Aw, nerds! Catch up on 30 Rock as it comes to an end

There’s some bad news on our mind-grapes today. After seven years of “claps-giving yay ha-rade,” NBC sitcom 30 Rock is airing its final episode tonight. Though 30 Rock struggled to break out from the shadow of bigger NBC hits like The Office and MILF Island, it was an enormous critical success, winning a whopping 14 … Continue reading “Aw, nerds! Catch up on 30 Rock as it comes to an end”

There’s some bad news on our mind-grapes today. After seven years of “claps-giving yay ha-rade,” NBC sitcom 30 Rock is airing its final episode tonight. Though 30 Rock struggled to break out from the shadow of bigger NBC hits like The Office and MILF Island, it was an enormous critical success, winning a whopping 14 Emmys, scoring a Peabody Award, and pushing the boundaries of the single-camera sitcom format. We love 30 Rock so much, we want to take it behind the middle school and… well, you know the rest.

In preparation for tonight’s series finale, grab a bag of Sabor de Soledad and rewatch the first four seasons from our collection:

30 Rock, Season 1 – HU DVD 8921 – 8923
30 Rock, Season 2 – HU DVD 8924 – 8925
30 Rock, Season 3 – HU DVD 8926 – 8928
30 Rock, Season 4 – HU DVD 8929 – 8931

Very Short post for a Very Short film contest

In the spirit of yesterday’s post, here’s another off-kilter student film competition that’s too entertaining not to share. British newspaper The Guardian recently teamed up with Oxford University Press to host the Very Short Film competition for movies less than 60 seconds long. The Guardian recently narrowed down their finalists, all of which are available … Continue reading “Very Short post for a Very Short film contest”

In the spirit of yesterday’s post, here’s another off-kilter student film competition that’s too entertaining not to share. British newspaper The Guardian recently teamed up with Oxford University Press to host the Very Short Film competition for movies less than 60 seconds long. The Guardian recently narrowed down their finalists, all of which are available to watch online. The final ballot is open to the public, so go watch a few and vote for your favorite. Luckily, even if they’re not great films, it’ll only take a few minutes.

Enter the Eco-Comedy Video Competition

Attention aspiring filmmakers: Interested in plying your craft for a good cause, getting some publicity in local film circles, and winning some money? AU’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking and the Sierra Club have teamed up for the 2013 Eco-Comedy Film Competition. Entrants are asked to make a short, funny YouTube video that draws attention to … Continue reading “Enter the Eco-Comedy Video Competition”

Attention aspiring filmmakers: Interested in plying your craft for a good cause, getting some publicity in local film circles, and winning some money?

AU’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking and the Sierra Club have teamed up for the 2013 Eco-Comedy Film Competition. Entrants are asked to make a short, funny YouTube video that draws attention to climate change. The winner will receive $1,000 and will have their short screened at the DC Environmental Film Festival. The usual rules apply (no copyrighted music, for instance).

Entries are due by March 1, 2013. For full information, check the Center for Environmental Filmmaking’s website.

Here’s last year’s winner, a typography video titled “Clean Coal by the Bituminous Marketing Agency.” It proves that you don’t need a big budget or actors to make an award-winning short.

Is J. J. Abrams the right man for the job? See for yourself

The entertainment world went nuts this weekend over news that filmmaker J. J. Abrams will be helming the next installment in the Star Wars franchise. Apart from the sci-fi conflict of interest with his work on Star Trek, the biggest question is whether Abrams’s work gives him the chops and wherewithal to take on, arguably, … Continue reading “Is J. J. Abrams the right man for the job? See for yourself”

The entertainment world went nuts this weekend over news that filmmaker J. J. Abrams will be helming the next installment in the Star Wars franchise. Apart from the sci-fi conflict of interest with his work on Star Trek, the biggest question is whether Abrams’s work gives him the chops and wherewithal to take on, arguably, the biggest brand name in entertainment.

Abrams has a longer history as a producer than as a director, but his distinct, complex style has influenced every production he’s touched. If you want to get a better idea of what “far, far away” will look like in a few years, dig into our collections and watch some of the works that Abrams has influenced.

The Office, Season 3: “Cocktails” – HU DVD 4018
Lost, The Complete Series – HU DVD 4501 – 4537
Star Trek – HU DVD 7084
Fringe, Season 1 – HU DVD 7981 – 7987
Super 8 – HU DVD 9288
Mission: Impossible III – HU DVD 10699
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – HU DVD 10699

New Acquisitions – January 2013

We’re off to a strong start in 2013. Among our new titles, we’ve acquired a beloved Disney classic, Academy Award-nominated documentaries, action-thriller hits from last fall, unsettling indie success stories, a long-unavailable classic from the 1920s, and a few comedies you might remember from the 90s. Read on for a full list of what we’ve … Continue reading “New Acquisitions – January 2013”

We’re off to a strong start in 2013. Among our new titles, we’ve acquired a beloved Disney classic, Academy Award-nominated documentaries, action-thriller hits from last fall, unsettling indie success stories, a long-unavailable classic from the 1920s, and a few comedies you might remember from the 90s.

Read on for a full list of what we’ve acquired this time…

Home Use Collection:

Peter Pan – HU DVD 8133
Tiefland – HU DVD 8134
Shame – HU DVD 8135
Surviving Progress – HU DVD 8136
Remorques – HU DVD 9922
Lumiere d’été – HU DVD 9923
Le ciel est à vous – HU DVD 9924
Maidstone – HU DVD 9925
Wild 90 / Beyond the Law – HU DVD 9926
Steve Martin: The Television Stuff – HU DVD 10091
Three Ages – HU DVD 10092
The Trouble with Tolstoy – HU DVD 10093
Interactive Teaching – HU DVD 10841
The Whistleblower – HU DVD 10848
Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow – HU DVD 10853
Wings – HU DVD 10854
The Deep Blue Sea – HU DVD 10857
You’ve Got Mail – HU DVD 10858
Speed – HU DVD 10859
They All Laughed – HU DVD 10860
The Island President – HU DVD 10861
Pink Ribbons, Inc, – HU DVD 10862
YERT: Your Environmental Road Trip – HU DVD 10863
Arbitrage – HU DVD 10864
Tooth and Nail – HU DVD 10866
Post Mortem – HU DVD 10867
It’s Kind of a Funny Story – HU DVD 10872
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry – HU DVD 10873
Safety Not Guaranteed – HU DVD 10874
Killer Joe – HU DVD 10876
William Wegman: Video Works 1970-1999 – HU DVD 10877
From the Other Side – HU DVD 10878
South – HU DVD 10879
Money and Medicine – HU DVD 10880
Macbeth – HU DVD 10881
Words of Witness – HU DVD 10882
Kapitalism: Our Secret Recipe – HU DVD 10883
They Call It Myanmar – HU DVD 10884
Putin’s Kiss – HU DVD 10885
Half the Sky – HU DVD 10895
Witness: DC 9/11 – HU DVD 10896
Montoneros: Una Historia – HU DVD 10897
Le Doulos – HU DVD 10898
Looper – HU DVD 10899
The Life of Rayful Edmond – HU DVD 10900
Confronting the Truth – HU DVD 10901
Dredd – HU DVD 10902
The Boy Friend – HU DVD 10903
Red Hook Summer – HU DVD 10904
Compliance – HU DVD 10905
Robert Anton Wilson: Maybe Logic – HU DVD 10906
Don’t Get Sick After June: American Indian Healthcare – HU DVD 10907
Premium Rush – HU DVD 10908
Home Alone – HU DVD 10909
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – HU DVD 10910
Home Alone 3 – HU DVD 10911
Home Alone: Taking Back the House – HU DVD 10912
5 Broken Cameras – HU DVD 10914
Searching for Sugar Man – HU DVD 10920
The Raid: Redemption – HU DVD 10922
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – HU DVD 10923

In-Library Titles:

Reflections on Media Ethics – DVD 7772
The Tradition of Performing Arts in Japan – DVD 10774
The Partridge Sisters: Trials of Time – DVD 10832
The Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities – DVD 10834
A Lecture on Grounded Theory Method – DVD 10840
Music is the Weapon – DVD 10865
Post Mortem – DVD 10867
The Middle of the World – DVD 10868
Konkombe – DVD 10869
The Assailant – DVD 10870
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars – DVD 10871
A Place to Belong – DVD 10887
Dying Green – DVD 10888
Acceptance – DVD 10889
One day, I will see you there… – DVD 10890

Music Library:

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap – MUSIC LIBRARY DVD 349

New Films on Demand titles – January 2013

Films on Demand, a streaming video platform used by Media Services, has once again added hundreds of new titles available to watch instantly. Their collection is far-reaching, including everything from newsreel footage to informational health videos. Here are a few highlights from the newest batch. The Difference Between a Cold and the Flu (2011, 2 … Continue reading “New Films on Demand titles – January 2013”

Films on Demand, a streaming video platform used by Media Services, has once again added hundreds of new titles available to watch instantly. Their collection is far-reaching, including everything from newsreel footage to informational health videos. Here are a few highlights from the newest batch.

The Difference Between a Cold and the Flu (2011, 2 min.)
So what’s the difference between cold and flu? Most people have a general idea that they are different, but when pressed have a hard time really saying what the difference is.

There Once Was an Island: The Devastating Effects of Climate Change (2010, 80 min.)
The people on a remote Pacific island face the devastating effects of climate change. As an enormous flood threatens to engulf their paradise, who will decide to flee and leave their culture behind forever? And who will stay, hoping that God will save them?
   
Sex and the Wailing Wall: The Battle of the Sexes at the Holiest of Sites (2011, 45 min.)
A band of brave Jewish women is fighting back for the right to raise their voices at the Wailing Wall. The holy site is the most potent symbol for Jews. But it is dominated by the ultra-Orthodox, who seek to maintain segregation of the sexes and limit the rights of women who want to pray there. This documentary tells how a group of women is challenging the iron grip of the reactionaries and demanding reform.

USA: Soldiers of Conscience (2008, 54 min.)
A U.S. Army study conducted after World War II revealed that a surprisingly large number of combat troops failed to fire on the enemy when given the chance to do so. It became clear that whether a soldier pulled the trigger or not, most wrestled with their conscience either during the event or afterward. In this program a group of American soldiers, some who were able to kill with few qualms and some who have become conscientious objectors, discuss their positions on warfare.

Clouds Are Not Spheres: The Introduction of Fractal Geometry (2009, 51 min.)
Until recently geometry was incapable of describing the irregular shape of a cloud, the slope of a mountain, or the beauty of the human body. With fractal geometry, however, Benoit Mandelbrot introduced a language able to describe our natural world. In this captivating documentary, he explains this groundbreaking discovery

Relive last year’s Sundance with 2012 notables

The Sundance Film Festival is underway! It’ll be some time before we know what films will come out with good deals or publicity, but suffice to say, the spotlight has never been brighter on Park City. 2012 festival favorite Beasts of the Southern Wild recently received multiple Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture and … Continue reading “Relive last year’s Sundance with 2012 notables”

The Sundance Film Festival is underway! It’ll be some time before we know what films will come out with good deals or publicity, but suffice to say, the spotlight has never been brighter on Park City. 2012 festival favorite Beasts of the Southern Wild recently received multiple Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture and Best Director, leaving many to wonder if they’ll find the next big thing at Sundance this year.

Last year certainly turned out a few notable movies, many of which are in our collection. Several have been nominated for major awards as well.

The Ambassador – HU DVD 10722
Arbitrage – HU DVD 10864
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry – HU DVD 10873
Beasts of the Southern Wild – HU DVD 10813
The Invisible War – HU DVD 10567
Putin’s Kiss – HU DVD 10885
The Queen of Versailles – HU DVD 4553
Safety Not Guaranteed – HU DVD 10874
Compliance – HU DVD 10905
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap – MUSIC LIBRARY DVD 349

Remembering — and maybe introducing — Nagisa Oshima

Japanese director Nagisa Oshima died yesterday following long-term stroke complications. Oshima may not be the most well-known director outside of Japan, but he leaves behind an award-winning legacy. Oshima’s films dealt with a wide range of subjects, typically set during wartime Japan and (controversially) involving explicit sexuality. This style and thematic content earned him a … Continue reading “Remembering — and maybe introducing — Nagisa Oshima”

Japanese director Nagisa Oshima died yesterday following long-term stroke complications. Oshima may not be the most well-known director outside of Japan, but he leaves behind an award-winning legacy. Oshima’s films dealt with a wide range of subjects, typically set during wartime Japan and (controversially) involving explicit sexuality. This style and thematic content earned him a distinction as one of the most notable Japanese New Wave filmmakers.

Oshima is not especially well-known in the United States. If you have never heard of the director, now is a good time to start watching. We have several of Oshima’s films in our collection, including a lengthy interview he conducted with acclaimed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.

Win The Dark Knight Trilogy!

To celebrate the start of the semester, we’re giving away a digital copy of The Dark Knight Trilogy, which includes all three of Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises). For a chance to win, leave a comment naming all three of the actors who have portrayed Harvey Dent/Two-Face … Continue reading “Win The Dark Knight Trilogy!”

To celebrate the start of the semester, we’re giving away a digital copy of The Dark Knight Trilogy, which includes all three of Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises).

For a chance to win, leave a comment naming all three of the actors who have portrayed Harvey Dent/Two-Face in the Batman movies. (If you need a hint, they come from the movies in our collection with call numbers DVD 4701, DVD 4703, and DVD 10791.)

We’ll pick a random winner from our blog, Facebook, or Twitter. Good luck!

EDIT: The giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Jonathan Waldroup for winning!

Lynda.com branches out with new tutorials

American University has a subscription to Lynda.com, a video tutorial website that can teach you skills ranging from high-end multimedia software like Photoshop to office programs like Excel. Any active member of the AU community (current students, faculty, staff, etc.) can access these tutorials through american.edu/lynda. But Lynda.com isn’t just for production software. The site … Continue reading “Lynda.com branches out with new tutorials”

American University has a subscription to Lynda.com, a video tutorial website that can teach you skills ranging from high-end multimedia software like Photoshop to office programs like Excel. Any active member of the AU community (current students, faculty, staff, etc.) can access these tutorials through american.edu/lynda.

But Lynda.com isn’t just for production software. The site has been expanding its selection of tutorials to include business skills, creativity, and services that you might not think would need video tutorials. A few highlights from their most recent batch include:

Lynda.com is a seriously useful resource, and it’s exciting to see them expand into new skillsets. Give them a watch at american.edu/lynda.