New and Featured DVDs for 03/15/12:

Come and check out these and some of the other new DVDs and materials (or at least new to us) added to our library collection…

FICTION:

Sunset Boulevard

The Trip

2010, directed by Michael Winterbottom. A compilation film from a short British television series featuring comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing fictionalized versions of themselves, as friends and rivals, on a road trip to review restaurants in the north of England. But it’s about so much more than that. And it’s hilarious. Check out the trailer below:

And if that’s not enough for you, go to YouTube and check out the clip of Coogan and Brydon’s compete Michael Caine impressions.

Stop-Loss

The Last Starfighter

Vantage Point

To Sir, With Love

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1

and

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Splice

Where The Wild Things Are

Julius Caesar

1953, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

L’Avventura

Under The Mountain

The Town

The Hidden Fortress

1958, directed by Akira Kurosawa

The first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, was based on this film as a primary influence. But beyond that, this is another great film from Kurosawa, and another great release from the Criterion Collection.

Cousins

Synecdoche, New York

2008, directed by Charlie Kaufman. This is a personal favorite of mine, and partly because of that, I can’t say too much about it. It’s not a film for everyone, mostly because it’s a very difficult movie, with a lot of meanings on a lot of levels. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives the performance of his career as a playwright trying to capture the sadness and infinitely mundane aspects of every day life in a new work that seems to be growing more and more epic (that’s putting it lightly) with each passing moment. I know that’s a very vague plot description, and I apologize. I’ll just put it this way: This is one of the bleakest and most depressing movies I’ve ever seen in my life, but it’s also one of the best films I’ve ever seen, and one of the most uplifting. Check out Roger Ebert’s review and an interview with writer/director Charlie Kaufman.

NON-FICTION:

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson

How Art Made The World

F For Fake

1975, directed by Orson Welles. This is the last major film by Welles, and it’s partially a documentary, focusing on the life of art forger Elmyr de Hory, and partially an essay work, dealing with the ideas of authorship and authenticity, and the value of art. This is a truly enchanting work, and for proof of that, check out the film’s introduction:

Mysteries Of The Garden Of Eden

Secret Origin: The Story Of DC Comics

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Please note that DVDs could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured DVDs:

02/14/12.

02/07/12.

12/30/11.

Previous New/Featured books:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

New and Featured Books for Kids/Juvenile Readers for 02/28/2012:

Come and check out these and some of the other new books and materials (or at least new to us) for younger and juvenile readers added to our library collection…

EASY READING:

Max And Ruby’s First Greek Myth: Pandora’s Box by Rosemary Wells

Suppose You Meet A Dinosaur: A First Book Of Manners by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Tim Bowers

It’s probably always a good idea to be polite to a dinosaur when you meet them because, well, the consequences probably aren’t too pleasant. This is a nice book for younger readers about the necessity of manners. You can find reviews from The Busy Mom Cafe and the Youth Services Book Review.

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr. by Jean Marzollo and illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney

Freedom Song: The Story Of Henry “Box” Brown by Sally M. Walker and illustrated by Sean Qualls

Too Princessy! by Jean Reidy and illustrated by Geneviève Leloup

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

This is the fascinating story of William Kamkwamba, a Malawian author and inventor, who had to drop out of high school due to his family being unable to pay his tuition (a mere $80), and he began educating himself by checking out books from his village’s library. Then, in 2002, after checking out an American textbook on energy resources, he decided to build a windmill to help power the electrical devices in his home by using any spare parts or objects he could find. He then went on to build other things for his village, like a water pump to provide fresh drinking water, and solar power panels for neighboring homes. Since then he has been a recipient of the 2010 GO Ingenuity Award, which is designed to recognize inventors and artists who use innovation to help marginalized youth in developing nations. His story has appeared in many publications, including The Wall Street Journal, and he has become an internationally renowned speaker at many prestigious conferences, including TED Talks and the 2011 Google Science Fair. You can read an interview with illustrator Elizabeth Zunon on Kamkwamba’s blog.

FICTION:

After The Rain by Norma Fox Mazer

The Mermaid Summer by Mollie Hunter

Snowboard Duel by Jake Maddox

The Hero And The Crown by Robin McKinley

NON-FICTION:

Counting Coup: Becoming A Crow Chief On The Reservation And Beyond by Joseph Medicine Crow

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince And His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney.

Langston Hughes: American Poet by Alice Walker and illustrated by Catherine Deeter

Ocean Hide And Seek by Jennifer Evans and illustrated by Gary R. Phillips

A Nation’s Hope: The Story Of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story Of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Greg Couch

This is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the little known Philo Farnsworth, who created the television when he was only 13 years old. This is a great and inspiring book for younger readers who are perhaps in inventions themselves.

Jazz Age Josephine: Danger, Singer – Who’s That, Who? Why, That’s MISS Josephine Baker To You! by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

This is a very nice biography of the complicated and fascinating life of Josephine Baker, and doesn’t shy away from any aspects of her career, or even her decision to leave America. You can find some very nice reviews for the book at the School Library Journal and The Chicago Tribune.

Stand Up, Speak Out: A Book About Children’s Rights, written by and for the young people of the world

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Please note that books could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured books for Adults:

02/14/11.

02/02/12.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

12/23/11.

And for Young Adults:

02/21/12.

02/09/12.

01/31/12.

And for Kids/Juvenile Readers:

02/23/12.

02/16/12.

01/28/12.