Summer Blockbuster Season at Magazines and Newspapers Center

Maybe you want to get away for a bit this summer, but with the cost of gasoline reaching record highs and the cost of just about everything else rising along with it, this may seem like a great time to take part in the time-honored American tradition of taking in a summer blockbuster at the local cinema.

But hang on -- have you been to the movies lately? Tickets are pricey! And by the time you grab some popcorn and a soda (you are, after all, treating yourself to a night out), a night at the movies may not be quite the budget-friendly option you thought it would.

When you take into account the effect a trip to the multiplex can have on your wallet, it can really hurt if you're unfortunate enough to catch a lousy film. It's wise to go to the box office prepared, and here at the Magazines and Newspapers Center there are just the materials you need to make an educated pick.

Let's start with the old Hollywood standbys:

Entertainment Weekly will generally print reviews for most of the big-budget movies opening during that week, plus will feature a handful of reviews of independent or foreign films that will be shown widely. Particularly useful if you're in a hurry to catch the matinée is Critical Mass, a chart showing grades (using the old academic A-F model) given to current releases by a dozen critics.

For most of the 20th century, Hollywood insiders relied primarily on two daily newspapers to report on the latest news and trends from within the the film industry. In recent years, these papers -- Variety and the Hollywood Reporter -- have broadened their focus to cover what is now called the entertainment industry, but happenings in the film world are still a major focus of these dailies. If your interest is up-to-the-minute knowledge of what's going on in the film industry, check here first.

Big budget blockbusters aren't for everyone, though, and with many multiplex theaters devoting one or two screens to independent, classic, and foreign movies, access to these films is no longer limited to those of us lucky enough to live close to a good "arthouse" theater. Trying new things can be intimidating, I know, but with the help of some of the titles we have in our collection, anyone can become a beret-wearing, Bergman-interpreting film aficionado.

You could try, for instance, Filmmaker. Aimed at readers interested in independent, smaller-budgeted films, this quarterly magazine “presents an insider's look at the business and creative aspects of independent film.” Each issue features insightful profiles on current lesser-known films accompanied by interviews with independent filmmakers.

If you long for Hollywood's golden era, then Classic Images is the magazine for you. Focusing on classic films, film personalities, and film history, this monthly newspaper features articles accompanied by black-and-white production and publicity stills for the enthusiast or connoisseur of older classic films. Includes video and DVD reviews, film festival announcements, book reviews, music in film, obituaries, and a “This Month in Movie History” column. This will be a good way to prepare for screenings of classics, or to pick something out from the library’s collection of DVDs.

For animation aficionados whose interests vary from Disney films to Japanese anime, Animation Magazine covers traditional as well as computer-generated animation used in feature films, games, and television. Includes columns by industry professionals, film reviews, upcoming events, news, and industry trends. People in the U.S. and abroad are doing very exciting things with this medium; this magazine is sure to turn you on to something you haven’t yet experienced.

Once you're in the know, celebrate your entry into the movie buff subculture by reading Geek Monthly. Packed with articles and reviews on the latest toys, anime, DVDs, movies, and television shows, Geek Monthly covers pop culture and life style for people who are passionate about what they love. This magazine includes interviews with movie stars, film festival highlights, action figure reviews – plenty of fodder for conversations with other people waiting in line at the local premier of that film that had them talking at Cannes or Tribeca.

This is just a small sample of our collection, so we’re sure to have titles that appeal to the inner cinemaphile in all of us. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday we hope you’ll stop by the Magazines and Newspaper Center to check out our selection of cinema titles.

Beyond Googling: Building Your Own Search Engine

On Monday, July 28, 2008 at noon, the Magazines and Newspapers Center will present a workshop on Custom Search Engines--“Beyond Googling: Building Your own Search Engine.” In this demonstration, sharpen your search strategies by harnessing the power of vertical searching. Learn to construct custom search engines (CSEs) on focused topics drawn from your favorite news sites, news blogs, etc. to maximize your researching experience on the Web. This lecture will take place in the Latino/Hispanic Community Room.

Summer Cleaning Innovations

With the summer season in full swing, staying on track with your new year’s resolutions, engaging in heavy duty summer cleaning, and perhaps even launching new projects you might not have gotten around to at the start of the new year may have lost its zeal. Do you need fresh and innovative ideas for redecorating your home? Perhaps you want to redesign the decor in your living room to create a more classic look. Or maybe you just want to improve your diet with creative recipes and adopt a more healthy lifestyle. For creative, avant-garde ideas with a contemporary twist, the Magazines & Newspapers Center offers a variety of magazines that provide a wealth of ideas and tips. Titles like Domino, Dwell, Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home, and Real Simple may help innovate your summer cleaning chores, making them more creative, enjoyable, and fulfilling.

Domino – Tagged as a “guide to living with style,” this magazine offers ideas for furnishing your home in a comfortable, personal way. Topics covered include de-cluttering your home, energizing your home with color, living in modern green design homes, and more. Perfect for renters and homeowners.

Dwell – Described as a magazine designed to “champion an intelligent, thoughtful, and modern sensibility that stimulates our audience to envision—and realize—life at home in the modern world,” Dwell showcases home architectural and creative furnishings with a hip and contemporary look, infused with an environmentally conscious slant.

Elle Decor - Providing an international design showcase of artful products, kitchen gadgets, furniture, and fixtures, this magazine encourages users to use their own creativity in designing contemporary, trendy, and stylistic renovations to your home environment. Ideal for professionals and do-it-yourself decorators.

Metropolitan Home – Focusing on “design-conscious elegance in a variety of metropolitan settings,” this magazine publishes articles on home design and entertainment as well as product profiles and menu ideas. Ideal for those interested in designing more sophisticated home styles with an urban, upscale, and contemporary look.

Real Simple – Offering a variety of ideas and tips for a simplified lifestyle, this magazine features articles on reducing stress, managing your finances, purchasing clothes, researching investment decisions, cooking healthy meals, planning vacation trips, and more.

Men's Vogue Fashion

Did you know men are just as fashion conscious as women? Fashion isn’t just for women and girls, it’s for men and boys as well. Today’s fitness conscious males are hungry for savvy, hip, mod, laid-back, and sporty fashion styles. The Magazines & Newspapers Center subscribes to several titles covering a wide spectrum of fashion. Esquire magazine is no longer the definitive authority on men’s fashion. Other magazines have arrived onto the scene to appease men's fashionable appetites.

Here are a few titles covering men’s clothing: Details, DNR, GQ, and Men’s Vogue. And please, let’s not forget the hip-hop and rap scenes either. These titles are a must to check out: Vibe, W, and XXL. Although these last three titles adorn the world of music fashion (with regards to menswear), they offer a glimpse into a whole new genre of the fashion craze for the young and young at heart.

Details - This classy magazine is for sophisticated, suave, sporty, adventurous, and stylish guys in their 20s and 30s who aspire to become a 21st century fashion icon. The magazine focuses on pop culture careers, men’s fashion, grooming, entertaining, books, film, pop culture, and more.

DNR - A newspaper formatted magazine covering the male apparel industry with emphasis on clothing trade and manufacturing, wholesalers and manufacturers, fashionable financiers and financing, latest gossip on the designer runway shows, fashion merchandise, and more. Color and black-and-white photographs evoke the high quality and detail in the fashion designs. Presents informative articles on new urban markets of culture clash, primary colors in underwear collections, and the movers and shakers in the male clothing and manufacturing industries.

GQ - Best known as Gentlemen’s Quarterly, GQ is a leader among men’s fashion magazines. Covers interviews, economic advice, health issues, food, and travel. Also offers readers quality coverage of en vogue designer fashions, runway shows, and clothing trade. Appeals to men and their fantasies about “looking sharp and feeling smart.”

Men's Vogue - Hailing from the Conde Nast empire of publications, Men’s Vogue is for men who prefer sporting a privy lifestyle of refinement and sophistication. The magazine is a bit conservative and promotes a sharing of sensibility, living well and looking good attitude. Each issue delivers unique perspectives on wine, architecture & design, books, fashion, grooming, blogs, business & politics, travel, food and the arts. You will enjoy glancing into a world that I call the “3G’s” - Glam! Glitz! & Gloss!

Vibe - This magazine was founded in 1993 by the music producer Quincy Jones. Covers celebrities, music and sounds, fashion, lifestyle, media trends, and urban music industry. Highlights the hip-hop culture and popular hip fashions of today’s youth ranging from 18- to 24- year olds.

W - A beautifully illustrated magazine covering all aspects of the world of fashion, the designers, latest fashion trends, beauty, accessories, society, influential people, various fashion layouts and more. W and Vogue have put together a business venture, creating Style.com, which features highlights from the magazines and fashion show updates. W also releases supplements during the fall of each year. Supplements like Fashion Rocks, Glam Rocks, and Movies Rock capture the fashion crazed world of music genres.

XXL - This magazine focuses on the lifestyle and business sides of hip-hop, rap, and urban music. It also covers the hippest fashion styles--especially those from the African American culture. Includes feature articles, interviews, commentaries, and reviews as well as news, current events, and upcoming music releases.