The average media consumer is probably familiar with two aspect ratios, 4:3 and 16:9. Those are the dimensions commonly associated with standard-definition and high-definition TVs, respectively. Most media we consume has been formatted into one of these ratios for the sake of home viewing, but as you’d know if you’ve ever had to watch a […]
Continue readingNew Acquisitions – October 2013
Been a while, hasn’t it? Since the start of the semester, we’ve had a slew of new DVDs show up in in the library. You might be most interested in big names like The Great Gatsby and the second season of HBO’s Girls, but the past few months of acquisitions cast a very wide and […]
Continue readingMilitary fiction writer Tom Clancy dies at 66
Tom Clancy, famed espionage author, died unexpectedly this morning. Clancy’s brand of Cold War-inspired military dramas redefined the thriller genre; his influence is felt everywhere from bookstores to the popular video game franchises that bear his name. Clancy is perhaps best known for the film adaptations of his Jack Ryan series, including The Hunt for […]
Continue readingBuy, buy, buy! All Criterion DVDs half-off for the next day
We don’t like to run blatant promotional material, but this is a special circumstance. The Criterion Collection, widely regarded as the gold standard for home media releases, is holding a one-day sale on their entire collection. Every Criterion DVD and Blu-ray is 50% off until noon tomorrow. This includes their collection sets and the Eclipse […]
Continue readingCNBC catches up with The Queen of Versailles subjects
The Queen of Versailles (HU DVD 4553) is one of the more popular and unusual documentaries in our collection. It chronicles the lifestyle of Florida billionaires Jackie and David Siegel as they attempt to build an impossibly massive mansion during the height of the recent economic downturn. As the film explains, a variety of economic […]
Continue readingCatch new short films around DC all week
DC has become an epicenter of independent films, attracting filmmakers from around the country to take advantage of the city’s social activism and global culture. One of DC’s hallmark film events, the DC Shorts Film Festival, kicked off last Thursday and continues through this week. The DC Shorts Festival includes screenings of 153 films from […]
Continue readingSee famed director Arturo Ripstein on campus TODAY!
American University is proud and excited to host famed Spanish film director Arturo Ripstein on campus today at 5:30pm in the Letts Formal Lounge. Ripstein has been active in the Spanish film industry for years, starting as an assistant to director Luis Buñuel and eventually directing his own feature films in 1965. If you’ve taken […]
Continue readingThese Banned Books Week film screens are [REDACTED]
Banned Books Week, the annual tongue-in-cheek celebration of censorship in libraries, starts on Sunday, September 22nd. Libraries have a long history of fighting critics and officials about the inclusion of books with controversial, especially ones aimed towards children. This is a chance to push back and shine a light on why these books were challenged […]
Continue readingGet pumped! Free passes for Don Jon and Captain Phillips
We’ve been getting busier and busier since the start of the semester, so we imagine it’s pretty hectic for students too. There’s no better time for a cooldown than this week, and what better way to take a break than by going to the movies? We have passes to see two new movies for free […]
Continue readingWe need your input! Shape the future of the library TOMORROW
Over the summer, the AU Library has been working with the Brightspot consulting group to formulate new ideas for using our library’s space. After months of brainstorming sessions with the library staff, the folks at Brightspot are ready to propose their ideas and seek opinions from AU Library community. Now is your chance to get […]
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