Because of the inclement weather, American University is closed today. The library will operate at limited capacity, so there’ll still be room to study, but service desks will be either closed or minimally staffed. The exact hours of Media Services and the New Media Center for the day are TBA. This is perhaps the most […]
Continue readingNeed a study break? See Grudge Match tomorrow!
In spite our commitment to enabling academic success, we continue to offer ways for you to escape or to ignore the stress of finals season. This time, we have passes to see the upcoming Grudge Match, a comedy-sports movie that inevitably unites boxing movie legends Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro for one last round of […]
Continue readingDeep breaths! 8 videos to fight finals stress
So it has come to this: AU’s final exam period officially begins tomorrow. For those who don’t take summer classes, it’s been a good seven months since you’ve had to think about finals, but there’s no avoiding or delaying it anymore. We’ve seen plenty of signs of the finals crunch in the library, and although […]
Continue readingYikes: 75 percent of all silent films are lost
We love lost and orphaned films, like an early Orson Welles picture that was recently uncovered, but this isn’t something we should have to get excited about. Films are important cultural objects, and it’s a shame if they go missing or are destroyed. Unfortunately, the prospects for early film preservation appear grimmer than expected. A […]
Continue readingToday in “Is this the future of film?”: Is Making a Scene the future of film?
If we need more evidence that digital distribution is changing the way we make and consume films, look no further than Making a Scene. It’s unusual short film series released by, of all publications, The New York Times. Each film in the series, directed by Oscar-winner Janusz Kamiński, lasts less than a minute and features […]
Continue readingWelcome back! Who wants to see Saving Mr. Banks?
Now that all the turkey (or tempura, if that’s your style) has been digested, we’re entering the home stretch for the semester. Things have gotten noticeably busier in the library since everyone’s attention is understandably shifting towards exams and final projects. But let’s forget about that for just a second. You know what everyone could […]
Continue readingThe Maltese Falcon sells at auction; dreams made of $4 million
Dorothy’s red slippers. Rosebud. The One Ring. Wilson. Certain film props have become so iconic that they are beyond any sensible or estimable value. These objects have become part of our cultural history. How much worth can you assign to something as storied as the wood chipper from Fargo or Butch’s gold watch in Pulp […]
Continue readingThis Thanksgiving, avoid these insane television recipes
With Thanksgiving only a week away, we’re quickly approaching perhaps the single most gluttonous month of the year. We’ll take any opportunity to fill ourselves up with delicious food, but the stretch from now until to the end of the calendar year will be particularly hazardous for our health. We’re not explicitly going to recommend […]
Continue readingNew software quickly pieces together (ridiculous) movies
Given the immense volume of quickly-created content on the Internet – automatically generated music, 3D printed combs, etc. – it’s surprising that it took so long for someone to come up with a fast movie creator. Plotagon, currently in beta, is a new free service that allows users to assemble clips in a traditional screenplay […]
Continue readingWhat was the deal with Gettysburg? Watch this video for a refresher
Because of all the inevitable “fourscore” jokes today, you may be aware that November 19, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln’s address at the Gettysburg memorial at the height of the Civil War is among the most significant and quotable (and shortest) in American history. But despite its immense historical […]
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