Pop art at the Figge

July 23, 2013July 11, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

The Figge Museum currently (May 4-September 8) has selections from the CU Art Museum at the University of Colorado Boulder on display as a part of American Pop! exhibit. Make sure you mark your calendars for Thursday, August 1 to hear Donald Warhola, Andy Warhol’s nephew, speak about the exhibit for free. Before you visit, take some time to examine and better understand Pop Art with these great library resources.

Watch

Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film

Pop Art Icons. Warhol, Oldenburg, Lichtenstein.

Read

Pop Art: A Continuing History by Marco Livingstone

Warhol by José María Faerna

What Are You Looking At? by Will Gompertz

Modern Art Desserts by Caitlin Freeman

Roy Lichtenstein by Diane Waldman

The IT Crowd

July 17, 2013June 28, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

For sheer lighthearted sitcom fun, few shows can compete with The IT Crowd. It follows the well-known workplace sitcom format: in each episode, we see the three principal characters interacting in their shared office. As the IT staff of a large corporation, Jen, Moss, and Roy deal with the technological incompetence of their superiors, the ingratitude of their coworkers, and the everyday indignity of being a nerd. Jen is the head of the department, the “relationship manager,” despite having no knowledge about computers, for which Roy and Moss tease her relentlessly. Roy is a selfish, laid back, halfheartedly kind bloke; perpetually single but not bitter about it, his best friend and coworker Moss is very shy and considerably weirder than his friend. Moss is the type to obsessively count the staples in his stapler and email the authorities about a fire when he gets flustered and can’t reach them on the phone. Luckily, the socially adept Jen is there to smooth things over and keep the place running, but she isn’t without her own foibles; her ignorance has gotten her into hot water more than once, like when she believed Roy when he told her that “typing Google into Google can break the internet” and passed on this dire warning to the board of directors, or when she pretends to be a classical music expert to impress a date – only to have that date ring her up from the set of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” asking for her help on a classical music question.

For a lighthearted workplace comedy, The IT Crowd is in the running as my favorite. The episodes “The Haunting of Bill Crouse” (wherein Moss accidentally convinces the whole office that Jen has died), “Are We Not Men?” (the guys pretend to be soccer fans to make friends and end up accessories to a robbery), and “Italian for Beginners” (where Jen uses translation software to pretend she speaks Italian) are absolutely hilarious, and it was hard to stop that list at just three. Recommended for fans of The Office (British or American), Parks & Recreation, Spaced, Coupling, and Community.

DVDs for July

June 28, 2013June 24, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

July 2

Identity Thief – Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman

Mild-mannered businessman Sandy Patterson travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman who has been living it up after stealing Sandy’s identity. Rated R

July 16

42 -Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford

History was made in 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the professional baseball race barrier to become the first African American MLB player of the modern era. 42 tells the life story of Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey. Rated PG-13

Trance – James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel

After a blow to the head during his attempted robbery of a $27 million Goya painting, Simon, an art auctioneer, awakens to find that the painting, and his memory, are missing. Forced by his ruthless crime partner Frank to undergo hypnosis, Simon enters into a deadly love triangle with his seductive hypnotist. Rated R

DVDs for June

May 31, 2013May 21, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

June 4

Mama – Jessica Chastian, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

A supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night. Rated PG-13

Escape from Planet Earth – Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba -Animated

Admired astronaut Scorch Supernova is a national hero to the blue alien population of planet Baab. A master of daring rescues, Scorch pulls off astonishing feats with the quiet aid of his nerdy brother, Gary, head of mission control at BASA. Rated PG

A Good Day to Die Hard – Bruce Willis, Cole Hauser

John McClane, the heroic New York cop with a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time, is back, and his latest predicament takes him all the way to Russia to track down his estranged son, Jack, who has been imprisoned in Moscow. But the mission takes a deadly turn as father and son must join forces to thwart a nuclear weapons heist that could trigger World War III. Rated R

Warm Bodies – Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer

After a zombie epidemic, R (a zombie) rescues Julie (a human survivor) from a zombie attack. The two form a special relationship in their struggle for survival, R becomes increasingly more human, setting off a chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and maybe even the whole lifeless world. Rated PG-13

June 11

Masquerade (Korean) -Byung-Hun Lee, Seung-Yong Ryoo

Amid national chaos and fear for his life, tyrannical King Gwanghae orders his trusted counselor to find a royal body double. He recruits a crude, working-class peasant, Ha-seon, a village performer who bears a startling resemblance to the ruler. When the king falls into a coma from poisoning, he is secreted away to recover and Ha-seon reluctantly assumes the throne, forced to pull off history’s biggest masquerade. Rated PG-13

Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters – Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton

Get ready for a twisted take on the classic tale as Hansel and Gretel have turned pro, coping with the trauma of their childhood captivity by slaying witches for hire. But when the seemingly unstoppable bounty hunters meet their match in an enemy so evil, it’ll take all their training, weapons and courage to survive. Revenge is sweeter than candy. Rated R

Oz the Great and Powerful – James Franco, Mila Kunis

A small-time magician is whisked away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches. Rated PG

Snitch – Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon

A father’s teenage son is wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime and is looking at a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years. Desperate and determined to rescue his son at all costs, he makes a deal with the U.S. attorney to work as an undercover informant and infiltrate a drug cartel on a dangerous mission, risking everything, including his family and his own life. Rated PG-13

June 18

Side Effects– Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum

A young woman’s world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects. Rated R

Quartet – Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly

The rumor circling the halls is that Beecham House (the home for retired musicians) is soon to play host to a new resident. Word is, it’s a star. Reginald, Wilfred and Cecily are in for a special shock when the new arrival turns out to be none other than their former singing partner, Jean. Her subsequent career as a star soloist, and the ego that accompanied it, split up their long friendship and ended her marriage to Reggie, who takes the news of her arrival particularly hard. Rated PG

Jack the Giant Slayer – Nicholas Hoult, Ewan MacGregor

An ancient war is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing Jack into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend, and gets a chance to become a legend. Rated PG-13

June 26

The Call – Hallie Berry, Abigial Breslin
When a veteran 911 operator takes a life-altering call from a teenage girl who has just been abducted, she realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl’s life. Rated R

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone – Steve Carell, Jim Carrey

When a street magician’s stunts begin to make their show look stale, superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton look to salvage their act, and their friendship, by staging their own daring stunt. Rated PG-13

Watch Your Step: The Crimson Petal and the White

May 10, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

I will say it right now: Romola Garai is the next Judi Dench. She was clever and charming in the BBC’s Emma, tragic in Atonement and lovely in I Capture the Castle, but it is her starring roll as Sugar in the BBC’s 4-part adaptation of Michael Faber‘s novel, The Crimson Petal and the White, that has devoted me to her as a fan for life. She is absolutely breathtaking and MESMERIZING as a shrewd Victorian prostitute who writes revenge slasher fiction featuring her “patrons” to amuse her friends and as a dream of a future life as a published author.

However, Sugar’s plan changes when a suppressed aristocrat seeks out her services after being cut-off from his wealthy father and repeatedly pushed away from his mentally ill wife. She quickly creates a mutually beneficial relationship with William Rackham, played by Chris O’Dowd (of IT Crowd, Bridesmaids, HBO’s Girls), and soon finds herself the invisible force behind his personal and financial successes. Eventually, Sugar finds herself entwined with the women of the Rackham family and her control over William’s affections begins to slip away.

Now for the warnings: This series features nudity and explicit content which, I’ll admit, took me off guard at first, yet felt very appropriate to the era and environment. What I really want to warn viewers about is how this miniseries made me feel. The depiction of the historical treatment of women mentally, socially, and sexually left me in very dark moods after each episode. The storylines following Mrs. Rackham and her illness were particularly difficult to watch. However, Sugar’s overall strength of spirit left me aggressively hopeful as the final scene faded into light.

I highly recommend The Crimson Petal and the White to adult fans of period films and miniseries and to those who enjoy dramas targeting the female experience in relationships such as HBO’s Girls.

DVDs for May

May 3, 2013May 14, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

May 7

Hyde Park on Hudson – Bill Murray, Laura Linney

As Great Britain faces an imminent war with Germany, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, invited the King and Queen of England for a weekend at their home in upstate New York. But during the first-ever visit of a reigning British monarch to America, international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of FDR’s domestic establishment, as wife, mother, and mistresses all conspire to make the royal trip an unforgettable one. Rated R

Jack Reacher – Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike

Ex-military investigator Jack Reacher leaps off the pages of Lee Child’s bestselling novel and onto the big screen in this explosive thriller. When an unspeakable crime is committed, all evidence points to the suspect in custody who offers up a single note in defense: ‘Get Jack Reacher!’ The law has its limits, but Reacher does not when his fight for the truth pits him against an unexpected enemy with a skill for violence and a secret to keep. Rated PG-13

Safe Haven – Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough

Based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, a young woman with a mysterious past lands in Southport, North Carolina, where her bond with a widower forces her to confront the dark secret that haunts her. PG-13

May 14

Cloud Atlas – Tom Hanks, Halle Berry

An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present, and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. The story is a time-shifting weave of six interlinking narratives with diverse settings, from the savagery of a Pacific Island in the 1850s to a dystopian Korea of the near future. Rated R

May 21

Promised Land – Matt Damon, Frances McDormand

Corporate salesman Steve Butler has been dispatched to the rural town of McKinley with his sales partner to offer much-needed relief to the economically hard-hit residents in exchange for drilling rights to their properties. As they grapple with a surprising array of both open hearts and closed doors, the outsiders soon discover the strength of an American small town at a crossroads. Rated R

Parker – Jason Stathman, Jennifer Lopez

Parker is a thief who has an unusual code. He doesn’t steal from the poor or hurt innocent people. He is asked to join four other guys, one of whom is related to a known mobster. They pull off the job flawlessly and Parker wants to part ways with them. When he refuses to join them for another job, they try to kill him. They dispose of his body, but someone finds him…still alive. After recovering, he sets out to get back at the ones who tried to kill him, another one of his codes. Rated R

Stand Up Guys – Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin

Val is released from prison after serving twenty-eight years for refusing to give up one of his close criminal associates. He’s reunited with his two best friends Doc and Hirsch. But one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret. He’s been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys’ legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate. Rated R.

Last Stand – Arnold Schwarzenegger; Johnny Knoxville

After leaving his LAPD narcotics post, Sheriff Ray Owens moved and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Juction. That peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez, one of the most notorious drug kingpins, makes an escape from the FBI. Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border, straight through Sommerton Juction. Rated R

Beautiful Creatures – Jeremy Irons, Violet Davis

When newcomer Lena arrives in the small town of Gatlin she quickly captures the attention of Ethan, who only wants to escape what he views as a boring and dead end town. He quickly gets more than he bargained for. Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their town. Rated PG-13

May 28

Dark Skies – Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton

Dark Skies is a supernatural thriller that follows a young family living in the suburbs. As husband and wife Daniel and Lacy Barrett witness an escalating series of disturbing events involving their family, their safe and peaceful home quickly unravels. When it becomes clear that the Barrett family is being targeted by an unimaginably terrifying and deadly force, Daniel and Lacy take matters in their own hands to solve the mystery of what is after their family.

DVDs for April

April 2, 2013March 20, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

APRIL 16

Django Unchained – Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Dicaprio

Django, a former slave turned hired gun, heads back to the plantation to free his wife, Broomhilda, from the tyrannical plantation owner Calvin Candie, with the help of a German bounty hunter, Dr. King Shultz Rated R.

APRIL 19

This Is 40 – Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann

A look at the lives of Pete and Debbie a few years after the events of Knocked Up, the 2007 comedy. After years of marriage, Pete and Debbie are approaching a milestone meltdown. As they try to balance romance, careers, parents and children in their own hilarious ways, they must also figure out how to enjoy the rest of their lives. This Is 40 is a candid and heartwarming comedy about the challenges and rewards of marriage and parenthood in the modern age. Rated R.

Les Miserables – Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway

In early 19th century France the paroled prisoner Jean Valjean seeks redemption, regains his social standing, and rises to the rank of mayor. He encounters a beautiful but desperately ill woman named Fantine and cares for her daughter, Cosette, after her death. All the while he is obsessively pursued by the policeman Javert, who vows to make him pay for the crimes of his past Rated PG-13.

APRIL 23

The Impossible – Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts

Based on a true story of a family caught, with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. But the true-life terror is tempered by the unexpected displays of compassion, courage, and simple kindness that Maria and her family encounter during the darkest hours of their lives. Rated PG-13.

Gangster Squad – Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn

Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, guns, and if he has his way, every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop, except for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders who come together to try and tear Cohen’s world apart. Rated R.

APRIL 30

The Guilt Trip – Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen

The plan for a quick stop at Mom’s takes a turn when an impulse compels Andy to invite his mother, Joyce, on a three-thousand mile cross-country journey. But the further they go, the closer they get, and Andy realizes that they have more in common than he ever imagined. Rated PG-13.

Silver Linings Playbook – Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence

Based on the bestselling book by Matthew Quick, the riotous and poignant story of how a man who has lost everything, his house, his job, his wife, reconnects with himself and creates his own silver linings from the bonds he forms with his family and friends. Rated R.

Broken City – Donnie Wahlberg, Russell Crowe

Seven years after being forced to resign as a New York city police officer, private detective Billy Taggart takes on his toughest case yet when he’s hired to follow the mayor’s wife. By the time the mayor reveals his true intentions, Taggart’s already in too deep, with his freedom and possibly his life, on the line. Taggart will risk it all in a desperate bid to expose the truth and seek redemption in a city where second chances don’t come cheap. Rated R.

DVDs for March

March 1, 2013February 21, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

MARCH 2

Twlight Saga : Breaking Dawn Part 2 – Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart

After the birth of Renesmee, the Cullens gather other vampire clans in order to protect the child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi. Rated PG-13

MARCH 5

The Intouchables – Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy

An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust, and human possibility. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicapped millionaire and his street-smart ex-con caretaker, The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humor between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common. Rated R.

Wreck-It-Ralph – John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman

For decades, Ralph has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz. Then, when an evil army threatens their world, Ralph realizes he holds the fate of the entire arcade in his massive hands. Rated PG

Unconditional – Lynn Collins, Michael Ealy

A woman’s idyllic life is shattered when her husband is killed in a senseless act of violence. As she prepares to take matters into her own hand, two unexpected encounters begin to change everything. Rated PG.

Red Dawn – Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson

The unsuspecting citizens of Spokane, Washington, wake up one morning to the shocking sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky in a surprise attack on the United States. Soon the entire city is under enemy control, but a group of courageous teenagers has decided to fight back, waging an all-out war against the invaders, to take back their town and their freedom! Rated PG-13

MARCH 12

Man with the Iron Fists – Rza, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu

On the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold, a band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village in feudal China, where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers. Since his arrival in China’s Jungle Village, the town’s blacksmith has been forced by radical tribal factions to create elaborate tools of destruction. When the clans’ brewing war boils over, the stranger channels an ancient energy to transform himself into a human weapon. Unrated.

Rise of the Guardians – Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher

When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imagination of children all over the world. Rated PG.

Life of Pi – Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan

Based on the bestselling novel by Yann Martel. A young Pi Patel, overcoming a cataclysmic shipwreck, finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with the only survivor, a ferocious Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Rated PG

Anna Karenina – Keira Knightly, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

In Tolstoy’s powerful tale of family passions set in Russia in the 1870s, Anna, the young and beautiful wife of a powerful older man, risks more than she can imagine when she runs away with the dashing Count Vronsky. Rated R

Rust and Bone – Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts

Ali and his son depart Belgium for Antibes to reside with his sister and her husband. Ali’s connection with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, intensifies when she endures a horrific accident. Rated R.

Zero Dark Thirty – Jessia Chastain, Joel Edgerton

Chronicles the decade-long search for Osama bin Laden following the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of Navy SEAL Team 6. Rated R

The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey – Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

The first chapter in Peter Jackson’s new epic trilogy set in Middle Earth 60 years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga. Follow Bilbo Baggins as he’s swept into a quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached by the wizard Gandalf, Bilbo joins a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Along the way they face many dangers; Bilbo meets Gollum and takes possession of the ‘One Ring.’ Rated PG-13

MARCH 26

Lincoln – Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field

A revealing drama that focuses on the 16th president’s tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country, and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come. Rated PG-13

Parental Guidance – Billy Crystal, Bette Midler

Oldschool grandparents Artie and Diane get more than they bargained for when they get stuck babysitting their type-A daughter’s overprotected kids. But things go from hectic to hysterical when Artie realizes the kids are running the house with their newfangled technology. By playing by his own rules, which include sugary snacks, old fashioned games, and tough love, Artie manages to outsmart the kids and achieve the impossible – bringing the family closer together. Rated PG

Has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful handwriting?

February 8, 2013January 29, 2013 - Ann 1 Comment

I have recently been hearing parents mention how their kids are no longer being taught cursive handwriting in school. GASP! ::fainting spell:: Although this educational shift horrified me at first, I had to admit that cursive’s practical benefit of speedy textual communication had long been eclipsed by the QWERTY keyboard. Luckily, as things often do, handwriting’s decreasing efficiency seems to correspond to a rising swagger for the beauty of calligraphy. I have collected a few items as evidence (available at your local library, of course) to support my case:

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming is perfect example of calligraphy swagger. I read A LOT of books about Amelia Earhart as a kid, but this recent kids’ nonfiction is so amazing that I cannot walk past it on the shelf without stopping and giving it a little hug. Part of my love is due to the fantastic, thrilling writing of Candace Fleming, but it is the book’s design, specifically the hand-lettered chapter titles, that really makes me go weak in the knees. I would like to frame and hang on my wall one page in particular– the opening page for the chapter titled “Vagabonding, Record Breaking and Romance: 1928 to 1935.” Glorious.

As one of the most star-reviewed graphic novels of 2011, Craig Thompson’s Habibi is an epic tale about relationships with people, religion, and text. The story, in addition to the printed pages, drips with intricate lettering:

“The healer wrote out magic squares and sacred texts on a wooden board. A mirrored bowl was filled with water, and the ink was washed into the bowl. I was asked to make a wish in the mirror, and drink the inky water.
Drink each of the letters
The closest one can get to the text
The body absorbs the message
The word becomes flesh”

The Illuminator and a Bible for the 21st Century is a fascinating documentary about the creation of the Saint John’s Bible–yup, the very Bible project displayed at our Davenport Public Library last summer (which I absolutely GEEKED out about). I originally saw this documentary about five years ago as a graduate student in the University of Iowa Center for the Book and it has stayed on the fringes of consciousness ever since. While hearing about the development and production of a such a massive cultural project happening during our time is in itself fully worth the viewing of this documentary, it is watching the brilliant artistry and craftsmenship of the head calligrapher, Donald Jackson, and his staff, which makes me want to dedicate my entire life to improving my handwriting.

DVDs for February

February 1, 2013February 21, 2013 - Ann Leave a comment

FEBRUARY 5

Hit & Run – Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell

A nice guy with a questionable past, Charlie Bronson, risks everything when he busts out of a witness protection program to drive his girlfriend to Los Angeles for the job opportunity of a lifetime. Their road trip grows awkwardly complicated, however, when they’re chased by an inept fed and Charlie’s ex-pal, a vengeance-crazed criminal he helped put behind bars. Rated R

Celeste and Jesse Forever – Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg

Celeste and Jesse have been best friends since they can remember. High school sweethearts, they eventually got married–and now they’re getting divorced. While their friends don’t think the couple can stay friends after the divorce, Celeste and Jesse are determined to prove them wrong. But when Jesse begins dating again, Celeste finds it harder to move on than she thought it would be. Rated R

Alex Cross – Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox

Follows the young homicide detective/psychologist as he meets his match in a serial killer. The two face off in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, but when the mission gets personal, Cross is pushed to the edge of his moral and psychological limits in this taut and exciting action thriller. Rated PG-13

Flight – Denzel Washington (Lead Actor Nominee for Oscars 2013)

A seasoned airline pilot miraculously crash lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board. After the crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault and what really happened on the plane. Rated R

A Late Quartet – Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken

A powerful story that blends raw emotion with fiery passion to form an unforgettable cinematic masterpiece. After 25 years together, the members of a world-renowned string quartet learn that their beloved cellist may soon be forced to retire. But the news stirs up equally painful challenges when competing egos, harbored resentment, and irrepressible lust threaten to derail the group as they struggle to maintain harmony in their music, and their lives. Rated R

FEBRUARY 12

Perks of Being a Wallflower – Emma Watson, Logan Lerman

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is based on the wildly popular novel by Stephen Chbosky about a freshman named Charlie who is always watching from the sidelines until a pair of charismatic seniors takes him under their wing. Beautiful, free-spirited Sam and her fearless stepbrother Patrick shepherd Charlie through new friendships, first love, burgeoning sexuality, bacchanalian parties, midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the quest for the perfect song. Rated PG -13

Robot & Frank – Frank Langella, Peter Sarsgaard

Frank is an aging ex-jewel thief, and his two grown children are worried that he can no longer care for himself. In deciding what to do with Frank, the most likely option appears to be putting him in a nursing home. But Frank’s son comes up with another option: buy Frank a walking, talking robot programmed to look after him and improve his physical and mental health. Frank resists the robot at first, but he warms to it after realizing that it could be the perfect heist companion. Rated PG-13.

Bully

This is a character-driven documentary following five kids and families over the course of a school year. Offering insight into different facets of America’s bullying crisis, the stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. Documentary provides an intimate and often shocking glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices. Rated PG-13

The Sessions – John Hawkes, Helen Hunt (Supporting Actress Nominee for Oscars 2013)

Paralyzed and confined to an iron lung since childhood, poet-journalist Mark O’Brien has overcome adversity time and time again. But now, at age 38, he faces his toughest challenge yet: losing his virginity. With the help of a beautiful therapist, a sympathetic priest, and his own unbridled sense of optimism and humor, Mark embarks on an extraordinary personal journey to discover the wondrous pleasures that make life worth living. Rated R.

FEBRUARY 19

End of Watch – Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena

Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop. Rated R

Argo (Best Picture Nominee 2013 Oscars) – Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin (Supporting Actor Nominee 2013 Oscars)

On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages, sparking a 444-day ordeal. There’s a little-known footnote to the crisis: six Americans escaped and a midlevel agent named Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them. Rated R

FEBRUARY 26

The Master – Joaquin Phoenix (Lead Actor Nominee 2013 Oscars) Philip Seymour Hoffman (Supporting Actor Nominee 2013 Oscars), Amy Adams (Supporting Actress Nominee 2013 Oscars)

A striking portrait of drifters and seekers in post-World War II America, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master unfolds the journey of a naval veteran who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future, until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader. Rated R.

Info Cafe

Davenport Public Library's Reference Blog

Category: DVDs