Director Battle Royale: Sweet 16

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main’s Film & Audio Department has begun their annual “March Madness” competition. But instead of voting on college basketball teams, you vote on the best movie directors of all time! If you’re really into films, you should check it out. And if you’re not, but you’d like to know more, stop by Film & Audio on the second floor of the Main Library in Oakland to find out more.) Here’s how it works:

Director Battle Royale

Who is the best movie director of all time? Help decide by voting in Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s March Movie Madness! We’re using the NCAA basketball tournament as a model, but our four divisions are The Legends, The Heavyweights, The Ambassadors, and The Eclectics.

Vote Online

How to Play

Vote in every round for your favorite picks in each bracket. You can vote online or use an official paper ballot available in the Film & Audio Department at CLP – Main. There are no prizes, just the fun of arguing with your friends.

Voting Dates:

Sweet Sixteen	March 9 – 13
Elite Eight	March 16 – 20
Final Four	March 23 – 27
Finals	March 30 – April 3

Winning Director Announced: April 5

Our Methods

We used a variety of resources, including 501 Movie Directors and a list of “Best Director” Academy Award nominees, to compile a list of possible contenders. Then Library staff then began the painful process of voting to determine the final list of directors. Seeding is based on year of birth. And yes, we know we left out a lot of really great directors and included some that would never have made your list. It’s tradition!

Fun Stuff

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh offers DVDs representing every director in the competition, so check them out before voting. For trivia, commentary and updates related to the contest, search Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Film & Audio on Facebook.

Hop to it! Vote online!

Corey W.
CLP - Main

More Don’t-Miss Films

Speak

Reading Corey’s post reminded me of some terrific films that you may have missed but are definitely worth seeking out:

Speak stars Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame as a 9th grader who quits talking after she has a traumatic experience at an end-of-summer party.  Because she called the police,  she’s persona non grata at her new high school. Oiriginally a made-for-HBO movie, it’s based on a book with the same name by Laura Halse Anderson. It’s one of those novels no girl should miss.

I just love October Sky because it’s set in the sort of place where I grew up –very rural and poor, what my husband refers to as Appalachia–and shows that brainy teens are everywhere. It’s also based on a book, Rocket Boys, this time a memoir. Homer Hickman wants to escape the coal mines where his father works and go to college but he’ll need a scholarship to make it happen. With the help of friends, he creates a rocket that just might take him there – and beyond. A young Jake Gyllenhaal plays Homer.

And while I’m dropping names, Katie Holmes plays April in Pieces of April. She’s the family outcast, living with her boyfriend in a run-down apartment in New York City. When she invites her mother -who’s dying from cancer- and the rest of  her family for Thanksgiving dinner, everything seems to go wrong for her and for them as they make their way to be reunited.

And lastly, if you’re a fairy tale fangirl like I am, don’t miss Drew Barrymore in Ever After. As in most Cinderella tales, she’s wronged by an evil step mother, but she’s not going to rely on the prince saving her. She’s plenty swashbuckling herself.

Tina – Beechview CLP

Classic Films With Teen Appeal

I just had a lovely conversation with some teen regulars about great movies, growing up, feeling out of place, etc. It made me quite happy to be working where I work, encountering wonderful people and sharing ideas.

They told me about how much they love movies from the 70s and 80s, and were excited about the recommendations my co-worker Connie and I gave them. They suggested I blog about some more movies they might like but may not have heard of, so here I am! Your wish is my command.

Here’s a list of films dealing with teendom that were very important to teenage Corey, and which I hope teenage you will also enjoy. (Be sure to check the links and order your copies from the library today!):

Harold and Maude:  “I haven’t lived. I’ve died a few times.”  Connie started the conversation by bringing up Harold and Maude.  I first saw it in the ninth grade; my friends soon began calling me Harold.  Harold and Maude is the story of a morbid, depressed, teenager who often attends funerals (for fun) and fakes his own death. His outlook on life slowly begins to change when he meets Maude, a vivacious 79-year-old woman who teaches Harold how to l-i-v-e live live live!

 Amelie:  “At least you’ll never be a vegetable — even artichokes have hearts.”  The title character (an adorable waitress in Montmarte, Paris) is sort of Harold and Maude rolled into one; she’s a dreamer and an optimist, but she worries her dreams will never come true, that she will die alone, never realizing the love she hopes to find. “Times are hard for dreamers” she is told, and she knows it to be true.  However, things change for Amelie when she decides to become a do-gooder, anonymously bringing people the joy she is afraid to reach out and grab for herself.  Amelie is whimsical, romantic, sadly sweet and hilarious. It will melt away even the angstiest angst, if only for a little while. Check out the wonderful soundtrack!

Rushmore:  “Sic transit gloria. Glory fades. I’m Max Fischer.”  The main character of director Wes Anderson’s opus is Max Fisher, an overly ambitious fifteen year old playwright who attends Rushmore Academy on scholarship. Max is placed on academic probation when his grades continue to slip. Soon, things spiral out of control when he and his middle-aged steel magnate friend, Herman Bloom, both fall for Rushmore’s beautiful kindergarten teacher, Ms. Cross.  Rushmore is both darkly funny and bittersweet.  Check out the AWESOME SOUNDTRACK!

Pretty In Pink:  “If somebody doesn’t believe in me, I can’t believe in them.” So, I guess this is a bit of a cliche choice, right?  I think it’s the best of the 80s “brat pack” movies, though. The Breakfast Club is great and all, but this one strikes a stronger chord.  You’ve got Andie (a bit of a misfit but a total sweetheart), Duckie (a pre-lame Jon Cryer who is awesome as the lovelorn best friend, crushing on his pal), and Blane (the wealthy and popular nice guy) in a love-triangle.  Andie likes Blane but she feels like she’s nothing special–he’s cute and popular, so why would he like her? Meanwhile, the duckman suffers.  A film about love across class lines.  Order the great soundtrack!

The Dead Poet’s Society:  “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”  Haven’t seen this one in years, but it’s a heart-breaker. The story of a class of prep school boys inspired by their new teacher whose call to arms is more than a little similar to Maude’s–”Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”  A film about what’s expected of us versus what we want–realizing your own dreams and fighting for them–always a good lesson to learn.

Honorable Mentions go to:  Dazed and Confused, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Rebel Without a Cause, American Graffiti, Say Anything, The Virgin Suicides

Corey
CLP – Main, TEEN