The Oscars!

On February 22, the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood played host to the 

87th annual Academy Awards. 

The following films in Merrick Library's DVD collection were among the winners:

"Big Hero 6" - Best Animated Feature Film

"Birdman" - Best Picture, Best Director (Alejandro Inarritu), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Emanuel Lubezki)

"Boyhood" - Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette)

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design (Milena Canonero)

"Ida" - Best Foreign Language Film

"Whiplash" - Best Supporting Actor (J.K. Simmons), Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing (Tom Cross)

Highlighting the evening was recognition of the 50th anniversary of the release of the movie version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's now classic musical "The Sound of Music." Actress Scarlett Johannson introduced a montage of musical highlights from the production which won five Academy Awards including Best Picture half a century ago. Lady Gaga, clad in a white ballgown in contrast to a black tattoo on one arm, then sang a medley of songs from "The Sound of Music." Leading the applause affterwards for the New Jersey-born performer and making a surprise appearance was the movie's leading lady, Dame Julie Andrews. 

The regal superstar then sequed into presenting the Oscar for Best Original Music Score. 

The winner: Alexandre Desplat for "The Grand Budapest Hotel."

Merrick Library is proud to include "The Sound of Music" in its DVD collection and also has the following productions featuring the many talents of 

Dame Julie Andrews:

Broadway: The American Musical

Despicable Me (voice work)

Enchanted

Shrek Forever After: The Final Chapter (voice work) 

Shrek The Third (voice work)

The Tooth Fairy

New DVDs out Tuesday February 25th...

Beyond the Lights  - The pressures of fame have superstar singer Noni on the edge, until she meets Kaz, a young cop who works to help her find the courage to develop her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be. Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Danny Glover

Horrible Bosses 2 - In this sequel, Nick, Dale, and Kurt decide to ditch their big-wig managers by making a new business. Unfortunately, a vicious investor puts a stop to their business plans luanching an all-out out war. Desperate, the trio of misguided entrepreneurs formulate a plan to kidnap the son of the investor and demand money for his safe return. In a series of hilarious events, Kurt, Dale, and Nick attempt to regain control through any means necessary. Unfortunately, their plans never go quite as well as they expected. All star cast!

My Old Lady - Academy Award winners Kevin Kline and Maggie Smith and Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas star in this witty and heartfelt drama about surprising inheritances and unexpected connections. When Mathias Gold (Kline) arrives at the sumptuous Parisian apartment he inherited from his father, he's surprised that the property comes with two stubborn live-in tenants who are not required to leave according to an ancient French real estate law. Unable to sell the place, Mathias moves in with the feisty Englishwoman, Mathilde (Maggie Smith), and her daughter, Chloé (Kristin Scott Thomas). But as Mathias and Chloé draw increasingly closer, Mathilde unveils a complex labyrinth of secrets that unites the trio in unexpected ways.

Whiplash - A promising first year music student (Miles Teller) enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor  (J.K. Simmons) who uses fear and intimidation and will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential. Oscar nominated!

Independent Spirit Awards!

On February 21, 

a spacious tent situated along the 

Pacific Ocean coast of Santa Monica, California played host to the 

30th annual Independent Spirit Awards.

The following films in 

Merrick Library's DVD collection 

were among the winners:

"Birdman" - Best Feature Film, Best Male Lead (Michael Keaton), Best Cinematography (Emanuel Lubezki)

"Boyhood" - Best Director (Richard Linklater), Best Supporting Female (Patricia Arquette)

Ida" - Best International Film

"Whiplash"* - Best Supporting Male (J.K. Simmons), Best Editing (Tom Cross) 

(*in our collection tomorrow, 2/24/15)

Two more new DVDs this week! See below!

Rudderless - Award-winning actor William H.  Macy makes his directorial debut in this heartfelt and inspirational drama lead by an exemplary cast. Sam (Billy Crudup), a former high-profile ad executive, is devastated by the sudden death of his musician son. When Sam discovers a box filled with his son's demo tapes, the grieving father’s downward spiral comes to a standstill as he explores this unexpected gift. After mustering the will to perform one of the songs at a local bar, Sam meets and forms a friendship with Quentin (Anton Yelchin), a young musician. The unlikely duo forms a rock band that becomes a local sensation, and they set out on an emotional musical journey that ultimately revitalizes both of their lives.

Honeymoon - Young newlyweds Paul (Harry Treadaway) and Bea (Rose Leslie) travel to a remote lake cottage for their honeymoon, where the promise of private romance awaits them. Shortly after arriving, Paul finds Bea wandering and disoriented in the middle of the night. As she becomes more distant and her behavior increasingly peculiar, Paul begins to suspect something more sinister than sleepwalking took place in the woods. (Horror)

DVDs out Tuesday, February 17th, 2015!

"The Americans: Season 2" - from FX - return to the Cold War where the balance of power rests with two deep cover Soviet spies known to all as Mr. and Mrs. Jennings - American Film Institute TV Program of the Year - stars Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Richard Thomas

"Birdman" - talk about comebacks? Riggan Thomson is staging one on a wide scale not only covering his acting career but his family as well - nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Michael Keaton), Best Supporting Actor (Edward Norton) and Best Supporting Actress (Emma Stone)

"Game of Thrones: The Complete Fourth Season" - from HBO - come back to George RR Martin's picturesque world of Westos and the competing families vying to control it - winner of four Primetime Emmys and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Stunt Ensemble - stars Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey and Emilia Clarke

 "The Homesman" - three woman have been driven mad by the prairie, and Molly Bee (Hilary Swank) must rely on drifter George (Tommy Lee Jones) to help stagecoach them to safety - all-star supporting cast includes John Lithgow and James Spader (TV's "The Blacklist")

"The Interview" - YES, that almost caused an international incident is here - find out what all the furor is about! - stars Seth Rogen, James Franco and Lizzy Caplan (TV's "Masters of Sex")

 "Lucy" - imagine what might happen if you could use your mind to its fullest potential - you probably won't come close to what happens in this movie! - stars Scarlett Johannson and Morgan Freeman

"St. Vincent" - a divorcee's son is monitored for a fee by the hedonistic Vietnam veteran next door who gradually becomes a mentor - stars Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts and Terrence Howard (TV's "Empire")

 "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" - the Oscar nominated animated treatment of the timeless Japanese tale of royalty arising from within a stick of bamboo - features voice work by Chloe Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen and Lucy Liu ("TV's "Elementary") - Note: Animator Hayao Miyazaki will be honored with a special Academy Award February 22 for his contributions to the art.

Click on the title to place your reserve!

We Are Closed Today...

Today, Monday, February 16th 

the Merrick Library 

will be closed in observance of 

Presidents Day.

Normal hours will resume 

on Tuesday, February 17th:

9am to 9pm 

Happy Sunday! We will be CLOSED on Monday, February 16th, 2015 in observance of President's Day.

Happy Valentine's Weekend!

Crazy good new titles...

Books you'll want to read!

A sci-fi, a thriller, 

a post-apocalyptic, 

and one

 is a combination 

of all three!

Did you miss this one? 

Don't! 

9 New Books Destined to Be Classics...

There's so much good, quality reading material out there, but how to find something? 

Kirkus came up with nine titles that are destined to be classics, so if you missed them, now is your chance to catch up.

Click here to read more 

or see them below:

 

I've read 3 of the 9. 

I'd better get busy.

See ya!

The Grammys!

On Feburary 9, 

the 57th annual Grammy Awards 

were presented in Los Angeles before a national television audience. 

The following 

albums in

Merrick Library's Music CD collection

were honored at the ceremony:

"Beautful Life" - Dianne Reeves - Best Jazz Vocal Album

"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" - Best Musical Theater Album

"Beyonce" - Beyonce - Best Rhythm and Blues Song ("Drunk in Love" with Jay Z), Best Surround Sound Album



"Cheek to Cheek" - Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga - Best Tradiional Pop Vocal Album

"Frozen" - Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Song Written for Visual Media ("Let It Go")

"GIRL" - Pharrell Williams - Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best Pop Solo Performance ("Happy"), Best Music Video

"In the Lonely Hour" - Sam Smith - Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year ("Stay with Me"), Song of the Year ("Stay with Me"), Best New Artist

"Is There Anybody Out There?" - A Great Bog World - Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Say Something" with Christina Aguillera)



"Lazaretto" - Jack White - Best Rock Performance ("Lazaretto")

"Love, Marriage and Divorce" - Toni Braxton and Babyface - Best Rhythm and Blues Album

"Mandatory Fun" - Weird Al Yankovic - Best Comedy Album

"The Marshall Mathers LP2" - Eminem - Best Rap Album


"Morning Phase" - Beck - Best Rock Album, Best Engineered Non-Classical Album

"New Eyes" - Clean Bandit - Best Dance Recording ("Rather Be" with Jess Glynne)

"Paramore" - Paramore - Best Rock Song ("Ain't It Fun") 

"Platinum" - Miranda Lambert - Best Country Album

"St.Vincent" - St. Vincent - Best Alternative Music Album







In addition, the documentary film "Twenty Feet From Stardom" (on DVD at Merrick Library) won this year's Grammy for Best Music Film. 

New DVDs out Tuesday 2/10/15...!

"Force Majeure" - from Sweden - thankfully an avalanche in the French Alps was not also a tragedy yet the reaction by patriarch Tomas makes him appear a coward - can he win back his family? - winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Award by the Broadcast Film Critics Association

"In Your Eyes" - Rebecca and Dylan know what the other is going through yet are a continent apart - is it a telepathic bond, or something more? - stars Zoe Kazan ("Meek's Cutoff"), Jennifer Grey and Mark Feuerstein (TV's "Royal Pains")

"Laggies" - nearly thirtyish Megan is in a panic when proposed marriage so she moves in with teenage Annika and her single father - stars Keira Knightley (Oscar nominee for "The Imitation Game"), Chloe Grace Moretz and Sam Rockwell ("The Way, Way Back")

"Nurse Jackie: Season Six" - from Showtime -  Jackie (multi-award winner Edie Falco) thinks she has convinced everyone of being off drugs - how long can that last?

"A Walk Among the Tombstones" - Lawrence Block's ex-cop turned private eye Matthew Scudder comes to the big screen trying to stop a series of kidnappings and murders of wives of major drug pushers - stars Liam Neeson as Scudder with Dan Stevens (TV's "Downton Abbey")