Judge Movies and Win!

It’s that time of year again! All the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are busy watching and judging this year’s Oscar-nominated films and performances. Most films considered serious Oscar contenders are released between October and December of the preceding year, presumably so they’ll be fresh in everyone’s minds when nominees … Continue reading “Judge Movies and Win!”

It’s that time of year again! All the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are busy watching and judging this year’s Oscar-nominated films and performances. Most films considered serious Oscar contenders are released between October and December of the preceding year, presumably so they’ll be fresh in everyone’s minds when nominees are being whittled down.

Because of this, a lot of films haven’t made it to DVD yet, so everything we want to purchase for our media collection is out of our reach, for the time being at least. Still, we’re celebrating the movie industry’s biggest night with our own Oscar’s contest. AU community members can fill out their own ballots here, and watch the nominated films in our collection between now and February 24th. Whoever predicts the most winners will win a 3D printed Oscar statuette from the AU Library’s Makerspace!

Here’s a list of current nominees in our collection:

  • A Quiet Place (DVD 16021)
  • Black Panther (DVD 16090)
  • First Reformed (DVD 16162)
  • Isle of the Dogs (DVD 16077)
  • RBG (DVD 16120)

And if those aren’t enough for you, take a look at some of the past nominees and winners in our collection, including:

  • Moonlight (DVD 13759)
  • Call Me By Your Name (DVD 15322)
  • Hidden Figures (DVD 13951)
  • The Big Short (DVD 13094)
  • The Hurt Locker (DVD 6762)
  • Lion (DVD 13992)
  • 12 Years a Slave (DVD 11176)
  • Toy Story 3 (DVD 7770)
  • The Artist (DVD 10193)
  • La La Land (DVD 13991)

Keep an eyes on this blog between now and February 24th. We have a lot more Oscars-related content coming your way!

Our Latest Arrivals

We have a small batch of new acquisitions for your today: Home Use DVDs: Machines (DVD 14950) Lindy Lous Juror Number 2 (DVD 14951) The Founder (DVD 14952)

We have a small batch of new acquisitions for your today:

Home Use DVDs:

  • Machines (DVD 14950)
  • Lindy Lous Juror Number 2 (DVD 14951)
  • The Founder (DVD 14952)

Random Movie Monday– Crash

Technically this is the first Monday of the semester, since MLK Day was last week, and we had a snow day the week before that. What will today’s random movie be? Will it be something light and cheerful for the start of the semester. Hahaha, no. This weeks that random number generator gave me Crash, which … Continue reading “Random Movie Monday– Crash”

Technically this is the first Monday of the semester, since MLK Day was last week, and we had a snow day the week before that. What will today’s random movie be? Will it be something light and cheerful for the start of the semester.

Hahaha, no. This weeks that random number generator gave me Crash, which is anything but a lighthearted romp. Here’s our summary:


A car accident brings together a group of strangers in Los Angeles. Crash takes a provocative, unflinching look at the complexities of racial tolerance in contemporary America.

Crash is definitely critically lauded, and it won a slew of awards, including the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. You can check it out from Media Services as DVD 1736.

Random Movie Tuesday — American Experience: Cold War Roadshow

Привет! This week’s random movie documents one of my personal favorite historical happenings– Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s 1959 road trip across the United States. DVD 11777 is one of PBS’ American Experience documentaries, and let me tell you, it’s a good one. Here’s our summary: The story of one of the most bizarre episodes in … Continue reading “Random Movie Tuesday — American Experience: Cold War Roadshow”

Привет! This week’s random movie documents one of my personal favorite historical happenings– Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s 1959 road trip across the United States. DVD 11777 is one of PBS’ American Experience documentaries, and let me tell you, it’s a good one. Here’s our summary:


The story of one of the most bizarre episodes in the annals of modern history: the unprecedented trip across America in 1959 by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, the world leader of communism and America’s arch nemesis. The visit was an opportunity to halt the escalating threats of the Cold War and chart a new course toward peaceful coexistence. For the American press, it was the media story of the year.

This was the tour that blessed us with all the great images of Khrushchev staring adoringly at ears of corn. With this DVD, you’ll get to learn about the story behind those iconic photos.

The cover of Life magazine features a photograph of Russian Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev (1894 – 1971) as he holds an ear of corn aloft during a US tour, October 5, 1959. (Photo by Hank Walker/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

New Acquisitions

First new movies of the new year! We now have Sorry to Bother You on DVD and Blu-Ray. Sorry to Bother You — DVD 16159 Sorry to Bother You — BLU 16159

First new movies of the new year! We now have Sorry to Bother You on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Sorry to Bother You — DVD 16159

Sorry to Bother You — BLU 16159

Random Movie Wednesday

Apologies for the late random movie, friends. We had a snow day on Monday, and we were too busy frolicking in the snow and napping to post a random movie. This week’s random movie is DVD 677 — Punch-Drunk Love. Here’s our summary: Struggling to cope with his erratic temper, novelty toilet plunger salesman Barry … Continue reading “Random Movie Wednesday”

Apologies for the late random movie, friends. We had a snow day on Monday, and we were too busy frolicking in the snow and napping to post a random movie.

This week’s random movie is DVD 677 — Punch-Drunk Love. Here’s our summary:


Struggling to cope with his erratic temper, novelty toilet plunger salesman Barry Egan spends his days collecting frequent-flyer-mile coupons and dodging the insults of his seven sisters. The promise of a new life emerges when Barry inadvertently attracts the affections of a mysterious woman named Lena. But their budding relationship is threatened when he falls prey to the swindling operator of a phone sex line and her deranged boss.

And this summary doesn’t even mention the pudding. Check it out!

Susan Zirinsky & Broadcast News

On March 6, Susan Zirinsky, an alum of AU’s School of Communications, will become the President and Senior Executive Producer of CBS News: the first women in that position. Zirinsky comes to the role with an impressive resume. During her decades-long career at CBS, she’s covered the Watergate Scandal, the White House, and won one … Continue reading “Susan Zirinsky & Broadcast News”

On March 6, Susan Zirinsky, an alum of AU’s School of Communications, will become the President and Senior Executive Producer of CBS News: the first women in that position. Zirinsky comes to the role with an impressive resume. During her decades-long career at CBS, she’s covered the Watergate Scandal, the White House, and won one Emmy and two Peabody Awards for her work.

Zirinsky also served as the inspiration for Jane Craig, the news producer protagonist in Broadcast News. Zirinsky had an incredible amount of input on the creative direction of the film, and she also served as its executive producer. She even gave Holly Hunter, the actress who portrayed her in the film, some of her own clothes to wear as costumes.

We want to congratulate Zirinsky for her most recent achievement, and we know she’ll do well as the President of CBS News. For all you aspiring journalists and producers out there, we highly recommend Broadcast News, which you can borrow from Media Services. Just ask for DVD 3504.

Random Movie… Tuesday?

Hey y’all. Your favorite mod got distracted yesterday and forgot to post this week’s random movie. Without further ado, I present to you DVD 12769, The Slumber Party Massacre Collection. This set includes Slumber Party Massacre I, Slumber Party Massacre II, and Slumber Party Massacre III. If you inferred that all of these films involve … Continue reading “Random Movie… Tuesday?”

Hey y’all. Your favorite mod got distracted yesterday and forgot to post this week’s random movie. Without further ado, I present to you DVD 12769, The Slumber Party Massacre Collection. This set includes Slumber Party Massacre I, Slumber Party Massacre II, and Slumber Party Massacre III. If you inferred that all of these films involve multiple homicides at a sleepover party, you’d be right! Here’s our more official summary:



The collection contains: Slumber Party Massacre (A high school girl’s basketball team is stalked by an escaped mental patient with a portable drill) ; Slumber Party Massacre (The killer returns this time as a physical manifestation of a young girl’s nightmares, slaying more teens in the guise of an evil rocker with a deadly guitar) ; Slumber Party Massacre III (A new group of teenagers decide to have a slumber party when an unknown killer attacks).

These films end up somewhere on the spectrum between parody and straight horror, but The Slumber Party Massacre holds the distinction of being the first horror film where a woman (Amy Holden Jones) directed a majority-women cast.

Random Movie Monday — You Only Live Once

Happy New Year! Our first random movie of the year is DVD 746, You Only Live Once, one of the first movies of the film noir genre. Here’s our summary: An ill-fated young couple are separated when he is put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. You Only Live once was Fritz Lang’s second American film, … Continue reading “Random Movie Monday — You Only Live Once”

Happy New Year! Our first random movie of the year is DVD 746, You Only Live Once, one of the first movies of the film noir genre. Here’s our summary:


An ill-fated young couple are separated when he is put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.



You Only Live once was Fritz Lang’s second American film, and also stars a young Henry Fonda.