from Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing Thirty years ago today, Coca-Cola unveiled New Coke, a Pepsi-like formula that replaced the original Coca-Cola in stores. In retrospect, this is regarded as one of the worst marketing decisions in history. Fans considered the change a betrayal and stockpiled the classic Coke in an act […]
Continue readingMonthly Archives: April 2015
Happy Earth Day! Say hi to Mother Nature with environmental films
Happy Earth Day, one and all! The AU Library and Media Services take pride in our commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, and we hope our patrons learn about sustainability and green living too. If you’re looking for some entertaining eco-conscious film choices for Earth Day, we have a resource for you! Last year, […]
Continue readingTelevision’s reign of visual media continues, bleeds into film festivals
Even in a post-Breaking Bad and nearly-post-Mad Men landscape, television continues to assert its cultural dominance. More directors and actors turn to television for a chance to tell experimental or long-form stories, and the film world has unsurprisingly taken notice. In the latest sign of this explosive growth and relevance, the Toronto International Film Festival […]
Continue readingToo nice to stay indoors? Come to the Media pop-up library!
We’re about halfway into April, and we know that it’s gorgeous outside. (Well, except today, since it’s raining.) Even with finals season approaching and forcing everyone into their study bunkers, we’d all rather be outside. We see you, Frisbee players! We envy you! We want to go where our patrons are, so for one day […]
Continue readingSee sci-fi drama Ex Machina with director Alex Garland
Science fiction screenwriter Alex Garland makes directorial debut in theaters today with Ex Machina, a futuristic drama starring future Star Wars co-stars Domnhall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac about artificial intelligence. The movie has mostly glowing reviews so far, which bodes well for Garland’s transition from the writing desk to the director’s chair. If you want […]
Continue readingThe A.V. Club names their eclectic, contentious list of the best films of the ’10s
2015 marks the halfway point of the decade, and given our itchy need for instant gratification, why not do some retrospectives now instead of waiting until 2020? All week, the pop culture aficionados at The A.V. Club have been posting the results of a highly debated internal poll to determine the top 100 best movies […]
Continue readingSOC’s International Cinema Series concludes Friday with British film
Back in the fall, SOC teamed up with the National Gallery of Art to kick off the International Cinema Series, a year-long roster of world cinema screenings and discussions. Over the course of the academic year, the series has covered Italy, China, Greece, the Czech Republic, and Brazil. This Friday, the International Cinema Series wraps […]
Continue readingFor real? Furious 7 carries the torch for practical effects in movies
The latest entry in the Fast and the Furious franchise is apparently on-track to crush April box office records. There’s a plethora of reasons why the series has been so successful – this entry in particular attracting attention after the death of actor Paul Walker – but its greatest asset might be its continued use […]
Continue readingAll the President’s Men wins Washingtonian’s bracket; SOC professor has some choice words
In February, we reported on the Washingtonian’s bracket to determine the most “DC” movie of all time. Much to our sadness, the Mr. T-starring DC Cab did not win, but top honors went to the classic Watergate drama All the President’s Men. AtPM beat out lobbyist ode Thank You for Smoking for the top prize, […]
Continue readingWhat is world cinema? American’s Cinema UC answers
Under the preview of film professor Jeff Middents (friend of Media Services), AU’s Critical Approach to Cinema University College group has helped on-board new undergraduate students into the world of cinema studies. This year, as a capstone project, Middents asked his UC group to make sense of contemporary world cinema. The UC students produced a […]
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