Sometimes it’s fun to make lists. Does anyone have a list to share? We want to know.
My top five foreign films:
My top five teen flicks:
My top five movies about food:
My top five documentaries:
The Story of the Weeping Camel
any favorite horror movies??
Back in my days of undergraduate studies, I remember being freaked out by the movie An American Werewolf in London. True, I had mononucleosis at the time & it probably didn’t take much to rattle me. The Library has the original DVD release and the 2009 “full moon” edition with a bonus disc. Take your pick!
More recently, I totally recommend three films directed by Guillermo del Toro: Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, and Pan’s Labyrinth.
For a classic movie and a little beyond, try the 1922 vampire film Nosferatu, the 1979 re-make, and then Shadow of the Vampire.
If you’re feeling musical go with Tim Burton’s – The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.
Last but not least, fun for all ages (i.e. 5-year-olds & kids at heart), I loved the DVD Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors.
You’ve read our blog, you’ve also checked out our annotations database. But you may have thought, “hmmm, these are nice, but they lack a certain … audio-visualness.”
Enter our latest effort: Quick Takes. We’ll be rolling out more of these bite-sized videos over the next few weeks. You can find the master index for them on our Vimeo page. Take a look:
Furthermore, we’d like to hear your Quick Takes. Send us an email, let us know what you’d like to review, and we’ll give you your 60-90 seconds of glory. They don’t have to just be for movies, either. If you’ve got a book, album, or video game you’d like to share, let us know!
Posted under Movie, quick takes, reviewsWhich actor do you like as Hercule Poirot?
In June, catch David Suchet on Masterpiece Mystery! in two new Poirot episodes.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki
Not just because it’s Earth Day – really. This comic book series and animated feature length film are highly recommended at any time! Nausicaä has a strong ecological theme. So it seemed appropriate to write about it today. The message is timeless and important. Read the graphic novels, watch the DVD.
My movie review: In the post-apocalyptic future, pacifist and environmental warrior Princess Nausicaa lives in Valley of the Wind, a small rural territory at the edge of an expanding wasteland. When a ship carrying a weapon from a long-gone industrial age crashes nearby and soldiers come to retrieve the cargo, she and the people of the Valley struggle to prevent conflicting nations from destroying one another and the declining planet. (read more)
See a selected list of environmental-themed documentaries.
Posted under Movie, general, reviewsIt’s National Library Week. Do you have a favorite celluloid librarian?
Here is a selected list of movies and TV shows featuring adventuresome (and sometimes wacky) librarians & archivists:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (television series). Not Rated. 1997-2003.
The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag. PG-13. 1992.
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice. Not Rated. 2008.
The Librarian: The Quest for the Spear. Not Rated. 2004.
The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines. Not Rated. 2006.
The Mummy. PG-13. 1999.
Party Girl. R. 1994.
Shooting the Past. Not rated. 1999.
Yeah, I’ve seen all of the above and liked everything. If I have to pick a favorite pretend librarian, I guess it’s Flynn Carsen (played by actor Noah Wyle) in the Librarian made-for-TV movies. But Rupert Giles (played by Anthony Head) of Buffy the Vampire fame is an extremely close second!
See my earlier post about The Librarian as an action hero.
Posted under Movie, general, tv shows
The Library is showing the recent Oscar winner for best documentary feature Man on Wire on Monday, April 13 at 7:00pm in the Petty Auditorium. Be sure to catch this breathtaking account of Philippe Petit’s daring highwire walk between the World Trade Center twin towers in 1974. Here is a short annotation. The DVD also includes the short animated film The Man Who Walked Between the Towers as a bonus feature. This was based on a children’s book by the same name. For further information you may read Philippe Petit’s own account, To Reach The Clouds.
Posted under Movie, Movies & Music, awards
Do you have a favorite Irish themed movie? There are so many wonderful titles. But here are a few of my favorites:
An adventurous, magical tale, this movie begins in slums of Dublin and moves to the beautiful Irish countryside. Tito and Ossie are two young boys living with their grief-stricken father. One day, the boys are gifted a beautiful white horse by their grandfather. (read more)
He sings and plays guitar on a street in Dublin. His “regular” job is fixing vacuum cleaners. She is a Czech immigrant, doing odd jobs and caring for her mother and young daughter. She is a classically trained pianist and plays any chance that she can get. (read more)
After her husband’s death, Holly Kennedy receives a series of letters that he wrote before he died. These provide Holly with new challenges and adventures, so she can enjoy life again. (read more)
Directed and edited by multi-talented independent filmmaker John Sayles, this magical story weaves together the Celtic legend of the Selkie with a young girl’s search for her lost baby brother. (read more)
Who doesn’t want to win the lottery? See what happens to Ned Devine’s friends, when they try to claim the money.
A beautiful stranger moves into a quaint Irish community known as Widows’ Peak and turns the town upside down with her bold behavior and scandalous past. (read more)
For more suggestions, don’t miss our Pictures of Ireland movie list.
Posted under Movie, reviewsOnly a few titles once again this week, but next week should see things picking up a bit as the Oscar winners begin to roll out. I’ve heard nothing but good things about I’ve Loved You So Long, particularly Kristin Scott Thomas’ performance.
Trailers are posted after the jump.
Posted under Movie, trailersI don’t own a Blu-ray player yet, but if I did the first movie I’d watch on it would be the Matrix. If you can believe it, this month is the 10-year anniversary of its release in the U.S. I have vivid memories of watching the movie for the first time in a packed New Jersey theater and just being completely blown away. I ended up watching it in the theater three more times in a span of a month and even worked it into the grad classes I was taking at the time! Like many others at the time, I was completely obsessed with the movie.
Photo Credit: Sujay Thomas
If you’re interested in learning more about Blu-ray, join us for our Tuesday Tech Talk tomorrow night at 7pm in the Mary Radmacher Meeting Room (register online). One of our tech assistants will be explaining everything there is to know about Blu-ray. If you’re one of the lucky ones and already own a Blu-ray player, you should definitely check out our growing collection of Blu-ray discs. The Blu-ray version of the Matrix is being ordered and should be available at the library soon [Update: The Matrix Blu-ray disc has been ordered, so feel free to place a hold today!]
So, if you could pick one movie to watch on Blu-ray with the ultimate home entertainment system, what would it be?
Posted under Movie, Technology, movie news, reviews