Audio/Visual

New Documentary DVDS

New Documentary DVDS

Cheryl

Consider adding a documentary to your DVD viewing queue; here are some of the recent additions to our nonfiction DVD collection.

Cover ImageHonk. The power of love shines in this heartwarming tale of friendship and inspiration between an unlikely duo. Cheryl inadvertently befriends a mourning goose, Honk, while recycling in the local park. As the budding friendship blossoms and Cheryl seeks Honk a new home, he becomes a viral sensation capturing the hearts and minds of millions.

Cover ImageSo Late So Soon. Half a century into their marriage, Chicago artists Jackie and Don Seiden approach the fragility of their elderly lives in their own distinct ways. Jackie, notorious for her unbounded energy, is constantly on the move, inspired to create works of art while also maintaining the couple’s multistory, brightly-painted Victorian house. Don steadily sketches in his notebook while facing alarming interruptions to his health. Director Daniel Hymanson filmed the Seidens, on-and-off for five years, capturing the hardships of aging as well as a view into enduring companionship, in this charming character study.

Cover ImageBehind the Stage Door. Explores the life and work of Pittsburgh concert promoter Rich Engler, one of the top concert promoters in the United States.

 

Cover ImageExposing Muybridge. Examines the life and work of groundbreaking 19th century photographer Eadweard Muybridge, best known for his studies of humans and animal locomotion.

Cover ImageFrom Where They Stood. At Auschwitz and a few other Nazi death camps, a small number of prisoners managed to take photographs of life inside. Using the surviving photographs as evidence, director Christophe Cognet pieces together the stories of the brave men and women who took them.

Cover ImageMaking Black America Through the Grapevine. The four-part series hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chronicles the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people beyond the reach of the “White gaze.” The series recounts the establishment of the Prince Hall Masons in 1775 through the formation of all-Black towns and business districts, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, destinations for leisure, and the social media phenomenon of Black Twitter. Professor Gates sits with noted scholars, politicians, cultural leaders, and old friends to discuss this world behind the color line and what it looks like today. It takes viewers into an extraordinary world that showcased Black people’s ability to collectively prosper, defy white supremacy and define Blackness in ways that transformed America itself.

Cover ImageMuseum Town. Tells the story of a unique museum, the small town it calls home, and the great risk, hope, and power of art to transform a desolate post-industrial city. MASS MoCA is the largest museum for contemporary art in the world, but just three decades before, its vast brick buildings were the abandoned relics of a massive shuttered factory. Threaded with interviews of a diverse cast, a tattooed curator, a fabricator, former factory worker, and shopkeepers, the film also looks at the artistic process itself, tracking the work and ideas of celebrated artist Nick Cave as he creates his groundbreaking installation at MASS MoCA, UNTIL. With appearances by artists ranging from James Turrell to David Byrne, narration by Meryl Streep, and a soundtrack from John Stirratt of Wilco, the film captures the meeting of small-town USA and the global art world as it tells a tale that is, like any great artwork, soulful, thought-provoking and unforgettable.

Cover ImageHarriet Tubman Visions of Freedom. Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom is a rich and nuanced portrait of the woman known as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, who repeatedly risked her life and freedom to liberate others from slavery.

 

Cover ImageHiding in Plain Sight Youth Mental Illness. A two-part, four-hour documentary that explores America’s youth mental health crisis through the eyes of more than twenty young people, who speak about their lived experience with mental health challenges, from depression to addiction to suicide ideation. Includes Spanish SDH subtitles.

New Holiday DVDS

New Holiday DVDS

Cheryl

Whether it’s a holiday classic or one of these new titles, you are sure to find something festive to enjoy this holiday season.

Cover ImageA Mrs. Miracle Christmas. When a family faces loneliness and loss of faith, Mrs. Miracle swoops in to renew their Christmas Spirit, and they experience a holiday of heavenly proportions. Based on the book “A Mrs. Miracle Christmas” by author Debbie Macomber.

 

Cover Image

Dear Santa. As thousands of letters to Santa Claus flood post offices during the holiday season, it’s up to the US Postal Service’s 107-year-old Operation Santa to deliver them to Kris Kringle himself.

 

Cover ImageChristmas in Harmony. Harmony is tricked into auditioning for the Holiday Chorus – directed by an ex-boyfriend. By Christmas Eve, they could be harmonizing in the key of love. Starring Ashleigh Murray, Luke James, Basil Wallace, Michelle Williams, and Loretta Devine.

 

Cover ImageA Dickens of a Holiday. Boyfriends of Christmas Past. A Hallmark 2-movie collection. A Dickens of a Holiday!: To make the 100th anniversary of her hometown’s Victorian festival a success, Cassie invites action movie star and former high school classmate Jake to play Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol.’Boyfriends of Christmas Past: Leading up to Christmas, marketing executive, Lauren, is visited by the ghosts of four ex-boyfriends. She must learn to open her heart or risk losing her best friend, Nate.

Cover ImageThe Mistletoe Promise. A chance meeting between two strangers who share a disdain for Christmas results in The Mistletoe Promise, a pact to help them navigate their holiday complications together. But as they spend more time with each other and experience the magic of Christmas the phony couple discovers there may be more to their contract than business.

Cover ImageChristmas on the Square. An embittered scrooge of a woman plans to sell her small town, regardless of the consequences to the people who live there. However, a kindhearted angel arrives and shows her what would happen before she mends her ways and redeems herself. Starring Dolly Parton, Jenifer Lewis, Josh Segarra, Jeanine Mason, Mary Lane Haskell, Treat Williams, Christine Baranski.

Cover ImageEight Gifts of Hanukkah. An anonymous suitor sends optometrist Sara a gift for each night of Hanukkah. On her journey to find her secret admirer, she learns her one true love might be someone she never expected. Starring Inbar Lavi, Jake Epstein, Sheila Tyson, Barry Levy, David Kaye, Natalie Malaika, Doron Bell.

 

Cover ImageChristmas in Paradise. Joanna’s holiday is shattered when her sisters tell her that their dad has been dumped by his fiancée, he isn’t responding to any calls and disappeared to a Caribbean island. The sisters decide to go to save their father and bring him home for Christmas. Starring Kelsey Grammer, Elizabeth Hurley, Billy Ray Cyrus, Nathalie Cox, Naomi Frederick, Ray Fearon, Victoria Ekanoye.

Cover ImageThe Christmas Promise ; Christmas for Keeps. In “The Christmas Promise,” a woman learns to deal with grief with the help of her grandfather and a carpenter named Joe, who she hires to renovate the home she was to share with her fiancé. And in “Christmas for Keeps,” close-knit childhood friends return home for Christmas after 10 years to take part in a celebration of life for their beloved high school teacher.

 

New Television Series

New Television Series

Cheryl

Looking for a new television series to start? Find these new titles in SPL’s DVD collection.

Hotel Portofino. Season One

Follows a British family who open a hotel for upper class travelers on the magical Italian Riviera during the Roaring ’20s.

Starring Natascha McElhone, Lucy Akhurst, Louisa Binder, Elizabeth Carling, Oliver Dench, Pasquale Esposito, Rocco Fasano, Lily Frazer, Adam James, Anna Chancellor.

Cover ImageThe Chelsea Detective. Series 1

Max Arnold is a detective whose lifestyle on a battered houseboat in Chelsea’s Cheyne Walk contrasts sharply with the affluent elite whose crimes he helps solve alongside his partner Priya Shamsie.

Starring Adrian Scarborough, Sonita Henry, Peter Bankolé, Lucy Phelps, Sophie Stone, Frances Barber, Davood Ghadami, Anamaria Marinca.

Cover ImageHidden Assets. Series 1

Follows Detective Emer Berry of the Criminal Assets Bureau in Ireland and Chief Inspector Christian de Jong of the anti-terrorism squad in Belgium as they team up to investigate an international conspiracy after diamonds are found during a drug raid that are linked to a series of bombings.

Starring Angeline Ball, Wouter Hendrickx, Simone Kirby, Michael Ironside.

Cover Image61st Street. Season 1

61st Street follows Moses Johnson, a promising Black high school athlete who is swept up into the infamously corrupt Chicago criminal justice system, and Franklin Roberts, the public defender who takes up his case. While Roberts has promised his wife he’ll retire, he takes on this case because he recognizes its potential to upend the entire Chicago judicial system, challenging the institutional racism and endemic corruption at its heart.

Starring Courtney B. Vance, Aunjanue Ellis.

Cover ImageMayor of Kingstown. Season one

From Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of Yellowstone, and Hugh Dillon, it follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.

Starring Jeremy Renner, Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, Tobi Bamtefa, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Derek Webster, Hamish Allan-Headley, Pha’rez Lass, Aidan Gillen, Kyle Chandler.

White Lotus. The Complete First Season

As the newest set of high class vacationers check into the exclusive White Lotus resort in Hawaii, manager Armand finds himself facing more than the usual excessive demands of one-percenters. He takes on momma’s boys and workaholics with a professional facade, his coping mechanisms become as extreme as the pressure he’s under, while the guests themselves unravel inside their toxic dynamics until the situations collide with incredible consequences.

Starring s Murray Bartlett, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Fred Hechinger, Jake Lacy, Brittany O’Grady, Natasha Rothwell, Sydney Sweeney, Steve Zahn.

Cover ImageClose to Me

The story of a Danish translator who loses a year of her memory following a fall. As she tries to piece her memories back together, she realizes that her life wasn’t as perfect as she was led to believe.

Starring Connie Nielsen, Christopher Eccleston, Rosy McEwen, Tom Taylor, Leanne Best, Nick Blood, Oliver Gatz, Ellie Haddington, Susan Lynch, Jamie Flatters.

Cover ImageThe Split. Season One

The Split examines the fast paced circuit of high-powered female divorce lawyers in London through the lens of three sisters, Hannah, Nina and the youngest, Rose. Exposing the complex realities of high end divorce and broken marriage through female divorce lawyers and sisters embattled and bound by their own troubled past.

Starring Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan, Annabel Scholey, Fiona Button, Barry Atsma, Stephen Tompkinson, Meera Syal, Anthony Head, Deborah Findlay.

Cover ImageSignora Volpe. Series 1

Top British spy Sylvia Fox is in Italy for her niece’s wedding when the groom goes missing, leaving a dead body behind him. Sylvia solves the mystery and falls in love with Italy, and with a crumbling old house on a hillside. Disillusioned with her job and longing to reconnect with her family, Sylvia decides to stay on and start a new life in the little town of Panicale. But trouble has a habit of seeking Sylvia out and she finds herself tackling a fresh mystery every week and in the process, becoming increasingly close to handsome local cop Giovanni Riva.

Starring Emilia Fox, Tara Fitzgerald, Giovanni Cirfiera, Jamie Bamber, Matteo Carlomagno, Issy Knopfler, Imma Piro.

Cover ImageLa Brea. Season One

An epic adventure begins when a massive sinkhole opens in the middle of Los Angeles, pulling hundreds of people and buildings into its depths. Those who fell in find themselves in a mysterious and dangerous primeval land, where they have no choice but to band together to survive. Meanwhile, the rest of the world desperately seeks to understand what happened. In the search for answers, one family torn apart by this disaster will have to unlock the secrets of this inexplicable event to find a way back to each other.

Starring Natalie Zea, Eoin Macken, Chiké Okonkwo, Karina Logue, Zyra Gorecki, Jack Martin, Veronica St. Clair, Rohan Mirchandaney, Lily Santiago, Chloe De Los Santos, Josh McKenzie, Nicholas Gonzalez, Jon Seda.

Remembering Her Majesty The Queen

Remembering Her Majesty The Queen

Richelle

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (April 21, 1926 – September 8, 2022) was the longest-reigning Monarch in British history. Discover more about her life, family, and impact on the world with these titles.

Biographies & Non-Fiction

Cover ImageThe last queen : Elizabeth II’s seventy year battle to save the House of Windsor
by Clive Irving

B ELIZABETH II 2021

 

 

Cover Image Queen of our times : the life of Queen Elizabeth II
by Robert Hardman

B ELIZABETH II 2022

 

 

Cover Image Our rainbow queen : a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and her colorful wardrobe
by Sali Hughes

746.92 HUG 2019

 

 

Cover ImageQueen of the world
by Robert Hardman

B ELIZABETH II 2019

 

 

Cover ImageYoung Elizabeth : the making of the Queen
by Kate Williams

B ELIZABETH II 2015

 

 

Cover ImageMonarch : the life and reign of Elizabeth II
by Robert Lacey

B ELIZABETH II 2002

 

 

Cover ImagePhilip & Elizabeth : portrait of a royal marriage
by Gyles Daubeney Brandreth

923.1 BRA 2005

 

 

Cover ImageGame of crowns : Elizabeth, Camilla, Kate, and the throne
by Christopher P. Andersen

941.085 AND 2016

 

 

Cover ImageThe crown : the official companion
by Robert Lacey

941.085 LAC 2017 v.1

 

 

Documentary DVDs

Cover Image Queen Elizabeth II

DVD B ELIZABETH II 2015

 

 

Cover ImageThe Queen’s palaces

DVD 728.82 QUE 2012

 

 

 

Fiction

Cover ImageThe royal governess : a novel of Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood
by Wendy Holden

F HOL

 

 

Cover ImageThe queen’s secret : a novel of England’s World War II queen
by Karen Harper

F HAR

 

 

Cover ImageThe gown : a novel of the royal wedding
by Jennifer Robson

F ROB

 

 

Cover ImageThe crown. The complete first season

DVD CRO SEA.1

New DVD Movie Titles

New DVD Movie Titles

Cheryl

Looking for a new DVD movie to watch? Check out these recently added titles.

Cover ImageDrive My Car

Two years after his wife’s unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku arrives in Hiroshima to direct a production of Uncle Vanya for a theater festival and, through relationships with an actor with whom he shares a tangled history and a chauffeur with whom he develops a surprising rapport, finds himself confronting emotional scars. This quietly mesmerizing tale of love, art, grief, and healing is ultimately a cathartic exploration of what it means to go on living when there seems to be no road ahead. Contains Korean sign language.

Starring Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Masaki Okada.

 

Cover ImageDual

Upon receiving a terminal diagnosis, Sarah opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss to her friends and family. When she makes a sudden and miraculous recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and lead to a court-mandated duel to the death.

Starring Karen Gillan, Beulah Koale, Theo James, Aaron Paul.

 

Cover ImageEraser Reborn

A U.S. Marshal ‘erases’ a federal witness faking her death to hide her deep in the witness protection program only to have a breach within his department that puts them both on the run.

Starring Dominic Sherwood, Jacky Lai.

 

Cover ImageEverything Everywhere All at Once

Evelyn Wang, a flustered immigrant mother, is contacted from a parallel universe and told that only she can save the world. The unlikely hero must learn to channel her newfound powers and fight through the splintering timelines of the multiverse to save her home, her family, and herself in this big-hearted and irreverent adventure.

Starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis.

 

Cover ImageFatherhood

A father brings up his baby girl as a single dad after the unexpected death of his wife who died a day after their daughter’s birth.

Starring Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Lil Rel Howery, DeWanda Wise, Anthony Carrigan, Paul Reiser.

 

Cover ImageFortress : Sniper’s Eye

This action cyber-thriller continues the adventure begun in The Fortress. Weeks after a deadly assault on Fortress Camp, Robert makes a daring rescue to save Sasha, the widow of his old nemesis, Balzary. But back in the camp’s command bunker, Sasha may have devious plans of her own, and as a new attack breaks out, Robert is confronted with a familiar face he thought he’d never see again.

Starring Jesse Metcalfe, Bruce Willis, Chad Michael Murray, Kelly Greyson, Ser’darius Blain, Michael Sirow, Welker White, Natali Yura.

 

Cover ImageGold

In the not too distant future, a drifter travelling through the desert discovers the largest gold nugget ever found. He must guard it from thieves amid harsh conditions and wild dogs while waiting for his partner to return.

Starring Zac Efron, Susie Porter, Anthony Hayes.

 

Cover ImageInfinite Storm

Based on the life of Pam Bales, when a climber encounters a stranded stranger on Mt. Washington, she must get them both down the mountain before nightfall when an oncoming blizzard is due to hit.

Starring Naomi Watts, Billy Howle, Denis O’Hare, Parker Sawyers.

 

Cover ImageLicorice Pizza

The story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around, and falling in love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.

Starring Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie.

 

Cover ImageThe Lost City

Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes she can lead him to an ancient city’s lost treasure from her latest story. Determined to prove he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her.

Starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da’vine Joy Randolph, Brad Pitt. 

 

Cover ImageMontana Story

Two estranged siblings return home to the sprawling ranch they once knew and loved in order to confront a deep and bitter family legacy.

Starring Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague, Gilbert Owour, Kimberly Guerrero, Eugene Brave Rock, Asivak Koostachin.

 

Cover ImageThe Outfit

An expert tailor must outwit a dangerous group of mobsters in order to survive a fateful night.

Starring Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn, Dylan O’Brien, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Simon Russell Beale.

 

 

Movies Filmed Locally

Movies Filmed Locally

Richelle

You may have heard that Pittsburgh has been a choice locale lately for the filming industry. But did you know that Sewickley is the backdrop of many feature films and TV shows, as well?

Movies/TV Shows Filmed in Sewickley

 

Amazon.com: Foxcatcher [DVD] [2015] : Movies & TVFoxcatcher (2014) – U.S. Olympic wrestling champions and brothers Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz join “Team Foxcatcher”, led by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont, as they train for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, but John’s self-destructive behavior threatens to consume them all.  Filmed in Fall 2012 and starring Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum. The filming includes scenes shot at Wilpen Hall in Sewickley Heights.

 

Happiest Season DVD Release Date

Happiest Season (2020) – A holiday romantic comedy that captures the range of emotions tied to wanting your family’s acceptance, being true to yourself, and trying not to ruin Christmas by revealing a nasty secret. The film features shots of Beaver Street in Sewickley, as well as many other scenes shot around the Pittsburgh region.

 

 

Houseguest (1995) - IMDbHouseguest (1995) – In hot water with the mob over an unpaid debt, a con man poses as a family friend in an affluent Pennsylvania suburb. Starring Sinbad and Phil Hartman and shot in many locations throughout Sewickley – including the McDonald’s ?! (Get the details here.)

 

 

 

Jack Reacher (2012) - IMDbJack Reacher (2012) – A homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper responsible for a mass shooting.  This Tom Cruise film based on Lee Child’s popular book series features the former Sewickley Country Inn on Route 65, as well as other Pittsburgh locales.

 

 

The Lifeguard - Rotten TomatoesThe Lifeguard (2013) – A former valedictorian quits her reporter job in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. She gets work as a lifeguard and starts a dangerous relationship with a troubled teenager. Filmed in the summer of 2012 and features actors Kristen Bell and Martin Starr. Shots feature scenes at Sewickley Cemetery, Wolcot Park and Beaver Street.

 

 

Cover ImageLove the Coopers (2015) – The intertwined stories of four generations of Coopers unfold right before the annual family reunion on Christmas Eve. Can they survive the most beautiful time of the year?  Filmed in 2015 and features exterior shots of a home on Grove Street, as well as actors Diane Keaton and John Goodman.

 

 

 

Amazon.com: Roommates : Peter Falk, D.B. Sweeney, Julianne Moore, Ellen Burstyn, Jan Rubes, Joyce Reehling, Ernie Sabella, John Cunningham, Noah Fleiss, Lisa Davis, Rohn Thomas, Karl Mackey, Peter Yates, Adam Leipzig, IraRoommates (1995) – An elderly yet young-at-heart man moves in with his grandson and both their lives turn upside-down.  Filmed in several places throughout Pittsburgh, including the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, at a diner in Polish Hill, a tavern in Shadyside, and in Sewickley Heights.

 

 

The Chair (TV Series 2021– ) - IMDbThe Chair (TV) (Netflix*) – At a major university, the first woman of color to become chair tries to meet the dizzying demands and high expectations of a failing English department. Filming includes scenes on Beaver Street and at the Borough Building on Thorn Street.

 

 

Mindhunter (TV Series 2017–2019) - IMDbMindhunter (TV) (Netflix*) – In the late 1970s two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters. Mindhunter filmed scenes at the Sewickley Borough building and across the river at the old Coraopolis Police Station among additional Pittsburgh-regions.

 

 

Sweet Magnolias (TV Series 2020– ) - IMDbSweet Magnolias (TV) (Netflix*) – Three South Carolina women, best friends since high school, shepherd one another through the complexities of romance, career, and family. A few scenes from Sweet Magnolias were filmed at the intersection of Broad Street and Beaver Street.

 

 

*No Netflix? No problem! Borrow one of the Roku devices from SPL’s equipment library which includes use of Netflix!

And if you’re a Hallmark Christmas movie fan, keep an eye out for scenes of Sewickley and other Pittsburgh-area shots!

Movies/TV Shows Filmed in Pittsburgh and Surrounding Areas

 

This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are even more movies filmed in the Steel City! Check out the Filmography from the Pittsburgh Film Office for an even bigger list!

Oceans of Possibilities DVDS

Oceans of Possibilities DVDS

Cheryl

The Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program is in full swing so add an ocean-themed DVD to your summer movie viewing.

Cover ImageThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

A group of explorers embark on a journey to hunt down the ‘jaguar shark’ that ate one of their crew. As their adventure takes them into dangerous waters, the group finds magic both in their bonds to each other and in the colorful world around them.

Starring Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, Noah Taylor, Bud Cort, Seu Jorge.

Cover ImageOpen Water 

Susan and Daniel are a happily married couple who are taking a much needed vacation to the islands. They are hoping for a memorable trip. However, their vacation turns tragic when their scuba diving party leaves them in the middle of the ocean by the careless diving boat crew. As the reality of isolation sets in, they turn to one another for support. Unable to flag down passing boats, they begin to panic as encircling sharks begin to appear.

Starring Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein.

Cover ImageAquaman

An action-packed adventure that reveals the origin story of half-human, half- Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime–one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but also to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be: a king.

Starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman.

Cover ImageLife of Pi

A young Pi Patel, overcoming a cataclysmic shipwreck, finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with the last survivor, a ferocious Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Starring Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Tabu and Adil Hussain.

 

The hunt for Red October

A Soviet nuclear sub captain turns rogue and heads straight for the U.S. mainland, hoping to defect. When his deception is discovered, the U.S.S.R. ships begin the hunt to stop it. But one special agent for the CIA may be able to save it.

Starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, Sam Neill.

Cover ImageIn the Heart of the Sea

A recounting of a New England whaling ship’s sinking by a giant whale in 1820, an experience that later inspired the novel Moby-Dick.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson.

Cover ImageThe Light Between Oceans

A lighthouse keeper, living off the coast of Australia with his wife, finds a baby on an adrift rowboat. They rescue and raise the child as their own, changing their lives and that of a stranger.

Starring Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson.

Cover ImageMaster and Commander the Far Side of the World

A sudden attack by a French warship inflicts casualties and severe damage upon his vessel, and a Captain of the British Royal Navy is torn between duty and friendship as he embarks on a thrilling high stakes chase across two oceans to capture the enemy.

Starring Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D’Arcy, Edward Woodall, Chris Larkin, Max Pirkis, Jack Randall, Max Benitz, Lee Ingleby.

Cover ImageKon-Tiki

This story is based on the true adventures of Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl who crossed the Pacific Ocean in a balsa wood raft in 1947, together with five men, to prove that South Americans back in pre-Columbian times could have crossed the sea to settle on Polynesian islands. After gathering financing for the trip with loans and donations, they set off on an epic 101-day-long journey across eight thousand kilometers, all while the world was watching.

Starring Pål Sverre Hagen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Tobias Santelmann.

Cover ImageCaptain Phillips

Based on the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, which was the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

Starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi.

Cover ImageAll is Lost

The tale of a lone sailor’s fight for survival after his boat is damaged in the Indian Ocean.

Starring Robert Redford.

 

Cover ImageSoul Surfer

The incredible true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcomes all odds to become a champion again, through her sheer determination and unwavering faith.

Starring AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid, Lorraine Nicholson, Carrie Underwood.

Cover ImageUSS Indianapolis Men of Courage

The story of the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, which was sunk in shark-infested waters after delivering the first atomic bomb during the waning days of World War II.

Starring Nicolas Cage, Matt Lanter, James Remar, Brian Presley, Johnny Wactor, Adam Scott Miller, Cody Walker, Callard Harris, Yutaka Takeuchi, Mandela van Peebles, Craig Tate, Joey Capone, Emily Tennant, Weronika Rosati, Shamar Sanders, Max Ryan, José Julián, Patrice Cols, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane.

Cover ImageCast Away

Chuck Noland, a FedEx systems engineer, finds his by-the-clock existence and relationship with Ph.D. candidate Kelly Frears abruptly ended when a plane crash leaves him alone on a tropical island. In his struggles for survival, he begins a new personal journey.

Starring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy.

 

Celebrate Pinot Grigio Day!

Dustin

Everyone knows that May 17th is Pinot Grigio Day…right?  A national holiday that is celebrated by wine enthusiasts every May. Here are a few titles from our collection that pair well with a bottle of white.

pinot grigio

 

Nonfiction Books

24-hour wine expert

The 24-hour wine expert

by Jancis Robinson

In her pithy, approachable, comprehensive guide, Robinson shares her expertise with authority, wit, and approachability, tackling questions such as how to select the right bottle at retail, what wine labels signify, how to understand the properties of color and aroma, and how to match food and wine.

 

 

 

 

Wine Girl

by Victoria James

At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the country’s youngest sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

 

 

 

 

Shadows in the Vineyard

by Maximillian Potter

Journalist Maximillian Potter uncovers a fascinating plot to destroy the vines of La Romance-Conti, Burgundy’s finest and most expensive wine.

 

 

 

Fiction Books

 

Decanting a Murder

by Nadine Nettmann

Katie Stillwell focuses on two things in her life: work and practicing for Sommelier Certification with her blind tasting group. The exam was supposed to be the hardest part of her week, but that was before a body was found at an exclusive Napa Valley winery party.

 

 

The Illuminated Vineyard

by Jean Moynahan

The Illuminated Vineyard explores what occurs when unresolved conflicts from the past not only haunt the present but threaten to destroy it.

 

Movies/Documentaries

Somm

Follows four candidates as they prepare for the Master Sommelier exam, which covers every aspect of the presentation and appreciation of wine.

 

 

 

 

 

A Year in Burgundy

Follows seven wine-making families in France’s Burgundy region through the course of a year. Examines the processes of making wine. Shows the centrality of the wine to the culture of the region.

 

 

 

 

 

Bottle Shock

Napa Valley, 1976. For connoisseur Steven Spurrier, there is no finer art than French wine. But rumors bandy about of a new California wine country that holds the future of the vine. Positive the small Napa wineries are no match for established French vintages, Spurrier challenges the Americans to a blind taste test. He finds the valley full of ambitious, and talented, novice vinters like Jim Barrett and his son Bo. He realizes his publicity stunt may change the history of wine forever.

 

 

 

 

Sideways

A wine-tasting road trip through California’s famed Central Coast takes an unexpected detour as Miles and Jack hit the gas en route to their mid-life crises. The comically mismatched pair soon find themselves drowning in wine, women and laughter.

 

Best of 2021 on DVD at SPL

Best of 2021 on DVD at SPL

Monique

It may be a bit early for a “Best of 2021” list since it’s not quite the end of the year, but these movies are getting buzz on “best of” lists popping up on the web. So consider this a “Best Movies of 2021 So Far Available on DVD at SPL in No Particular Order” list. Not quite as catchy, but far more accurate!

The Green Knight

Based on the Arthurian legend, King Arthur’s nephew, Gawain, embarks on a quest to prove his worth to his family and kingdom–by confronting the Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men.

Starring Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander; directed by David Lowery.

In the Heights

In this musical, bodega owner Usnavi saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines, and sings about a better life; meanwhile, his tight-knit community faces the challenge of gentrification, losing their homes while trying to better themselves and hold on to their cultures.

Starring Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, and Leslie Grace; Lin-Manuel Miranda, producer and composer.  Also in Blu-Ray.

Land

A bereaved woman finds herself unable to stay connected to the world she once knew, and retreats to the magnificent, but unforgiving, wilds of the Rockies. After a local hunter brings her back from the brink of death, she must find a way to live again.

Starring Robin Wright (in her directorial debut) and Demián Bichir.

Nobody

An underestimated father and husband–a nobody–becomes a lethal vigilante in the aftermath of a home invasion in order to save his family from a vengeful drug lord.

Starring Bob Odenkirk and Connie Nielsen; directed by David Leitch. 

Pig

A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must return to his past in Portland in order to search for his beloved, kidnapped foraging pig. Interestingly, a documentary film about truffle hunting, The Truffle Hunters, is also getting buzz as a “Best of 2021.” Who knew it was the year of the truffles?

Starring Nicholas Cage, Alex Wolff and Adam Arkin; directed by Michael Sarnoski.

Riders of Justice

Recently deployed soldier Markus is forced to return home to care for his his teenage daughter following the death of his wife in a tragic railroad accident. But when a survivor of the acident turns up claiming foul play, Markus begins to suspect that his wife was murdered and embarks on a mission of revenge to find those responsible.

Starring Mads Mikkelsen; directed by Anders Thomas Jensen.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

In this entry to the Marvel Universe, Shang-Chi must face the past he thought he left behind and confront his father, leader of the dangerous Ten Rings organization. Think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets, well, pretty much any Marvel movie.

Starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and Michelle Yeoh. Also in Blu-Ray.

The World to Come

Somewhere along the mid-nineteenth century American East Coast frontier, two neighboring couples battle hardship and isolation, witnessed by a splendid yet testing landscape, challenging them both physically and psychologically.

Starring Katherine Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Christopher Abbott, and Casey Affleck.

Coming soon…

Keep your eyes open for The Last Duel, The Card Counter, and Saint Maud.

Clean Movies for Grown Ups

Monique

Looking for a movie with little to no sex or violence? Check out these first-rate PG/PG-13 DVDs from the Sewickley Public Library collection.

Arrival

When mysterious spacecraft touch down around the world, a team–including linguist Louise Banks–is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers. To find them she will take a chance that could threaten her life–and quite possibly humanity.

Starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. 2016. Also in Blu-Ray.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

This heartfelt tale is narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo. Through his bond with his owner Denny, an aspiring Formula One racecar driver, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life.

Starring Milo Ventimiglia and Amanda Seyfried. 2019.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

After a jaded magazine writer is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about kindness, love, and forgiveness. Based on a true story.

Starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys. 2019. Also in Blu-Ray.

Becoming Jane

Events from the life of the author Jane Austen inspired this romantic historical drama, which speculates of a romance that may have had a significant impact on her life and work.

Starring Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy. 2007.

Gifted

Frank Adler is a single man raising a child prodigy, his spirited young niece Mary, in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old’s mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother Evelyn, whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary.

Starring Chris Evans and McKenna Grace. 2017.

The Greatest Showman

Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, the musical tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Michelle Williams. 2017. Also in Blu-Ray.

Hidden Figures

As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind the launch into orbit of astronaut John Glenn. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes.

Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe. 2016. Also in Blu-Ray. 

Knives Out

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. A tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie and a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect.

Starring Daniel Craig and Chris Evans. 2019. Also in Blu-Ray.

Lion

Five-year-old Saroo gets lost on a train which takes him thousands of kilometers across India, away from home and family. Saroo must learn to survive alone in Kolkata, before ultimately being adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, armed with only a handful of memories, his unwavering determination, and a revolutionary technology known as Google Earth, he sets out to find his lost family.

Starring Dev Patel and Rooney Mara. 2016.

Little Women

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the story of the March sisters–four young women determined to live life on their own terms. Based on the classic novel by Louisa Alcott.

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen. 2019. Also in Blu-Ray.

Mr Holmes

In 1947, an aging Sherlock Holmes returns from a journey to Japan, where, in search of a rare plant with powerful restorative qualities, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now, in his remote seaside farmhouse, Holmes faces the end of his days, with only the company of his housekeeper and her young son, Roger. Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits the circumstances of the unsolved case that forced him into retirement.

Starring Ian McKellen and Laura Linney. 2015.

The Queen of Katwe

Based on the vibrant true story of a young girl from the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion.

Starring Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, and Lupita Nyong’o. 2016.

The Second Best Marigold Hotel

As the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has only a single remaining vacancy–posing a rooming predicament for two fresh arrivals–Sonny pursues his expansionist dream of opening a second hotel.

Starring Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, and Richard Gere. 2015.