Arts & Culture
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A Trio of Unsettling Films
If you like to escape times of high anxiety in this world by transporting yourself to those of another, here are three psychologically unsettling films you must visit: Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Richard Kelly’s 2001 cult classic, Donnie Darko, about an emotionally unstable high school student who is visited by a large ominous rabbit from… Continue reading
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Stay at home and be inspired with the Seattle Art Museum
With the closure of arts institutions to the public due to the outbreak, many museums and galleries are digitizing their content to be viewed online. The Seattle Art Museum is just one museum making their collection accessible and engaging, despite not being able to view art in person. The SAM blog has articles, videos, and… Continue reading
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Soundtrack: Chopin’s Ballades No. 1-4
We live in a world with a barrage of information, very little of which is positive, especially right now. So I’m offering you all a bit of respite in the form of some classical piano music! The instrumental nature of this genre leaves plenty of room for interpretation, so please take whatever you need from… Continue reading
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Dinner in a Movie: Dining In with SPL Streaming Services
When our video streaming queue, filled with murder mysteries and whodunnit crime documentaries, no longer looked as inviting, or the pile of books we had brought home stayed unread, or the housework we said was going to get done remains as unfinished as ever, it seems many of us are resorting to the kitchen to… Continue reading
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The Story of Film, Part 3: The Golden Age of World Cinema
In the last column exploring Mark Cousin’s The Story of Film, we looked at the early years of Hollywood and the beginnings of what Cousins’ refers to as “the bauble.” This column will focus on what was happening in other countries, where other directors were making films that were very different from Hollywood and featured… Continue reading
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The Story of Film, Part 2: The Hollywood Dream
Our travel through Mark Cousin’s history, The Story of Film, now takes us to the years 1918-1928 and the work of the great American silent comedians. Let’s start with Charlie Chaplin, probably the most famous of all the silent film stars. Like most silent comedians, Chaplin got his start acting and directing in comedy shorts… Continue reading
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Missing Live Music? We’ve Got You Covered, Part 3
Welcome back to our Live Music series! We certainly hope you’re hanging in there during these especially strange times. Certainly, one of the best ways to get through a difficult period is through music, and that’s why we’ve been writing this series. The next film in our lineup is one that has a true community… Continue reading
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Films about Obsession Available for Streaming in Kanopy
These days it’s hard not to be preoccupied with the pandemic. Are you constantly refreshing the news? Stuck on social media? If so, here are three films about obsession to help you get out of your head and into someone else’s. Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo are all in peak form in… Continue reading
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Missing Live Music? We’ve Got You Covered, Part 2
Welcome to the second installment of our Live Music series. We hope you enjoyed basking in the glory of all things 1990’s riot grrrl last time. Today, we’re taking a look at the 2015 hip-hop/fashion fusion documentary Fresh Dressed from director Sacha Jenkins, available on Kanopy. Continue reading
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Children’s Authors Lead the Way in Creative Online Programming
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” ― Fred Rogers I have seen so many helpers stepping up during this pandemic but, as a children’s librarian, I’ve been so uplifted… Continue reading
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The Story of Film, Part 1: Birth of the Cinema
In 2004, Irish film critic Marc Cousins published The Story of Film. Focusing on the history of innovation in cinema, it attempted to explore the full breadth of world filmmaking, discussing the work of artists of all races, genders, and nationalities, including many whose work has gone unacknowledged by mainstream, Hollywood-biased histories. That book became… Continue reading
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Cinema for the “Queerantine” from Kanopy and Hoopla
In a time when we are physically disconnected from one another, maybe even from ourselves, watching a film can be a great way to reconnect with the world. For queer folks who feel isolated, watching an LGBTQ+ film can help alleviate that sense of loneliness and reignite a connection to community. And what better time… Continue reading