Cynthia’s Pick: Muriel’s Wedding

Quirky Muriel’s love of ABBA is only surpassed by her desire to get married. Muriel’s Wedding has a fun soundtrack. It’s the backdrop to an often hilarious and moving story about a misfit who finds a way to move forward, let go of her fantasies, and face reality. 

John's Pick: Leningrad Cowboys Go America

The Leningrad Cowboys – a Slavic folk band tagged as “the worst rock ‘n’ roll band in the world” – travel to America in search of success. That’s about as far as plot goes in Leningrad Cowboys Go America, an absurdist comedy that satirizes Americana, the immigrant experience, and the Soviet political system.

Donna S.'s Pick: City Island

In City Island, Vince has plenty of secrets. His whole family does. His son has a fetish, his daughter moonlights as an exotic dancer, his wife thinks he’s having an affair and all Vince wants is to be an actor. The comedy of ill-communication is magnified in City Island.

Patty’s Pick: Attack the Block

Don’t walk home after dark if you live in the London projects. You might get mugged. Street toughs don’t get much of Sam’s money before they’re interrupted by…AN ALIEN! Attack the Block is a British sci-fi comedy where the inner city battles outer space and bad seeds get second chances.

LIST-O-RAMA: If You Like the Avengers

Word on the street is that The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, is awesome. Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, and the Black Widow join forces to – what else? – save the world.

Click here, if you liked The Avengers movie (in theaters now!) and want more Marvel materials.

Diane's Pick: Sullivan's Travels

“I don't know where I'm going, but I'm not coming back...till I know what trouble is.” Join director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea), as he discovers that laughter is what people want. Also starring Veronica Lake, Sullivan’s Travels is one of AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time.

LIST-O-RAMA: Presidential Intrigue

Stolen elections. Conspiracy. Assassination. War. Being the President of the United States isn’t an easy job. Whether you want to read about the questionably legit election of Rutherford B. Hayes, see Martin Sheen in The West Wing, or catch up with the latest political thrillers, the Library’s got something for you.

If this election year isn’t suspenseful enough for you, click here for books, audiobooks, and movies about the dangers of being president.

Donna C.s' Pick: Father Dowling Mysteries

What do you get when you cross a Chicago priest, a streetwise nun, and a procession of criminals with late 1980’s television? Father Dowling Mysteries, of course! Cue up the DVD and prepare to root for Tom Bosley as he and Sister Steve tackle an array of Windy City whodunits.

Behind the Closed Doors of Car Companies

Remember the glory days when gasoline was under a buck a gallon? Heck, when it was under three bucks a gallon? The golden age of cheap gasoline seems to be over in America. To combat the continual rise of crude oil, more and more companies are exploring the option of…electric cars. Revenge of the Electric Car is Chris Paine’s hope-filled follow-up to his 2006 documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car? Revenge of the Electric Car mainly follows Chevrolet, Nissan and Tesla Motors as they all try to capture the public’s hearts (and wallets) without the assistance of gasoline.

LIST-O-RAMA: If You Like Sarah's Key...

Sarah’s Key is a French film that alternates between the story of a present day journalist researching the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup (where 13,152 people were sent to Auschwitz) and the story of Sarah, a young girl who escaped the Roundup in 1942. The movie was based on the popular novel by Tatiana de Rosnay.

For more dramatic WWII movies similar to Sarah’s Key, click here.