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Cat in the Stax: Easter Break Movie Recs

As Falvey’s Cat in the Stax, Rebecca writes 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!

Happy Wednesday, Wildcats! Today marks the beginning of Easter Break at Villanova. Enjoy the long weekend and use these days off to rest, relax, and recharge because once we come back, we’ll be in the final stretch of the semester. Read a book, watch a movie, binge watch that Netflix series you’ve had your eye on, or just catch up on some much-needed sleep. Here’s a list of fun and uplifting movies to watch if you’re looking for a way to pass the time:

Movie Poster from IMDb

 

Mamma Mia!

Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried star in this 2008 musical featuring a free-spirited hotelier in Greece and her young daughter Sophie. As she prepares to get married, Sophie invited three of her mom’s past lovers to the island in the hopes of finding her father and having him walk her down the aisle. This film is available at Falvey through their DVD Collection and is also currently streaming on Netflix.

 

 

Movie Poster from IMDb

 

 

A League of Their Own

Based on a true story, this movie tells the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which formed during World War II after all the male baseball players went off to war. Tom Hanks stars as a washed-up baseball player who is enlisted to coach one of the new All-Girls Teams. Falvey has this film on DVD, but you can also watch it on Hulu and Peacock.

 

 

Movie Poster from IMDb

 

Big Fish

This film directed by Tim Burton is based on the 1998 novel about a dying father and his son. Edward Bloom’s fantastical tales have always put distance between him and his son Will, who now wants to make an effort to understand his father better. You can watch this movie through Falvey’s streaming service.

Movie Poster from IMDb

 

 

 

 

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

This movie follows its titular character and his friends on their many adventures after they skip school one day, available at Falvey on DVD.

 

 

 

 


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


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Weekend Recs: Women Directors

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. 

Today marks the beginning of March, which means that it is officially Women’s History Month, a month dedicated to remembering and celebrating remarkable women in history. With midterms ending and Spring Break right around the corner, I think we all need a bit of a break from thick books and trying to cram your brain with knowledge. So, here are some recs from women directors, filmmakers, and writers to help you take a break and celebrate Women’s History Month.

If you have 10 minutes…and want the highlights reel of some of the most successful female filmmakers at the present, read this article.

If you have 14 minutes and 18 seconds…and want to watch something (a little) educational, watch this TED Talk about female directors from film writer, critic, and reporter Alicia Malone.

If you have 43 minutes and 4 seconds…and are an avid podcast listener, listen to “Hollywood’s First Female Directors” episode of the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

If you have 1 hour and 50 minutes…and like biopics, watch Sofia Coppola’s latest film Priscilla, available to stream on Max. This film will definitely give you a much different perspective on Priscilla’s relationship with Elvis Presley than Elvis (2022).

If you have 1 hour and 53 minutes…and like dark movies, watch Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, available to stream online through Falvey. I know it only came out in 2020 (and maybe the buzz from Saltburn is skewing my perspective), but I think it’s earned its place as a “classic.”

Bonus: although the satire sometimes gets lost in translation, if you like dark films, American Psycho, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection, was also directed by a woman.

If you have 2 hours and 11 minutes…and like queer cinema (or just like period pieces), watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire, available to stream online through Falvey. Per most lesbian period pieces, it’s a slow burn romance (in French), and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

Bonus: I’ve recommended it before, but I believe it’s a must watch. If you like 90s queer cinema, watch The Watermelon Woman, directed by Cheryl Dunye, available to stream online through Falvey. It’s the perfect transition from Black History Month to Women’s History Month, as it deals with the unique history of Black queer women through a mockumentary style.

If you have 3 hours and 58 minutes…and want to watch a double feature from a Black female director, watch Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Love and Basketball (available to stream on Paramount+) and The Secret Life of Bees (available to stream on Hulu and Paramount+). Gina Prince-Bythewood, who you may recognize most recently for The Woman King, is consistently a strong director for female-driven stories that center women of color.


Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.


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Weekend Recs: Musicals

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.

Musicals naysayers, you might want to take the week off. Musicals are one of the longest-running traditions on the big screen and (of course) on the stage. Something about music has a way of sticking with and moving us, and musicals really capitalize on this.

With workloads increasing and finals coming up, musicals seem like a great way to add a little pep to your step (or to get some emotions out). So, enjoy some musical recs this weekend as you get ready for the end of the semester.

Did you know? If you’re looking for musicals that you can stream–no DVD player required–through Falvey, check out our BroadwayHD Collection here. This collection features filmed live Broadway performances of musicals and plays like Falsettos and Romeo and Juliet

If you have 2 minutes and 7 seconds…and like 2000s movies, watch the Mean Girls movie musical trailer. Although the trailer doesn’t really let on, this is a movie-version of the Broadway musical.

Bonus: if you love Reneé Rapp, listen to her singing “World Burn” from Mean Girls The Musical.

If you have 29 minutes and 7 seconds…and think the villains always get the best songs, watch this ranking of Broadway musical villain songs. My personal favorites are “Candy Store,” “Pretty Women,” and “Dentist.”

If you have 1 hour and 28 minutes…and are a fan of kids (or nostalgic) movies, watch The Lion King, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Despite being almost 30 years old, The Lion King still manages to hook people in with its beautiful score.

If you have 1 hour and 59 minutes…and love Christina Aguilera’s voice, watch Burlesque, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

Bonus: if you prefer the classics, watch Cabaret, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection.

Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

If you have 2 hours and 7 minutes…and like slightly nonsensical, campy musicals, watch Moulin Rouge, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. Featuring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, this jukebox musical is a wild ride, but the songs are great, and the set design is unbeatable.

If you have 2 hours and 40 minutes…and want to watch my personal favorite musical, watch The Phantom of the Opera, available free to stream on Youtube. Although I grew up on the movie, live performances of Phantom never disappoint.

If you have 7 hours…and have been moved by the musical, read Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, available online through Falvey.


Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.


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Cat in the Stax: Comfort Movies

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

 


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Peek at the Week: February 6

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. 


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Weekend Recs: Thanksgiving Specials

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.

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.


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No Subscription Required: Check Out Falvey’s DVD Collection For Your Next Movie Marathon

Image of the DVD cover of "Star Wars: A New Hope."


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

Halloween

Oscar-Winning Films

Binge-Worthy Favorites 

Musicals 

Staff Favorites


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

 

 


 


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Weekend Recs: 2022 Oscars

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.

 


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Weekend Recs: Winter Olympics

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


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Weekend Recs: SCOTUS

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


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Last Modified: January 28, 2022

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