Films on Demand is a useful database for finding documentaries on a range of subjects, from the environment to teaching math. Now you can add timely social issues to that list as well: you can now stream #BlackLivesMatter, one of the first feature-length documentaries produced about the ongoing protests of racial inequality and police violence. […]
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Kanopy Highlights: Social justice documentaries
Still from Concerning Violence About a year ago, we rolled out Kanopy, a streaming service that includes hundreds of films from the Criterion Collection and more. We’re happy to see classes and students taking advantage of this great video resource, and we want to spotlight some of the most popular titles from this collection. This […]
Continue readingCome learn about Boyz n the Hood, “a film that changed America”
The AU Library’s ongoing Books that Shaped America series has highlighted some critical pieces of literature from American history. And now, finally, movies are getting their turn, too! Tomorrow, communication librarian Derrick Jefferson will host a discussion of Boyz n the Hood, John Singleton’s 1991 film about youth life in South Central LA. We’re excited […]
Continue readingHalloween nears! Check out our horror movie collection
Halloween weekend is but two weeks away, and like most film nerds, we’re ready for horror movie season. Because it would be weird to watch Halloween in April, right? Almost 100 years have passed since Nosferatu and some of the earliest feature-length horror films, and they’re still as terrifying as ever. If you’re looking for […]
Continue readingRIP Andrezj Wajda, a voice for Poland in film
Yesterday, Polish director Andrezj Wajda died at age 90. He was among the most distinguished Polish filmmakers of his generation or in general: his accolades include a Palme d’Or for his labor rights film Man of Iron and a 1999 honorary Oscar for his lifetime body of work. As with Man of Iron, many of […]
Continue readingNew Acquisitions – September 2016, Part 2
Yes, part two! A steady stream of DVDs continues to flow into the library, and we’re getting them on the shelves for you. This month in particular had a focus on international films, so let’s talk about those. Pictured above is A Town Called Panic, the first stop-motion film ever screened at the Cannes Film […]
Continue readingNew Acquisitions – September 2016
With the first week of classes almost in the bag, we have the Labor Day weekend to look forward to. And with a tropical storm possibly bearing down on us, what better way than to escape a long, stormy weekend than grabbing a few movies? We’re continuing to add new films to our collection that […]
Continue readingGene Wilder and his triumphant Mel Brooks comedies
As with everyone else, we’re saddened by the news of the death of Gene Wilder. He was Willy Wonka, of course, but he was also one of the greatest comedic actors of the 20th century. His collaborations with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor are all-time classics, and hearing that someone with such a sharp mind […]
Continue readingBBC critics poll names the top movies of the century
Time for another list of great films as decided by critics! This time, the BBC asked critics to name the best films of this century. David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive tops their selections, and it gets more eclectic the deeper you look. Compared with similar lists about the golden age of Hollywood, BBC’s list has an […]
Continue readingAlternative programming: Getting real about Rio
from Rio de Janeiro: Urban Future The 2016 Rio Olympics start tomorrow, and this year seems particularly fraught. Every Olympic event has some enormous, costly, potentially negative impact on its host – remember the broken hotels in Sochi and the wasted construction in Athens? – but Rio has it worst in recent memory. The Zika […]
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