Diane's Pick: Shall We Dance?

The winner of fourteen awards, including Best Picture, at the 1997 Japanese Academy Awards, Shall We Dance? is the story of a depressed salaryman whose infatuation with a ballroom dancer leads him to discover meaning and joy in life.

Diane's Pick: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Bollywood cinema’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (commonly DDLJ) recently set a record by completing 750 weeks (over 15 years) of continuous play in Mumbai cinemas. Starring the king of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan, and multiple best actress winner, Kajol, DDLJ is a joyful, musical love story for everyone.

Diane's Pick: Sunset Boulevard

In what film did Gloria Swanson utter this immortal line: “All right Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” Hint:  it was among the first group of twenty-five films deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Diane's Pick: All About Eve

"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." Take a ride with the inimitable Bette Davis as Broadway star Margo Channing in 1950’s Best Picture, All About Eve. This smart, cynical and entertaining film deserves its place on the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time.

Diane's Pick: Sons of Anarchy

Created by The Shield’s Kurt Sutter and starring a charismatic cast including Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman, the television series Sons of Anarchy keeps the action moving at full speed while delivering a new twist on a classic - Hamlet played out in an outlaw biker gang.  

Diane's Pick: Generation Kill

The brilliant HBO miniseries Generation Kill is based on journalist Evan Wright's book about his time with Recon Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Created by The Wire's David Simon and starring True Blood's Alexander Skarsgard, this series is a fairly judgment-free look at modern warfare and its cost.

Diane's Pick: Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain

If you’re looking for a linear storyline (or a story that actually makes sense!), this probably isn’t the film you want. If you’re interested in lavishly designed martial arts fantasy, try the wuxia film which eventually inspired Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tsui Hark’s legendary Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain.

Diane's Pick: Pre-Code Films

Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Volumes 1, 2 & 3 and Pre-Code Hollywood Collection
Before the Motion Picture Production Code was enforced in mid-1934, depression era "pre-Code" Hollywood (1929 - 1934) created daring, sophisticated, honest, funny and morally questioning films that are still relevant today.  Read more about pre-Code films here.

Diane's Pick: Twitch City

Canadian cult favorite Twitch City was created by, written by, and stars Don McKellar as Curtis, a shut-in television addict and manipulator extraordinaire.  The show ran thirteen episodes and has a quirky cast of characters, including the infamous Cat Food Killer.  Show your couch potato solidarity by tuning into Twitch City!

Diane's Picks: Appaloosa and Resolution

You can hear the rhythm of the Old West in these sparsely written audiobooks, narrated by Titus Welliver.  In Robert B. Parker’s Appaloosa and Resolution, hired guns Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole must create law and order where none exists, guided by their sense of duty, honor, and friendship.