Hi, I’m Rebecca Amrick, Falvey’s newest Cat in the Stax! I’ll be writing articles covering a broad range of topics, from academics to hobbies to random events. All the while highlighting how Falvey Library can enhance your Villanova experience!

Is the semester starting to get a little intense for you? Do you feel like the work’s beginning to pile up? Feel a need to de-stress? Check out these classic comfort movies! They can be a great way to relax and take a well-deserved break. Give yourself the night off and watch a movie from the following list:

Legally Blonde

Reese Witherspoon stars in this fun comedy as a sorority girl who attends Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend. Along the way, she discovers she is more than just a ditzy fashionista and learns what she wants out of her life.

Did you know that Falvey Library has a streaming service? Well, it does! You can watch Legally Blonde here.

Ocean’s Eleven

In the mood for some action? This heist movie features great characters played by George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts and more. Ocean’s Eleven follows parolee Danny Ocean and his crew of thieves as they attempt to rob three Las Vegas casinos. This movie is offered on Max (formerly HBO).

Pride and Prejudice

This suggestion is for all you romance lovers and Jane Austen fans. This 2005 film adaptation of Austen’s beloved book explores the relationship between Elizabeth Bennett, a member of English gentry, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocrat, and how they overcome their initial dislike of one another and find love. Pride and Prejudice is currently available on Netflix, but the Library also has it on DVD if you don’t have a subscription.

Inside Out

Sometimes, a good way to relieve stress is to just cry it out. Pixar’s Inside Out is a heartfelt movie that will give you a good cry and an emotional reset. This movie follows a young girl named Riley and her five central emotions as Riley’s family moves to a new state. This film can be found on Disney+.

Clueless

Clueless is a coming-of-age comedy that tells the story of Cher Horowitz, a rich, popular high school student in Beverly Hills, Calif. While giving a new friend a makeover and playing matchmaker for two of her teachers, Cher begins to examine her own existence and values. You can either check this movie out on DVD from the Library or stream it.

Rebecca Amrick is a first year graduate student in the English Department and a Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace said, “You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do.”

We, as social creatures, have a tendency to worry about what other people think of us, whether you want to be perceived as nice, cool, funny, or smart. When we do something that doesn’t meet our own standards, whatever they may be, we can worry what people are thinking of us.

But the overthinking isn’t worth it. The embarrassing moments that you replay in your mind at night barely cross other people’s minds, and, if for some reason they do, I promise you they are judging you far kinder than your own internal monologue. Caring about others is a good trait to have but learning to place less emphasis on what others think of you is a great lesson.

THIS WEEK AT FALVEY

Monday, February 6

Mindfulness Monday | 1-1:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free & Open to Villanova Students, Faculty, and Staff

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Tuesday, February 7

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Wednesday, February 8

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Thursday, February 9

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Friday, February 10

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30-4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public

Sunday, February 12

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 3-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Be sure to check out the awesome events happening on campus this week for Black History Month, and stay tuned for more information on Falvey’s postponed Black History Month event, “The End of White Christian America: Faith Apart from Anti-Blackness.”  

HOLIDAYS THIS WEEK

Today, Feb. 6, is National Frozen Yogurt Day. If you don’t feel like letting the cold weather hold you back, celebrate with some fro-yo. Although I may be a bit biased, as my best friend worked there for a while, Kiwi Yogurt is a great place to try. Their Funfetti Cupcake flavor (with some chocolate syrup and Oreo pieces) is amazing.

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

For anyone in the mood for a nice warm drink to stave off the cold (or fans of caffeine in any form), National Latte Day is this Saturday, Feb. 11. Whether your favorite latte is an (iced or hot) chai, matcha, pumpkin spice, or vanilla, grab yourself a latte to celebrate. And, as always, if you’re in Falvey, swing by Holy Grounds for a convenient option.

This Saturday is also Global Movie Day. You can celebrate this holiday by watching a movie, any movie. As someone perhaps a little too obsessed with movies, this holiday is just another perfect excuse to go to the movie theater. In lieu of seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which doesn’t hit theaters until Feb. 17, I might go to see Knock at the Cabin or (if my aforementioned best friend chooses) BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas.

As I’m sure many of you know, this Sunday, Feb. 12, is Super Bowl Sunday, and this year, Philly will compete against the Kansas City Chiefs. (Go, Birds!) Need the perfect game day snack? Sunday is also Super Chicken Wing Day. So, pick up your go-to wings and enjoy the game (or the commercials).

Annie Stockmal is a graduate student in the Communication Department and graduate assistant in Falvey Library. 

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

Yesterday, families across the country celebrated Thanksgiving. For many, the holiday involved traditions like a roast turkey, cranberry sauce, baked mac and cheese, pie, and football. I’ll admit, Thanksgiving is by no means my favorite holiday, but one Thanksgiving tradition has my full support: Thanksgiving specials on television and in film. For this weekend’s recs, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best, or perhaps my favorite, Thanksgiving-themed specials (that aren’t the obligatory A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving) to wrap-up the November holiday season.

If you have 18 minutes and 36 seconds…and want to take part in a Thanksgiving musical tradition, listen to Arlo Guthrie’s song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree.” Although the song’s length makes it somewhat of a feat, it’s worth one listen around the Thanksgiving season. (Although if my mom had it her way, it would be on a continuous loop on Thanksgiving Thursday).

If you have 21 minutes…and are a Constance Wu admirer, watch Fresh Off the Boat’s first Thanksgiving episode, “Huangsgivng.” It accurately portrays some of the pre-Thanksgiving stress, and Randall Park and Constance Wu are, as always, great.

Photo by Mahrous Houses on Unsplash

If you have 22 minutes…and love Friends, watch “The One with the Football.” As a sitcom, Friends has a host of Thanksgiving episodes, but this one shakes it up a bit by focusing on Thanksgiving’s football tradition.

If you have another 22 minutes…and are a fellow Bob’s Burgers fan, watch “Dawn of the Peck.” The Thanksgiving specials of Bob’s Burgers are always worth the watch, but “Dawn of the Peck” features some less standard Thanksgiving conventions, including a Thanksgiving race, vengeful (living) turkeys, and Donna Summer.

If you have 1 hour and 24 minutes…and want a sprinkle of romance in your Thanksgiving queue, watch Spike Lee’s first feature film, She’s Gotta Have It. It’s an offbeat comedy, quirky in that signature Spike Lee way. (Lee also made a Netflix series version of the film).

If you have 1 hour and 34 minutes…and want to watch a relatively anti-colonialist take on Thanksgiving (at least for the 90s), watch Addams Family Values. The privileged youth summer camp’s Thanksgiving play gets quite the Wednesday Addams reckoning. (Plus, Joan Cusack is an absolute treasure in this movie).

If you have 2 hours and 9 minutes…and want to watch something only tangentially related to Thanksgiving, watch The Blind Side (also available in Falvey’s DVD Collection, if you’re currently on campus). It only has one brief Thanksgiving dinner scene, but it’s brimming with family and football.

Annie Stockmal is a graduate student in the Communication Department and graduate assistant in Falvey Library.

No subscription required!

Villanova students, faculty, and staff can check out DVDs from Falvey Library for up to 30 days. Falvey’s collection includes a wide variety of feature films, international films, TV series, documentaries, theatrical productions, and science and educational videos.

Don’t have a DVD player in your dorm? No problem. Portable DVD players can be checked out from the service desk to watch DVDs. Players are USB and USB-C compatible, and can be checked out for 1 day with 1 renewal. Visit the Library website for additional information on equipment loans.

The DVD collection is located right inside the door to the Falvey West book stacks, on the first floor. With the holiday season quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to host a movie night with friends, or enjoy a quiet evening watching one of your favorite films. Explore some recommendations below and search for more titles on the Library website.

Hispanic Cultural Heritage Month

• Real Women Have Curves (online video)
• Y Tu Mamá También
• También la Lluvia
• El Norte
• Like Water for Chocolate
• Maria Full of Grace
• In The Time of The Butterflies
• Frida

Halloween

• Get Out
• The Exorcist
• Frankenweenie
• Psycho
• The Sixth Sense
• Frankenstein
• The Witches
• Alien
• Cujo
• The Birds
• Dracula
• Let Me In
• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
• Vertigo

Oscar-Winning Films

• Moonlight
• Argo
• The Artist
• The King’s Speech
• The Hurt Locker
• Slumdog Millionaire
• The Departed
• Crash
• Million Dollar Baby
• American Beauty
• Shakespeare in Love
• Schindler’s List
• Rocky
• Forrest Gump
• No Country for Old Men

Binge-Worthy Favorites 

• Harry Potter
• The Lord of the Rings
• The Office
• The Wire
• Seinfeld
• Doctor Who
• Buffy, the Vampire Slayer
• House M.D.
• Star Wars
• The Matrix

Musicals 

• Chicago
• Annie Get Your Gun
• Singin’ in the Rain
• Moulin Rouge
• Grease
• West Side Story
• The Wizard of Oz
• All That Jazz
• Cabaret

Staff Favorites

• Shawn Proctor: Layer Cake
• Gina Duffy: Field of Dreams
• Ethan Shea: Across The Universe
• Annie Stockmal: Mamma Mia!; 10 Things I Hate About You; Do the Right Thing
• Kallie Stahl: Casablanca; Pride and Prejudice; A League of Their Own
• Joanne Quinn: Titanic
• Michael Foight: Restless Heart
• Christoforos Sassaris: Pulp Fiction
• Luisa Cywinski: Doctor Who (The Complete First Series)
• Darren Poley: An Introduction to the Eastern Catholic Church; Introduction to Theology of the Body Discovering God’s Glorious Plan for Your Life
• Michael Sgier: Yojimbo; The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
• John Banionis: Persepolis
• Roberta Pierce: Oliver!; The Lives of Others; Clueless; Fiddler on the Roof
• Laurie Ortiz Rivera: Balseros

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.

By Jenna Renaud

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Memorial Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

Beyond the Wildcats clinching their spot in the Final Four, the weekend brought additional excitement with what was poised to be the first “normal” Oscars since pre-COVID. However, in actuality, the Oscars were anything but. From a big win for Deaf culture to the slap heard ‘round the world, we’re breaking down everything Oscars-related, whether you have 2 minutes or 14+ hours. 

If you have 2 minutes and 39 seconds… watch Megan Thee Stallion perform “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” 

If you have 5 minutes… read this article breaking down everything you need to know about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock and why Chris Rock’s joke was problematic. Synopsis: You don’t joke about a Black woman’s hair. 

Bonus: On a lighter note, look up the memes that have resulted from the incident! 

If you have 1 hour and 14 minutes… Listen to Hans Zimmer’s score for Dune, winner of best original score category in last weekend’s awards. 

If you have 1 hour and 52 minutes… watch the 2022 Oscar’s best film CODA, a movie bringing Deaf culture and Deaf actors to the forefront. 

If you have 14 hours (and no work to do)… read the novel Dune. Because let’s be honest, the books are better than the movie nine times out of 10, and the movie had a pretty good showing Sunday night. 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Happy Friday, Wildcats! After a year off, Falvey Memorial Library is bringing back Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

It feels as though we were just talking about the Tokyo Olympics (because we are), but nevertheless, it’s that time again, when athletes from all over the world are in Beijing, preparing to compete. Between COVID-19 and diplomatic boycotts, the Olympics may not be exactly the harmonious, international event we hope for, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still get excited and tune in to support our athletes! This weekend, I’m providing recs for everything Winter Olympics-related, whether you have 2 minutes or 2 hours (or all weekend, because let’s be honest, I could watch curling for HOURS).

If you have 2 minutes… read about what the robot chefs will be serving up in Beijing this year. 

If you have 9 minutes… skim everything you need to know about the Olympics from the controversies to which U.S. athletes to keep your eyes on. 

If you have 10 minutes… read about the latest Olympic snow sport arms race taking place following an environmental ban on toxic ski waxes. 

If you have 1 hour and 38 minutes… and want to celebrate the Olympics without actually watching (or paying for additional streaming services) watch Cool Runnings on Disney+ or any of these other seven movies based on the winter Olympics (some more loosely based than others). 

If you have 1 hour and 40 minutes… watch the opening ceremonies! Beijing is 13 hours ahead, so the opening ceremonies technically happened at 6:30 a.m. this morning, but if you were sleeping then, check out this article about where you can stream. NBC also offers a full schedule that you can customize, so you know what times you need to be watching! 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Happy Friday, Wildcats! After a year off, Falvey Memorial Library is bringing back Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

If you’ve read any news the past three days, you may have seen the rumors that SCOTUS justice Stephen Breyer may be retiring, leading to the fourth new appointment in the last five years and Biden’s first. It can be difficult to keep up with everything in the political sphere, so this week I’ll be providing a range of podcasts, articles, videos, movies, and books to help you get a better understanding of the Supreme Court and what’s currently going on in the news, whether you have 4 minutes or 12 hours! 

If you have 4 minutes… read the latest on Justice Stephen Breyer’s alleged retirement and how Biden could make history with his new appointment, if it reaches that stage. 

If you have 4 minutes and 30 seconds… watch this video breaking down how U.S. Supreme Court justices get appointed to get a better understanding of the process the U.S. government may be going through real soon.

If you have 39 minutes… listen to the most recent episode of the SCOTUS 101 podcast, a podcast breaking down the latest news from the Supreme Court.  

If you have 1 hour and 28 minutes… watch RBG on Netflix. The 2018 documentary on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and work on woman’s human rights. 

If you have 12 hours and 30 minutes… read The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin. Although published in 2008, this book still offers an inside look at the inner workings of the Super Court and how justices make decisions.  

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Happy Friday, Wildcats! After a year off, Falvey Memorial Library is bringing back Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

Whether it’s because I finally invested in a new iMac after a decade or I’m still mourning the predictable, yet still upsetting death of BlackBerry phones, technology has been top of mind lately. It seems like every day there’s talk of the latest technology trend catching on and spreading like wildfire. For this weekend, I’ve compiled recs to help you keep up with the latest technology news, whether you have 3 minutes or 4 hours. 

If you have 3 minutes… watch this video about the Icelandverse. We’ve all heard about the Metaverse, but have you heard about the Icelandverse? This Icelandic tourism ad pokes fun at Zuckerburg’s Metaverse video and does a good job at making viewers want to book a trip to the real Iceland. 

If you have 5 minutes… get an overview of everything going on regarding the 5G upgrades taking place nationwide and why airports and the FAA aren’t too happy about it. 

If you have 8 minutes… read predictions about 2022 being the year of the smart house and what technological developments we can expect to see in the home. 

If you have 2 hours and 20 minutes… watch Ready Player One on Hulu. Ready Player One is based on the 2011 science fiction novel by Ernest Cline. The story takes place in 2045 where people escape the world by entering into the virtual reality entertainment universe, OASIS. If you haven’t yet seen this movie, it’s definitely worth a watch! 

If you have 4 hours and 30 minutes… read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Arguably one of the greatest dystopian novels of all time, Brave New World takes place in a world where technology has taken the place of some of humanity’s most important traditions and purposes. Despite being written in 1931, Huxley’s novel is still incredibly relevant and thought-provoking today.  

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Happy Friday, Wildcats! After a year off, Falvey Memorial Library is bringing back Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

Whether you have accepted it (or are still in denial like I am) finals are upon us, and the Holidays somehow seem farther away than they did last week. This week I’m sharing recs that help you stay in the know about what’s going on in the world, but also will help you relax and crush the end of the semester. So take a deep breath and add some news reading and stress-buster activities into your weekend.  

If you have 3 minutes… download a mindfulness app like “Insight Timer” or “Headspace” to clear your head and re-center your focus.  

BONUS WEEKDAY REC: On Monday, Dec. 13, attend Mindfulness Monday via Zoom from 1–1:30 p.m. More information and the link can be found here. 

If you have 5 minutes… read The Skimm’s daily newsletter from Thursday that breaks down everything from the Daunte Wright trials to the Beijing Olympics to the latest on the omicron variant. Their quick daily newsletters will help you stay in the know, so the world doesn’t seem entirely different when you emerge from finals in a week. 

If you have 1 hour… and are near Falvey from 4–5 p.m. Friday evening, stop by Room 205 for the Stress-Free Healthy Happy Hour event. Take a break from studying and join in for an hour of pet therapy, giveaways, and stress-reducing activities. Learn more here. 

If you have 1 hour and 3 minutes… listen to the Little Women movie soundtrack on Spotify while you study. It’s one of my go-to focus and study albums! 

If you have 1 hour and 39 minutes… go see Encanto, Disney’s newest animated film that features music by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. Relax watching a Disney movie with great music!  

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! After a year off, Falvey Memorial Library is bringing back Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

If you’ve read anything in the news this week you probably noticed that Facebook has been under fire. Also, Facebook was down for about SIX HOURS on Monday, as well as Facebook’s other social holdings, Instagram and WhatsApp. What was that about? If you want to catch-up on everything going on in the Facebook and social media world, check out these recs. 

If you have 1 minute… follow Falvey Memorial Library on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep up with all our updates! 

If you have 2 minutes… Read the first half of this article from The Skimm that gives the highlights on Facebook’s whistleblower and the leaked findings regarding Facebook, Instagram, and teens’ mental health.   

If you have 5 minutes… Read this article from NPR about the Facebook outage on Monday. Also, you can read Zuckerberg’s full statement here. 

If you 1 hour and 34 minutes… Watch the Social Dilemma on Netflix to learn about the potentially dangerous impact of social networking. 

If you have 2 hours… Watch The Social Network on Amazon Prime to learn about Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook. 

If you have at least 8 hours and 30 minutes… Read App Kid by Michael Sayman, the story of one of Silicon Valley’s youngest entrepreneurs–a second-generation Latino immigrant.   

Jenna Renaud is a graduate student in the Communication Department and graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library.