Arts & Culture

  • Begin the Poem

    ~posted by Library Staff Let’s get down to business, the business of beginning to enter the poem. It will cost you, you know, time and more time that you can imagine.  But, if you allow yourself the journey, if you permit the path to form then may you, traveler, travel on, On Poetry. There is… 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

  • The Possibility of Poetry

    By Library Staff Sometime, during this season of growth, why not follow that bud of thought and branch out, bloom into the possibility of poetry. Poetry is as wide-mouthed as a nest of hungry birds. Where to begin but with that squiggly line of a title whose scent reeks of earthbound adventures beckoning you to… 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

  • Not Just Another Book About Women in Rock

    ~ posted by Abby Women have always been a part of rock and roll – as musicians, singers, songwriters, producers, promoters, critics, fans and much more. Yet their stories have often been overlooked in rock writing. Thankfully, this myopia is finally receiving a serious corrective, with more and more women writing about their involvement in… 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

  • Hearing History

    ~posted by Jenny C. I’m a fan of history – reading books based in historical times (yes, sometimes even the romances), enjoying biographies of interesting people, delighting in extensive footnotes, and recreating historical activities, like folk dancing and fencing. What I like even better is experiencing original materials – all the weird and wonderful vocabulary… 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

  • Seattle Rep’s ‘The Comparables’ — incomparable!

    We are excited about the opening of Laura Schellhardt’s new play The Comparables, at the Seattle Repertory Theatre on Friday, March 6! Schellhardt, who created the 2011 hit “The K of D, an Urban Legend,” about a girl with a lethal kiss, now presents a world premier neo-feminist satire that tips the good old boy… Continue reading

  • Freegal: Five for Free (Connect the Dots Edition)

    By Cameron M. Each week, all Seattle Public Library card holders are entitled to five free MP3 downloads through Freegal. In this post, I’ll highlight five songs that are connected through the artists involved. 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