Boy, has it been a busy month. We’re in the process of acquiring DVD copies of films only previously available as VHSes in our collection. While we probably won’t be buying Celebrity Deathmatch or Dance Workout with Barbie again, we’re hope you enjoy our expanding collection of old and forgotten gems. But we certaintly didn’t […]
Continue readingWhat a twist! M. Night Shyamalan is at Politics & Prose TONIGHT!
Drop your evening plans! Notable director M. Night Shyamalan will be visiting Politics & Prose tonight at 7pm! Though certainly a controversial and often derided figure in the film world, Shyamalan’s rise to fame is a fascinating tale; appropriately, he comes to Politics & Prose to discuss his experience in the education system and the […]
Continue readingIs it time to leave “cinematic” behind?
Film culture has created an aura around the term “cinematic.” A piece of media described as “cinematic” carries with it certain qualities – pace, staging, cinematography, and weight – that are typically seen as ideal or enviable. But as digital distribution democratizes film and television, should directors still chase the same feeling as the cinema? […]
Continue readingFilm Studies for Free explores fan culture, and so can you!
We love Film Studies for Free, a blog that curates links to openly accessible scholarly film resources. You might notice them in the blogroll on the right-hand side of this page (they’re a little below the Music Library… keep looking!) We wanted to highlight a particularly good recent posting from FSFF about researching fan culture. […]
Continue readingThe Farce is strong with this video: old blooper reel from Star Wars unearthed
It’s nearly customary at this point for movies to include gag reels, either as a bonus during the credits or as a special feature on the DVD release. Hilarious as they may be, outtakes from The Avengers are very much expected. That’s why it’s so unique that this new blooper montage from the original Star […]
Continue readingSee Dallas Buyers Club early on Tuesday
Matthew McConaughey shocking physical transformation for his portrayal of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof has made Dallas Buyers Club one of the most anticipated films of the year. Despite an early screen presence characterized by mediocre romantic comedies like Failure to Launch, McConaughey’s career has dramatically rebounded with the help of serious and popular films including […]
Continue readingKiller cars? Flying fish? Notable directors with unusual starts
The most recent batch of Academy Award contenders to come out – 12 Years a Slave, The Contender, Gravity, etc. – all come from renowned or at least established directors. Except for perhaps Neil Blomkamp and Benh Zeitlin, few directors can claim that their first films received Oscar nods. Where, then, did these acclaimed directors […]
Continue readingHow digital film changes the racial politics of cinematography
Many filmmakers have reacted negatively to the industry’s transition from physical film to digital recordings. For all its benefits – immediate playback, easier editing, color correction – some argue that digital filming loses some the warm qualities that make physical film prints enticing. They aren’t convinced of the benefits, so physical film still has a […]
Continue readingReminder: Closing early today at 9pm
Because of scheduled campus-wide power outages, the library will close at 9pm tonight. Please keep this in mind if you’re planning to watch movies in the library… or even watch movies on your own! Many of the residence halls will not have power for several hours.
Continue readingWin a FREE 1TB HARD DRIVE for coming to the New Media Center!
Midterms season is in full swing, and students are starting work on their big end-of-year projects. But where do you store your giant video project? If only you could get a new flash drive or hard drive for free… Good news: our friends at the New Media Center are giving them away! If you attend […]
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