Essays
Magnolia Pictures
International Films to Watch on Kanopy: Bringing Global Stories to Life
Visit the Kanopy website today to learn how to access thousands of movies with your library card. Discover how the streaming service can enrich your library experience with films from around the world that both educate and entertain. Read more
Sep 16, 2022
7:08 AM
History of Labor Struggle in FILMADRIA's Haymarket Documentary
Haymarket: The Bomb, The Anarchists, The Labor Struggle is a unique film that would be an optimal choice for library collection development centering on American history and politics. Read more
Jan 17, 2023
12:16 PM
The Age of Love: A Timely, Engaging Look Into the Search for Love After 70
The Age of Love would be ideal for public libraries on the lookout for unique Valentine’s Day programming. This film can be an exceptional tool in classrooms, as it promotes understanding by revealing elders as emotionally intricate individuals. Read more
Jan 24, 2023
1:14 PM
Twentieth Century Fox
The Beauty of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a visual feast for the eyes that moves at a breakneck pace. The film feels like a roller coaster ride of emotions, jostling between raucous comedy, a whirlwind romance, and devastating tragedy within a short amount of time. Read more
Jan 22, 2023
10:14 PM
Paramount Pictures
The Meaning of the Babylon Ending
The montage at the end of Babylon is confusing and viewers may wonder what director Damien Chazelle’s intentions are. This article addresses the film's paradoxical depiction of Hollywood movies and the people who make them. Read more
Jan 22, 2023
9:45 PM
Canva
How Much is a License to Show Movies in Public?
Public performance rights are an important consideration for any library or industry seeking to publicly screen films. But what is the cost of a license, and what are the different options for securing public performance rights? Read more
Jan 21, 2023
12:07 PM
Universal
What M3GAN Teaches About Grief
M3GAN is campy and violent, but it has an important message about letting technology distract you from the pain of trauma and grief. By adding M3GAN to your film collection, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the human connections in your life. Read more
Jan 20, 2023
8:27 AM
Canva
How to Hold a Movie Night at a Community Center
You take matters into your own hands by hosting a movie night at your community center. All it takes is learning the right materials to use, the type of movies to show, and how to secure public performance rights. Read more
Jan 19, 2023
7:28 AM
Paramount Vantage
There Will Be Blood: 15 Years Later
With excellent visuals, performances, and fascinating moral quandaries, it’s no wonder this drama is so highly regarded. This is a must-have title for public library shelves. Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic spectacle will grab patrons’ attention. Read more
Dec 21, 2022
9:28 AM
Canva
Hosting a Movie Night at Your Daycare
Once you’re aware of the materials, what movies to show, and how to acquire a license to host a public screening, you’re all set for a fun movie night for your daycare students. Read more
Jan 5, 2023
8:17 AM
Canva
Bringing Books and Films Together to Inspire and Engage Students
There are many classic book and film pairings for educators and librarians to choose from, inspiring and powerful combinations that can offer a greater understanding of a historical event or of a specific experience or topic. Read more
Nov 6, 2022
12:00 AM
Canva
How Film Distribution Works
In this article we will uncover what film distribution is, the process of how films are distributed to movie theaters and other platforms, and how film distributors make money. Read more
Aug 8, 2022
11:02 AM
The Criterion Collection
The Princess Bride 35th Anniversary
October 9, 2022 marks 35 years since the theatrical release of the beloved fantasy film The Princess Bride. But what makes it remain a staple among film collections in homes and libraries? Read more
Oct 4, 2022
9:31 AM
Canva
What is the Female Gaze in Film?
Feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey conceptualized the female gaze in the 1970s. Film studies students should be familiar with this theory and film studies professors should request titles for their academic library collection that provide examples. Read more
Oct 13, 2022
9:10 AM
Canva
How to Start a Film Society For Your School or Community
By teaching and watching films from a variety of different filmmakers, students, patrons, and community members can learn about various film techniques and themes. Here are some ways to start a film society for your school or community. Read more
Nov 28, 2022
11:55 AM
Netflix
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio as an Anti-fascist Fairytale
This story of anti-fascist disobedience feels timely and urgent, but Pinocchio’s unruly noncompliance makes him an apt hero for today. The film is a continuation of themes established in the director’s earlier works: fascism through children's eyes. Read more
Jan 3, 2023
8:50 AM
Vox
The Graduate 55th Anniversary
Mike Nichols’ The Graduate, with its themes of disillusioned youth, the old generation vs. the new, and the search for the meaning of life, still resonates today. The Graduate is essential viewing for your public library film collection. Read more
Dec 21, 2022
3:28 PM
Disney
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 85th Anniversary
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is truly a masterpiece. Walt and Roy Disney really poured their creativity, time, money, and heart into the project. It could have made or broken the company, but instead brought Walt Disney Studios to life. Read more
Dec 21, 2022
10:31 AM
Dune and the Trouble with Adapting Lady Jessica
In adapting Lady Jessica, Dune once again raises questions about the prioritization of male characters over female characters and the ongoing issue of portraying mother figures in recent blockbusters. Read more
Jan 13, 2022
2:36 PM
American Mutoscope & Biograph
The Importance of Silent Movies
Cinema, as we know it today, owes an enormous debt to the pioneering filmmakers of the silent period. Virtually every cinematic style and genre of the last two centuries has artistic roots in the silent era. Read more
Sep 29, 2022
10:45 AM
Universal Pictures
Why Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a Cult Classic
The book and the movie titled Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are, fittingly, two of the most iconic cult classics of their respective artistic mediums. Read more
Jun 28, 2022
9:35 AM
