Close to Vermeer. 78 min. Kino Lorber. In Dutch w/English subtitles. 2023. DVD UPC 3832926327. $19.99.

Director Suzanne Raes pulls aside the curtain to reveal what goes on behind the scenes when the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam exhibits the largest collection of Johannes Vermeer paintings ever shown to the public. Vermeer (1632–75) has only 37 authenticated paintings to his name, so curators will travel the world in a quest to gather as many of his works as possible. Little is known about the artist, and a strength of this film is the way it questions his work and who he was. Surprisingly intimate, with beautiful paintings seen up close, and revealing the emotional connections to these works of art from collectors, curators, and conservators as they discuss one subject and one subject only: Vermeer. VERDICT Watching this documentary is like attending a fascinating art history lecture on the Dutch master painter.

★Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire. 85 min. Balance Media. 2023. DVD UPC 1013494214. $24.99.

In the last few years, extreme wildfires have caused record devastation across large swaths of the western United States. This film, directed by Trip Jennings and narrated by actor David Oyelowo, attempts to explain why these fires do such damage and investigates what strategies might curb future carnage. It isn’t a mystery—severe drought is a combustible catalyst for fires, and high winds shift glowing embers in front of the fire. The result? Rapidly moving wildfires that can annihilate entire cities (e.g., Paradise, CA, in 2018). The most intriguing sequences of the film are on combating the fires structurally and the historical context of controlled burns, which not only rejuvenate complex ecosystems but also decrease the possibility of uncontrollable future wildfires. VERDICT An interesting look at the destructive side of nature.

Joyce Carol Oates: A Body in the Service of Mind. Greenwich Entertainment. 2023. DVD UPC 3832926387. $19.99.

Prolific author Joyce Carol Oates, who has written over 100 works of fiction and nonfiction, admits early on camera in Stig Bjorkman’s film that she is not eager to discuss her life or her writing. A reluctant subject can make it difficult for a documentarian. Fortunately, Bjorkman can draw on plenty of archival interviews, in which Oates talks in detail about her life and career. Bjorkman gathers what he can about her childhood in upstate New York while delving into key moments of her literary and personal life. Actress Laura Dern provides narrative readings from Oates’s journals and memoirs to add depth. VERDICT While not the most exciting bio-documentary, this film effectively exposes the quiet, insular life of a writer and her creative processes.

The League. 104 min. Magnolia Pictures. 2023. DVD UPC 7696401798. $26.99.

Some of the best baseball players of all time played in the Negro Leagues. Due to racism, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, and many other legends never played in the Major Leagues or played there only briefly after the color line was broken in 1947 by Jackie Robinson. Rather than focus on how sad that fact is, director Sam Pollard looks at how the Negro Leagues created their own powerful stories and a style of play that was a beloved symbol of pride in Black communities. Using archival photographs and film clips, plus lively commentary, Pollard traces the roots of Black professional baseball from the 19th century through its heyday in the 1940s. The film wonderfully shines a light on all the great players, great teams, and great moments of the Negro Leagues. VERDICT Important and enlightening sports history, recommended for all public libraries.