeless tale for all people and all cultures".

The 9th February is International Pet Adoption Day. Celebrate the significance of pets to humans lives with this marvelous documentary. "Hundreds of thousands of cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they've wandered in and out of people's lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich".

The bond between human and animal is special and few films document it better than Red Dog. "More than man's best friend. A mate to the entire community. [Red Dog is] the film that captivated cinema audiences across the nation and became an instant Aussie classic. Funny, moving and a total charmer, Red Dog is the incredible true story of the wandering, dust-covered Kelpie who hitched his way to the mining town of Dampier and into the hearts of each and every one of its residents".

Learn about how to live a sustainable lifestyle from another perspective. In The Earth's Blanket: Traditional Teachings for Sustainable Living Emeritus Professor Nancy Turner has worked with indigenous peoples in Canada and North America to record their ways of living with the natural world. This book is a "thought-provoking look at indigenous stories, cultural institutions, and ways of knowing, and what they can teach us about living sustainably".

"Spring has finally arrived, and with it, new adventures. Friends Rat and Mole go on a river cruise or stop by Toad Hall to visit their friend Toad. Toad is a friendly fellow, but he obsesses over the latest fads. From boats to horse-drawn caravans, his adventures get bigger and bigger. When Toad discovers the shiny, fast motorcar, Mole and Rat have more on their hands than they can handle. The two team up with Badger to save their friend...but more trouble awaits them than they could possible imagine".

"What does it mean for men to join with women as allies in preventing rape and domestic violence? This book, based on life history interviews with men and women antiviolence activists aged twenty to seventy, explores the strains and tensions of men’s work as feminist allies in preventing sexual assault and domestic violence. The book examines the experiences of three generational cohorts:... men who engaged with antiviolence work in the 1970s and early 1980s, [those] who engaged with antiviolence work from the mid-1980s into the 1990s, [and those] who engaged from the mid-1990s to the present".

"It's terrible to get old? Life is all downhill after fifty? That's what our youth-centered culture may think but don't be duped. Selected as a finalist for 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards, this book can change how you think about aging, even make you feel good about getting old! ... This exuberant, inspiring anthology celebrates the vitality of older women and shows them having adventures, facing loss, enjoying romance, and feeling more capable and confident than ever".

This chapter in Child Psychology: A Very Short Introduction, titled ‘Learning language’, "considers how babies and toddlers develop language skills by looking at the role of Parentese, otherwise known as infant-directed speech, the importance of sound cues, and the role of gestures. Babies’ brains seem to be primed to pick up language with immense speed. Why do babies appear to have a language learning growth ‘spurt’ at 18 months? How can we explain similiarities of language development across cultures? One reason that babies learn words with apparent ease is that they have conceptual expectations about what people are using certain words for".

"This volume provides the first comprehensive description of Bilinarra, a Pama-Nyungan language of the Victoria River District of the Northern Territory (Australia). Bilinarra is a highly endangered language with only one speaker remaining in 2012 and no child learners. The materials on which this grammatical description is based were collected by the authors over a 20 year period from the last first-language speakers of the language, most of whom have since passed away. Bilinarra is a member of the Ngumpin subgroup of Pama-Nyungan which forms a part of the Ngumpin-Yapa family, which also includes Warlpiri".

"'When I play with my cat, who knows if I am not a pastime to her more than she is to me?' - Michel de Montaigne. Why do we live with pets? Is there something more to our relationship with them than simply companionship? What is it we look for in our pets and what does this say about us as human beings? In this fascinating book, Erica Fudge explores the nature of this most complex of relationships and the difficulties of knowing what it is that one is living with when one chooses to share a home with an animal".

"White Fang, a wolf-dog mix, grows up in a village in Canada's Yukon Territory. Shunned by other dogs because of his wolf blood, he learns to defend himself and becomes a vicious killer. When a new owner buys White Fang and forces him to fight increasingly brutal opponents, White Fang's days seem limited. But with the help of a stranger, White Fang may find a better life".

Learn about the future of food, the importance of rangers in animal conservation, and the use of technology in the revitalization of Japan's agricultural sector in this sustainability-focused magazine.

Find inspiration for a sustainable lifestyle in this magazine, which offers advice on plant-based cooking, earth conscious travelling, cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics, and tips for summer gardening.

A magazine for the modern woman. Read in this edition about living a sustainable lifestyle, how to monetize a podcast, how to set up an app, and learn about 12 wave-making tech-start ups.

Another magazine for the modern woman, this edition of Urban Woman includes interviews with four women who are CEOs, and an article investigating the dangers of sexual coercion.

Explore magazines in languages other than English with Stardust in Hindi.

Explore magazines in languages other than English with National Geographic in Indonesian.

In this edition on Modern Dog learn about different careers with dogs, how to raise a fear-free puppy, what kind of supplements assist dogs' joint health, and learn how to train a dog for good behaviour.

Modern Cat offers advice on how to 'catify your home', which cat toys are most likely to thrill your cat, and reviews of some must-read cat books.