Movie Blog

View this item in the catalog (season 1, disc 1).

What does a wife do when she finds out her husband, who is also the Illinois State Attorney General, cheated on her with a prostitute? Thus begins the story of Alicia Florrick, who has to pick up the pieces when her husband is sentenced to prison for his part in the sexual and political corruption scandal. Thanks to an old friend, Will Gardner, she is able to land a job at the law office of Lockhart and Gardner, a prestigious firm in downtown Chicago.  Here her new life begins to take shape, and Alicia must weigh her duties as a wife and mother against new possibilities that are open to her, including beginning a romantic relationship with Will, who had been an old college flame. The resulting tension is the basis of the first season.  Julianna Margulies won an Emmy for her role as Alicia Florrick.

View this item in catalog.

You do not have to like football to enjoy this great TV series about a high school football team from the fictional town of Dillon, Texas. Friday Night Lights, which ran for five seasons on NBC, is an adaptation of the book and the film by the same name. Coach Eric Taylor is central to the story, as is his relationship with his wife Tami and his daughter Julie.  This TV series covers gritty, emotional themes (rape, murder, racism, infidelity, steroid use, life-changing injuries, etc.) in a dramatic and effective way.

After the first episode, I was hooked when the star quarterback gets hurt and the inexperienced shy sophomore backup quarterback has to take his place.  All the characters ring true and feel real as we see them face life’s challenges, make difficult decisions, and deal with the consequences. The superb writing gives these characters some great lines that will make you laugh and cry.   Borrow this TV series from the library, pop the popcorn and get ready to meet Coach Taylor, his family and the people of Dillon, Texas.

View this item in the catalog.

Downton Abbey, a British period drama, is a masterpiece. The first season begins with the news of the Titanic’s sinking, and ends with the announcement that Britain has been drawn into World War I; season two takes place during the war and in the immediate postwar years, up to 1920. (Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of the series, owes a debt to an earlier British TV drama, Upstairs Downstairs (1971-1975), which also featured a rich family and its servants.) Downton Abbey’s cast of characters also spans the class spectrum, from the Dowager Countess (played by Maggie Smith, whose one-liners may be the best part of the show) and Lord and Lady Grantham and their three daughters, all the way down to Daisy the kitchen maid. The acting is superb, the relationships between the characters intricate, and the costumes and sets lush and perfect: the show is filmed partly at Highclere Castle and partly at Ealing Studios in London. Season three is in production – and eagerly awaited by many.

View this item in catalog.

This is a delightful romantic comedy directed by Woody Allen starring Owen Wilson (Gil) and Rachel McAdams (Inez) who play a California couple engaged to be married. They take a trip to Paris with the bride-to-be’s parents providing plenty of opportunity for both to reflect on what they want out of life. Adding another dimension to the film is at midnight, Gil is magically transported to 1920s Paris where he meets and mingles with stars from the art scene: Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Picasso and more. This experience makes Gil yearn for a different life and further enamors him to the City of Love.