88th Academy Awards – February 28, 2016

Ah yes, it is award season for the film and television world once again. With less than two weeks until the big show, I thought it relevant to write a post about the notable Oscar nominations for 2016. Whether you make a big deal of the event with friends or simply want to participate in the water cooler chat at work, you may want to get watching!

Best Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
*The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Actor in a Leading Role
Bryan Cranston in Trumbo
Matt Damon in The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio in *The Revenant
Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl

Actress in a Leading Role
Cate Blanchett in Carol
Brie Larson in Room
Jennifer Lawrence in *Joy
Charlotte Rampling in *45 Years
Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn

Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale in The Big Short
Tom Hardy in *The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight
Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone in Creed

Actress in a Supporting Role
Jennifer Jason Leigh in *The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara in Carol
Rachel McAdams in Spotlight
Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet in Steve Jobs

Animated Feature Film
*Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There

Cinematography
Carol
*The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
*The Revenant
Sicario

Costume Design
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
*The Revenant

Directing
 The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
*The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Documentary Feature
Amy
*Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
*What Happened, Miss Simone?
*Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom

Foreign Language Film
*Embrace of the Serpent
*Mustang
*Son of Saul
*Theeb
*A War

Music – Original Score
Bridge of Spies
Carol
*The Hateful Eight
Sicario
*Star Wars: The Force Awakens

*Not yet available on DVD

For the complete list, see http://oscar.go.com/news/nominations/best-actor-nominations-2016-Oscars

Books About Movies: Develop Your Critical Senses

An article in the Book section of the Toronto Star recently caught my interest.   It was actually a list of books that were deemed Cocktail Party Fodder.  One of the titles mentioned was How To Watch A Movie by David Thomson. In case you are not aware, David Thomson is a well-respected movie critic. He has written about movies in The Guardian, The Independent, The New York Times, The New Republic, Salon, Movieline, Film Comment, and Sight & Sound. Not to mention the fact that he is the author of more than 30 books on film.

If David Thomson offers us tips on how to watch a movie, we should all take advantage of his advice.

How To Watch A Movie by David Thomson (2015):

From one of the most admired critics of our time, comes brilliant insights into the act of watching movies and an enlightening discussion about how to derive more from any film experience.

Since first publishing his landmark Biographical Dictionary of Film in 1975 (recently released in its sixth edition), David Thomson has been one of our most provocative authorities on all things cinema. Now he offers his most inventive exploration of the medium yet: guiding us through each element of the viewing experience, considering the significance of everything from what we see and hear on-screen—actors, shots, cuts, dialogue, music—to the specifics of how, where, and with whom we do the viewing.

With customary candor and wit, Thomson delivers keen analyses of a range of films from classics such as Psycho and Citizen Kane to contemporary fare such as 12 Years a Slave and All Is Lost, revealing how to more deeply appreciate both the artistry and (yes) manipulation of film, and how watching movies approaches something like watching life itself.

Discerning, funny, and utterly unique, How to Watch a Movie is a welcome twist on a classic proverb: Give a movie fan a film, she’ll be entertained for an hour or two; teach a movie fan to watch, his experience will be enriched forever. – Publisher Summary

Other new books about movies to capture your interest (and a couple of my older favourites):

Do The Movies Have A Future? by David Denby (2012)

In the second decade of the twenty-first century, the movies, once America’s primary popular art form, have become an endangered species. Do the Movies Have a Future? is a rousing and witty call to arms. In these sharp and engaging essays and reviews, New Yorker movie critic David Denby weighs in on “conglomerate aesthetics,” as embodied in the frenzied, weightless action spectacles that dominate the world’s attention, and “platform agnosticism,” the notion that movies can be watched on smaller and smaller screens: laptops, tablets, even phones. At the same time, Denby reaffirms that movies are our national theater, and in this exhilarating book he celebrates such central big movies as Avatar and The Social Network as well as small but resonant triumphs like There Will Be Blood and The Tree of Life.

Denby joyously celebrates what remains of the shared culture in romantic comedy, high school movies, and chick flicks; he assesses the expressive triumphs and failures of auteurs Quentin Tarantino, the Coen brothers, Pedro Almodóvar, and David Fincher. Refusing nostalgia, he mines the past for strength, examining the changing nature of stardom and the careers of Joan Crawford, Otto Preminger, and Victor Fleming, and the continuing self-invention of Clint Eastwood. And he recreates the excitement of reading two critics who embodied the film culture of their times, James Agee and Pauline Kael.

Wry, passionate, and incisive, Do the Movies Have a Future? is both a feast of good writing and a challenge to fight back. It is an essential guide for movie lovers looking for ammunition and hope. – Publisher’s Summary

The Film Club: A True Story of a Father and Son by David Gilmour (2007)

From the 2005 winner of the Governor-General’s Award for Fiction and the former national film critic for CBC television comes a delightful and absorbing book about the agonies and joys of home-schooling a beloved son. Written in the spare elegant style he is known for, The Film Club is the true story about David Gilmour’s decision to let his 15-year-old son drop out of high school on the condition that the boy agrees to watch three films a week with him. The book examines how those pivotal years changed both their lives.

From French New Wave, Kurosawa, and New German cinema, to De Palma, film noir, Cronenberg and Billy Wilder, among many others from world cinema, we read about key moments in each film, as the author teaches his son about life and the vagaries of growing up through the power of the movies. Replete with page-turning descriptions of scenes and actors and directors, the narrative is framed with the tender story of his son’s first bittersweet first loves.

This is a charming and poignant story about a very special time in a father and son’s relationship. David Gilmour is a novelist who has earned critical praise from literary figures as diverse as William Burroughs and Northrop Frye, and from publications as different as the New York Times to People magazine. The author of six novels, he also hosted the award-winning Gilmour on the Arts. He lives in Toronto with his wife Tina Gladstone. – Publisher’s Summary

Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World’s Greatest Movie Stars by Ian Haydn Smith (2015)

Movie Star Chronicles promises to satisfy the curiosity of moviegoers, cinephiles, and the Hollywood-hungry fans that fuel today’s entertainment news industry. For film students, it is a practical reference to the most important actors in cinematic history.

Entries illustrated with film and television stills and other archival material chart the careers of 330 actors from the era of silent film to today’s blockbusters. Expert text gives an entertaining overview and color-coded timelines provide an at-a-glance guide to the actor’s career, their roles, movie release dates, earnings and awards.

Covering Hollywood, Bollywood and world cinema, Movie Star Chronicles is truly international and comprehensive.  – Publisher’s Summary

Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life From An Addiction To Film by Patton Oswalt (2015)

New York Times bestselling author, comedian, and actor Patton Oswalt shares his entertaining memoir about coming of age as a performer and writer in the late ’90s while obsessively watching classic films at the legendary New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles.

Between 1995 and 1999, Patton Oswalt lived with an unshakeable addiction. It wasn’t drugs, alcohol, or sex. It was film. After moving to L.A., Oswalt became a huge film buff, absorbing classics and new releases at least three nights a week at the New Beverly Cinema. Silver screen celluloid became Patton’s life schoolbook, informing his notions of acting, writing, comedy, and relationships. Set in the nascent days of the alternative comedy scene, Oswalt’s memoir chronicles his journey from fledgling stand-up comedian to self-assured sitcom actor, with the colorful New Beverly collective supporting him all along the way.

Ideally timed for awards season, when everyone’s mind is on Hollywood, Silver Screen Fiend follows up on the terrific reception of Oswalt’s New York Times bestselling debut, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland. Already a beloved fixture on the comedy stage, on television, and in film—not to mention his 1.87 million Twitter followers—Oswalt announces, with this second book, that he’s also here to stay on the page. – Publisher’s Summary

 

 

Popular Christmas Flicks

The seasonal materials have been out from storage for quite a while now and are in high demand.  Guelph Public Library has many classics from Dickens to Dr. Seuss. There are musicals, comedies, animated and feature films, as well as television specials for your viewing pleasure.  Curl up by the fire with eggnog and popcorn, and watch a holiday movie!  Better yet – have a movie marathon…

The Library has recently put some popular Christmas flicks on 2-day loan to allow as many people to view these titles as possible during the season.

Some of these seasonal titles may also be available on Hoopla (one of Guelph Public Library’s eresources) if the DVD copy is not currently available.  Stream movies for free. Simply sign up using your email address and library card number. Enjoy 10 titles a month!

Borrow these movies from Guelph Public Library:

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965): Charlie Brown tries desperately to organize a Christmas Pageant and save a sickly Christmas tree. DVD CHA

 

 

The Christmas Card  (2007): In the midst of war in Afghanistan, Cody Cullen is touched by a lovely Christmas card sent to him by Faith Spelman. Faith lives in the small, picturesque town of Nevada City, California. As months pass, the card never leaves Cody’s side, giving him the strength to survive and setting him on a mission for find her. DVD CHR

 

A Christmas Carol (1951): Classic holiday tale in which the miserly Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, who show him the error of his ways. With Alistair Sim. DVD CHR

 

 

A Christmas Story (1983): A young boy must convince his parents that a toy rifle is the only Christmas gift that will make Christmas worthwhile. Not only do his parents face what many other parents do during that time of the year, but their actions fit in with the All-American Christmas. With Darren McGavin. DVD CHR

 

Christmas Lodge (2011):   During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary finds herself at the now-dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack, a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. DVD CHR

 

Christmas Miracle (2012): A group of strangers are forced to seek refuge in an abandoned church after a major snow storm hits. Over the course of the evening these strangers rely on one another to make do during these very difficult times. DVD CHR

 

Christmas Ornament (2014): Young widow Kathy attempts to ease her pain by avoiding Christmas traditions until she meets a dashing Christmas tree store owner who gives her an ornament that embodies the spirit of hope. Later, with the support of her best friend Jenna, Kathy summons the courage to live and love again. DVD CHR

 

Christmas Vacation (1989): While Clark is determined to have an old fashioned Christmas, disaster strikes when his crude cousin from Kansas arrives unannounced. With Chevy Chase. DVD CHR

 

 

Elf (2003): A young orphan child mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag and is transported back to the North Pole to be raised as an elf. Years later, Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York to find his true identity. With Will Farrell. DVD ELF

 

 

Frosty the Snowman (1969): Frosty the Snowman goes where he’s needed most, and the town of Evergreen sure needed a visit. Mr. Tinkerton, the mayor, runs a tight ship, and there’s no room for talk of magic or any other such nonsense. But, when Frosty the Snowman comes to town, he shows the town’s children that magic is real. DVD FRO

 

The Holiday (2007): Two women, one Los Angeles and the other in London, exchange homes during the Christmas holiday to forget the men in their lives, only to fall in love again.

 

 

Holiday Inn (1941): A song and dance man leaves showbiz to run an inn that is open only on holidays. A former partner joins him and the two find themselves competing for the affections of the same lovely lady. With Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. DVD HOL

 

 

Home Alone (1990): An eight-year-old boy is left home alone on Christmas, and has to defend his home against two bumbling burglars. With Macaulay Culkin.              DVD HOM

 

 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966): The grumpy, grouchy, Yule-hating Grinch plots to ruin the Whos of Whoville’s Christmas. Can he steal their holiday spirit by stealing their holiday treats? Perhaps Christmas means a little bit more than just presents and candy. With Boris Karloff. DVD HOW

 

It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002): ‘Tis the night before Christmas and the Muppet Theater is in danger of being torn down. With heavenly help and hilarious send-ups of just about every holiday movie ever made, Kermit and the Muppets discover what matters most is their love for each other. With David Arquette, Joan Cusack, William H. Macy and Whoopi Goldberg. DVD IT

 

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946): A man is saved from a suicide attempt by an angel and is then shown how important he is to the people who love him. With Jimmy Stewart. DVD ITS

 

Miracle on 34^th Street (1947): The real Santa is hired by Macy’s to play the department store’s Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade, but has to prove in court that he is who he says he is. With Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood. DVD MIR

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992): The story of a malevolent miser who discovers there is more to life than what can be tallied in a ledger book. DVD MUP

 

The Polar Express (2004): When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. With Tom Hanks. DVD POL

 

Prancer (1989): Little Jessica finds an injured reindeer in the forest; she is convinced this reindeer is Santa’s Prancer and she plans to nurse it back to health. Her father has other plans. DVD PRA

 

 

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer (1964): Christmas will be cancelled unless Santa can find a way to guide his sleigh through a blizzard. With Burl Ives. DVD RUD

 

 

The Santa Clause (2002): After Santa has a fatal accident, Scott Calvin dons Santa’s suit and assumes his role and identity (including beard and stomach), not realizing there is no loophole in the Santa Clause. With Tim Allan. DVD SAN

 

 

Scrooged (1988): A modern, comedic telling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. With Bill Murray. DVD SCR

 

 

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare before Christmas (1993): Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, tries to bring the magic of Christmas to Halloween Town and kidnaps Santa. With Catherine O’Hara.  DVD NIG

 

White Christmas (1954): Two talented song-and-dance men team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. One winter, they join forces with a sister act and trek to Vermont for a white Christmas. They discover that the inn is run by their old army general who’s now in financial trouble. With Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. DVD WHI

 

And don’t forget all those sequels!

Happy Holidays from Guelph Public Library!

 

 

 

 

November Awareness Month Flicks

The month of November in Canada highlights for awareness: health and diseases, safety, crime, etc. The Library has some great documentary DVDs that support many of these health and social issues.

Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation:

First response C.A.R.E. CPR (2011): The program is the most current and expansive video resource of its kind, featuring the NEW American standards in basic lifesaving skills as set out in the latest Emergency Cardiac Care Guidelines, 2010. Viewers will learn techniques such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to deal with airway obstructions in choking situations. These important skills are described and demonstrated for the adult, child, and infant casualty, and much more. DVD FIR

Diabetes:

The greatest Canadian. Volume 3, Lester B. Pearson ; Frederick Banting (2004): Profiles two of the top ten finalists for the title of the Greatest Canadian. Frederick Banting: Banting was just a young doctor when a journal article about diabetes research sparked a moment of inspiration. DVD GRE

Fat head (2012): Tom Naughton is a health writer, comedian, and popular blogger. Through humor and logic, Tom reveals why much of what we’ve been taught about diet and nutrition is flat-out wrong. If you or someone you care about is suffering from obesity, diabetes, or heart disease, this film may quite literally save a life. Discover the history of the low-fat movement, what our Paleolithic ancestors ate, the science behind why we get fat, and how to regain your health. DVD FAT

Forks over knives (2011): This documentary “examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods.” DVD FOR

Cancer (Lung, Prostate, Stomach):

Holiday lectures on science. Learning from patients the science of medicine (2004): Medical researchers discuss how working with patients has influenced their efforts to understand and treat cancers and neurological disorders. DVD HOL 2003

Cancer, the emperor of all maladies (2015): Spurred by a personal tragedy, America’s foremost documentarian is tackling cancer. Ken Burns examines cancer with a cellular biologist’s precision, a historian’s perspective, and a biographer’s passion. The series artfully weaves three different films in one: a riveting historical documentary; an engrossing and intimate verite film; and a scientific and investigative report. DVD CAN

Nova scienceNOW. 2008. Episode 6 (2008): Profile: Judah Folkman: Once scorned for his ideas about how cancer grows, the late Judah Folkman is now hailed as a visionary. DVD NOV

Hypertension:

Holiday lectures on science. Of hearts and hypertension blazing genetic trails (2006): Consists of four lectures on the heart, including information on risk factors, advances in diagnostic methods, identifying “disease genes,” and genetic factors in hypertension. DVD HOL 1998

Community Safety and Crime Prevention:

Nova ScienceNOW. Can science stop crime? (2012): David Pogue gives the third degree to scientists pushing the limits of technology, not only to solve horrific murders, but to try to prevent crimes. Peer inside the criminal mind and discover cutting-edge forensic techniques that help investigators stop criminals in their tracks. DVD NOV

Also check out some great movies on Hoopla through the Guelph Public Library website. Stream movies for free. Simply sign up using your email address and library card number. Enjoy 10 titles a month!

Cancer (Lung, Prostate, Stomach):

The Good News about Cancer (2015): Health measures to lower the chances of getting cancer are offered at this health seminar by the Medical Director of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Kimberly Redding, MD. Steps include eliminating obesity, regular exercise and eating fresh fruits and vegetables, according to Dr. Redding. This is an important health protection video.

Diabetes:

Fun-To-Know – Diabetes – Facts, Nutrition & Cooking (2004): A solid introduction to Diabetes this Fun-To-Know guide offers helpful tips for how to best deal with the disease. By suggesting manageable changes to the diet and lifestyle nutritionist and host Kathy Tigue provide sufferers with ways to cope. Providing the program’s cooking demonstrations is Barbara Seelig Brown the author of “Stress Free Cooking”.

Hypertension:

Yoga For Health – For Hypertension (2005): YOGA is an ancient Indian form of balancing mind and body through breath control and a series of asanas. It aims to attain the unity of mind, body and spirit through asanas, breathing and meditation. Yoga-Hypertension: Yoga addresses the whole person, considering not only their physical needs, but emotional, mental, intellectual and spiritual needs as well. Through gentle movements, relaxation, breathing, lifestyle attitudes and meditation, Yoga asanas can help with the control of Hypertension.

Remembrance Day: A Visual Celebration

2015 marks the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II. Canadians and Guelphites have distinguished themselves in many wars and the Guelph Public Library has several films, both feature and documentary, that tell the story of our efforts.

The Guelph Angle:

Guelph Public Library recently added a separate link to our website’s Local History section entitled In Flanders Field. Learn more about John McCrae as poet, physician, soldier, and as a Guelphite.

Films about John McCrae, his poem and the participation of Guelphites in the World Wars are listed below:

In Flanders fields (2005) A retelling of the famous poem, In Flanders fields written by the Canadian soldier and poet, John McCrae, accompanied by animated scenes of the European battlefields illustrating the reason why, on November 11 every year, we remember those who lost their lives fighting to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.

John McCrae’s war In Flanders fields (2006) Chronicles McCrae’s life from his childhood in Guelph, Ontario, to the battlefields of Belgium. It tells the story of his famous poem and pays tribute to the Canadian soldiers who died for a few feet of Belgian soil.

Lest we forget Guelph and the liberation of the Netherlands (2010) This documentary paints a portrait of the Royal City during the Second World War and the brave men of Guelph who took part in the liberation of Holland, the start of a long bond of friendship between Canada and the Netherlands.

The Guelph Public Library has a great collection of documentaries about Canadian participation in both World Wars as well as previous conflicts such as the war of 1812.  There are even a few feature films specific to Canadian participation in the two World Wars.

World War I:

Documentaries:

Canada, a people’s history. [Episode 12], Ordeal by fire, 1915 to 1929 (2001) Canada’s heavy military role in World War I (60,000 dead in a population of 8 million) transforms its society, its politics and its place in the world. The horror, bravery and sacrifice of trench warfare is evoked in Canada’s great battles: Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Courcelette and Passchendaele. The domestic consequences of Canada‘s war effort are also wrenching – the conscription crisis of 1917 makes a low point in English-French relations. After the war ends, labour revolts in Winnipeg and across the country raise fears of a Bolshevik insurrection. The return to stability in the mid-1920s lasts only briefly as the crash of 1929 plunges the country into economic chaos.

Far from home : Canada and the Great War (1999) Sam’s army – The story of Sam Hughes, the bigoted, ignorant, self obsessed Minister of Militia, whose enthusiasm for war created Canada’s first Expeditionary Force. Battle of Vimy Ridge – A recreation of one of the greatest battles in Canadian military history. Last 100 days – The story of Canada’s outstanding military achievements in the last 100 days of World War 1.

For King and Empire (2001) With historian Norm Christie as our guide we explore the battlefields, cemeteries, and monuments of the First World War. In their own words, the men who fought tell their stories, and we discover how the naïve, amateur soldiers of 1914 became, by 1918, perhaps the most feared, efficient, and deadly Allied Corps on the Western Front the Canadian Corps. Baptism of fire: The Canadians at Ypres – 1915, tells how, fresh off the boat, Canada‘s amateur soldiers march straight to the most dangerous sector on the Western Front, the bulge in the Allied line around the Belgian city of Ypres, the bulge known as the Ypres Salient. Within days, the untried Canadians confront Germany’s new secret weapon and the first mass poisoned gas attack in history. Fought to a bloody finish, the battle of Ypres 1915 signals the beginning of total war. In Episode 2: Slaughter and sacrifice: The Canadians on the Somme – 1916 On July 1, 1916, on the first day of the battle of the Somme, 60,000 British soldiers fall. But the British continue their offensive. And, finally, the High Command orders in the Canadians. Supported by the first tanks ever used in battle, Canadian troops assault German fortifications at Courcelette and then at Regina trench. They slog to victory, and suffer 25,000 casualties on the battlefield known as the graveyard of armies.

The Great War (2007) A documentary-style mini-series that explores Canada‘s involvement in the First World War (1914-1918) through the stories of those who fought, and sacrificed their lives. A bonus documentary follows the adventures of 150 First World War descendants who spend two weeks living in a 1914 military camp, during the filming of THE GREAT WAR.

Feature Films:

Passchendaele (2009) Michael Dunne, a wounded soldier returns to Calgary to a military hospital where he falls in love with Sarah, a nurse who cares for him. When Sarah’s younger asthmatic brother signs up to fight in Europe, Michael feels compelled to return to the front lines to protect him. The two men are sent to fight in the third battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele.

World War II:

Documentaries: Canada at war. Vol. 3 (2005) This historic 13-part series represents one of NFB’s most ambitious documentary projects ever undertaken. Culled from over 16 million feet of film shot by Canadian, British, American, German and Russian cameramen, the series details Canada’s war effort in relation to the overall allied strategy.

Canadian Experience : The 13th mission (2004) The 13th Mission tells the wartime story of a Lancaster bomber, the women who built it, and the men who flew it. The women who built the bomber never met the men who flew it but their dedication, and the airplane itself, were what they had in common.

No price too high : Canadians and the Second World War (1995) Chronicles Canada’s role in the major events of the war, including The Battle of Britain, the invasion of Italy, and D-Day. Traces Canada’s role from the pre-war years to the development of the A- Bomb.

Storming Juno (2011) Discover the crucial role the Canadian military played in one of the most decisive battles of World War II as director Tim Wolochatiuk details the battle at Juno beach during the Allied invasion of Normandy. The date: June, 6th, 1944. The mission: Operation Overlord. Never before in history had a seaborne invasion of this magnitude been attempted. As 160,000 Allied soldiers made their way across the English Channel on a mission to penetrate “Fortress Europe,” Canadian forces targeted Juno Beach. Incredibly, they would push deeper into France than any other Allied force. Though victory came at a high price, the sacrifices made by those brave Canadian soldiers during that fateful mission played a crucial role in shifting the tide in favor of the Allies, and heralding the downfall of a ruthless tyrant.

The Valour and the horror (1992) Closely scrutinizes three military campaigns that involved thousands of Canadians–the defense of Hong Kong, the allied invasion of Normandy, and the massive aerial bombardment of Germany. In each film Canadian veterans return to their respective fields of battle, vividly relive their experiences and meet with the people they once fought against. Dramatic segments, based on true stories tell what occurred behind-the-scenes. The result is an insightful, emotional and sometimes shocking account of the terrible price Canadian soldiers and airmen paid in the march toward an allied victory. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

Feature Films:

Captains of the clouds (2007) A group of bush pilots from Northern Canada feel their patriotic spirit roused during Winston Churchill’s famous “Blood, sweat and tears” radio speech to pump up the British/Allied morale. They decide to enlist as pilots, only to find their age and attitude working against them. Brian McLean needs to do things his way leads to tragedy and in the end he must find some way to redeem himself.

The Devil‘s Brigade (1968) Misfit American GIs join efficient Canadian troops for commando tactics against the Nazis in Italy during World War II.

Canadian Military:

Truth, duty, valour the Canadian military at their best (2005) The Canadian Forces is a special national institution. In every, generation, Canadians have served with great distinction, in peace and in war, at home and around the world. Whether the mission is disaster relief or peace support, environmental protection or nation building, Canadian Forces personnel stand ready. Find out what it takes to be a member of Canada‘s largest team of professionals.

For other great films celebrating Canadians and their war efforts please see the Library’s e-resource Hoopla. Stream movies for free. Simply sign up using your email address and library card number. Enjoy 10 titles a month!

Scary Movies For The Whole Family At Guelph Public Library

Halloween is right around the corner and Guelph Public Library knows how to get you into the right frame of mind. Prior to Halloween we invite you to an awesome event at the Main Library called Hungry For A Scare. Enter if you dare the Teen Advisory Group’s Haunted Library! Bring a nonperishable food item to support the Guelph Food Bank. The event is run as a “lights on” event, suitable for all ages, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 from 1:30-2:30 pm.  From 2:30-3:30 on Oct.24, the lights are dimmed, and we invite kids 7-11 years old for a scarier version of the same haunted library.  Last year I personally visited the haunted library and was very impressed by the hard work and creativeness of the Teen Advisory Group.  I copied lots of great ideas to decorate my own home in haunted, bone-chilling style.

When the kids come home and all the Halloween candy has been examined, traded, and consumed, they will love to share a movie night with their friends and family.

Traditional, spooky horror films for adults, as well as comedies and films to entertain the children are available from the DVD collections at all branches of the library. Here are a few films that can add to the occasion.

For adults:

Halloween (1978)

Halloween II (2001)

Halloween H20 twenty years later (1998)

Hocus pocus (2002)

Tim Burton’s The nightmare before Christmas (1993)

Trick ‘r treat (2009)

Wrong turn 5: bloodlines (2012)

 

For Kids:

Curious George: A Halloween boo fest

Dear Dracula

Halloweentown high (2005)

The haunting hour don’t think about it (2007)

R.L. Stine’s Mostly ghostly. Have you met my ghoulfriend? (2014)

Spooky buddies (2011)

There are also a wide variety of Halloween films available on Hoopla.  Stream videos, television shows, audiobooks, eBooks, graphic novels, and music for free with GPL’s Hoopla Digital eResource.  Simply sign up using your email address and library card number. Enjoy 10 titles a month.

Happy Halloween!

Earth Day docs on Hoopla

Yesterday was Earth Day and what better way to mark this important event then to educate yourself on topics like sustainability, eco-friendly living, alternative energy, and others with an engaging documentary. Of course we have many options in DVD at all GPL locations, but Hoopla also has a great selection (and doesn’t require you leaving your couch!). Don’t have a Hoopla account yet? It’s easy! Just go to www.hoopladigital.com/register (make sure you have your library card number handy!).

 

 

 

 

It’s Saturday night!

And you know how I am reminded of that fact? Because the lower level of the Main Library is currently buzzing with people looking for a few great flicks (or TV series) to pass by the evening. And with the 2015 MTV Movie Awards taking place tomorrow night, why not catch up on some of the Movie of the Year winners you may have missed:

2014 – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

2013 – Marvel’s The Avengers

2012 – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1
2011 – The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
2010 – The Twilight Saga: New Moon
2009 – Twilight

2008 – Transformers

2007 – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

2006 – Wedding Crashers

2005 – Napoleon Dynamite

2004 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003 – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2002 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001 – Gladiator

2000 – The Matrix

1999 –  There’s Something About Mary

1998 – Titanic

1997 – Scream

1996 – Se7en

1995 – Pulp Fiction

1994 – Menace II Society

1993 – A Few Good Men

1992 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day

And here is the list of contenders for this year:
American Sniper
*Boyhood
The Fault in Our Stars
Gone Girl
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Selma
Whiplash

See any trends from past years that might give an indication as to what might win the crowning title this year?? What movie are you gunning for? We’d love to hear your favourites!

*Available on Hoopla

Catching up on Homeland and Justified

Hi everyone, this is my fifth post on new methods of accessing video content. In this post I’ll be covering two great television series that call out for catch-up viewing from the very beginning of the series. As I described in previous posts there are several methods for catch-up viewing. These include: video on demand through cable, satellite, or IPTV services; “over the top” (i.e., Internet-based) video on demand services; and the Guelph Public Library’s DVD collection and its streaming services.

As I scanned the sources for quality programming I found that one way to determine if a dramatic series was high quality was if it appeared originally on a premium cable TV network, or on a basic cable TV network that aspired to the level of the premium channels.

In the U.S., there are a handful of premium channels that produce topnotch original programming:

HBO (original programs include The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, True Blood, Rome, Six Feet Under, True Detective)
Cinemax (owned by HBO; original programs include Banshee and The Knick)
Showtime (original programs include Homeland, Ray Donovan, The Tudors, The Borgias)
Starz (original programs include Spartacus, The White Queen, Outlander, Da Vinci’s Demons)

There are also several cable TV channels that produce high quality dramas that are sometimes described as near-premium cable TV quality. Among the channels are FX (Justified, Fargo, The Americans, Sons of Anarchy), AMC (Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Turn: Washington’s Spies), Syfy (Battlestar Galactica, 12 Monkeys), and TNT (Major Crimes, Babylon 5, Southland). In Canada, there are similar channels that acquire programming from their U.S. namesake counterpart or other sources.

In Canada, there are basically two premium channels of note as I discovered: HBO Canada (bundled with The Movie Network, a subsidiary of Bell Media) and Super Channel (four channels that carry programs acquired from a variety of U.S. and British sources, with some original Canadian content). The video on demand component of Super Channel (through the cable set top box or over the Internet) generally offers only the current season of episodes and requires a subscription to Rogers or Bell.

HBO, in comparison, is going through some interesting transitions. For example, the video on demand component through the cable set-top box has recently starting showing all previous seasons of top HBO shows like Game of Thrones (instead of the usual catch-up offerings of only the most recent episodes). In addition, there is an excellent app and web site for HBO Canada and The Movie Network called TMNGO (www.tmngo.ca), although access to streaming shows still requires a subscription to the premium channel through Rogers or Bell.

But requiring a cable subscription to access the content over the Internet may be changing soon. In the U.S., HBO is releasing a pure “over the top” or Internet-only streaming video on demand service that requires only a standalone subscription to HBO (http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/hbo-to-launch-over-the-top-service-in-u-s-next-year-1201330592/).

As I mentioned in an earlier post it appears we have entered a golden age of high quality TV dramas, mostly as a result of the shorter, tightly written TV series of about 6 to 13 episodes per season that tell a compelling story comparable in structure and length to a novel.

I had heard of great series like Homeland (Showtime) and Justified (FX), and so I sought out means of catching up from the first season. The current seasons were on Super Channel, but I needed to start at the beginning. Seasons 1 and 2 of Homeland were on some streaming video on demand services like Rogers’ shomi and Netflix Canada. Season 4 was being shown on Super Channel, but to catch up on season 3 I checked out the DVD set from the Guelph Public Library.

There are cliffhanger moments with the frenetic style of 24 with Kiefer Sutherland, but Homeland is generally much more grounded and respectful of real world issues and international conflicts. Recognized with Emmy and Golden Globe awards for acting and writing, Homeland handles issues of the War on Terror and its affect on the domestic life both in the U.S. and several countries in the Middle East with great aplomb. Sometimes the show draws the viewer into powerful scenes of great introspection and searing internal conflict. The interrogation/deprogramming scenes part way through Season 2 I found to be some of the most powerful moments on television I’ve ever seen.

At the Guelph Public Library on DVD for catch-up:

Homeland Season 1
Homeland Season 2
Homeland Season 3

Justified is a show I had heard had great writing but I wasn’t sure about the “hillbilly noir” characterization, as it involved a cowboy hat-wearing, gunslinging federal marshal (Raylan Givens, played by Timothy Olyphant) stuck in a job in his home town in rural Kentucky where he contends with the local outlaws, the “Dixie Mafia,” and family feuds. It’s the law delivered with grit but also genteel charm. The creator and executive producer of Justified is Canadian Graham Yost (son of the TV personality Elwy Yost who I remember from Saturday Night at the Movies on TVOntario). There is something special here in the characters and dialogue in Justified. The series is based on a short story, “Fire in the Hole,” by Elmore Leonard, celebrated author of Westerns, crime fiction, and suspense thrillers. Elmore Leonard wrote many of the episodes. What drew me in as the storylines gradually become more complex and intertwined was dialogue so sharply written that it felt like cracks of a whip. The third season in particular was a blistering roller coaster of a story of changing fortunes and coping with the consequences of events that happened in the previous seasons.

Currently in its sixth and final season on Super Channel I caught the first three seasons on Rogers’ shomi as well as the free service, Crackle (http://www.crackle.com/). Seasons 4 and 5 are available in the Guelph Public Library’s DVD collection. Catching up on shows like Homeland and Justified means scouring the various services one may already have (Crackle was a great find and a nice complement to the Guelph Public Library’s free hoopla service), but also checking out the DVD collection at the library.

At the Guelph Public Library on DVD for catch-up:

Justified Season 1
Justified Season 2
Justified Season 3
Justified Season 4
Justified Season 5

Hoopla news and a Ken Burns roundup

Hi again, this my fourth post on new methods of accessing films and TV programs. In my last post I covered the three main transmission methods for TV — “over the air” (OTA), “over the top” (OTT), and “broadcast distribution undertakings” (BDUs) with multichannel services like Rogers’ cable TV and Bell’s satellite and FIBE TV.

Video on demand streaming over the Internet (the OTT, or “over the top” method) is a growth area, and the Guelph Public Library already has two offerings: Hoopla (https://www.hoopladigital.com/home) and CBC’s curio.ca (http://curio.ca/en/).

 Hoopla recently added new features, such as a faster signup process and a recommendation engine that is based on usage history. If you access Hoopla from multiple devices the service will now remember where you left off on your video or audiobook.

Broadcasters like the CBC, TVOntario, and PBS have web sites from which one can stream many great documentaries. CBC’s curio.ca is a great addition to those programs provided at the main CBC site or through the CBC streaming video app. TVOntario (http://tvo.org/video) has many great past documentaries online, but as I’ve discovered, these are licensed for a set period of time and will disappear from TVOntario’s web site.

With U.S. broadcasters like PBS, unfortunately one often encounters geographic distribution restrictions and messages like this:

A few years ago I discovered the great documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns. His efforts to make history (specifically, U.S. history) exciting and accessible are, I think, without parallel. His recent documentary series broadcast on PBS, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, The Address, and The Central Park Five, really opened my eyes. I then actively sought out earlier Ken Burns documentaries, and was equally enthralled with The War, Mark Twain, and Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.

  

  

So apart from catching reruns on PBS, what are the best methods of accessing Ken Burns documentaries in Canada?

Without a doubt, the Guelph Public Library is the best place. Recent Ken Burns documentaries are available on DVD, as well as several of his older ones. For those who subscribe to Netflix Canada, several Ken Burns documentaries are available, but I discovered GPL’s Hoopla and GPL DVDs covered all those in Netflix, plus many more.

For comparison’s sake, I set up a table showcasing the Ken Burns titles that are available through the various services…

Title	GPL DVD	GPL Hoopla	Netflix Canada
The Address	*
Baseball	*		*
The Brooklyn Bridge		*
The Central Park Five	*
The Congress		*
The Civil War	*	*	*
The Dust Bowl	*		*
Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio		*
Frank Lloyd Wright		*
Horatio’s Drive: America’s First Road Trip		*
Jazz	*	*	*
Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery		*
Mark Twain	*
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea	*		*
Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony		*
Prohibition	*	*	*
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History	*
The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God		*
The Statue of Liberty		*
Thomas Hart Benton		*
Thomas Jefferson		*
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson	*	*
The War	*	*	*
The West	*		*