DVD Bits - BBC Roaring Twenties

Mon, 07/30/2007 - 4:59pm by ryanikoglu

House Of Elliott is a BBC series set in the "Roaring Twenties" among fashion design houses in London. If you enjoyed Upstairs Downstairs give this series a try.

DVD Bits - Hamish Macbeth

Mon, 07/30/2007 - 4:07pm by ryanikoglu

From BBC Scotland, Police constable Hamish Macbeth keeps the peace in the small Scottish town of Lochdubh in his own unique way. Robert Carlyle (also in Trainspotting, Full Monty, Angela's Ashes) plays Hamish Macbeth. If you like BBC Ireland's Ballykissangel, you'll like this ... or vice versa.

Mostly Martha or No Reservations?

Wed, 07/25/2007 - 12:57pm by anonymous

Ever see the German film Mostly Martha? In the movie, Martha is a skilled, yet neurotic, chef. She has a therapist, but spends her sessions cooking for him and talking about food. Tragedy strikes when Martha’s sister dies in an accident, and she takes custody of her niece. Mario, an Italian chef, arrives to add more drama to Martha’s life. Sound vaguely familiar? No Reservations, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, has the same plot because it is based on Mostly Martha. It premieres in theaters this Friday.

Hairspray is in again

Mon, 07/23/2007 - 10:49am by manz

A new film version of Hairspray, which is also an award winning Broadway musical, was released last week in theaters. Before heading out to see it why not check out the original film version by John Waters. The original cast, featuring Sonny Bono, Divine, Debbie Harry, and Ricki Lake, is sure to please. Watch Tracy Turnblad as she takes the Baltimore dance scene by storm with her hip moves and her wild hair-do. Don’t feel like watching a movie? The Broadway cast sound recording will get your feet tapping as well.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Sun, 07/22/2007 - 1:25pm by joy k

Shinji didn't know what to expect when his aloof father summoned him to Neo Tokyo-3 after several years of estrangement. Becoming the pilot of a giant robot named EVA01 and protecting the world from mysterious invaders, however, was probably not high on his list. Find out the rest of Shinji’s story in the classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion (volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). For some it’s the mecha anime to end all mecha anime; others can’t get over the unexpected ending. If you’ve seen it, what did you think?

"...while Rome burned."

Wed, 07/18/2007 - 11:55am by Maxine

Today, July 18, is believed to be the anniversary of the burning of Rome in 64 A.D. while the emperor Nero supposedly played his fiddle. It turns out that Nero wasn't even in Rome at the time but rushed back when he heard about the fire. The rumors about his fiddle playing probably came from the Roman military who disapproved of Nero's artistic tendencies. He became emperor at the age of 16 and was the youngest ruler in the history of Rome but not the most benevolent. He blamed the fire on the Christians who were then tortured. The adopted son of Claudius, Nero only came to power because of the murder of his brother, Britannicus. For a brilliantly acted portrayal of Claudius' reign, check out the dvd series, I, Claudius.

Movie News

Sun, 07/15/2007 - 4:50pm by anonymous

Life is good for Sarah Jessica Parker. In June, she created and released an affordable clothing line named Bitten for retailer Steve and Barry’s. In July, it was announced that the popular television show Sex and the City would return as a film in theaters. The series follows the life of Parker’s character, columnist Carrie Bradshaw, and her three friends, played by Kim Catttrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon. There is no confirmation yet that Chris Noth will reprise his role as Mr. Big.

Why did the chicken REALLY cross the road?

Thu, 07/12/2007 - 8:30pm by Maxine

You may not find out if you go to Wayne Chicken Days in Wayne, Nebraska today and Saturday but you'll have your chance to pay tribute to "chickenkind." Events include a parade, a national clucking contest, a hard boiled egg eating contest, music and much more. If you can't make it to Wayne, you can at least honor our feathered friends by reading about chickens or watching the most famous avian liberation film of all time, Chicken Run or the anxiety provoking Chicken Little listed under our subject heading of "chickens-drama."

Criticism of the 5th Harry Potter Movie (Order of the Phoenix)

Mon, 07/09/2007 - 4:53pm by emilyas

The fifth installment of the Harry Potter movie series comes to theaters this week, and is facing harsh criticism from critics. The Associated Press gives it only two and a half stars out of four, while NPR describes it as just another episode that is building towards the final film. The New York Times is slightly kinder with their review. I, for one, still plan on checking it out, no matter what the reviewers say!

While you are waiting for the release of the final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, check out these Harry Potter events at the library!

AADL Now Offers Downloadable Video

Mon, 07/09/2007 - 12:10pm by Van

The Ann Arbor District Library now has downloadable videos. This new offering of eVideo is provided through the Michigan Library Consortium in conjunction with OverDrive. The Michigan Library Consortium also offers eBooks and eAudio to the library.

Five hundred titles are available. You can browse fifteen categories under the Video tab: Action & Adventure; Children’s Video; Classic Films; Comedy; Documentary; Drama; Foreign Films; IMAX; Music; Mystery & Suspense; Science Fiction & Fantasy; Sports & Recreations; Television; and Western. You can also search by title, keyword, or subject.

The eVideos may be checked out for 7 days.

The link to eVideos can be found on the library’s catalog through the left sidebar: eBooks/eAudio/eVideo.

Please read the Help – Basics – OverDrive Video for details on using this new service.