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Scott Handville, Assistant Director

Movies for New Year’s Eve!

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Ah, New Year’s Eve!  The promise of a fresh start in a new year!  There are many movies we can think of right off that deal with the Christmas holiday season, but how well has Hollywood dealt with the holiday of New Year’s?  Quick – what movie comes to mind when I say “Happy New Year!“?  Not much comes to mind, does it?

So, in the spirit of the holiday, here are a few movies that have New Year’s as the background for important plot lines:
Poseidon Adventure (1972) – At midnight on New Year‘s Eve, the SS Poseidon is struck by a 90-foot tidal wave and is capsized.
The Godfather, Part II (1974) – Michael confronts his brother, Fredo, as a traitor on New Year’s Eve.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)  Gloria Swanson hosts the strangest New Year’s Eve party imaginable for her old Hollywood fogies.
Ocean’s Eleven (1960)  Danny Ocean and his friend Jimmy Foster recruit their buddies to rob four of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas on New Year‘s Eve.
After the Thin Man (1936)  A New Year’s Eve dinner brings murder.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)  Ah, romance !
While you were sleeping (1995)  Who wouldn’t want to spend New Year’s Eve with Sandra Bullock?
When Harry met Sally (1989)  “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Diner (1982)  One of the guys is set to marry his fiancé on New Year’s Eve IF she can pass his sports quiz thus proving herself (at least in his mind) a perfect match.
Scott Handville, Assistant Director

Off on a trip . . .

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When I set off on a vacation, particularly to a place I have never been to before, I enjoy borrowing travel books so I can have the lay of the land and major “hot spots” already in my mind.  The library has many volumes of travel books such as Fodor’s, Frommer’s, and Idiot’s Guides to help you plan and think about your trip way before you actually arrive and begin to make those decisions on the spur of the moment.

I was saved during my first trip to Disney World by these guides.  Without them I would have had no idea where to begin – from which hotel to stay at to which restaurant I might enjoy trying to which theme ride should be tops on my list.  I think I would have literally been wandering around for hours without a real goal just trying to make a decision.
If a trip is in your future – whether it be a cruise, a business trip, a trip to Gettysburg or to Disney World – stop by and borrow a travel guide.  It will make your trip so much easier.
BTW, my top picks for theme rides at Disney are Soarin’, any of the 3D movies, World Showcase Pavilions, Tower of Terror , and Expedition Everest.
Scott Handville, Assistant Director

Loving the movies……..

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One of my favorite “reference books” is VideoHounds’ Golden Movie Retriever.  This book rates movies on DVD from a high of four bones to a low of no bones which merits a “Woof!”.  The index is great for accessing movies by actor, director, awards, and even category.  Looking for a movie that deals with Mistaken Identity?  How about Invasion of the Body Snatchers or  Seconds?   VideoHound has 4 columns of titles to keep you busy there.  Want to see something about a wedding from hell?  Head right to that category and see what’s available.  There you will find among others Niagarastarring Marilyn Monroe.  You can even get as narrow a search as Zombie soldiers, such as They Saved Hitler’s Brain.

While browsing through this book, keep in mind that through the Minerva system you have accesses to all other participating libraries and so can have almost any movie you can think of .
From VideoHound:
Niagara (1952)   During their honeymoon in Niagara Falls, a scheming wife (Monroe) plans to kill her crazed war-vet husband.  Little does she know that he is plotting to double-cross her.  Steamy, quasi-Hitchcockian mystery ably directed with interesting performances.
Seconds (1966)   An aging banker is frantic to escape his dead-end existence and accepts an invitation from a mysterious organization to give him a second change at life.  Through surgery, his is transformed into a handsome artist (Rock Hudson) with a new identity.  Uncomfortably living in Malibu, he soon finds out all his new neighbors are also “seconds” who are afraid he’ll betray their secrets.  He decides he wants out of his new arrangement and back to his former life but it comes at a very high price.  Eerie film manages to (mostly) overcome its plot problems, with a fine performance by Hudson.
And a small film that is a personal favorite of mine:
Strangers in Good Company (1991)  A loving metaphor to growing older.  Director Scott uses non-actors for every role in this quiet little film about a bus-load of elderly women lost in the Canadian wilderness.  They wait for rescue without histrionics, using the opportunity instead to get to know each other and nature.  Beautifully made, intelligent, uncommon and worthwhile.
Scott Handville, Assistant Director