And the Winners Were…

I consider myself a self-professed movie buff (you can more-or-less find me in a movie theater every other weekend), but it seems that lately I’ve fallen off my a-game. Weeks passed after the premiere of the 2014 Oscars, and I had yet to watch all of the films that came away winners. Thankfully, Langsdale came to my rescue by acquiring many of the Oscar’s heavy-hitters on DVD. Please feel free to stop by and check out any of the award-winners listed below. I’ve recently returned all of these myself:

12 Years a Slave: Based off the 1853 memoir written by Solomon Northurp. Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave follows the story of a free black man from New York who is abducted by slave traders and forced to work on plantations in Louisiana. This film is not for the faint of heart, vividly depicting the brutal and savage reality of slavery in the South. Winner: Best Picture; Actress in a Supporting Role (Lupita Nyong'o); and Adapted Screenplay.

Dallas Buyer’s Club: Matthew McConaughey gives arguably his best performance as Ron Woodroof, a wild-living rodeo cowboy diagnosed with HIV and given only 30 days to live. Ron’s determination to fight the disease leads him to the discovery of alternative treatments, and eventually the creation of an underground pharmaceutical operation for fellow AIDS patients who are discontented with their current treatments. The movie deals with strong themes of endurance, dignity and the will of human beings to survive. Winner: Best Actor (Matthew McConaughey); Actor in a Supporting Role (Jared Leto); and Makeup and Hairstyling.

Gravity: After the tragic destruction of their shuttle, medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) lose all communication with Earth and must fight for survival by plunging deeper into the vastness of outer space. This cinematographic masterpiece by Alfonso Cuaron is, if nothing else, a visual treat for the eyes.Winner: Best Director (Alfonso Cuaron); Original Score; Cinematography; Film Editing; Sound Editing; and Sound Mixing.

Blue Jasmine: After the failure of her marriage to a wealthy New York businessman, narcissist Jasmine Francis moves in with her middle-class sister and struggles to adjust her life to one without wealth or privilege. Director Woody Allen strikes again with a film that seamlessly mixes dark comedy and heavy-handed drama. And Cate Blanchett does a superb job in leading an exceptional cast. Winner: Best Actress (Cate Blanchett).

Please, No More Award Ceremonies

Fall's here, which means, among other things (school starting being one), that hardly a day will go by without hearing about some kind of award ceremony, even if it doesn't take place till the end of the year. Gowns are sold for sums that I prefer not to think about, fashionistas crawl up into their deer stands flanking the red carpet to snipe at those who traverse it, critics sharpen their teeth, and everyone pics winners. The Emmys just passed--which for me is the start of the season, kinda like a harvest moon, which also just passed--so that means it's about time E! starts their wild guesses about nominations for the Oscars, still a few months away.

In books, the Man Booker Prize has been taking headlines both with their recently announced best-novel shortlist, and because of their plans to begin nominating Americans in 2014. Some are none to happy about the latter. (The Booker Prize is (traditionally) given to a novel published somewhere in that vast span that was once the British Empire.) The National Book Foundation has also announced their shortlist for the National Book Awards and you can be sure that editors around the country are trying to spin some controversy out of something in that list, or better yet, the prize itself.

But one "prize" (which isn't really a prize) that gets little attention but nonetheless represents something way more substantial to culture and to those that make culture than any of the prizes listed above. The MacArthur "Genius" Grants were announced this week. They award a substantial sum of money and title to those in the arts and sciences that have moved their field forward. One of the winners has revolutionized an aspect of library science in a way that can now give us a look into the past like we have never had before, and it's pretty cool:

Oscars and the Library

After hearing about the Oscars last week, I’ve decided to write about Langsdale. Odd link, isn’t it? Well, I personally didn’t watch the Oscars, but I listened to the media buzz about the stars’ attire and the great pictures nominated. This led me to the DVD collection at Langsdale. A lot of students come into the library to study and sometimes forget that we have a great leisure reading and DVD collection. Students can at times be so focused on getting their work done that they develop tunnel vision. Some rarely treat themselves.

About a month ago, I was shopping at Target, and as I approached the cashier I noticed the sign for “$5 DVDs.” I bought three DVDs that day and as of now, have only watched one, Julia & Julie. Want to know the most astonishing fact? This movie premiered in theaters August 7, 2009. It’s 2013 and it took me almost five years to get around to watching a movie with my favorite actress, Meryl Streep. So what do I want you to take away from this blog post? Let’s see:

1. Try to relieve stress: Treat yourself to a movie, new shirt, or check out a book. Allot yourself some “you” time. It’s a stress reliever.
    
2. Check out Langsdale’s DVD collection & leisure reading: Try checking out our DVD collection at least once a semester. There are plenty of Oscar award-winning pictures with award-winning actors/actresses. Rumor has it that we’ll be getting Argo – a three time award winning picture featuring George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Ben Affleck.
    
3. For everyone: Try NOT to fall victim to work overload. Find small tasks that help you relax and enjoy some leisure time.