The elongated nights and dropping mercury levels of Autumn create a conducive atmosphere for curling up with a good book. With pumpkin displays in grocery stores and roadside farms, people are preparing for Halloween, and what better way to get into the holiday mood than to read of the terrifying, mystical and macabre. Horror titles can be easily browsed in the library since they are shelved as their own genre.

Rather watch your horror than read it? Then check out our collection of horror movies. These titles are popular so it's best to act fast, before the ghoulish masses sink their claws into them. For a ranked list of scary movies, look at this list from the Internet Movie Database. Unfortunately my favorite thriller, Vampyr (seen on the right), did not make the list.

Posted by Martin at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So, all we Harry Potter fans were so excited for November to roll around. I mean, if the cold weather is going to blow in, a good movie might as well come in with it. But then the movie studio goes and drops the bombshell announcement that it's postponing the release date until JULY! AND it's not even because it's still in production. No, they're in post production. The reason is so it can be released for the "big summer movie season." Do they not realize holiday releases and movie seasons are pretty large, too? I suppose the "good news" for some fans is that the Twilight movie, based on the book of the same name, is being released in December (and rumors have it being released on the original HP date). But, really, I'm not sure if they compare. (Link)

Posted by Mary at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My favorite living director, Wes Anderson, just released (well, limited released) his newest film, The Darjeeling Limited, which follows three American brothers trying to reconnect while traveling across India. Known for recasting actors for most of his characters (Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston among others), Anderson's style of fractured characters in awkward circumstance amid whimsical songs and soothing cinematography has developed a healthy following. Try checking out some of his earlier works at the library like Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

In addition to his film directing, the soundtracks of Anderson's films should not go unnoticed. The most memorable album for me has been Seu Jorge's The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions. In it Jorge, who also has a minor role in the movie, covers various David Bowie classics with an acoustic guitar and Portuguese lyrics.

As for my favorite director? That would be Stanley Kubrick, in case you were wondering.

Posted by Matt at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My favorite movie of 2006, Pan's Labyrinth, is out on DVD! This film is a grown up fairy tale of sorts. Along with the escapism of the more fantastical portions of the movie is the very grounding terror of violence and oppression. Set in fascist Spain in 1944, this is the story of a young girl, Ofelia. Ofelia's father is dead, and she and her unwell pregnant mother are sent to live with her sadistic stepfather, a captain of the Spanish Army.

One night, Ofelia meets a faun in the center of the labyrinth near her new home. The faun spins her a extraordinary tale. He tells her that she is actually a princess and that her true father, a king, is awaiting her return. The catch is that she has to accomplish three tasks to prove that she is, indeed, the princess. If she fails, she is destined to be a mere mortal.

I'm not going to pretend that this film isn't violent. It is. For me, the horror is worth it. The film took me on a journey I was helpless to resist. The cinematography is amazing, and the sounds are great. From the creaking of the Faun's walk, to the fluttering of the fairies, my ears were delighted. If you have the opportunity to watch this with surround sound, take it.

Oh, and for you art history nerds out there, my friend pointed out the similarity between Goya's gory painting, Saturn Devouring his Son, and the very terrifying scene with the Pale Man. Also, be sure to check out some of Guillermo Del Toro's other films, including the excellent The Devil's Backbone.

Posted by Marianne at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Every year when the Academy Award nominees are announced patron requests for the movies skyrocket. The waiting list for a single title can be as high as 200 names. If your name is on a waiting list or you simply don't want to wait, there's an alternative way to be entertained with good films -- Sundance film shorts.

The Sundance Film Festival takes place each year in Park City, Utah and is popular for its quality independent films. This year there were 4,000 film submissions but the venue only hosted 71 films -- 44 of which can be watched free online (not sure how long this is gonna last). Three well-received titles were:
Cubs, a story about teen gangs in London
Death to the Tinman, an adaption based on the Tinman from the Wizard of Oz
Der Ostwind, about a German WW1 flying ace.

And if that's not enough to keep you busy, here's a link to previous Oscar winning films and books on the subject:
Academy Award winners
Oscar books
Oscar night : 75 years of Hollywood parties from the editors of Vanity Fair
The Complete Book of Oscar Fashion: variety's: 75 years of glamour on the red carpet

Posted by Angela at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

During the blizzard this past weekend, I drank hot chocolate with marshmallows and staged a mini movie festival. I rewatched Zhang Yimou's Hero and loved the breathtaking visuals even more the second time around. A twisty narrative, each plot twist lit with a different luminous color scheme, assassins, calligraphy and swordplay, doomed lovers...who could ask for anything more? I favor Hero over the more critically-acclaimed House of Flying Daggers, but if you like Zhang's style, check out both, along with his new movie, The Curse of the Golden Flower, although I am sorry to say it has already disappeared from our local cinemas.

I also enjoyed Michael Winterbottom's mockumentary Tristram Shandy: a Cock and Bull story, a hilarious look at the perils of adapting an 'unfilmable' British classic to the screen. The film within a film concept cleverly pits the tidiness of movie-making against the chaotic real lives of the filmmakers and actors. Plus, how could you not love a movie that includes trapping the leading man upside down in a very cramped plastic womb and then making fun of him? Steve Coogan, Jeremy Northam and Rob Brydon star, and Gillian Anderson makes a brief but interesting appearance.

Posted by Amy at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)