Tag: movies

Marvelous Meta-Horror for Halloween Season

Horror is at its scariest when it puts you into the perspective of its terrified victims, but if you’ve read or watched widely in the genre, it can be harder to feel those vicarious thrills, especially when you’re busy yelling at the characters to stop being so stupid. Enter meta-horror: where your extra knowledge of the genre is part of the fun. In meta-horror, the characters may realize that events are happening like in a horror movie; or the story may break the fourth wall and deconstruct horror tropes to do something unfamiliar. It may be as simple as including “wink-wink” references that a horror fiend may be delighted to recognize. Either way, these meta-horror books, movies, and games can be scary, clever, or funny, or all three. You can recommend these titles to your high school teen horror buffs who are looking to put their horror knowledge to good use.

BOOKS

Alone, by Cyn Balog (Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers 2019 nominee)

Seda’s mother inherits a crumbling mansion that was once a murder mystery hotel. Her mother is supposed to renovate and sell it, but she seems more interested in keeping it in the family. Seda likes all of the secret passages and macabre decorations at first, but it turns oppressive when a blizzard strands a group of teenagers at the house. To keep their new guests entertained, her mother decides to host a murder mystery like in the old days.

Continue reading Marvelous Meta-Horror for Halloween Season

What Would Ruth Read?

This seems to be the summer of the documentary for me. I recently went to the movie theater to watch RBG, the biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and was pleasantly surprised to see a multi-generational audience sitting in cross-generational groups. There were at least two grandmother-granddaughter pairings. And that got me wondering, if Ruth Bader Ginsburg were a teen now, what would she read?

According to the documentary, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a serious young woman, not given to small talk. When she had something to say, however, she was thoughtful, articulate and powerful. She spent much of her career working for women’s rights, often coming back to the line in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution that promised everyone “the equal protection of the laws.”

Continue reading What Would Ruth Read?

Movie List: Movies to Inspire the Spirit of Earth Day

Earth Day is Friday, April 22 2016. This year there will be a landmark signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement, a United Nations effort to combat climate change. While it is actually better to get outside and take part in a conservation effort as a way to personally celebrate Earth Day, here is a list of teen friendly movies to get you into the spirit of things.

Movies for Earth Day

 

FernGully: The Last Rainforest, 20th Century Fox

By way of Australia, this 1992 classic introduced us to Crysta, a fairy in a tropical rain forest that was previously free from human intervention. After she accidentally shrinks a young logger named Zak, they have to work together to prevent more deforestation and the ominous pollutive company Hexxus.

WALL-E, Disney

Wall-E is a lonely robot left behind to clean up the planet after it has been abandoned by humans after it was destroyed by mass consumerism. He inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.

Into the Wild, Paramount Vantage (2010 Fabulous Films for Young Adults)

Based on the 1996 book by Jon Krakauer, a young college graduate leaves his worldly possessions behind to experience the great outdoors. His body is found in the Alaskan wilderness, this is the incredible story of a young man seeking enlightenment, but only finding death.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind; Kaze No Tani No Naushika, Disney

Caught between two warring nations, pacifist and warrior Princess Nausicaä struggles to prevent them from destroying themselves and their dying planet.

Whale Rider, Newmarket Films (2009 Fabulous Films for Young Adults) Continue reading Movie List: Movies to Inspire the Spirit of Earth Day

Take Five: Favorite Teen Movies

With the changing of the season, it seems like a perfect time for a movie marathon, and after reading the submissions from a handful of Hub bloggers about their favorite teen movies, I bet you’ll be ready for a marathon, too.

Take Five The Hub

What’s your favorite teen movie? 

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.  Hands-down the best teen flick ever.  Sly Ferris.  Moody Cameron.  Fun-Loving Sloane.  And (of course) super angry/jealous Jeanie.  One of the best movies of all time!  And my second place choice:  Dazed & Confused.— Stacy Holbrook

Clueless. Based on Emma by Jane Austen (one of my favorite authors) and it perfectly captures the styles of the ‘90’s. — Carla Land

Sixteen Candles.  John Hughes makes moves that totally express the teenage experience in such a normal way.  Sixteen Candles was a movie my older sister loved, and when I was a teenager, I identified so much with Sam (embarrassing grandparents, unrequited crush) that I wanted to be her – if only to end up with Jake Ryan in the end!  —Traci Glass Continue reading Take Five: Favorite Teen Movies

Fandom 101: K-pop and K-drama

YALSA-bk is a listserv with lively discussions among librarians, educators, and beyond about all things YA lit. Sometimes one listserv member will ask a question of the group and others will provide feedback. This post is a compilation of responses for one such request.

Staying up with trends and interests of teen patrons is crucial to providing up-to-date collections and developing programs that will capture the attention of a teen audience. While teens are a great resources and will likely be happy to discuss their latest obsession at length, it’s also helpful to consult other resources to get a primer on a trend. Here at The Hub, we want to make it easier, so we’re introducing our Fandom 101 series.

Fandom 101 at The HubA recent request on the YALSA-bk listserv caught my attention because it was asking for resources that would serve as an introduction to K-pop and K-drama for library staff who were unfamiliar with the culture and genre surrounding Korean music and movies but had teens in their library who were enthusiastic fans and wanted to start a club devoted to all things K-pop. These are some resources helpful members of the YA and library communities suggested as places to begin. Thanks for sharing your expertise!

Kpop CC image via Flickr User Republic of Korea
Kpop CC image via Flickr User Republic of Korea

 

Recently, The New York Times reported on the wild popularity of South Korean culture, known as hallyu, or the “Korean wave.” So this isn’t an isolated phenomenon. For more information in K-pop and K-drama, check out: Continue reading Fandom 101: K-pop and K-drama