Movie Lists - TV Shows

Did you know that Samuels Public Library offers an array of DVD series for you to view? Check out some of our selection below, and remember that there is a snow storm coming so you might just want to grab them while they are still in!

The Big Bang Theory seasons 1-5 - The show is centered on five characters living in Pasadena, California: roommates Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, both physicists; Penny, a waitress and aspiring actress who lives across the hall; and Leonard and Sheldon's equally geeky and socially awkward friends and co-workers, mechanical engineer Howard Wolowitz and astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali. The geekiness and intellect of the four guys is contrasted for comic effect with Penny's social skills and common sense which makes for a great sitcom, and family fun.

Downton Abbey seasons 1-4 - An addictive blend of suds and social commentary, ITV's Downton Abbey brings a microcosm of Edwardian society together under one roof. Lord Robert Crawley and his family live a life of leisure, while a fleet of servants, attend to their every need, but two events conspire to shake things up: the sinking of the Titanic, which claims Crawley's heirs, and the return of his valet, Bates.

Ally McBeal seasons 1, and 3-5 - Ally McBeal and Billy Thomas were going steady throughout their childhoods. Ally even followed Billy to Harvard law school despite having no interest in law. But when Billy chose to pursue a career in law away from Ally, their relationship came to an end. In the present, an old classmate of Ally's named Richard Fish gives Ally a job at his law firm, where Billy and his new wife are also working. The series follows Ally's trials and tribulations in life through her eyes, and caricaturizes her personal thoughts and fantasies.

Angel seasons 1-5 - The show details the ongoing trials of Angel, a vampire whose human soul was restored to him by gypsies as a punishment for the murder of one of their own. After more than a century of murder and the torture of innocents, Angel's restored soul torments him with guilt and remorse. Angel works as a private detective in a fictionalized version of Los Angeles, California, where he and a variety of associates work to "help the helpless", restoring the faith and saving the souls of those who have lost their way. Typically, this involves doing battle with evil demons or demonically allied humans, primarily related to Wolfram and Hart, a demonic law firm. He must also battle his own demonic nature.

Game of Thrones seasons 1-3 - Based on the bestselling book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, this sprawling new HBOr drama is set in a world where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. From the scheming south and the savage eastern lands, to the frozen north and ancient Wall that protects the realm from the mysterious darkness beyond, the powerful families of the Seven Kingdoms are locked in a battle for the Iron Throne. This is a story of duplicity and treachery, nobility and honor, conquest and triumph. In the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die.

Lost seasons 1-6 - Mixing suspense and action with a sci-fi twist, it began with a thrilling pilot episode in which a jetliner traveling from Australia to Los Angeles crashes, leaving 48 survivors on an unidentified island with no sign of civilization or hope of imminent rescue. What is the mysterious beast that lurks in the jungle? Why do polar bears and wild boars live there? Why has a woman been transmitting an SOS message in French from somewhere on the island for the last 16 years? Why do impossible wishes seem to come true? Are they really on a physical island, or somewhere else? What is the significance of the recurring set of numbers? 

Movie Lists - Television on DVD

You may know that Samuels has a great movie collection, but did you realize we also have a large selection of TV shows available on DVD?  Here are a few of the most popular shows you can check out:


Ally McBeal

Calista Flockhart became a poster girl for the '90s for her role as the title character, a young lawyer at a firm in Boston. Ally McBeal contained a winning mixture of drama, romance, and quirky humor.

Big Bang Theory

Revenge of the Geeks! Four brilliant but socially awkward scientists meet the beautiful and bubbly aspiring actress who lives across the hall. The results are hilariously entertaining.  Bazinga!       

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Series creator Joss Whedon, who went from cult figure to superstar after directing Marvel’s The Avengers, said he wanted Buffy the Vampire Slayer to be “high school as a horror movie.” The concept went over well and even led to the spin-off series Angel.  

Call the Midwife

Fans of Downton Abbey should check out Call the Midwife, another hit BBC period drama. Set in the 1950s and centering around a group of midwives and nuns working in a lower class section of London, the show has also gained a large stateside following.

Doc Martin

British comedian and actor Martin Clunes plays Dr. Martin Ellingham, a spin-off of his character from the movie Saving Grace. Having relocated from London to the small town of Portwenn, the surly doctor must adjust to village life.  

Downton Abbey

Samuels has all three seasons of the British period drama that has taken America by storm in the past several years. Downton Abbey is so addictive, you’ll probably want to binge-watch an entire season in one marathon session. 

Foyle’s War

Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle works on solving a variety of criminal cases in Hastings, England as World War II rages at home and on the front. Highly recommended for mystery lovers.  

Game of Thrones

Based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy book series, Game of Thrones is currently one of the most popular shows on television. The Emmy-winning series has been praised for its complex storylines and themes.     

JAG

Riveting legal drama JAG (which stands for Judge Advocate General) follows a team of Navy lawyers as they investigate, prosecute, and defend criminal cases involving military personnel.     

Little House on the Prairie

Looking for something the whole family can enjoy? Look no further than Little House on the Prairie, a show based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved book series about her upbringing in the Midwest during the late 19^thcentury.

Lost

Before directing Mission: Impossible III, Super 8, and Star Trek Into Darkness, J.J. Abrams was one of the masterminds behind Lost, a suspenseful series about a group of plane crash survivors stranded on an island.

Moonlighting

This comedy-drama about two private investigators was notable for the chemistry between the two leads, Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd.  Moonlighting was also Willis’s first hit before he moved on to movie stardom.  

Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under is marked by the same dark humor as series creator Alan Ball’s Academy Award-winning American Beauty. The action centers on the dysfunctional Fisher clan as they run the family funeral home business.

Upstairs Downstairs

A precursor to Downton Abbey. Upstairs Downstairs was a popular and critically-acclaimed British drama from the 1970s that followed the interactions between the servants and an upper-class family living in a townhouse in London.

The Waltons

Another classic for all age groups, The Waltons ran from 1971 to 1981 and was set right here in Virginia. Viewers were drawn to the fortitude of the Walton family as they faced hardships during the Great Depression and World War II.

Movie Lists - Musicals

The Samuels Library staff loves musicals.  It’s true—on any given day you might hear a reference librarian break into song, see a circulation aide start dancing down the aisle while shelving books, or witness the entire children’s department spontaneously launch into an impromptu performance of The Sound of Music.  Luckily for you, we also have a great collection of musicals you can check out on DVD, including the following:     

42^nd Street (1933)

42^nd Street is one of the best backstage musicals, a popular form of the genre that features a behind-the-scenes look at a Broadway revue. The story of a production company struggling to put on a great performance is compelling, but the dazzling musical numbers directed by Busby Berkley steal the show.

Top Hat (1935)

Never has there been a more charming screen couple than the dancing duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. His class and her allure are a perfect match in movies like Top Hat, a delightful comedy about mistaken identity. Contains songs by Irving Berlin, including his classic “Cheek to Cheek.”   

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Proving he could do more than just play gangster tough guys, Jimmy Cagney gives a charismatic, Best Actor-winning performance as vaudeville showman and composer George M. Cohan. You’ll feel your heart swelling with patriotic pride when Cagney sings “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “Over There.”

Singin’ In the Rain (1952)

One of the most beloved movies of all time, Singin’ In the Rain contains memorable songs and some of the most spectacular dance sequences ever. It’s also one of the best movies about movies, telling the story of silent movie star Don Lockwood’s (Gene Kelly) attempt to make the transition to sound films.

Oklahoma! (1955)

“Ooooo-klahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain!”  Chances are you know this famous Rodgers and Hammerstein lyric even if you don’t know much about musicals. There’s also a good chance you’ll love this splendid movie about two cowboys attempting to woo two fair Oklahoman ladies. 

Gigi (1958)

Two years after hitting it big on Broadway with My Fair Lady, the songwriting team of Lerner and Loewe delivered another classic, this time for the big screen. A witty tale of romance between a wealthy Parisian playboy and an innocent young courtesan, Gigi won 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.    

West Side Story (1961)

Star-crossed lovers Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) are doomed by different ethnic backgrounds in this clever update of Romeo and Juliet. The score by Elmer Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim ranges from funny (“Gee, Officer Krupke”) to achingly beautiful (“Somewhere”). 

Mary Poppins (1964)

Composers of many of the classic Disney tunes, the Sherman Brothers are often overlooked in discussions of great American songwriters. The songs for Mary Poppins rank with their best, and Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke give thrilling performances in a film that will wow viewers of all ages.    

Cabaret (1972)

Cabaret, with its realistic settings and characters, is a fine example of how the musical had matured by the 1970s. Set in Germany in the 1930s, the film follows the free-spirited Sally Bowles (Liza Minelli), a performer at the Kit Kat Club, against a backdrop of national tension created by the growing Nazi Party.    

Grease (1978)

Guys with leather jackets and greased back hair and girls in poodle skirts and saddle shoes—it’s everybody’s favorite musical celebration of the 1950s, Grease. Smash radio hits “Summer Nights” and “You’re the One That I Want” prove to be just as good as they were in 1978. 

Yentl (1983)

Barbra Streisand directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in this musical about a Jewish girl who dresses like a boy in order to study the Talmud. The film was a passion project for Streisand, who labored for over a decade to get this adaptation of an Isaac Bashevis Singer story onto the big screen.       

Newsies (1992)
A young Christian Bale (of Batman fame) stars in this delightful latter-day Disney film about a
newspaper strike at the turn of the 20th century. The score was co-written by composer Alan Menken, who is most famous for his musical contributions to The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.

Chicago (2002)

Two murderesses (played by Rene Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones) become media sensations in the Roaring Twenties thanks to their slick lawyer (Richard Gere).  When Chicago won Best Picture in 2003, it was the first time a musical had brought home the coveted award since Oliver! in 1969. 

Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler star in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s beloved musical. Living in an underground lair beneath the Opéra Populaire in Paris, the disfigured Phantom (Butler) obsesses over the lovely Christine (Rossum), a talented singer for the opera. 

     

Mamma Mia! (2008)

It’s a musical based on the songs of the group ABBA—need I say more?  Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is getting married on the lovely Greek island of Kalokairi, and she has secretly invited three of her mother’s (Meryl Streep) old flames in hopes of discovering her real father.

Les Misérables (2012)

A large ensemble cast, including Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, brings Victor Hugo’s epic French novel to life in this acclaimed adaptation. In an innovative move by director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), all of the vocals for the songs were recorded live on set to give them a more natural feel. 

Movie Lists - Westerns

On the Samuels Reads blog we've already given you many fine answers to the questions "What should I read?" and "What should I listen to?"  Now we want to give our suggestions to the library user who asks "What should I watch?" This list contains a selection of the many fine Western movies available for checkout here at Samuels Library.  

High Noon (1952) 

Marshall Will Kane (Gary Cooper) is about to set off on his honeymoon with his new bride (Grace Kelly) when word arrives that an outlaw he imprisoned years earlier is returning to town in search of vengeance. Having already turned in his badge, Kane is under no obligation to stay and yet he nobly decides to face this villain and begins seeking the aid of the townsfolk. Taut and fraught with suspense, High Noon is a classic film that is often viewed as a criticism of the Red Scare of the 1950s. 

Little Big Man (1970) 

Based on a novel by Thomas Berger, Little Big Man is an imaginative and poignant look at the American frontier as told through the remembrances of a 121-year-old man. Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman) has lived a long and eventful life: he’s been kidnapped by Indians, earned a reputation as a gunslinger, worked with Wild Bill Hickock, and ridden with General Custer. Initially quite humorous, the movie eventually becomes a heartbreaking critique of our country’s treatment of Native Americans. 

Lonely Are the Brave (1962) 

One of the best Westerns set in the modern age, Lonely Are the Brave features a magnificent performance by Kirk Douglas in the role of Jack Burns. Very much a throwback to another era, Burns becomes a wanted man when his rugged individualism puts him in direct opposition of the law. The thrilling climax pits the lone cowboy against a helicopter, a standoff which represents the collision of two very different eras.  

The Magnificent Seven (1960) 

One of the coolest Westerns ever, The Magnificent Seven stars Yul Brynner as Chris Larabee Adams, the leader of a group of seven gunfighters hired by a poor Mexican village as protection against a group of vicious bandits. With a cast that includes Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, and Charles Bronson, this movie has a collection of tough guys that puts The Expendables to shame.    

Red River (1948) 

An immense cattle drive and a family feud between a father and son take center stage in genre-hopping director Howard Hawks’s Red River. When Thomas Dunson (John Wayne) and his adopted son Matt Garth (Montgomery Clift) butt heads in the middle of moving their herd from Texas to Missouri, Garth and the hired hands wrest control from Dunson and proceed without him. Knowing that a John Wayne character will never go down without a fight, you can guess what happens next...

   

Seven Men from Now (1956)

Cult favorite Budd Boetticher directed this lost classic that has been praised by film critic Leonard Maltin as being “one of the best movies you’ve never seen.” Randolph Scott, in a role reminiscent of John Wayne’s Ethan Edwards in The Searchers (also from 1956), plays Ben Stride, a man plagued by guilt and anger. Joined by a scene stealing Lee Marvin, Stride sets out to find the seven men responsible for his wife’s death. 

Shane (1953) 

Western aficionados will always argue over their favorites in the genre—for me no discussion about the best westerns of all time is complete without mentioning Shane, the story of a quiet stranger (Alan Ladd) who comes to a small frontier town and reluctantly becomes involved in a deadly feud between a group of peaceful settlers and the rich ranchers who run the town.     

Stagecoach (1939) 

The first masterpiece from the legendary Western duo of John Ford and John Wayne, Stagecoach was Ford’s first film to utilize picturesque Monument Valley and Wayne’s breakout role as a star. The film centers on the interactions of a disparate group of stagecoach riders traveling together through dangerous territory and contains an excellent cast, including Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell, Donald Meek, Andy Devine, and John Carradine.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) 

Tommy Lee Jones starred in and directed this critically acclaimed story about the murder of an illegal Mexican immigrant in Texas and the great lengths an American rancher goes to carry out his dead friend’s burial wishes. Jones, in a performance that earned him the Best Actor award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, plays dutiful rancher Pete Perkins, a man who still abides by the Old West’s code of honor in an era of moral indifference.      

True Grit (2010)

Fans of John Wayne were skeptical when the Coen Brothers announced their intention to remake his beloved western with Jeff Bridges in the role of Rooster Cogburn, the ornery old U.S. Marshall who helps a young woman search for her father’s killer. They need not have worried—the 2010 version proves every bit as enjoyable as the original. Bridges puts his own stamp on Cogburn, Hailee Steinfeld turns in a tough performance as Mattie Ross, and Matt Damon is especially amusing as the dandyish LaBoeuf.    

Unforgiven (1992) 

Clint Eastwood plays with his own image as a Western icon in Unforgiven, a complex and thought-provoking movie that stands as one of the high points in his long and illustrious career. Will Munny is not the laconic, confident tough guy Eastwood usually plays; Munny is an old, tired, and nearly broken ex-gunfighter who reluctantly returns to the profession in need of money for his family. 

The Wild Bunch (1969) 

A group of outlaws attempt one last heist in The Wild Bunch, a film often cited as the last great western from the genre’s golden days. Fittingly enough, the film’s main theme is the death of the Old West and the frontier culture that spawned a million lawless gunfighters. Director Sam Peckinpaugh jam-packs the movie with every trick in the book, from slow-motion photography and rapid editing to an over-the-top violence that still feels indulgent today.      

Winchester ’73 (1950) 

Jimmy Stewart kicked off a new, darker phase in his career by playing the revenge obsessed Lin McAdam in Winchester ’73, the first of the five westerns he would make with director Anthony Mann. While searching for the man who wronged him, McAdam wins a rare and highly sought after Winchester rifle, only to have it stolen. The gripping story follows McAdam’s search and the journey of the prized rifle as it switches hands.      

Samuels Says - "What Movies Do You Love Most?"

For our display this month, we asked the staff: "What movies do you love most?" (We even created a nifty Samuels Choice Award-- a.k.a 'The Sammy'-- to honor the recipients.)  As you can see from the lists, we ended up with a very diverse selection of great movies.  So without further ado, here are the Sammy-Award nominations for Best Movie Ever-- and we'd love to hear your nominations too! Drum roll, please!

Ben:

Favorite genres: Anything good

Favorite/actor/actress/director: Meh... no favorites

Favorite DVDs:

2001: A Space Odyssey (DVD F Two)

Band of Brothers (DVD F Ban)

Batman Begins (DVD F Bat)

Casablanca (DVD F Cas)

The Dark Knight (DVD F Dar)

Deep Impact (DVD F Dee)

Iron Man (DVD F Iro)

Jaws (DVD F Jaw)

Jurassic Park (DVD F Jur)

Jurassic Park III (DVD F Jur)

Jurassic Park: The Lost World (DVD F Los)

Lincoln (the recent one) (DVD F Lin)

Lord of the Rings trilogy (DVD F Lor)

The Matrix trilogy (DVD F Mat)

Planet of the Apes (the original) (DVD F Plan)

Saving Private Ryan (DVD F Sav)

Star Trek (the movie and any of the episodes from the past) (DVD F Sta)                

Star Wars, Episodes I-VI (DVD F Sta & DVD J Sta)

The Avengers (DVD F Mar)

The Day After Tomorrow (DVD F Day)

WarGames (DVD F War)

Betty: 
Favorite genres: romantic comedy, suspense (not super scary)

Favorite actor/actress/director: Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves
Favorite DVDs:

The Lake House (DVD F Lak) 
Two Weeks Notice (DVD F Two) 
Speed (DVD F Spe) 
While You Were Sleeping (DVD F Whi) 
Martian Child (DVD F Mar) 
Pearl Harbor (DVD F Pea) 
Libel (DVD F Lib) 
The Blind Side (DVD F Bli) 
The Sixth Sense (DVD F Six) 
Mamma Mia! (DVD F Mam)

Boo:

Favorite genres: mystery/suspense, romantic with history

Favorite/actor/actress/director: Denzel Washington, Paul Newman, Johnny Depp, Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, Jimmy Stewart, Sean Connery, Russell Crowe, Halle Berry, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Vivien Leigh, Kate Winslet, Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz

Favorite DVDs:

Julie & Julia (DVD F Jul) 
Steel Magnolias (DVD F Ste) 
Dances with Wolves (DVD F Dan) 
Gone Baby Gone (DVD F Gon) 
The Help (DVD F Hel) 
North and South (DVD F Nor) 
The Birds (DVD F Bir) 
Indiana Jones (DVD F Ind) 
Fried Green Tomatoes (DVD F Fri) 
Forrest Gump (DVD F For) 
On Golden Pond (DVD F On) 
Oliver! (musical) (DVD F Oli & DVD E Oli) 
South Pacific (DVD F Sou) 
Pirates of the Caribbean (all) (DVD F Pir) 
Mrs. Doubtfire (DVD F Mrs.)
Secondhand Lions (DVD F Sec & DVD J Sec) 

A River Runs Through It (DVD F Riv) 
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (DVD F Div) 
Five People You Meet in Heaven (DVD F Fiv) 
Ghost (DVD F Gho) 
Grease (DVD F Gre) 
Gran Torino (DVD F Gran) 
Hoosiers (DVD F Hoo) 
Field of Dreams (DVD F Fie) 
The Way We Were (DVD F Way) 
Shenandoah (DVD F She) 
War Horse (DVD F War) 
Mamma Mia! (DVD F Mam) 
Gone with the Wind (DVD F Gon) 
E.T. (DVD F E.T. & DVD J E.T.) 
While You Were Sleeping (DVD F Whi) 
Schindler’s List (DVD F Sch) 
The Great Escape (DVD F Gre) 
To Kill a Mockingbird (DVD F To)
All Disney :) but especially Beauty and the Beast (DVD E Bea) and Snow White and the Seven  
      Dwarves(DVD E Sno) 

Titanic (DVD F Tit) 
Shrek (DVD F Shr)

Cheryl:
Favorite genres: action/adventure, shoot ‘em up, funny

Favorite DVDs:

Jaws (DVD F Jaw)

Bullitt (DVD F Bul)

The Devil Wears Prada (DVD F Dev)

Ocean’s Twelve (DVD F Oce)

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (DVD F Mr.)

Inglourious Basterds (DVD F Ing)

Moneyball (DVD F Mon)

10,000 BC (DVD F Ten)

Friday Night Lights (DVD F Fri)

The Fugitive (DVD F Fug)

Ghostbusters (DVD F Gho)

The General’s Daughter (DVD F Gen)

The Hunt for Red October (DVD F Hun)

High Plains Drifter (DVD F Cli)

The Incredibles (DVD J Inc)

Iron Man (DVD F Iro)

Mansfield Park (DVD F Man)

Ice Age (DVD J Ice)

Jurassic Park (DVD F Jur)

Pride and Prejudice (DVD F Pri)

Kill Bill (DVD F Kil) 

Danielle:

Favorite genres: Romance, SciFi/Fantasy, Musicals

Favorite actor/actress/director: Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, Julie Andrews, Hayao Miyazaki, Peter Jackson

Favorite DVDs:

Lord of the Rings trilogy (DVD F Lor)

Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle) (DVD F Pri)

North and South (DVD F Nor)

Beauty and the Beast (DVD E Bea)

The Avengers (DVD F Mar)

Labyrinth (DVD J Lab)

The Princess Bride (DVD F Pri)

Star Wars—Original Trilogy (DVD F Sta & DVD J Sta)

Star Trek (2009) (DVD F Sta)

The Dark Knight (DVD F Dar)

August Rush (DVD F Aug)

My Fair Lady (DVD F My)

The King and I (DVD F Kin)

The Phantom of the Opera (Gerard Butler & Emmy Rossum) (DVD F Pha)

Midnight in Paris (DVD F Mid)

Les Miserables (2012) (DVD F Les)

Howl’s Moving Castle (DVD F How) 

Mary Poppins (DVD E Mar) 

Helen:

Back to the Future Trilogy (DVD F Bac)

Batman movies (DVD F Bat & more )

The Best of Mr. Ed (DVD F Mis)

The Blind Side (DVD F Bli)

The Bodyguard (DVD F Bod)

The Bourne Movies (DVD F Bou)

Braveheart (DVD F Bra)

City Slickers (DVD F Cit)

The Count of Monte Cristo (DVD F Cou)

Dances With Wolves (DVD F Dan)

Driving Miss Daisy (DVD F Dri)

E.T. (DVD J E.T.)

Elf (DVD J Elf)

Field of Dreams (DVD F Fie)

The Firm (DVD F Fir)

The Fox and the Hound (DVD E Fox)

Fred Claus (DVD J Fre)

Indiana Jones series (DVD F Ind)

The Karate Kid movies (DVD F Kar & DVD J Kar)

Lord of the Rings (all) (DVD F Lor)

The Mask of Zorro (DVD F Mas)

The Patriot (DVD F Pat)

Pretty Woman (DVD F Pre)

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (DVD F Rob)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (DVD F She)

Snow White and the Huntsman (DVD F Sno)

Spider-man (all) (DVD Spi & DVD Ama)

Jan:

Favorite genres: romantic comedy, drama

Favorite DVDs:

Top Ten:

Foyle’s War Series (DVD F Foy)

The Natural (DVD F Nat)

Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson version from 1999)(DVD F Sen)

West Wing Series (DVD F Wes)

While You Were Sleeping (DVD F Whi)

All the President’s Men (DVD F All)

Anne of Green Gables (DVD E Ann)

Doc Hollywood (DVD F Doc)

Downton Abbey Series 1,2, and 3 (DVD F Dow)

Roman Holiday (DVD F Rom)

The rest:

Doc Martin series (DVD F Doc)

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (DVD F Hac)

Shall We Dance? (DVD F Sha)

Groundhog Day (DVD F Gro)

The Help (DVD F Hel)

The Lake House (DVD F Lak)

Little Dorrit (DVD F Lit)

Nine to Five (DVD F Nin)

The Right Stuff (DVD F Rig)

Romantics Anonymous (DVD F Rom)

Runaway Bride (DVD F Run)

Sabrina (1995 version) (DVD F Sab)

Remains of the Day (DVD F Rem)

Pride and Prejudice (2006) (DVD F Pri)

Two Weeks Notice (DVD F Two)

Night at the Museum (DVD F Nig & DVD J Nig)

National Treasure 1 &2 (DVD J Nat)

The Blue Planet (DVD 551.46 Blu)

Ballet Shoes (DVD J Bal)

Horatio’s Drive (DVD 917.304 Hor)

Lewis & Clark (DVD 978 Lew)

John Adams (DVD Bio Adams John)

Benjamin Franklin (DVD Bio Franklin Benjamin)

Anne of Green Gables, The Continuing Story (DVD E Ann)

Annie (DVD J Ann)

Apollo 13 (DVD F Apo)

Hugo (DVD J Hug)

Barefoot in the Park (DVD F Bar)

Cars (DVD E Car)

Cranford (DVD F Cra)

Funny Face (DVD F Fun)

Dave (DVD F Dav)

Dolphin Tale (DVD J Dol)

Driving Miss Daisy (DVD F Dri)

Finding Nemo (DVD E Fin)

Gandhi (DVD F Gan)

The Glenn Miller Story (DVD F Gle)

Julie & Julia (DVD F Jul)

We Bought A Zoo (DVD F We & DVD J We)

Marley & Me (DVD F Mar)

Pixar Short Films Collection, Volume 1 (DVD E Pix)

Ratatouille (DVD E Rat)

You’ve Got Mail (DVD F You) 

Jeanne:

Favorite genre: romance (duh!)

Favorite DVDs:

Casablanca (DVD F Cas)

Doctor Zhivago (DVD F Doc)

The Sound of Music (DVD F Sou)

Life is Beautiful (DVD F Lif)

Il Postino (DVD F Il)

M (DVD F M)

Amelie (DVD F Ame)

Das Boot (DVD F Boo)

Rebecca (DVD F Reb)

Shakespeare in Love (DVD F Shak)

The Sting (DVD F Sti)

The King’s Speech (DVD F Kin)

The Graduate (DVD F Grad)

Best Years of Our Lives (DVD F Bes)

My Mother’s Castle (DVD F My)

The African Queen (DVD F Afr)
 

Jessica:

Favorite genres: I like a variety.

Favorite actor/actress/director: No favorite actor/actress, but I really like Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson as far as directors go.  Does Hayao Miyazaki count as a director? Because he is also brilliant.

Favorite DVDs:

Amelie (DVD F Ame)

Big Fish (DVD F Big)

My Neighbor Totoro (DVD E My)

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (DVD F Lif)

Lost in Translation (DVD F Los)

The Lord of the Rings series (DVD F Lor)

Girl, Interrupted (DVD F Gir)

Castle in the Sky (DVD E Cas)

Alice in Wonderland (animated version) (DVD E Ali)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (DVD F Per)

Moonrise Kingdom (DVD F Moo)

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (DVD F Aus)

Donnie Darko (DVD F Don)

Food, Inc. (DVD 338.1 Foo)

Harry Potter series (DVD F Har & DVD J Har)

Hook (DVD F Hoo)

Howl’s Moving Castle (DVD F How)

MirrorMask (DVD F Mir)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (DVD F Mon)

Monty Python’s Life of Brian (DVD F Mon)

The Princess Bride (DVD F Pri)

Shaun of the Dead (DVD F Sha)

Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price (DVD 381.149 Wal)

Love, Actually (DVD F Lov)

Paris, Je T’aime (DVD F Par)

The Little Mermaid (DVD E Lit)

Exit Through the Gift Shop (DVD 751.7 Exi)

Joan:

Favorite genres: mystery (older ones especially); suspense, but without a lot of violence (or cars blowing up); comedy; comedy, but in good taste, not raunchy

Favorite actor/actress/director: Hmmm… so many… Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Bradley Cooper, Sally Field, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Hitchcock, the list goes on and on.

Favorite DVDs:

Gone with the Wind (DVD F Gon)

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (DVD F Gue)

The African Queen (DVD F Afr)

Any of the Agatha Christie movies (DVD F Aga & more)

Most of the Hitchcock movies

Lincoln (the new one) (DVD F Lin)

Life of Pi (DVD F Pi)

Beasts of the Southern Wild (DVD F Bea)

Argo (DVD F Arg)

Les Miserable (the new one) (DVD F Les)

West Side Story (DVD F Wes)

Up (DVD J Up)

The Help (DVD F Help)

Midnight in Paris (DVD F Mid)

Moneyball (DVD F Mon)

The King’s Speech (DVD F Kin)

Crazy Heart (DVD F Craz)

The Blind Side (DVD F Bli)

The Sound of Music (DVD F Sou)

South Pacific (DVD F Sou)

Bullitt (DVD F Bul)

The Great Escape (DVD F Gre)

Out of Africa (DVD F Out)

Lilies of the Field (DVD F Lil)

Forrest Gump (DVD F For)

Walk the Line (DVD F Wal)

Moulin Rouge (DVD F Mou)

Casablanca (DVD F Cas)

The Bridge On the River Kwai (DVD F Bri)

Chicago (DVD F Chi)

Driving Miss Daisy (DVD F Dri)

In the Heat of the Night (DVD F In)

My Fair Lady (DVD F My)

Mary Poppins (DVD E Mar)

The Little Mermaid (DVD E Lit)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (DVD F One)

Rain Man (DVD F Rai)

Rebecca—either version (DVD F Reb)

Slumdog Millionaire (DVD F Slu)

The Sting (DVD F Sti)

Titanic (DVD F Tit)

Cool Hand Luke (DVD F Coo)

John:

Favorite genres: noir, comedy, cult classics, foreign, b movies 

The Maltese Falcon (DVD F Mal)

Annie Hall (DVD F Ann)

Night and the City (DVD F Nig)

Duck Soup (DVD F Duc) or anything in The Marx Brothers: Silver Screen Collection (DVD  F Mar)

Any of the Preston Sturges comedies—especially Hail the Conquering Hero (DVD F Hai), The Lady 

     Eve (DVD F Lad), The Great McGinty (DVD F Gre), or Sullivan’s Travels (DVD F Sul)

Back to the Future (DVD F Bac)

Any Wes Anderson: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (DVD F Lif), Royal Tenenbaums (DVD F  

     Roy), Fantastic Mr. Fox (DVD J Fan), Moonrise Kingdom (DVD F Moo)

The Thing From Another World (DVD F Thi)

The Princess Bride (DVD F Pri)

Ratatouille (DVD E Rat)

Pandora’s Box (DVD F Pan)

Rashoman (DVD F Ras)

Breathless (DVD F Bre)

Winter’s Bone (DVD F Win)

Lost in Translation (DVD F Los)

Strictly Ballroom (DVD F Str)

Sneakers (DVD F Sne)

You Can’t Take it With You (DVD F You)

A Room with a View (DVD F Roo)

Almost any live-action Disney movie from the 1950s or 1960s, such as That Darn Cat (DVD E  

     Tha), Blackbeard’s Ghost (DVD E Bla), The Parent Trap (DVD E Par), Swiss Family Robinson 

     (DVD E Swi), or The Shaggy Dog (DVD E Sha)

Any of the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movies, though especially Swing Time (DVD F Swi) and Top 

     Hat (DVD F Top)

Mulholland Drive (DVD F Mul)

Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (DVD E Rock)

Chinatown (DVD F Chin)

Requiem for a Dream (DVD F Req)

Star Wars—Original Trilogy (DVD F Sta)

Ghostbusters (DVD F Gho)

Pulp Fiction (DVD F Pul)

Any Coen Brothers—especially A Serious Man (DVD F Ser) or Fargo (DVD F Fargo)

King Kong—the original (DVD F Kin)

Night of the Living Dead (DVD F Nig)

Goldfinger (DVD F Gol)

The Great Muppet Caper (DVD F Gre)

Rear Window (DVD F Rea)

Wonder Boys (DVD F Won)

Winchester ’73 (DVD F Win)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (DVD F Ind)

The Conversation (DVD F Con)

Bringing Up Baby (DVD F Bri)

Dr. Strangelove (DVD F Dr.)

Harold and Maude (DVD F Har)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (DVD F Sev)
Z (DVD F Z)

Kathy J.:

Favorite genres: chick flicks, some action/suspense, comedy

Favorite actor/actress/director: Sandra Bullock, Harrison Ford, Sean Connery

Favorite DVDs:

Veggie Tales—all of them! (DVD E Veg)

Little House on the Prairie (DVD E Lit)

Bourne Series (DVD F Bou)

Star Wars IV, V, VI (DVD F Sta & DVD J Sta)

Mission Impossible movies (DVD F Mis)

Sleepless in Seattle (DVD F Sle)

You’ve Got Mail (DVD F You)

The Natural (DVD F Nat)

An Affair to Remember (DVD F Aff)

The American President (DVD F Ame)

Air Force One (DVD F Air)

Toy Story movies (DVD E Toy)

It’s a Wonderful Life (DVD F It’s)

The Wizard of Oz (DVD F Wiz)

The Ten Commandments (DVD F Ten)

The Color Purple (DVD F Col)

Big (DVD F Big)

Ocean’s 11,12,13 (DVD F Onc)

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (DVD F Rob)

Field of Dreams (DVD F Fie)

Hook (DVD F Hoo)

Men in Black 1 and 3 (DVD F Men)

WarGames (DVD F War)

Katie:

Favorite genres: action, comedy, romantic comedy, tearjerker, documentary, book-to-movies

Favorite actor/actress/director: Kristen Wiig, James Franco, Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Ellen Page, Ewan McGregor, Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, Daniel Craig

Favorite DVDs:

A Beautiful Mind (DVD F Bea)

Vantage Point (DVD F Van)

Good Will Hunting (DVD F Goo)

Big Fish (DVD F Big)

Grease (DVD F Gre)

Sister Act (DVD F Sis)

The Jane Austen Book Club (DVD F Jan)

The Lovely Bones (DVD F Lov)

One Day (DVD F One)

Anonymous (DVD F Ano)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (DVD F Cur)

All of the Lord of the Rings movies (DVD F Lor)

All of the Harry Potter movies (DVD J Har/DVD F Har)

Something’s Gotta Give (DVD F Som)

Julie & Julia (DVD F Jul)

Juno (DVD F Jun)

Into the Wild (DVD F Int)

Eighty-eight Minutes (DVD F Eig)

Amelie (DVD F Ame)

Casino Royale (DVD F Cas)

The Departed (DVD F Dep)

Elizabeth (DVD F Eli)

Inception (DVD F Inc)

Ratatouille (DVD E Rat)

Alice in Wonderland (with Johnny Depp) (DVD F Ali)

You’ve Got Mail (DVD F You)

Blue Planet/Earth DVDs (DVD 551.46 Blu & DVD 590 Ear)

Finding Nemo (DVD E Fin) 

Kristin:

Favorite genres: historical, drama, musical, golden age (1930s-1940s), French

Favorite actor/actress/director: Too many!

Favorite DVDs:

Amelie (DVD F Ame)

Gone with the Wind (DVD F Gon)

Never Let Me Go (DVD F Nev)

Melancholia (DVD F Mel)

The Artist (DVD F Art)

Atonement (DVD F Ato)

The Pillars of the Earth (DVD F Pil)

Birdsong (DVD F Bir)

The Big Bang Theory (DVD F Big)

Lost (DVD F Los)

It Happened One Night (DVD F It)

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (DVD F Bur)

Bridget Jones (1 &2) (DVD F Bri)

Casino Royale (DVD F Cas)

Cold Mountain (DVD F Col)

Any Elvis movies :)

Rebel Without a Cause (DVD F Reb)

East of Eden (DVD F Eas)

Giant (DVD F Gia)

Elizabeth (DVD F Eli)

Forrest Gump (DVD F For)

Indiana Jones series (but not Crystal Skull) (DVD F Ind)

Jurassic Park (DVD F Jur)

Mamma Mia! (DVD F Mam)

Moulin Rouge (DVD F Mou)

The Phantom of the Opera (DVD F Pha)

Pirates of the Caribbean 1-3 (not 4)(DVD F Pir)

The Princess Bride (DVD F Pri & DVD J Pri)

Roman Holiday (DVD F Rom)

Slumdog Millionaire (DVD F Slum)

Star Wars (DVD F Sta & DVD J Sta)

Titanic (DVD F Tit)

A Very Long Engagement (DVD F Ver)

Water for Elephants (DVD F Wat)

Edward Scissorhands (DVD F Edw)

Cary Grant—Bringing Up Baby (DVD F Bri), North by Northwest (DVD F Nor), Monkey Business   

     (DVD F Mon), His Girl Friday (DVD F His), An Affair to Remember (DVD F Aff)

W./E. (DVD F W./E.)

My Week with Marilyn (DVD F My)

Beginners (DVD F Beg)

Anonymous (DVD F Ano)

Midnight in Paris (DVD F Mid)

True Grit (DVD F Tru)

The Social Network (DVD F Soc)

Walk the Line (DVD F Wal)

The Court Jester (DVD F Cou)

The Young Victoria (DVD F You)

Food, Inc. (DVD 338.1 Foo)

Remember Me (DVD F Rem)

Scoop (DVD F Sco)

Pillow Talk (DVD F Pil)

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (DVD F Mis)

Oklahoma (DVD F Okl)

Melissa:

Favorite genres: Funny, unusual, foreign, documentaries

Favorite actor/actress/director: Hitchcock

Favorite DVDs:

Napoleon Dynamite (DVD F Nap)

Pollyana (DVD E Pol)

Chocolat (DVD F Cho)

Amadeus (DVD F Ama)

Rear Window (All Hitchy, really)(DVD F Rea)

Anonymous (DVD F Ano)

Secondhand Lions (DVD F Sec & DVD J Sec)

Fried Green Tomatoes (DVD F Fri)

Waking Ned Devine (DVD F Wak)

Election (DVD F Ele)

Food, Inc. (338.1 Foo)

Exit Through the Gift Shop (DVD 751.7 Exi)

Moonrise Kingdom (DVD F Moo)

Amelie (DVD F Ame)

Paris, Je T’aime (DVD F Par)

My Dog Skip (DVD F My)

Little Miss Sunshine (DVD F Lit)

The Bourne Trilogy (DVD F Bou)

Fargo (DVD F Far)

Back to the Future (first in the series only) (DVD F Bac)

The Sound of Music (DVD F Sou)

Mamma Mia! (DVD F Mam) 

Nicki:

Favorite genre: Foreign Films

Favorite DVDs:

Monsoon Wedding (DVD F Mon)

Cinema Paradiso (DVD F Cin)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (DVD F Cro)

Il Postino (The Postman) (DVD F Il)

My Mother’s Castle (DVD F My)

Tamara:

Favorite genres: all—mysteries, comedy, sci-fi, fantasy

Favorite actor/actress/director: Cary Grant and Harrison Ford, Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock

Favorite DVDs:

The African Queen (DVD F Afr)

Alien (DVD F Ali)

The Princess Bride (DVD F Pri)

Bleak House (DVD F Ble)

Addams Family (DVD E Add)

Back to the Future (DVD F Bac)

Blade Runner (DVD F Bla)

Blazing Saddles (DVD F Bla)

The Blues Brothers (DVD F Blu)

The Breakfast Club (DVD F Bre)

Bridget Jones’s Diary (DVD F Bri)

Casablanca (DVD F Cas)

Chariots of Fire (DVD F Char)

Chicago (DVD F Chi)

Duck Soup (DVD F Duc)

Fried Green Tomatoes (DVD F Fri)

The Great Dictator (DVD F Gre)

High Anxiety (DVD F Hig)

His Girl Friday (DVD F His)

Anne of Green Gables (Megan Follows)(DVD E Ann)

Chicken Run (DVD E Chi)

The Muppet Movie (DVD E Mup)

Swiss Family Robinson (DVD E Swi)

Star Wars—original—the good one (DVD F Sta & DVD J Sta)

Jumanji (DVD F Jum)

North by Northwest (DVD F Nor)

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (DVD F Mr.)

Topper (DVD F Top)

The Thin Man series (DVD F Thi)

Wyatt:

Favorite genres: Sci-fi, horror, action, comedy

Favorite actor/actress/director: John Cusack, Michael J. Fox, Bill Murray, Robin Williams, Patrick Stewart 

Favorite DVDs:

The Back to the Future Trilogy (DVD F Bac)

Blade Runner (DVD F Bla)

Die Hard (DVD F Die)

District 9 (DVD F Dis)

Ghostbusters (DVD F Gho)

Groundhog Day (DVD F Gro)

Hook (DVD F Hoo)

Wallace and Gromit (DVD E Wal)

Gran Torino (DVD F Gran)

Fantastic Mr. Fox (DVD J Fan)

Big (DVD F Big)

Moonrise Kingdom (DVD F Moo)

The Muppets (DVD J Mup)

Minority Report (DVD F Min)

Rocky (DVD F Roc)

Inception (DVD F Inc)

Planet of the Apes (1968) (DVD F Pla)

Alien (DVD F Ali)

Howl’s Moving Castle (DVD F How)