President-elect Obama resources

Information abounds on our future president.  Take a look or listen:

Barack Obama [DVD ]

The audacity of hope: thoughts on reclaiming the American dream    [compact disc, abridged]  OR  print

Dreams from my father: a story of race and inheritance [compact disc, unabridged]  or print

Criticism includes Obama nation: leftist politics and the cult of personality, by Jerome R. Corsi  [compact disc, abridged] or print

His biography on Wikipedia is also handy at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

No pictures yet of the dog promised to his daughters.  Perhaps after Inauguration Day, January 20th, 2009.

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Don’t miss the feature documentary, RAPE OF EUROPA

“The Rape of Europa” uses interviews with eyewitnesses and historians and newsreel footage to show how heroic

Europeans, Russians, and Americans worked to save the art of Europe during WWII.

THE RAPE OF EUROPA is a feature documentary that takes the audience on an epic journey through seven countries and into a violent whirlwind of fanaticism, greed, and warfare that threatened to wipe out the artistic heritage of Europe. For twelve long years, the Nazis looted and destroyed art on a scale unprecedented in history. But heroic young art historians and curators from America and across Europe fought back, mounting a miraculous campaign that would rescue and return the millions of art works displaced by the war. Joan Allen narrates this chronicle about the battle over the very survival of centuries of western culture. [Written by Actual Films.]

Although this documentary recently was showing in Spokane theatres, it has just been recently on dvd and is available to be reserved.

Please don’t miss it just because it is shelved with other nonfiction DVDS, under the classification number of 364.162.

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Time to revisit Newman’s film odyssey

As we mourn and hear about Paul Newman’s extraordinary generosity and sense of ‘good luck’ with his acting, let’s watch a sampling of his classic performances:                                                                                                                                                                                            

The Color of money

The Sting

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Cool hand Luke

Hud

Empire Falls

Paul Newman’s obituary, Roger Ebert style

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Award-winning “Young at heart”

The documentary, Young at heart, is a DELIGHTFUL experience for all ages!  Reserve it today!  Beware: the synopsis below from IMDB [Internet Movie Data Base] includes spoiler information:

Over the last 25 years, there has existed a group of senior citizens living in Northampton, Massachusetts, who refuse to let age and ill health get them down. Young@Heart is a documentary based on the lives of the current singing group of 24 senior citizens, brought to the big screen by British filmmaker, Stephen Walker, who saw their performance in London. Young@Heart is not your ordinary singing chorus, because they sing rock, punk, disco, and the average age is 81 with the oldest being 92 year old Eileen Hall. The documentary follows the group over a six-week rigorous rehearsal schedule, plus practicing at home for an upcoming sold-out concert in their home town. The group has many songs in their repertoire, but Bob Cilman, the stern but sympathetic chorus director, has added several songs for the new concert. These are not easy for the group to learn such as “Yes We Can”, “Schizophrenia” and “I Got You or (I Feel Good)”. After several weeks of practice, the group is on their way to the local jail to give a performance, when they learn that one of their members passed away the night before. It is devastating for them, but they have learned that the show must go on. They all pull together and practice even harder to get ready for their evening performance. That night, their concert is a rousing success, and ends with a standing ovation. (Douglas Young, IMDB)

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Laugh along with Christopher Buckley

Supreme Courtship is the latest fiction release by the political and social satirist, Christopher Buckley. His books dwell on topics of our day, sparking controversy, groans and smiles.

In a recent CBS interview, Buckley admitted his father, William F. Buckley, did have a substantial influence on his view of the world.  He also admitted that he was stoned the first time he appeared on 60 Minutes.

For biographical information, see http://www.greatertalent.com/ChristopherBuckley.

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In a world gone blind, what if you were the only person who could see?

After seeing the trailer for this soon-to-be-released film, I immediately reserved the book by José Saramago. I couldn’t wait for the movie.
The Portuguese author published the book about a city ravaged by an epidemic of instant “white blindness”. Those first afflicted are quarantined… In 1998, Saramago received The Nobel Prize for Literature for this imaginative, and frightening, piece of fiction.
Our library has the book and audiobook available.

Reserve and experience now, before the film opens later this fall.

Director: Fernando Meirelles

The film, starring Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, will be released in the United States on 26 September 2008; view trailer .

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Shine a light!

The Martin Scorsese film, Shine a light, is available on DVD at Spokane Public Library. It is classified as a documentary and therefore is reservable now. The Rolling Stones soundtrack is also available.

From the Internet Movie DataBase: “Martin Scorsese and the Rolling Stones unite in “Shine A Light,” a look at The Rolling Stones.” Scorcese filmed the Stones over a two-day period at the intimate Beacon Theater in New York City in fall 2006. Cinematographers capture the raw energy of the legendary band.”

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Wynton and Willie

   Two men with the blues

Two men with the blues   An unlikely duo?

Country music legend Willie Nelson and jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis discover common ground and a mutual love of jazz standards and the blues on their album Two Men With The Blues. The artists discuss their first ever collaboration. Click here to listen to the NPR interview with both men and then reserve the CD recording here.

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Plague of doves

Louise Erdrich’s latest novel, The plague of doves, is performed by two readers, Kathleen McInerney and Peter Francis James. These narrators share stories of several families and generations in a corner of North Dakota near a Ojibwe Indian Reservation. The experience of listening to these distinct voices is quite unique from reading. Try Erdrich’s tale of a farm family murder in either format, the book or the audiobook. This author is a personal favorite of mine.

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American Film Institute’s Top 100 Movies

What was the #1 GREATEST AMERICAN MOVIE OF ALL TIME?

Among the top five movies, American Film Institute leaders selected CASABLANCA, THE GODFATHER, GONE WITH THE WIND AND LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Five Spielberg films make the top 100. James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall are among the most represented actors. Only films made in the first 100 years of American cinema (1896-1996) were considered for this list. Which film classic is missing, in your opinion?

http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx

On June 17th, The American Film Institute (AFI) announced the 100 greatest American movies of all time, as selected by a blue-ribbon panel of leaders from across the film community. A television program, aired on CBS, featured clips of each favorite.

The rest of the top ten, in order, are: CASABLANCA (#2), THE GODFATHER (#3), GONE WITH THE WIND (#4), LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (#5), THE WIZARD OF OZ (#6), THE GRADUATE (#7), ON THE WATERFRONT (#8), SCHINDLER’S LIST (#9) and SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (#10).

and their choice for #1 top American movie is???

The answer is. . . .

CITIZEN KANE, Orson Welles’ 1941 classic, which he directed, produced, wrote and starred in at the age of 25.

“This is an exciting moment in American film history,” said AFI Director and CEO Jean Picker Firstenberg. “As the end of this century approaches and we reflect on its defining achievements, among the most powerful and successful is, without question, the motion picture. Through the collective judgment of leaders from across the American film community, from both in front of and behind the camera, AFI has identified 100 movies which set the standard and mark the excellence of the first century of American cinema. Movies are an intensely personal experience, and it’s certain that this list will generate a broad range of opinion and discussion. AFI welcomes this dialogue and hopes to achieve an increased regard, respect and appreciation for this great American art form.”

AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies is an 18-month celebration that began last November when AFI invited more than 1,500 leaders from across the American film community - screenwriters, directors, actors, producers, cinematographers, editors, executives, film historians and critics, among them - to choose from a list of 400 nominated films compiled by AFI and select the 100 greatest American movies. The nominated films were all made in the first 100 years of American cinema (1896-1996). Movies produced after 1996 were not included.

The top 100 movies were unveiled during a special three-hour program broadcast tonight on CBS Television, produced by Gary Smith. Next week, Turner Network Television (TNT) will begin airing 10 one hour specials, produced by Mel Stuart and Richard Schickel, one broadcast each Tuesday night for 10 consecutive weeks, providing an in-depth look as to why these 100 movies are considered the greatest of all time. In addition, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will air a cable festival this fall that features many of the movies.

Spokane Public Library owns all these films on DVD and many on VHS. Reserve your favorite; check them out!

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