And the winner is?

Ahhh, awards season.  There is something about this time of year that we find very exciting here.  The awards shows begin to come out in wide array of focus, gowns, shiny gold and glass, hours of televised acceptance speeches, and all the glitter that goes along with.  Why do we like it so much, you might ask?  Hmm...there are all the beautiful red carpet photos and commentary...or it could be the comedic hosts that are sure to make us laugh (Tina Fey and Amy Poehler..come on!), but it is more than that.  It's a moment to pause and remember what was great, moving, beautiful, inspiring about our life experiences in the past year.  The films or television shows that gave us perspective, entranced us, brought joy in an otherwise trying week, or helped us to remember something significant about who we are or what we can do.  Some films are made to entertain, as are some songs.  Some are written and crafted to help us see the world from another point of view.  Some are created to inspire, to challenge us, or even to help us see ourselves and the possibilities out there more clearly.  And then there are those that are sheer works of artistry.  And this is why we like award season.

So, in honor of the Academy Awards, which marks the end of the awards season, we are hosting a contest.  How to play?  Simply pick who you think will win in the top 6 categories and after the March 2nd airing of the awards, those who have guessed the most if not all of the winners will win their choice of a DVD/Blu-Ray of some of our favorite nominated films/TV series from the Oscars and the Golden Globes.  You can fill out a ballot here online and send your picks to library@tvcc.cc, comment here on the blog, comment on our Facebook page, or fill out one of our paper ballots in the Library.  What are you voting on???  We are looking for your favorite in the Best Picture, Director, Actress, Actor, Supporting Actress, and Supporting Actor.

From the Academy Award website, you can also view the trailers to all of the films (And if you haven't watched Ellen's video trailer for this year's Oscars...highly recommended foolery).
What you may not know is that most of the nominated films are based on books.  And of course, we have them here for you in the Library.  Some of our favorites are featured here.  For the true story fans out there and our non-fiction readers, this is the year for you.  The stories that were nominated and a few that weren't that are true or based upon the true life experiences of some incredible people...
12 Years a Slave -- Captain Phillips -- American Hustle -- The Wolf of Wall Street -- Inside Llewelyn Davis -- Fruitvale Station
  Dallas Buyer's Club -- Philomena -- Saving Mr. Banks

Yes, we did include a couple of films that were not nominated, but we think that they should have been or that the stories were very powerful and deserve another mention.  Specifically, if you missed Fruitvale Station in theaters, it is here on DVD and is a story that we all should be aware of.  It is hard and powerful, but necessary to watch if there is any respect for justice and truth in our communities and country.
On that note, happy movie watching.  And let us know what you think.