Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the September 11 attacks. This is an appropriate and somber time to reflect on how we got here, what happened, and where we’re going. To that end, the Media Services collections include many films about the attacks, including a number of creative responses by filmmakers and footage from the […]
Continue readingNew Acquisitions – September 2012
This month, the Media Services collection goes in exciting new directions! We’ve added our first anime television shows, including the legendary Cowboy Bebop, as well as ten new popular Bollywood titles. We also acquired a number of big blockbusters, the first Iranian production to win Best Foreign Language Film, a collection of orphaned films in […]
Continue readingFilm screenings on- and off-campus this Friday
We’re heading into the second weekend of the semester. Hopefully the workload hasn’t piled up too much, because the weather is still pleasant enough for a few movie screenings. On campus tomorrow, the AU Student Government will show The Hunger Games in the Tavern at 10 PM. The Hunger Games will kick off Artemas Ward […]
Continue readingDC Shorts Film Festival opens tomorrow
For the second time in a week, two significant film festivals are kicking off. Perhaps the most significant is the Toronto International Film Festival, which opens tomorrow and will premiere a number of film on the radar for the upcoming award season. More interestingly for the audience of this blog, the DC Shorts Film Festival […]
Continue readingMichael Clarke Duncan dies at 54
Over the weekend, actor Michael Clarke Duncan died from complications following cardiac arrest. Duncan was a towering presence in film, and although he died at a shockingly young age and appeared in only a few big movies, his impact was powerful and is already missed by fans around the world. His performance in The Green […]
Continue readingControversial documentary re-ignites a political crisis
This past Tuesday, Israeli courts absolved the state of responsibility for the death of Rachel Corrie, an American peace activist who was killed during the demolition of Palestinian homes in Gaza. Tempers have flared around the case, alternately framing Rachel Corrie as either a victim of circumstance or a political casualty. In 2008, filmmaker Simone Bitton […]
Continue readingWhat co-productions mean for creativity in film
The increasing economic cooperation between the Chinese and U.S is no tightly held secret, but its impact on the film industry is just now becoming apparent. China is notoriously strict about which Western films it shows, reportedly refusing to screen The Departed for implying that Beijing has military connections. That tide is turning. Large movie […]
Continue readingTwo film festivals with very different audiences
Today marks the start of the Venice Film Festival, the oldest international film festival. Though smaller than notable rivals such as Cannes and Sundance, the Venice Film Festival is getting attention this year by premiering new movies from award magnets Paul Thomas Anderson and Terrence Malick. Some might call it the start of the Oscar […]
Continue readingHappy fall semester! Watch our best college movies
And with that, the 2012 fall semester at American University has begun. The first day of classes is winding to a close, but for incoming freshmen, the college experience has just begun. Whether you’re taking Leadership Gateway or preparing for your capstone, now is a great time to watch some of the greatest college movies […]
Continue readingTime Out New York crowns the greatest New York films
Here’s your controversial (if slightly old) link of the day: Time Out New York has compiled a list of the top 100 movies set in New York City. They put together a fairly complete list – but of course, you can dispute the ones at the top. Judging by the comments section, there are some […]
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