Your May 2025 Year In Reading challenge is all about the movies! Celebrate the cinema in new and wonderful ways with these great books exploring films in all forms.
Be sure to check out the Year in Reading challenge on Beanstack to earn some fun virtual badges along the way!
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In a dystopian, near-future Britain, sixteen-year-old Trent, obsessed with making movies on his computer, joins a group of artists and activists who are trying to fight a new bill that will criminalize even more harmless internet creativity.
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Book
Call Number:
YA FIC Doc
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Not your China doll : the wild and shimmering life of Anna May Wong
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"Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, this debut book celebrates Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star, to bring an unsung heroine to light and reclaim her place in cinema history"--
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Book
Call Number:
B Won
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Black Caesars and foxy Cleopatras : a history of blaxploitation cinema
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"A definitive account of Blaxploitation cinema--the freewheeling, often shameless, and wildly influential genre--from a distinctive voice in film history and criticism"--
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Book
Call Number:
791.43 Hen
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Quentin Tarantino : a graphic biography
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"Delve into the movie-obsessed life and career of one of modern cinema's greatest filmmakers - Quentin Tarantino. Join the conversation as Tarantino talks to John Travolta into starring in Pulp Fiction and Uma Thurman into a yellow bodysuit, find out about the inspiration for his earliest screenplays and learn about Tarantino's obsessive childhood growing up in California."--Back cover
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Book
Call Number:
B Tar
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Horror for weenies : everything you need to know about the films you're too scared to watch
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"A guide to the horror movie genre for people too afraid to watch horror movies, including plot summaries and key scene descriptions for twenty-five influential films, as well as analysis of each film's role in the genre and in pop culture"--
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Book
Call Number:
791.436164 Hug
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Hollywood pride : a celebration of LGBTQ+ representation and perseverance in film
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"Just in time for Pride Month, this book is a first-of-its-kind in-depth exploration of LGBTQ+ representation from the dawn of cinema through today, from noted film critic Alonso Duralde and Turner Classic Movies"--
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Book
Call Number:
791.43653 Dur
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The future was now : madmen, mavericks, and the epic sci-fi summer of 1982
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"From legendary entertainment journalist and author of Caddyshack comes a rollicking history of 1980s cinema-- how eight legendary sci-fi films changed Hollywood forever. In the summer of 1982, eight science fiction films were released within six weeks of one another. E.T., Tron, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, and Mad Max: The Road Warrior changed the careers of some of Hollywood's now biggest names-- altering the art of movie-making to this day. In The Future Was Now, Chris Nashawaty recounts the riotous genesis of these films, featuring an all-star cast of Hollywood luminaries and gadflies alike: Steven Spielberg, at the height of his powers, conceives E.T. as an unlikely family tale, and quietly takes over the troubled production of Poltergeist, a horror film he had been nurturing for years. Ridley Scott, fresh off the success of Alien, tries his hand at an odd Philip K. Dick story that becomes Blade Runner-- a box office failure turned cult classic. Similar stories arise for films like Tron, Conan the Barbarian, and The Thing. Taken as a whole, these films show a precarious turning-point in Hollywood history, when baffled film executives finally began to understand the potential of high-concept films with a rabid fanbase, merchandising potential, and endless possible sequels. Expertly researched, energetically told, and written with an unabashed love for the cinema, The Future Was Now is a chronicle of how the revolution sparked in a galaxy far, far away finally took root and changed Hollywood forever"--
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Book
Call Number:
791.43615 Nas
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On the day Cate came into the world, her mother left it. Ever since, Cate's dad has become distant and silent, locked in his own little world. Cate has to keep herself entertained, with kung fu films, her pet rabbit and her photography hobby, until one day she receives an invitation to a mysterious, abandoned cinema, and everything changes. At the cinema, Cate meets the strange Mrs Kano, who introduces her to a most unusual kind of movie theatre the kind that lets you step into a memory. So begins a wonder-filled adventure through time that will teach Cate the meaning of love, the beauty of things passing and the need for bravery in letting go.
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Book
Call Number:
J FIC Gol
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The big goodbye : Chinatown and the last years Hollywood
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Chinatown is the Holy Grail of 1970s cinema. Its twist ending is the most notorious in American film and its closing line of dialogue the most haunting. Here is the true story of its making. Here is Jack Nicholson at the height of his powers, embarking on his doomed love affair with Anjelica Huston. Here is director Roman Polanski, both predator and prey, haunted by the savage death of his wife, returning to Los Angeles, the scene of the crime, where the seeds of his own self-destruction are quickly planted. Here is the dealmaking of "The Kid" Robert Evans, the most consummate of producers. Here is Robert Towne's fabled script, widely considered the greatest original screenplay ever written. Wasson peels off layers of myth to provide the true account of its creation. Looming over the story of this classic movie is the imminent eclipse of the '70s filmmaker-friendly studios as they gave way to the corporate Hollywood we know today.--
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Book
Call Number:
791.4372 Was
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"Why do SF movies matter? What do they tell us about the interests of storytellers and the changing tastes of cinema-goers? How have sci-fi movies evolved with filmmaking technology over the past 110 years? The Geek's Guide To SF Cinema: 30 Key Films That Changed that Changed the Genre provides an entertaining and in-depth history of the science fiction genre's pivotal and most influential movies. From the pioneering films of Georges Méliès to such blockbusters as Avatar and Inception in the 21st century, the book will explore how these key movies were made, how they reflected the mood of the time in which they were released, and how they've influenced other filmmakers in the years since.Historians and experts contribute to answer questions such as: 'How important was Fritz Lang's contribution to cinema?' and 'What did Alien say about the cynical climate of the 1970s?' Providing nostalgia for long-time SF addicts and context for those whose knowledge and love of the genre is still growing, this is a pop-culture book with depth."--
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Book
Call Number:
791.4361 Lam
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You know that fantastic idea you've got for a screenplay? It's time to make it a reality! In this book, you'll learn how to move from concept to finished product with practical and hands-on advice on writing characters, dialogue and plot, talking to the right people, and marketing and selling your work.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
808.23 Sch 2022
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Secrets of the Hollywood girls club
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The last time Jessica, Mary Anne, Lydia, and Celeste collaborated on a project, the film was a huge success, launching über-agent Jessica's boutique management company, making Mary Anne the hottest new screenwriter in Hollywood, landing Lydia the top spot at Worldwide Pictures, and solidifying Celeste's position as the queen of Tinseltown. But this time, as these powerful movie mavens are called to the set, each of them has a lot more to lose.
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Book
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FIC Mar
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"1939, Los Angeles. Evelyn Galloway can't believe her luck! On her first day in LA, she lands her dream job of script supervisor, and on the hottest film in town - Hitchcock's adaptation of Rebecca. But her good fortune quickly changes when a legendary actor cancels their lunch the following day and is found murdered at home. Evelyn realizes she could be a witness to the crime, having passed the bungalow's grounds on her way home the night before. Who was the man looking upset in a gazebo? And why was movie starlet Madeleine Nabors running wildly away from the scene? When the tabloid reports contradict what Evelyn saw with her own eyes, she soon finds herself pitted against powerful studio bosses and unscrupulous journalists as she races to uncover the truth"--
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Book
Call Number:
FIC Mea
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A biography of stunt performer Helen Gibson, known as "the most daring actress in pictures" during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
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Book
Call Number:
791.43092 OMe
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"Neevah Saint is ready for the spotlight. After months as an understudy, this is her night to shine. She never imagined he would watch in the audience. Canon Holt. Famous film director. Fascinating. Talented. Fine. Before she can catch her breath, everything is changing. Neevah goes from backstage Broadway to center stage Hollywood. From being unknown, to having her name on everyone's lips when Canon casts her in a star-studded Harlem Renaissance biopic. But forbidden attraction, scandal, and circumstances beyond Neevah's control soon put her dream in jeopardy. Could this one shot--the role of a lifetime, the love of a lifetime--cost her everything?"--
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Large Print
Call Number:
LP FIC Rya
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Bruce Willis : celebrating the cinematic legacy of an unbreakable Hollywood icon
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"On a nondescript Wednesday morning in the waning days of March 2023, one of the biggest movie stars on the planet called it quits. It was a sad conclusion to the storied career of a man who had at one point been the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. That career is the subject of Sean O'Connell's Bruce Willis: Celebrating the Cinematic Legacy of an Unbreakable Hollywood Icon, a definitive survey of Willis the actor, the cultural icon, and the man. Here, O'Connell compiles exclusive, original interviews with directors who have worked with Willis, as well as film critics and journalists who have analyzed his career, into a celebratory compendium. It also features the author's analysis of Willis's films, his career arc, and the industry that made him a star. And it includes capsule reviews of every Bruce Willis film, making this a complete handbook to a true American original"--
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Book
Call Number:
791.43028 OCo
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1924. After six months in Hollywood, young British widow Emma Blackstone has come to love her new employer, glamourous movie-star Kitty Flint - even if her late husband's sister is one of the worst actresses she's ever seen. Looking after Kitty and her three adorable Pekinese dogs isn't work Emma dreamed of, but Kitty rescued her when she was all alone in the world. Now, the worst thing academically-minded Emma has to worry about is the shocking historical inaccuracies of the films Kitty stars in. Until, that is, Rex Festraw - Kitty's first husband, to whom she may or may not still be married - turns up dead in her dressing room, a threatening letter seemingly from Kitty in his pocket. Emma's certain her flighty but kind-hearted sister-in-law has been framed. But who by? And why? From spiteful rivals to jealous boyfriends, the suspects are numerous. But as Emma investigates, she begins to untangle a deadly plot - and there's something Kitty's not telling her.
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Book
Call Number:
FIC Ham
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Screenwriter Lou Calabrese is stranded in Alaska with sexy actor Jack Townsend - the last man she wants to be with! - after the pilot of their plane, taking them to location, tries to shoot Jack and winds up crash landing in the middle of nowhere.
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Book
Call Number:
FIC Cab
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"Inspired by a true story, this supernatural thriller for fans of horror and true crime follows a tale as it evolves every twenty years--with terrifying results. Ella Louise has lived in the woods surrounding Pilot's Creek, Virginia, for nearly a decade. Publicly, she and her daughter, Jessica, are shunned by her upper-crust family and the local residents. Privately, desperate characters visit her apothecary for a cure to what ails them--until Ella Louise is blamed for the death of a prominent customer. Accused of witchcraft, Ella Louise and Jessica are burned at the stake in the middle of the night. Ella Louise's burial site is never found, but the little girl has the most famous grave in the South: a steel-reinforced coffin surrounded by a fence of interconnected white crosses. Their story will take the shape of an urban legend as it's told around a campfire by a man forever marked by his childhood encounters with Jessica. Decades later, a boy at that campfire will cast Amber Pendleton as Jessica in a '70s horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot's Creek. Amber's experiences on that set and its meta-remake in the '90s will ripple through pop culture, ruining her life and career after she becomes the target of a witch hunt. Amber's best chance to break the cycle of horror comes when a true-crime investigator tracks her down to interview her for his popular podcast. But will this final act of storytelling redeem her--or will it bring the story full circle, ready to be told once again? And again. And again . . ."--
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Book
Call Number:
FIC Cha
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Fired at almost the same time as her son Clark's Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, former film critic turned teacher Lois Cairns is caught in a depressive downward spiral, convinced she's a failure who's spent half her adult life writing about other people's dreams without ever seeing any of her own come true. One night Lois attends a program of experimental film and emerges convinced she's seen something no one else has - a sampled piece of silver nitrate silent film footage whose existence might prove that an eccentric early 20th-century socialite who disappeared under mysterious circumstances was also one of Canada's first female movie-makers. Though it raises her spirits and revitalizes her creatively, Lois's headlong quest to discover the truth about Mrs. A. Macalla Whitcomb almost immediately begins to send her much further than she ever wanted to go, revealing increasingly troubling links between her subject's life and her own. Slowly but surely, the malign influence of Mrs Whitcomb's muse begins to creep into every aspect of Lois's life, even placing her son in danger.
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Book
Call Number:
FIC Fil
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Final cuts : new tales of Hollywood horror and other spectacles
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From the secret reels of a notoriously cursed cinematic masterpiece to the debauched livestreams of modern movie junkies who will do anything for clicks, Final Cuts brings together new and terrifying stories inspired by the many screens we can't peel our eyes away from. Inspired by the rich golden age of the film and television industries as well as the new media present, this new anthology reveals what evils hide behind the scenes and between the frames of our favorite medium. With original stories from a diverse list of some of the best-known names in horror, Final Cuts will haunt you long after the credits roll.
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Book
Call Number:
FIC Fin
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"Lila Crayne is America's sweetheart: she's generous and kind, gorgeous and magnetic. She and her fiancé, visionary filmmaker Kurt Royall, have settled into a stunning new West Village apartment and are set to begin filming their feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night. To prepare for the leading role, Lila begins working with charming and accomplished therapist Jonah Gabriel to dig into the trauma of her past. Soon, Lila's impeccably manicured life begins to unravel on the therapy couch--and Jonah is just the man to pick up the pieces. But everyone has a secret, and no one is quite who they seem. A twisty, thought-provoking novel of construction and deconstruction in conversation with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and told through the lens of the film industry, Sweet Fury is an incisive and bold critique of America's deep-rooted misogyny" --
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Large Print
Call Number:
LP FIC Bis
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2023, The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History: A costume conservator is preparing an exhibition featuring movie costumes from the 1920s to present day. As she gingerly places a gown once worn by Greta Garbo on a mannequin, she discovers another name hidden beneath the designer's label, leaving her to wonder--who is Zora Lily? 1924, Seattle: Poverty-stricken Zora Hough spends her days looking after her younger siblings while sewing up holes and fixing hems for clients to bring in extra money, working her fingers to the bone just to survive. But at night, as she lies in the bed she shares with one of her three sisters, she secretly dreams of becoming a designer like Coco Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin. When her best friend gets a job dancing in a club downtown, Zora is lured in by her stories of music, glittering dresses and boys. She follows her friend to the underground speakeasies that are at once exciting and frightening--with smoke hanging in the air, alcohol flowing despite Prohibition, couples dancing in a way that makes Zora blush and a handsome businessman named Harley. It’s a world she has only ever imagined, and one with connections that could lead her to the life she's always dreamed of. But as Zora's ambition is challenged by tragedy and duty to her family, she'll learn that dreams come with a cost.
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Large Print
Call Number:
LP FIC Sal
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Miranda Abbott, actor, will once again be a star. After a very long dry spell that followed her network hit series, Pastor Fran Investigates, Hollywood has come calling and wants Miranda back. This time, she will be the female lead in an oddly expensive movie of the week being filmed in Happy Rock. Miranda signs on the dotted line, but her trusty assistant, Andrew, a whiz with apps and clouds, thinks it all seems a bit fishy.
Format:
Book
Call Number:
FIC Fer