Happy Birthday Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson

by Jason Wieder

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was born on May 2nd, 1972. Johnson originally began his career as a professional wrestler, but soon became known for his acting career. Johnson generally acts in action or thriller movies; however, one notable exception to this is his performance as Maui in Disney’s Moana.  

Outside of his wresting and acting careers, “The Rock” is also known for being part of several popular memes. Whether it be related to his nickname, the very specific genre of movies he acts in, or the iconic 1990’s-era photo pictured below, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has become celebrated within pop culture and has created a persona that last for decades to come. 

Here are some of Johnson’s films that we have in our collection: 

  • The Tooth Fairy
  • Fast Five: HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 10105 
  • Rock and a Hard Place 
  • Furious 6: HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 10106 
  • Furious 7: HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 12574 

New Media/Tech Services Podcast!

This spring, three of Media/Tech Services student assistants created a podcast devoted to the goings on of the department, and of the broader worlds of film and technology! You can watch (or listen) to the first two episodes of the visual podcast What’s On Hold here! We’ll be posting more episodes in the coming days.

What’s On Hold Episode 1 – Emily and Sophie’s Favorites

What’s On Hold Episode 2 – Wonder “Women” in Media and Tech

 

Happy Birthday to Dev Patel and Dev Patel Only

by Emily Walsh

Oh, it’s also your birthday today? Well, that’s too bad because today we’re only celebrating Dev Patel.  

Known for his roles in Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, and that Avatar the Last

By Gordon Correll – Dev Patel, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52454230

Airbender live-action remake we all collectively decided not to talk about, Patel has conquered our hearts and screens for over 10 years. Patel was the first-ever actor of Indian origin to win a BAFTA after clinching the title for Best Supporting Actor in Lion.  He was also nominated for an Academy Award and Oscar for the same role.  

Patel is set to star as Sir Gawain in The Green Knight, a fantasy re-telling of the medieval story of the same name. The movie release was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is unknown when Patel with grace our theatres and home televisions again.  

If you’re like me, and you can’t wait for The Green Knight to get your fix of Patel, here are some of his most well-known films and television series available at the AU Library you can watch to celebrate his birthday: 

Happy Birthday Gurinder Chadha!

by Andrew McCarthy

Photography by Neil Grabowsky

Happy birthday to director Gurinder Chadha! Chadha was born January 10th 1960 in Nairobi, Kenya. Her family later moved to the UK, and she studied at the University of East Anglia and the London College of Printing. Throughout her career, she’s worked in the radio industry, the news industry as a BBC reporter, as well as directed award-winning documentaries for the BBC. 

While she gained notoriety for the film Bhaji on the Beach, where she became the first British Asian woman to direct a full-length feature film, she has also gained a lot of popularity as the writer and director for many feature films including: Bend it like Beckham and Blinded by the Light.  

Many of the films that she has written and directed help tell her own story; someone who wants to become their own person despite their parent’s objections. She works within that space in order to find the drama for each of her films. It allows the characters to find each other’s perspectives and grow and develop as characters through that journey of discovery. As an umbrella theme, this is very common in film, but Gurinder makes it her own by applying it to her own life; an immigrant’s journey growing up in the western world.  

“Once the movie starts, I make it for myself. The film has to be your own.” 

-Gurinder Chadha 

You can find many of Chadha’s films in the Media Services collection:

Bend it Like Beckham (Available online; DVD 672)

Bhaji on the Beach (DVD 4958)

Blinded by the Light (DVD 16765)

Bride and Prejudice (DVD 1784)

Paris, je t’aime, “Quais de Seine” (DVD 3378)

What’s Cooking? (DVD 251)

Streaming Films and Documentaries on Voting and Elections in the United States and Beyond

by Emily Walsh

While the 2020 presidential election votes are still being counted, this list of streaming documentaries and feature films at the AU Library dives into elections and voting behaviors in America and other countries around the world. Enjoy this collection of 15 videos to help take your mind off of the news and learn more about American politics and democracy. To find more streaming videos on similar issues and topics, please visit the Library’s off campus streaming guide.

Breaking the Wall of the Polling Booth : How Electoral Psychology Enlightens Democratic Citizenship

Documentary

What do citizens think about in the polling booth? Despite the latest technological innovations in electoral methods, the voter’s mind has been neglected by academia. Michael Bruter of the London School of Economics aims to fill this gap with his current project funded by the European Research Council. Having published widely in the fields of political behavior, political psychology, identity, public opinion, extremism, and social science research methods, In this Falling Walls lecture, Bruter explores how voters think in 15 countries – combining surveys, interviews, experiments, and direct observation, including innovative techniques such as “election diaries,” “polling station observers,” and “emotional” questions on favorite animal, color, or drink – toward understanding more about the role of personality and emotions in the vote. His project is expected to have a significant impact on our awareness of political identity and electoral decisions, including specific topics like psychology of extremism, voters’ identity, and young people’s participation.

Capturing the Flag

Documentary

A tight-knit group of friends travel to Cumberland County, North Carolina – the 2016 ‘poster child’ for voter suppression – intent on proving that the big idea of American democracy can be defended by small acts of individual citizens. What they find at the polls serves as both a warning and a call to action for anyone interested in protecting the ‘One Man, One Vote’ fundamental of our democracy.

The Elected: Presidency and Congress

Documentary

In an adversarial climate of polarization and power confrontations, how can the U.S. government get anything done? In part one of this program, correspondent Hedrick Smith examines the obstacles to bipartisan compromise between the Clinton administration and Congress as well as the difficulties parties have in disciplining their own members in Congress. In part two, Mr. Smith probes the rise and fall of Newt Gingrich’s Republican Revolution in Congress. Smith goes behind the scenes to get Vice President Gore; Clinton executives Leon Panetta and George Stephanopoulos; Congressional leaders Newt Gingrich, Bob Dole, Dick Gephardt, and Tom Daschle; Democratic loyalists and rebels; Republican freshmen and incumbents; and academic experts to divulge how serious miscalculations torpedoed hopes for both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Free Vote for France

Documentary

This World War II-era newsreel includes the following segments: 1. France holds its first free municipal elections since liberation. 2. Occupation forces in Heidelberg print a newspaper and distribute it to eager citizens. 3. A French ship is loaded with grain and potatoes in Canada; airplanes drop food to the Dutch in a UN operation. 4. German surrenders are received by General Montgomery from Admiral Friedeburg and by General Walter Smith from General Jodl; General Eisenhower speaks.

Generations : American Women Win the Vote

Documentary

For 72 years, from 1848 -1920, generations of women – from every state and every party, of every race and every religion – fought for the right to vote. The 19th Amendment was introduced in Congress 42 years before the House and Senate could muster the 2/3 majority to pass it. And that vote was just the beginning of another round of state battles – the final battle for ratification. This film, covering 72 years of suffrage history, describes the struggle the suffragists faced. Would women gain the right to vote before the 1920 presidential election?

Gerrymandering

Documentary

Gerrymandering is defined as the carving up of a state into districts in a way that allows one political party to gain more clout than another. It has also been called the most effective way to manipulate an election’s outcome short of outright fraud. Focusing on the fight to pass Proposition 11 – drafted to give redistricting power to a bipartisan rather than legislative group – this documentary explores the ethical implications of gerrymandering and looks at some historical examples of how the practice has been used.

Kill Chain: The Cyber War On America’s Elections

Documentary

In advance of the 2020 Presidential Election, Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections takes a deep dive into the weaknesses of today’s election technology, an issue that is little understood by the public or even lawmakers. From directors Simon Ardizzone, Russell Michaels and Sarah Teale, the team behind HBO’s 2006 Emmy®- nominated documentary Hacking Democracy, Kill Chain again follows Finnish hacker and cyber security expert Harri Hursti as he travels around the world and across the U.S. to show how our election systems remain unprotected, with very little accountability or transparency. Hursti’s startling journey is supplemented by candid interviews with key figures in the election security community, as well as cyber experts and U.S. senators from both parties.

Please Vote for Me

Documentary

Two males and a female vie for office, indulging in low blows and spin, character assassination and gestures of goodwill, all the while gauging their standing with voters. The setting is not the Democratic presidential campaign trail but a third-grade class at an elementary school in the city of Wuhan in central China. “Please Vote for Me” chronicles a public school’s first open elections for class monitor, a position normally appointed by teachers. Weijun Chen’s film examining human nature, China’s one-child policy and the democratic electoral process made the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ documentary feature shortlist.

TEDTalks, Carole Cadwalladr-Facebook’s Role In Brexit — And the Threat to Democracy

Lecture

In an unmissable talk, journalist Carole Cadwalladr digs into one of the most perplexing events in recent times: the UK’s super-close 2016 vote to leave the European Union. Tracking the result to a barrage of misleading Facebook ads targeted at vulnerable Brexit swing voters — and linking the same players and tactics to the 2016 US presidential election — Cadwalladr calls out the “gods of Silicon Valley” for being on the wrong side of history and asks: Are free and fair elections a thing of the past?

Vote for Kibera

Documentary

Vote for Kibera is about the people of Africa’s largest slum who have decided, despite the harsh conditions, to transform their merciless environment into a better place to live. Will they make it through the tensions and violence accompanying the presidential elections?

Voting Matters

Documentary

More than 50 years after the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most extensive pieces of civil rights legislation, people of color across the United States still are engaged in a battle to protect their right to vote. VOTING MATTERS follows one dynamic woman working tirelessly on the ground and in the courts to ensure that they are not denied this right. When a key section of the Voting Rights Act was struck down in 2013, several states with a history of racial discrimination immediately attempted to pass laws that further restricted voter rights. This came in the form of limiting the window for voter registration, purging voters with inactive histories and requiring more restrictive forms of ID. There are currently 23 states with such voter restrictions. This film follows civil rights attorney Donita Judge as she helps several voters in Ohio cast ballots even though they initially were turned away.

Voting: Right and Responsibility

Documentary

Why should I vote? Does my vote count? This program addresses these questions and reinforces the importance of voting to the political process.

What 80 Million Women Want

Feature Film

The women’s suffrage movement inspired this 1913 silent film classic, which features appearances by equal rights crusaders Emmeline Pankhurst and Harriot Stanton Blatch. As politicos work to deny women the right to vote, a young lawyer tells his activist girlfriend of government corruption that actively seeks to ensure that her voice is never heard.

Why Trump Won

Documentary

Fareed Zakaria examines how Trump’s own life story—a kid from Queens who crossed the bridge to scale the heights of wealth in Manhattan – yet never quite fit in with the city’s upper crust—helped him forge a powerful connection with Americans who felt they’d been left behind.

who are fighting to secure the integrity of the vote before November 2020.

The Youngest Candidate

Documentary

It’s a timeless story: an idealistic, disadvantaged citizen takes on the status quo and runs for public office. In this case, candidates in four separate races encounter more than just bigotry, sexism, and entrenched interests. They range in age from 18 to 20, which adds yet another barrier to overcome – because while most political machines covet the youth vote, it’s something else entirely when young people want power of their own. The contenders include Raul De Jesus, a mayoral candidate in Hartford, Connecticut; Ytit Chauhan, an Indian-American vying for a city council seat in Atlantic City; George Monger, who spearheaded a move to lower age requirements so he could run for the Memphis city council; and Tiffany Tupper, whose campaign for a school board post in suburban Pennsylvania shows remarkable grit and resolve

The Evolution of Horror Films: A Look a Horror Movies from the 19th to 21st Century

By Emily Walsh

When you think of horror movies, what comes to mind? Horror films try to evoke the viewer’s worst nightmares as a form of entertainment. The ghosts, demons, murderers, and supernatural beings combined with some gore, torture, and jump-scares manipulate the audience into experiencing psychological thrills and fun. For a film to be included in the horror genre, it must incorporate incidents of physical violence and psychological terror. These acts of violence and terror can express themselves differently from film to film and create sub-genres within horror itself.

Although films produced today boast the newest technology to make the theatrical elements more lifelike and realistic to their audiences, the genre of horror predates the film industry. In fact, it’s been around for centuries. Since the genre’s conception, the horror industry has always found ways to incorporate new technology and themes.

In 1896 filmmaker Georges Méliès, who is best known for his 1902 film A Trip to the Moon, created what is now called the first horror film by film scholars. Released 6 years before A Trip to the Moon, Méliès’s three-minute movie, Le Manoir du Diable (released in the U.S. as The Haunted Castle) showcased new and cutting-edge special effects, like a fake flying bat and realistic ghosts, which made it terrifying for viewers at the time. Méliès’s movie tells the short story of a bat that turns into the demon Mephistopheles, a plot that may not resonate with viewers now but surely spooked 19th-century audiences.

Thanks to Méliès’s influence, the horror genre entered what is now known as the “Golden Age of Horror” in the 1920s and 1930s. During this period films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Nosferatu (1922), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), and the first color adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) scared audiences worldwide. According to the New York Film Academy, this period also marked the first time in the industry that the word “horror” was used to describe the genre. With this “new” genre having a name, many horror stars were born. The 1940s and 50s saw the rise of directors like Alfred Hitchcock and actors such as Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, and Edith Barrett. These creators helped redefine the horror genre. Films of this time are best known for their melodrama, stage-like and over the top acting, and attempts at comic relief.

Instead of using the hallmarks of the 1920s and 30s horror film, Hitchcock’s films Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963), and Frenzy (1972), focused on amplifying the audience’s psychological thrill and opened doors for many classics that came out of the 1970s and ‘80s. Hitchcock added elements of suspense to his movies, separating him from the Golden Age of Horror in a way that deserves its own category. Thanks to Hitchcock, the plot lines of future horror films deepened, and themes became darker.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, many horror films involved ideas of the “occult,” particularly when it came to demonic possession of homes and children. The fascination with the occult determined this period of horror films and created, according to some critics, the best period of horror ever. Two incredible films that arguably defined horror for the rest of time came out of this period: The Exorcist (1973) and The Omen (1976).

These films incited a rediscovered obsession with supernatural horror that complimented the rise of author Stephen King and led to many slasher films that continue to redefine the genre. The film adaptations of Carrie (1976) and The Shining (1980) made way for films like Poltergeist (1982), The Thing (1982), the Halloween franchise (1978- present), The Blair Witch Project (1999), and even the genre parody Scream (1996).

However, as new technology develops and monsters, ghosts, and gore get more realistic on-screen, the current state of horror is widely contested amongst film critics. Although remakes and reboots are the new normal (how many Halloweens can they actually produce?), the 2000s have seen some fantastic new films that may create a new type of horror genre as we know it. Films like The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Us (2019) have given a new meaning to the genre and set the bar high for what’s next to come because of their more modern plotlines that reflect every-day life and society in more subtle ways, creating a bigger commentary on the intersection between horror and reality.

Life has changed drastically for people all over the world due to the pandemic and we are faced with new horrors every day. When film production can once again safely resume, who’s to say a new era of horror won’t begin that’s even more terrifying than the last?

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

by Emily Walsh

What is Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

Do you remember the words: “In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue”? Mythology about Columbus and the “discovery” of the Americas continues to be many American children’s first lesson about encountering different Indigenous cultures. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October. This year Indigenous Peoples’ Day is today, October 12th.

The holiday originated in 1977 as a counter-celebration of Columbus Day, which honors Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes that Native American people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America. Ultimately, the holiday urges Americans to rethink history by learning about Indigenous cultures in the United States.

In 1977 participants at the United Nations International Conference on Discrimination against Indigenous Populations in the Americas suggested that Indigenous Peoples’ Day replace Columbus Day. Today more than 10 states across the United States recognize the holiday.

How Can You Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

Teaching more accurate and complete narratives and differing perspectives is key to our society’s rethinking of history and is important in celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Watching films with Indigenous actors, directors, and plots that highlight Indigenous issues is another great way to celebrate the holiday. The AU Library’s Indigenous Peoples of America streaming guide is a great resource and a great place to start looking.

What to Watch on Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, consider learning more about Native American cultures through movies at the AU Library. These lists of documentaries and feature films created by Indigenous and non-Indigenous filmmakers that discuss Indigenous issues are a great resource and excellent place to start. If you’re interested in learning more about Indigenous experiences outside of the United States, the National Film Board of Canada has a collection of over 200 films created by Indigenous filmmakers that can be accessed for free online.

Feature Films and Documentaries Made by Indigenous Filmmakers Available via the AU Library

Reel Injun, Directed by Neil Diamond (Cree)

Documentary, DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“Hollywood has an impressive track record, one that spans more than 4,000 films, of blatantly misrepresenting Native people and their cultures. Featuring interviews with filmmakers and activists such as Clint Eastwood, Jim Jarmusch and Russell Means, Reel Injun delves into the fascinating history of the Hollywood Indian with razor-sharp insight and humor, tracing its checkered cinematic evolution from the silent film era to today.”

This May Be the Last Time, Directed by Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Creek)

Documentary, streaming via the Library website

“This May Be the Last Time traces the heartfelt journey of award-winning filmmaker Sterlin Harjo as he interweaves the tale of a mysterious death in 1962 with the rich history of the powerful hymns that have united Native American communities in times of worship, joy, tragedy, and hope. Investigating the stories of these songs, this illuminating film takes us on an epic tour as we travel with the power of the music through Southwest America, slavery in the deep South, and as far away as the Scottish Highlands.”

Drunktown’s Finest, Directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo)

Feature Film, DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“On a beautifully desolate Navajo reservation in New Mexico, three young people, a college-bound, devout Christian woman; a rebellious and angry father-to-be; and a promiscuous but gorgeous transsexual woman, search for love and acceptance. As the three find their lives becoming more complicated and their troubles growing, their paths begin to intersect.”

On the Ice, Directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean (Iñupiaq)

Short Film, DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“In Barrow, Alaska, teenagers Qalli and Aivaaq find their bond tested when a seal-hunting trip goes wrong, resulting in the death of their friend.”

Miss Navajo, Directed by Billy Luther (Navajo/Hopi/Laguna Pueblo)

Documentary, DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“Reveals the inner beauty of the young women who compete in the Miss Navajo Nation beauty pageant. Not only must contestants exhibit poise and grace as those in typical pageants, they must also answer tough questions in Navajo and demonstrate proficiency in skills essential to daily tribal life: fry-bread making, rug weaving and sheep butchering. The film follows the path of 21-year-old Crystal Frazier, a not-so-fluent Navajo speaker and self-professed introvert, as she undertakes the challenges of the pageant.”

Kanehsatake: 270 years of resistance, Directed by Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)

Documentary, streaming via the Library website

“On a hot July day in 1990, an historic confrontation propelled Native issues in Kanehsatake and the village of Oka, Québec, into the international spotlight and into the Canadian conscience. A powerful feature-documentary emerges that takes you right into the action of an age-old aboriginal struggle. The result is a portrait of the people behind the barricades, providing insight into the Mohawks’ unyielding determination to protect their land.”

Smoke Signals, Written by author Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d’Alene)

Feature Film, DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“Story of the journey of two Coeur d’Alene Indian boys from Idaho to Arizona. Victor is the stoic, handsome son of an alcoholic father who has abandoned his family. Thomas is a gregarious, goofy young man orphaned as an infant by a fire which Victor’s father accidentally started while drunk. Thomas is a storyteller who makes every effort to connect with the people around him; Victor, in contrast, uses his quiet demeanor to gain strength and confidence. When Victor’s estranged father dies in Arizona the two young men embark on a journey to recover his ashes.”

Feature Films and Documentaries About Indigenous Life, History, and Issues Streaming via the AU Library

Amá, Directed by Lorna Tucker

Documentary, streaming via the Library website

“Amá is a feature length documentary which tells an important and untold story: the abuses committed against Native American women by the United States Government during the 1960’s and 70’s: removed from their families and sent to boarding schools, forced relocation away from their traditional lands and involuntary sterilization.”

Spirits for Sale, Directed by Folke Johansson

Documentary, streaming via the Library website

“When Annika is given an eagle feather by a Native American visiting Sweden, she realizes it is a sacred object which should probably not be in her hands. These days Native American ceremonies are being commercialized for “outsiders,” arousing resentment in the Native community. Annika sets out to find the feather’s rightful owner, a quest which takes her to American Indian communities in Albuquerque, San Antonio and to Bear Butte in South Dakota. She meets many Native Americans who are bitter, believing they are “the forgotten people.” But others are fighting to preserve their culture and their faith as well as to protect their land.”

The First People: The Last Word, Produced by Torsten Jansen and Hanne Ruzou for the Danish Broadcasting Service

Documentary, streaming via the Library website

“For the first time since their land was taken, many Native American tribes have the opportunity to take over the rights to the land they live on and create a cultural consciousness. The filmmakers travel around the United States, talking to an Indian attorney, a movie director, an artist, a nurse, and others. The question remains – will Native Americans be able to maintain their unique culture now that they are participating in the American dream?”

Roma, Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Feature Film, streaming via Netflix and DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“With his eighth and most personal film, Alfonso Cuarón recreated the early 1970s Mexico City of his childhood, narrating a tumultuous period in the life of a middle-class family through the experiences of Cleo, the indigenous domestic worker who keeps the household running. Charged with the care of four small children abandoned by their father, Cleo tends to the family even as her own life is shaken by personal and political upheavals.”

Standing on Sacred Ground, Directed by Christopher McLeod

Documentary, streaming via the Library website

“Native Hawaiians and Aboriginal Australians resist threats to their sacred places in a growing international movement to defend human rights and protect the environment. In Australia’s Northern Territory, Aboriginal clans maintain Indigenous Protected Areas and resist the destructive effects of a mining boom. In Hawaii, Indigenous ecological and spiritual practices are used to restore the sacred island of Kahoolawe after 50 years of military use as a bombing range.”

Honorable Mention:

 También la Lluvia (Even in the Rain), Directed by Icíar Bollaín Pérez-Mínguez

Feature Film, DVD available at the Library through curbside pickup

“In the year of our Lord 2000, Spanish director Sebastián and his executive producer Costa are shooting a motion picture about Christopher Columbus, his first explorations, and the way the Spaniards treated the Indians. To get the film made within the limitations of their modest budget, Costa has chosen the Cochabamba area of Bolivia, the cheapest and most Indian of Latin American countries as the location. They hire many supernumeraries, local actors, and extras, and things go more or less smoothly until a conflict erupts over the privatization of the water supply, sold to a multinational. The trouble is that one of the local actors is a leading activist in the protest movement. 500 years after Columbus, a David vs. Goliath conflict erupts into the infamous Bolivian Water War, catching the filmmakers firmly in the middle.”

In Spanish or Gallego (Galician) with optional subtitles in English

Why We Buy DVDs

Yes, I know it’s 2020, but when I’m looking to buy a movie, I opt to buy the DVD, even if it’s slightly more expensive than a digital copy. This is primarily because I’m paranoid — my computer may crash, the file type may be phased out, a company’s server may crash, the company may … Continue reading “Why We Buy DVDs”

Yes, I know it’s 2020, but when I’m looking to buy a movie, I opt to buy the DVD, even if it’s slightly more expensive than a digital copy. This is primarily because I’m paranoid — my computer may crash, the file type may be phased out, a company’s server may crash, the company may revoke my purchase at an undetermined future point, or the company/platform I bought the video through may shut down, leaving me no way to access my purchases. With DVDs, they can’t disappear unless I lend them out to a careless friend, or lose them myself.

I, like many millennials (and honestly most of the entertainment-consuming public) love a good rewatch. I buy DVDs because I want to watch my favorite movies and TV shows again and again, without following the shows to various streaming services. If I want to watch Ten and Donna meet Agatha Christie, I just have to pull my Doctor Who box set off the shelf, not pay for the HBO Max streaming service. Maybe I’m feeling like crap and just want to binge the BBC’s 2009 Emma starring Romola Garai (it’s the best adaptation, fight me). I have it on DVD, so I don’t need to buy a Hulu subscription.

Certain people in my life used to roll their eyes at my DVD collection, but I’m happy to report that society seems to be coming round to my point of view, just look at this op-ed in the New York Times.

Veronica Walsingham makes the argument that DVD box sets are the most economic option for nostalgia viewing, and we here at Media Services agree. In fact, you can rent everything from Friends to Grey’s Anatomy to Spongebob from us… so why not give DVDs a try?

So Many New DVDs!

Days of Wine and Roses (DVD 16738) Fort Apache, the Bronx (DVD 16739) Back to School (DVD 16740) California Typewriter (DVD 16742) Echo in the Canyon (DVD 16743) Charlie Says (DVD 16746) Deadwood:The Movie (DVD 16747) Rocketman (DVD 16748) Ad Astra (DVD 16749) Judy (DVD 16750) Joker (DVD 16751) Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood … Continue reading “So Many New DVDs!”

Days of Wine and Roses (DVD 16738)

Fort Apache, the Bronx (DVD 16739)

Back to School (DVD 16740)

California Typewriter (DVD 16742)

Echo in the Canyon (DVD 16743)

Charlie Says (DVD 16746)

Deadwood:The Movie (DVD 16747)

Rocketman (DVD 16748)

Ad Astra (DVD 16749)

Judy (DVD 16750)

Joker (DVD 16751)

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (DVD 16752)

Booksmart (DVD 16753)

The Lion King (DVD 16754)

Ant-Man and the Wasp (DVD 16755)

Avengers: Endgame (DVD 16756)

Toy Story 4 (DVD 16757)

New Acquisitions!

Here’s a whole bunch of new DVDs to watch. Broad City Season 4 (DVD 13005) The Devil We Know (DVD 16734) Fail State (DVD 16735) A Private War (DVD 16736) Birds of Passage (DVD 16737)

Here’s a whole bunch of new DVDs to watch.

Broad City Season 4 (DVD 13005)

The Devil We Know (DVD 16734)

Fail State (DVD 16735)

A Private War (DVD 16736)

Birds of Passage (DVD 16737)