CNBC catches up with The Queen of Versailles subjects

The Queen of Versailles (HU DVD 4553) is one of the more popular and unusual documentaries in our collection. It chronicles the lifestyle of Florida billionaires Jackie and David Siegel as they attempt to build an impossibly massive mansion during the height of the recent economic downturn. As the film explains, a variety of economic and hubristic factors prevented the French-inspired Versailles House from reaching completion.

Apparently the Siegels have doubled down, vowing to complete the mansion within the next few years. For those who came out of The Queen of Versailles deeply intrigued, a recent tour from CNBC shines light on the current state of the project. The piece, featured on the show Secret Lives Of The Super Rich, is by no means a critical exposé, but it does provide an interesting follow-up to see how the Siegels are still pursuing their dreams of elaborate grandeur.

Catch new short films around DC all week

DC has become an epicenter of independent films, attracting filmmakers from around the country to take advantage of the city's social activism and global culture.

One of DC's hallmark film events, the DC Shorts Film Festival, kicked off last Thursday and continues through this week. The DC Shorts Festival includes screenings of 153 films from around the globe, including a collection of 18 Russian shorts. If you don't live in downtown DC, other theaters in Maryland and Virginia plan to show the same programs as well.

Tickets to the DC Shorts Film Festival are $12 online or $15 at the door. This year's festival also includes a $40 streaming package that lets you watch many of the films at home (pretty neat!). This is a fun opportunity to explore fresh voices in local and world cinema from the comfort of your city.

UPDATE: DC Shorts has kindly provided a code for $2 off tickets for students! Just enter the code SHARE2 at checkout for a discount.

See famed director Arturo Ripstein on campus TODAY!

American University is proud and excited to host famed Spanish film director Arturo Ripstein on campus today at 5:30pm in the Letts Formal Lounge.

Ripstein has been active in the Spanish film industry for years, starting as an assistant to director Luis Buñuel and eventually directing his own feature films in 1965. If you've taken a Spanish film class, you've no doubt run across some of his films, including El lugar sin limites and Deep Crimson.

The event will include a panel discussion with Professors Lucy Grandas, Jeffrey Middents, Nuria Vilanova, and Brenda Werth (all friends of Media Services). This is a massively exciting opportunity to hear from a big name in world cinema. Come to the Letts Formal Lounge early to ensure you have a seat!

We have a number of Ripstein's films in our collection, including...

El Crimen del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Padre Amaro) - HU DVD 1076
La Virgen de la Lujuria (The Virgin of Lust) -- HU DVD 5485
Deep Crimson -- HU DVD 5486
Lugar Sin Limites (Place Without Limits) - DVD 6033
La Perdicion de los Hombres (The Ruination of Men) -- HU DVD 7216

These Banned Books Week film screens are [REDACTED]

Banned Books Week, the annual tongue-in-cheek celebration of censorship in libraries, starts on Sunday, September 22nd. Libraries have a long history of fighting critics and officials about the inclusion of books with controversial, especially ones aimed towards children. This is a chance to push back and shine a light on why these books were challenged – and why it's important to keep them around.

It's not just about books though. We can have fun with controversial movies too.

DC Public Library system is celebrating the week with screenings of films based on famously challenged and banned books. Festivities kick off on Sunday with a screening of the often-criticized The Perks of Being a Wallflower, followed by others including To Kill a Mockingbird, Fahrenheit 451, and Bridge to Terabithia.

No matter where you live in DC, there'll be a nearby library holding an event. What better way to celebrate a week about fighting censorship than embracing controversy in every medium?

Get pumped! Free passes for Don Jon and Captain Phillips

We've been getting busier and busier since the start of the semester, so we imagine it's pretty hectic for students too. There's no better time for a cooldown than this week, and what better way to take a break than by going to the movies?

We have passes to see two new movies for free this week! Your two potential options are:

• Don Jon with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, playing at 7pm on Tuesday, September 17th
• Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks, playing at 8pm on Wednesday, September 18th

These are two big movies that will no doubt be in the mix for awards season – or at least among JGL fans. Come to Media Services to pick up your passes. Our usual caveats apply: these are passes, not tickets, and do not guarantee entry. Show up early to ensure that you get a seat.

We need your input! Shape the future of the library TOMORROW

Over the summer, the AU Library has been working with the Brightspot consulting group to formulate new ideas for using our library's space. After months of brainstorming sessions with the library staff, the folks at Brightspot are ready to propose their ideas and seek opinions from AU Library community.

Now is your chance to get a say in the future of the AU Library. This will be the public's first look at the ideas we have worked with Brightspot to develop. You are strongly encouraged to attend; your input is greatly valued in this process.

The presentation and discussion will be held Thursday, September 12th, at 3:30pm in the Mud Box. RSVP for the event on Facebook. There will be food!

Aargh crickets!

Aaaarrrggh! A family of crickets has taken up residence outside the emergency door in Media Services, and you can hear them everywhere. Normally we would've tried to clear them out, but because the pathway outside the library is currently under construction, we can't get to them.

We, for one, welcome our new insect overlords!

Lest we rush to judgment about our awful cricket nemeses, let's remember for a brief second that they're as much a part of nature as we are. As a testament to the vastness of our streaming video collection, here is an hour-long video titled Facts About Insects that reminds us about the small friends we share the world with.

We'll keep you posted on the cricket situation. They're pretty annoying, but we know we'll miss them when they're gone.

Feeling creative? Learn screenwriting at the New Media Center THIS THURSDAY!

The New Media Center's training sessions usually cover technical know-how, like editing video or making a podcast. But for one night only, we're covering the creative side too.

On Thursday, September 12th at 6pm, the New Media Center will host a master class taught by SOC Professor Claudia Myers on the screenwriting process. If you've ever wanted to hone your skills at writing story, structure, character, action, and dialogue, Thursday evening is your chance.

Come to the New Media Center on Thursday evening to learn! RSVP is not required, but feel free to sign up for the event on Facebook.

Vimeo steps into the film distribution game

The breakdown of the conventional media publishing model has led filmmakers to some unusual sources for funding. The most obvious alternative is Kickstarter, where hopeful directors can collect thousands of small donations to bankroll projects. Other large companies such as Netflix and Amazon have offered lucrative deals for original content in the vein of traditional distributors.

But now, even unlikelier names are offering up money. Vimeo, the YouTube alternative frequently used for independent short films, is offering $10,000 to films willing to premiere exclusively on Vimeo.com for their first month of release. We know that many students who visit the New Media Center use Vimeo to distribute their video projects, so although this initial deal only applies to films appearing at the Toronto International Film Festival, this is a smart idea that could give a much-needed financial boost to aspiring filmmakers.

We'll see if Vimeo extends this deal after TIFF. If they continue putting fund up for independent films, we could see a new (and more accessible) player in the film distribution world.

Miyazaki retires! Celebrate the legendary director's work

A luminary of the film industry is throwing in the towel. With the release of The Wind Rises, his eleventh feature film, Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki has announced his retirement from filmmaking. The sudden announcement was perhaps inevitable given Miyazaki's age, but his absence from the world of animation will be felt immediately. Miyazaki's production house, Studio Ghibli, has often been called the Japanese equivalent of Disney; Ghibli is responsible for many critically acclaimed Japanese films, including 2010's The Secret World of Arrietty.

Miyazaki will probably still have a hand in the operations of Studio Ghibli and in producing more animated films, but his absence in the director's chair will be sorely missed. Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away are among the most cherished and lauded animated films ever.

Luckily, Miyazaki leaves behind three decades of quality animated features. We have the director's entire filmography available for checkout in Media Services. Watch one or two and pay tribute to his enormous and acclaimed body of work.

Spirited Away – HU DVD 586
Princess Mononoke –  HU DVD 1206
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind  – HU DVD 2977
Castle in the Sky – HU DVD 2978
Howl's Moving Castle – HU DVD 2979
My Neighbor Totoro – HU DVD 4709
Kiki's Delivery Service – HU DVD 6077
Ponyo – HU DVD 6937
Porco Rosso – HU DVD 10216
The Castle of Cagliostro – HU DVD 10694

Syrian civil war documentary available streaming via AU Library

With the White House's recent announcement that it intends to engage in military strikes against Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria in response to its purported use of chemical weapons, the ongoing Syrian civil war has once again been thrust into international spotlight. For many who have not followed the conflict since it began in 2011, the reasons for the renewed interest in Syria are perhaps unclear, even as officials continue to spell out the extent of the death and carnage.

The AU Library has access to a streaming documentary, Syria: The Assads' Twilight, that explains the country's backgrounds and the conditions leading to the civil war. The documentary was produced before the civil war entered its deadliest phase, and as such, it only addresses how the Assad regime's actions created a brittle state what was, at the time, on the verge of collapse. However, it is an extremely useful hour-long primer for those wishing to learn more about the conditions leading to the current conflict.

For those wishing to view the film at library, we also have a DVD version available for in-house viewing (DVD 10636).

(Viewers must be on AU campus or logged into WRLC Catalog to view this content.)

Recognizing Elmore Leonard's contributions to film

Last week, acclaimed novelist and screenplay writer Elmore Leonard died at age 87. Though perhaps not a household name, Leonard's significant contributions to the film world should not be ignored. Leonard's stories formed the backbone for a number of big movies and television shows, most notably the crime-comedy series Get Shorty and Be Cool.

You might recognize a number of the following movies and television shows, all of which were inspired by an Elmore Leonard work or directly written by Leonard himself. Consider watching one if you're curious to see where his reputation comes from.

3:10 to Yuma (1957) – HU DVD 7654
3:10 to Yuma (2007) – HU DVD 7655
Get Shorty – HU DVD 5393
Jackie Brown – HU DVD 2988
Justified, Season 1 – HU DVD 6215
Out of Sight – HU DVD 4817

Happy National Dog Day! Avoid animal tragedies with Does the Dog Die

Evidently, August 26th is National Dog Day, a holiday we can all agree with. The holiday's goal is to raise awareness for local Humane Societies and the adoption process, which is a great thing, but it's unclear how the average person should celebrate. Surely this is the right day to watch a few dog movies.

But as anyone who watched Marley & Me knows, many movies about pets end with the animals dying. However, some viewers are sensitive about seeing animals dying, or at least they aren't looking forward to that. Does the Dog Die? is a new spoiler-filled website just for them. DtDD rates movies exclusively by whether the animals in the movies are killed or injured. Old Yeller, for instance, receives a thumbs down, while Legally Blonde gets the site's seal of approval.

This is perhaps not the best way to evaluate the quality of a movie, but it's a nice quick reference for people who aren't in the mood for heartbreak. Well done to whoever came up with the idea!

Fall 2013 hours start tomorrow

The inevitable march of time has led, once again, to the end of summer. The Fall 2013 semester officially begins tomorrow, and with it, we go back to our normal semester hours:

• Monday – Thursday: 8am – midnight
• Friday: 8am – 9pm
• Saturday: 9am – 9pm
• Sunday: 10am – midnight

Here's hoping everyone has a good semester!

Have $35,000 to spend? The ultimate streaming device awaits

With the rise of the Roku, Xbox, and Chromecast, streaming devices have become one of the most popular ways to consume media. Nearly every major movie eventually ends up on Netflix, Amazon, or iTunes. It has become easier than ever to watch any movie at any time, but you have to wait. New releases still take months to hit these streaming services.

This is no longer the case if you are incredibly, incredibly rich. The new PRIMA Cinema device is the ultimate home theater upgrade for the truly crazy and enthusiastic. The box, which costs a staggering $35,000, allows owners to watch new-release movies in their home for $500 per viewing. For installation, your home theater needs a stable Internet connection and has to pass inspection from a PRIMA dealer. Then, to watch films, you need to input a PIN and swipe your fingerprint.

This is not something you pick up at Best Buy. PRIMA is the Tiffany & Co. of home streaming devices. This is a gadget intended for Jeff Bezos so he can watch Despicable Me 2 at home instead of going to a movie theater. Chances are that you will never own or even see one.

Early reviews indicate that the quality is outstanding, easily outclassing Blu-rays and other media boxes. Plus, its ability to pre-load movies allows you to watch them the minute they come out in theaters. But is the cost worth it? This is clearly not intended for the average consumer. The day may come when college students can watch Elysium in their dorms, but for now, that's still the territory of the extravagant.

Early Orson Welles film uncovered!

Everyone knows Orson Welles best for his directorial debut, Citizen Kane. Though Welles had dabbled in some film work and shorts before Kane's debut, few of those early works have seen the light of the day. Perhaps Welles's most famous lost work is Too Much Johnson, a series of vignettes originally designed to screen alongside a stage play of the same name. The play never took off, and Welles never finished editing Johnson, leaving it to languish in a box somewhere for decades.

You probably know where this is going. Last week, a pristine copy of Too Much Johnson was found in Italy, and a restoration is already in progress. It seems that every year, another landmark film is being uncovered, whether it's an extended copy of Metropolis or a missing Hitchcock. Finding an old Orson Welles film is easily on par with these other discoveries; we can't wait to see the apparently unusual film once it premieres in October.

Library closed Saturday and Sunday

The AU Library will be closed this Saturday and Sunday, August 10th and 11th. We'll re-open on Monday, August 12th, with shorter operating hours (9am-6pm). Enjoy the weekend!

Breaking Bad's final stretch premieres Sunday; anticipation can't get higher

At this point, Breaking Bad rests among the greatest television shows ever aired. Walter White's harrowing transformation from mild-mannered teacher to complete monster has captivated audiences for the last five years – and on Sunday, we get to see how it wraps up.

Promotional materials for Breaking Bad's final eight episodes imply a disastrous turn for Heisenberg's meth empire, a dismount that fans have anticipated for some time. Fans expected to watch in droves to see what happens to the White family, whether Jesse is redeemed, and how showrunner Vince Gilligan is going to wrap this mess up. Needless to say with three days to go, we've reached peak excitement.

Vulture has been counting down to the season premiere all month. Their calendar is worth a look, if only for all the parody videos and fan-tributes.

But if you really want to get inside the world of Breaking Bad, head up to Flagship Carwash Center the Rockville. Tomorrow, AMC will be turn it into A1A Car Wash, the business that Walter White uses for money laundering. Show up for a free cleaning a free Breaking Bad memento! (While supplies last.)

We can't wait for the last episodes to air, and hopefully you're along for the ride as well. If you aren't yet acquainted with the series, now is the perfect time to meet the one who knocks. The first five seasons are available for checkout in the AU Library (HU DVD 14048 - 14052)

The Totoro house is real, wonderful

My Neighbor Totoro is among the most beloved animated films of all time. Often considered director Hayao Miyazaki's masterwork, Totoro is renowned for its child-like sense of wonder and magic. It's the sort of whimsy that many people wish they could capture in their own lives, so naturally, Studio Ghibli decided to rebuild the sets in the real world.

This recently unearthed blog post reveals the work of Miyazaki's son, Gorō, and the lavish detail he heaped into this replica of the house from Totoro. Everything is there, from the worn-down exteriors to the hidden doors and acorns. To the uninitiated, the Totoro house might seem like an odd, old house in the middle of the woods. But to fans, a chance to visit the world of the movie is positively thrilling. It's a testament to the continued enthusiasm for one of the great children's films.

Celebrate Shark Week and win a copy of Jaws!

Shark Week, the Discovery Channel's annual celebration of all things sharktacular, kicked off yesterday. We're all fans of Shark Week (and for that matter Sharknado), so wanted to celebrate somehow.

To commemorate the occasion, we're giving away a digital copy of Jaws, indisputably the greatest of all shark movies. For a chance to win, leave a comment on this blog post (as well as some way to contact you). We'll randomly pick a winner from our blog, Facebook, Twitter, and desk at the end of the week!