We’re back from our Thanksgiving hiatus, and we hope we didn’t miss any too importa– is that a new Star Wars trailer?!!? Everyone has probably watched the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at least once since Friday, and we’re sure there are varied opinions about whether or not it honors the style and […]
Continue readingMonthly Archives: November 2014
At last, Fandor is the Netflix alternative for film buffs
AU’s various holiday breaks are soon upon us, and let’s be honest: you’ll be watching lots of movies on your couch in a food-enduced trance. The usual suspects will be running cable TV and Netflix, but what if you’re looking for something a little artier? Do you have the sort of family that would rather […]
Continue readingWho was Marion Barry? This HBO documentary is a good primer
Today marked the passing of Marion Barry, DC political legend and one of the country’s most controversial mayors. To describe his decades of public involvement as tumultuous would be an understatement; Barry weathered multiple scandals and a high-profile arrest yet remained enormously popular among his constituents, serving four non-consecutive terms and continuing to serve as […]
Continue readingThe many works of Mike Nichols, EGOTer and prolific director
Mike Nichols, EGOT-winning director of The Graduate, died yesterday at age 83. For an acclaimed and decorated filmmaker, Nichols kept a comparatively low profile in the entertainment world, but he leaves behind an impressive lineup of truly great films and television productions, including Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Primary Colors, Working Girl, Angels in America, […]
Continue readingFilms on Demand gets bigger. Try the new content, send us your feedback!
We’ve previously talked about Films on Demand, a streaming video database we subscribe to that contains thousands of documentaries on seemingly every subject. Although a few of them come from big distributors like Discovery or History, they’re mostly smaller affairs. Color us excited that Films on Demand is expanding its offerings to include feature films […]
Continue readingSee Fredrick Wiseman’s newest documentary with a director Q&A!
If you don’t know documentarian Fredrick Wiseman, you should. Wiseman has an absurdly prolific career, having directed dozens of documentaries since 1967. His first, Titicut Follies, is a incisive look at the American mental health system and the state of asylums in the 60s (we frequently recommend this one to faculty). His next film, National […]
Continue readingBe an extra on House of Cards… TOMORROW!
Time for a quick dispatch on the DC film front: House of Cards will be shooting in DC tomorrow, and they’re looking for extras! We got this news very last-minute, so we’ll keep this brief. DC’s local film office says that if you think you fit the profile of a “Mid-Westerner” and want to appear […]
Continue readingAlternative programming: Service across generations
In a few hours, the National Mall will turn into an absolute mob scene for an inaugural HBO-sponsored Veterans Day concert featuring Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Rihanna, and other major artists. This sort of musical event isn’t unprecedented on the Mall (like the previous HBO concert for Obama’a 2009 inauguration), but we understand if you find […]
Continue readingGet re-revenge this Thursday at a free Horrible Bosses 2 preview!
There’s a scene in Horrible Bosses where Jamie Foxx’s character (whose name is not repeatable here) admits to serving jail time for bootlegging a copy of Snow Falling on Cedars. We tell you this to warn you that such behavior will not be permitted at this week’s free preview screening of Horrible Bosses 2! Horrible […]
Continue readingTop 10: Bonus Features Not to Skip
We’re proud of the variety and depth of the Media Services collection. In the interest of bringing you some highlights and deep cuts from our shelves, we’ll be posting unusual and interesting Top 10 lists of some of our favorite DVDs. When was the last time you watched a DVD bonus feature? At the risk […]
Continue reading