Movies & TV

  • Movie Mondays: Searching for Missing Persons

    ~posted by Frank People watch movies about lost or missing people because they want to see if they will be found. While there’s nothing greater than an emotional reunion, it’s often the journey and trials of those doing the searching that are so compelling. These four films are a testament to that. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Director J.C. Chandor and Money

    ~posted by Frank Director J.C. Chandor has only made three films, but he has emerged as one of America’s most accomplished young directors. Two of his films are smart, thrilling, engaging dramas about money, and are ideal viewing during Money Smart Week. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Recently Set in Seattle

    ~posted by Frank In the past year, four movies have been set in Seattle – one needs no introduction, two flew under the radar but deserve to be watched, and the fourth…well, um, hmmm. Fifty Shades of Grey is based on the publishing phenomenon of the same name by British novelist E.L. James. Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson)… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Don’t Care How…I Want it NOW!

    ~posted by The Spoiler The Spoiler returns after the Holiday Season, wondering if it all had something meaningful to impart about the future and our well-being? With no quick and easy answers available, I decided to work in the opposite direction.  What theme could emerge from the random movies I watched in the last month? … Continue reading

  • National Film Festival for Talented Youth Screening!

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  • Movie Mondays: One of a Kind

    ~posted by Frank These films are definitely different. Singularly weird, completely original, and if they borrow elements from other films, they put a new spin on them and make them their own. So get ready for four wild rides. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Western Film Series at the University Branch!

    ~posted by Mike Saddle up your steed and ride over to the University Branch Monday nights for our spring program showcasing some of the greatest Western films ever made. This six shooter series covers nearly every important era of the Western, from the genre definers starring John Wayne and Marlene Dietrich to the auteurist appropriations… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Chamber Films

    ~posted by Frank You’ve likely heard of chamber music and chamber plays, but chamber films? Similar in principle to their counterparts, chamber films feature a handful of actors, primarily in a single location. Chamber films have been made for decades – think Rope, 12 Angry Men and My Dinner with Andre. Here are four contemporary examples that fit the bill. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Unpredictable

    ~posted by Frank Predictability can be lethal to a film. Sure, sometimes it’s fine going into a film knowing exactly how it’s going to play out and how it will make you feel, but more often than not I end up feeling disappointed once the credits roll. These four films surprised me, for different reasons, and… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Horror from Down Under

    ~posted by Frank Horror fans are hard to please. Film critics are generally not kind to most horror films (justifiably), and often moviegoers are even more critical. These three films from Down Under – two from Australia, one from New Zealand – are notable not only for pleasing critics and audiences, but for also putting women… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: A Trip Down Anarchy Lane

    ~posted by Mike We old punk rockers are legion. We used to be in bands, we used to go to shows, and we used to believe in something, even if that something was “nothing” with a backwards stenciled N. Now we’re just tired all the time. What’s the least embarrassing way for us to relive… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Most Egregious Oscar Snubs (2015 edition)

      FRANK’S PICKS Best Actor – Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler: Gyllenhaal’s Lou Bloom – wiry, intense, ethically challenged – was criminally overlooked. Best Actor – Chadwick Boseman, Get on Up: A refreshingly raw and energetic performance in a sea of stately, reserved biopics. Best Actor – Jack O’Connell, Starred Up: If you think O’Connell’s breakout performance is in Unbroken, think again; his explosive performance as… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Indies Rule the Rom-Com

    ~posted by Frank There was a time when romantic comedies ruled the box office. Today? Not so much, according to this article from Vanity Fair. In 2014, the most popular rom-com at the box office was the well-regarded remake of About Last Night with an African-American cast – and it ranked 65th for the year. The only other… Continue reading

  • Soundtrack Serenade

    ~ posted by Frank The beauty of a movie soundtrack is that it introduces me to music that I wouldn’t seek out on my own. For me, the music from these five films that I loved has stayed with me and become part of my regular rotation these past few months. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: African American Films you may have missed

    ~posted by Frank 2014 was another banner year for African American films and filmmakers, capped off by Chris Rock’s hysterical turn as star and director of Top Five and Selma, which has earned a Best Picture nod at this year’s Academy Awards as well as a nearly perfect 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While you’re waiting for these on… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Unofficial Trilogies

    ~posted by Frank Most trilogies are in-depth stories told over the course of three films. But some films that we accept as being part of a trilogy were not originally conceived that way. The links between the films in these trilogies are the cinematic style and themes of four outstanding directors rather than a continuous story line.   Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Century Cinema

    ~posted by Mike 1915 was a banner year for cinema. Douglas Fairbanks and W.C. Fields made their film debuts. Future stars like Ingrid Bergman and Orson Welles were born. Cinema continued to capture the imagination of millions, with the medium making huge artistic and technical strides in what was still its infancy. In 1915, going… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Swohs VT Sdrawkcab = Backwards TV Shows

    ~posted by Library Staff In last week’s post, we looked at movies that use reverse chronology—telling their stories in backwards order. This device has also been used to great effect in several TV shows. The most famous example is “The Betrayal,” an episode of Seinfeld in which a series of romantic misadventures unfold in reverse order.… Continue reading