I realize that many people wince or roll their eyes when someone recommends a documentary for must-see movie viewing, but have a little faith in me, because the just-released  “Wasteland” will make you grateful and perhaps even force you to think about faith and art in a whole new way – and it will actually be an enjoyable experience!

‘Wasteland’ documents the lives of those who peruse the largest garbage dump in Brazil. But what is supposed to be an attempt by one artist -acclaimed artisan Vic Muniz- to capture the life of the catadores (garbage collectors)  turns into a completely different story of  of gratitude and affirmation. Muniz begins to see the value, the joy and the heartache of these men and women   involved in helping them tell their own stories through art – art made from the refuse of this gigantic landfill.

The comments of the catadores about the way our culture disposes of so much “stuff” , their smiles when they seem to have nothng to be grateful for, and the treasures they find in actual garbage makes this my must-see DVD pick for this week because it can change your mind and your heart.