Hot This Week: December 26

We hope everyone had a wonderful long holiday weekend! The Charlize Theron action thriller Atomic Blonde explodes onto the week's movie list. Country star Luke Bryan debuts his new album atop the music charts, where he's joined down the list by a collaboration between Big Sean and Metro Boomin. In audiobooks, a pair of familiar favorites return: Stephen and Owen King's Sleeping Beauties in fiction, and David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon in non-fiction.

Movies

1. Atomic Blonde (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. American Assassin (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. The Hitman's Bodyguard (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Logan Lucky (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Kidnap (Blu-ray)
6. Kingsman: The Secret Service (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Girls Trip (Blu-ray)
8. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Luke Bryan, What Makes You Country
2. Taylor Swift, Reputation
3. Ed Sheeran, Divide
4. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas
5. Big Sean & Metro Boomin, Double or Nothing
6. Chris Stapleton, From a Room: Volume 2
7. Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
8. Post Malone, Stoney
9. Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
10. U2, Songs of Experience

Fiction

1. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
2. Origin, Dan Brown
3. The People vs. Alex Cross, James Patterson
4. The Midnight Line, Lee Child
5. Artemis, Andy Weir
6. Year One, Nora Roberts
7. End Game, David Baldacci
8. Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng
9. Tom Clancy's Power and Empire, Marc Cameron
10. Sleeping Beauties, Stephen and Owen King

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Grant, Ron Chernow
3. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
4. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
5. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
6. Let Trump Be Trump, Corey R. Lewandowski and David N. Bossie
7. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
8. Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann
9. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
10. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush

Hot This Week: December 18

Two new movies top this week's movie list. In music, U2 and Chris Stapleton nudge Taylor Swift from her perch at #1, with a second Pentatonix Christmas album rejoining the chart as well. In fiction, Nora Roberts can't quite unseat John Grisham and Dan Brown, while a book of insight from a pair of Trump campaign officials debuts in non-fiction.

Movies

1. American Assassin (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Logan Lucky (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Kidnap (Blu-ray)
4. The Hitman's Bodyguard (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. Girls Trip (Blu-ray)
7. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Wind River (Blu-ray)
9. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (Blu-ray)
10. War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. U2, Songs of Experience
2. Chris Stapleton, From a Room: Volume 2
3. Taylor Swift, Reputation
4. Ed Sheeran, Divide
5. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas
6. Demi Lovato, Tell Me You Love Me
7. Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
8. Miguel, War & Leisure
9. Post Malone, Stoney
10. Pentatonix, That's Christmas to Me

Fiction

1. Origin, Dan Brown
2. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
3. Year One, Nora Roberts
4. The People vs. Alex Cross, James Patterson
5. The Midnight Line, Lee Child
6. Artemis, Andy Weir
7. End Game, David Baldacci
8. Tom Clancy's Power and Empire, Marc Cameron
9. Hardcore Twenty-Four, Janet Evanovich
10. Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Grant, Ron Chernow
3. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
4. Let Trump Be Trump, Corey R. Lewandowski and David N. Bossie
5. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
6. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
7. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
8. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
9. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
10. Endurance, Scott Kelly

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Announces 2018 Induction Class

Written by Jon Williams

Early yesterday morning, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the bands and musicians to be inducted into its hallowed halls this coming year. It must have been a tight race: among the acts that didn’t make it this year are Radiohead (in their first year of eligibility), Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, and LL Cool J. Those that did make it in, on the other hand, are as follows:

Bon Jovi won a fan poll on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s website, which garnered them an extra vote toward induction. They’re the “newest” band in this year’s class, with their self-titled debut album releasing in 1984. They hit it big in the heyday of hair metal with 1986’s Slippery When Wet, with hits like “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer” propelling the album to 12x Platinum status. They’ve been going strong ever since, adjusting their rock sound over the years and releasing a total of thirteen studio albums to date, with the most recent being last year’s This House Is Not for Sale. Speculation has already begun that original members Richie Sambora and Alec John Such will reunite with the rest of the band for the induction performance.

Dire Straits got their start a bit earlier, but, like Bon Jovi, enjoyed their greatest success in the 1980s. Formed by brothers Mark and David Knopfler in 1977 with a pair of friends, the band released Dire Straits (containing their knockout first single “Sultans of Swing”) and Communique before the decade was out. The 1985 album Brothers in Arms, on the strength of “Money for Nothing” and its ultra-popular music video, became the first million-seller in the compact disc format, and also won two Grammy Awards. They released just one album after that, 1991’s On Every Street, although principal member Mark Knopfler has enjoyed a very successful solo career since then.

The Cars’ induction brings them full circle—singer Ric Ocasek and bassist Benjamin Orr originally met in Cleveland in the 1960s. The Cars came together in 1976, and they took off with their 1978 debut album, which included the hits “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “Just What I Needed.” They released six albums before the band’s breakup in 1988. Founding member Orr passed away in 2000, but the remaining members reunited for the 2011 album Move Like This (currently unavailable on CD, but available digitally on hoopla). Like Knopfler and Dire Straits, Ric Ocasek has also had success as a solo artist.

The Moody Blues have their origins more than a decade before, coming together in 1964. After one album as an R&B outfit of sorts, they hit their stride with the landmark prog rock album Days of Future Passed (containing their biggest hit, “Nights in White Satin”) in 1967. Although they’ve been through a number of lineup changes, they’ve been quite prolific, with sixteen albums to their credit. The last was 2003’s Christmas-themed December, perfect for this time of year, but the band has continued to tour, and to release compilation and live albums.

Nina Simone sadly passed away in 2003, but will play a large role in the 2018 induction nonetheless. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, she adopted her stage name as a small-time singer in 1954. She became a full-fledged member of the civil rights movement with her 1964 live album Nina Simone in Concert (available on hoopla) and incorporated that message into her music going forward. She put out an incredible number of albums, both studio and live, and has influenced a generation of musicians, from the Beatles and David Bowie to Aretha Franklin and Lena Horne to Elton John and more. Whoever performs in her stead at the induction ceremony, it’s sure to be an incredible show.

As these stellar musicians are enshrined into the pantheon of rock legends, patrons are sure to crave their music, whether to relive classic sounds they’ve loved for years or to dig into these incredible discographies for the first time. Be sure to check out this collection of essential albums we’ve put together, and SmartBrowse each of them on our website to find even more.

Hot This Week: December 11

There's not too much movement on this week's lists. In movies, the only newcomer is the Halle Berry thriller Kidnap, which debuts at the top. The physical release of Kodak Black's new album makes an appearance on the music chart. Danielle Steel and Marc Cameron place new novels on the fiction list, while Dan Rather's What Unites Us jumps back onto the non-fiction list for the week.

Movies

1. Kidnap (Blu-ray)
2. The Hitman's Bodyguard (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Girls Trip (Blu-ray)
5. Wind River (Blu-ray)
6. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (Blu-ray)
8. Cars 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Leap! (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Taylor Swift, Reputation
2. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas
3. Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
4. Ed Sheeran, Divide
5. Post Malone, Stoney
6. P!nk, Beautiful Trauma
7. Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2
8. Chris Brown, Heartbreak on a Full Moon
9. Kodak Black, Project Baby Two
10. Imagine Dragons, Evolve 

Fiction

1. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
2. Origin, Dan Brown
3. The People vs. Alex Cross, James Patterson
4. The Midnight Line, Lee Child
5. End Game, David Baldacci
6. Past Perfect, Danielle Steel
7. Tom Clancy's Power and Empire, Marc Cameron
8. Hardcore Twenty-Four, Janet Evanovich
9. Artemis, Andy Weir
10. Two Kinds of Truth, Michael Connelly

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Grant, Ron Chernow
3. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
4. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
5. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
6. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
7. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
8. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
9. Endurance, Scott Kelly
10. What Unites Us, Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner

Excitement High for The Last Jedi

Written by Jon Williams

Next week sees the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in theaters, the saga’s Episode VIII, and the middle installment in the sequel trilogy that began with 2016’s The Force Awakens. Excitement is at a fever pitch for the new movie, and library patrons will be looking for all kinds of materials relating to a galaxy far, far away.

Following on from The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi returns stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac as heroes Rey, Finn, and Poe, as well as Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker and the late Carrie Fisher in her final appearance as Leia Organa. The opposition comes in the form of the First Order’s Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). They’re joined in the cast by newcomers Laura Dern, who plays Resistance Admiral Amilyn Holdo, and Benicio del Toro, in the mysterious role of DJ. The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson, who has previously made such acclaimed films as Brick and Looper. It’s clear that Lucasfilm thinks the world of Johnson’s effort; they’ve already announced that he’ll be helming a new Star Wars trilogy set in a heretofore unexplored time period and area of the galaxy.

On the day the new movie is released, the score drops as well, featuring the typically outstanding work of Academy Award-winning film music icon John Williams. Fans will have to wait a bit longer for Jason Fry’s novelization, which releases in March. For those who need something sooner than that, Canto Bight, released earlier this week, tells several tales from the opulent, high-stakes casino city to be introduced in The Last Jedi, while Delilah S. Dawson’s Phasma explores the backstory of Gwendoline Christie’s chrome-armored villain.

The third and concluding installment in the current trilogy won’t come until 2019, but that doesn’t mean there’s no more Star Wars on the more immediate horizon. Coming on the heels of last year’s Rogue One, the second standalone film is scheduled for release on May 25, 2018. That movie will be Solo, the origin story of everyone’s favorite smuggler, scoundrel, and nerf-herder, Han Solo. The title character will be played by Alden Ehrenreich, while the multitalented Donald Glover will portray his good buddy Lando Calrissian; such names as Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, and Thandie Newton will round out the cast. That movie is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ron Howard based on a script by Lawrence Kasdan (writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as The Force Awakens) and his son Jon, while the music will be provided by John Powell.

Star Wars is arguably the most popular movie franchise of all time, and patrons will always be looking for the latest and greatest related titles. You can SmartBrowse on our website for all this media and more to lead into The Last Jedi and Solo. And if your library is a hoopla member, patrons can log in anytime to check out movie scores as well as original eBooks and comics for enjoyment at home or on the go.

Hot This Week: December 4

There's a slew of new movies on the first hot list of December. Taylor Swift stays strong for a second week atop the music chart, followed by the new release from husband and wife country stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. There's just one new novel on the fiction list: a new Alex Cross novel from bestseller James Patterson, while the popular titles in non-fiction see only minor shuffling.

Movies

1. The Hitman's Bodyguard (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Girls Trip (Blu-ray)
4. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (Blu-ray)
6. Cars 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Wind River (Blu-ray)
9. Wonder Woman (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Leap! (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Taylor Swift, Reputation
2. Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, The Rest of Our Life
3. Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
4. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas
5. P!nk, Beautiful Trauma
6. Maroon 5, Red Pill Blues
7. Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2
8. Ed Sheeran, Divide
9. Post Malone, Stoney
10. Chris Brown, Heartbreak on a Full Moon

Fiction

1. The People vs. Alex Cross, James Patterson
2. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
3. Origin, Dan Brown
4. Hardcore Twenty-Four, Janet Evanovich
5. The Midnight Line, Lee Child
6. End Game, David Baldacci
7. Artemis, Andy Weir
8. Oathbringer, Brandon Sanderson
9. Two Kinds of Truth, Michael Connelly
10. Uncommon Type, Tom Hanks

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Grant, Ron Chernow
3. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
4. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
5. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
6. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
7. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
8. Endurance, Scott Kelly
9. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
10. Hacks, Donna Brazile

Hot This Week: November 27

Taylor Swift's new album shoots to the top of this week's music chart. New novels from Brandon Sanderson, Janet Evanovich, David Baldacci, and Andy Weir break onto the fiction list, while Michael Savage's latest book is the only newcomer in non-fiction.

Movies

1. War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Cars 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. The Emoji Movie (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. The House (Blu-ray)
7. Wonder Woman (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Baby Driver (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. The Mummy (Blu-ray)
10. Annabelle: Creation (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Taylor Swift, Reputation
2. Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
3. Chris Brown, Heartbreak on a Full Moon
4. Post Malone, Stoney
5. Ed Sheeran, Divide
6. Maroon 5, Red Pill Blues
7. Evanescence, Synthesis
8. Kenny Chesney, Live in No Shoes Nation
9. Blake Shelton, Texoma Shore
10. Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2

Fiction

1. Oathbringer, Brandon Sanderson
2. Hardcore Twenty-Four, Janet Evanovich
3. End Game, David Baldacci
4. The Midnight Line, Lee Child
5. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
6. Artemis, Andy Weir
7. Origin, Dan Brown
8. Two Kinds of Truth, Michael Connelly
9. Typhoon Fury, Clive Cussler and Boyd Morrison
10. Every Breath You Take, Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
3. Hacks, Donna Brazile
4. Grant, Ron Chernow
5. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
6. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
7. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
8. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
9. God, Faith, and Reason, Michael Savage
10. What Unites Us, Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner

Hot This Week: November 20

Just one movie cracks this week's list for the first time, but that movie is the latest installment in Disney-Pixar's ultra-popular Cars series. Hot on the heels of the American Music Awards, we have six new albums, led by Sam Smith and Maroon 5. Lee Child bumps John Grisham from his perch at #1 in fiction, with five other new novels also making the list. In non-fiction, last week's titles mostly stand strong, with new books from Donna Brazile and Dan Rather joining the fray.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Movies

1. War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Cars 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. The Emoji Movie (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. The House (Blu-ray)
7. Wonder Woman (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Baby Driver (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. The Mummy (Blu-ray)
10. Annabelle: Creation (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
2. Maroon 5, Red Pill Blues
3. Chris Brown, Heartbreak on a Full Moon
4. Blake Shelton, Texoma Shore
5. Kenny Chesney, Live in No Shoes Nation
6. Kelsea Ballerini, Unapologetically
7. Kid Rock, Sweet Southern Sugar
8. Post Malone, Stoney
9. Ed Sheeran, Divide
10. Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2

Fiction

1. The Midnight Line, Lee Child
2. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
3. Origin, Dan Brown
4. Two Kinds of Truth, Michael Connelly
5. Typhoon Fury, Clive Cussler and Boyd Morrison
6. The Noel Diary, Richard Paul Evans
7. Every Breath You Take, Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
8. The House of Unexpected Sisters, Alexander McCall Smith
9. In This Moment, Karen Kingsbury
10. Uncommon Type, Tom Hanks

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
3. Grant, Ron Chernow
4. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
5. Hacks, Donna Brazile
6. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
7. What Unites Us, Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner
8. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
9. We Were Eight Years in Power, Ta-Nehisi Coates 
10. Endurance, Scott Kelly

A New Version of a Classic Mystery

Written by Jon Williams

The new movie Murder on the Orient Express delivered a strong debut last weekend, bringing in more than $28 million at the box office. Directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, the film also features an ensemble cast consisting of Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, Penelope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom, Jr., Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Josh Gad. Adapted from the 1934 Agatha Christie novel of the same name, it’s a mystery in which detective Hercule Poirot must deduce the identity of a murderer from among the passengers on a train. The novel is no stranger to adaptation, having been brought to life both on film (1974) and on television (2010).

Christie’s work is incredibly popular in its own right, with the late British author holding the honor as the bestselling novelist of all time. And that’s not just in the English-speaking world; she’s also the most translated, with her works currently available in more than 100 languages. Her career began shortly after World War II when The Mysterious Affair at Styles, her first novel, as well as the first to feature the Belgian detective Poirot, was published in 1920. She returned to Poirot with her third novel, Murder on the Links, and a series was born. In all, she wrote 33 Poirot novels, including Murder on the Orient Express, as well as a number of short stories and a play. She also created a number of other recurring detective characters, such as Miss Marple, an elderly protagonist whose first published appearance came in 1927. In all, she published 66 novels; Curtain (1975) and Sleeping Murder (posthumously published in 1976), although written earlier, were the last two published, wrapping up the careers of Poirot and Miss Marple, respectively. The last she wrote was 1973’s Postern of Fate.

With such incredible popularity, it’s no surprise that Christie’s novels, stories, and characters are ripe for adaptation. Murder on the Orient Express is only the latest in a long line that dates back to 1928. Given her penchant for recurring characters, some of the most well-received adaptations have been into television series. From 1984 through 1992, actress Joan Hickson brought Miss Marple to life for the BBC; in an ITV series that spanned from 2004 through 2013, she was portrayed by Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie. ITV also had great success with its Poirot TV series which featured David Suchet in the title role. Other adaptations include Ten Little Indians (from And Then There Were None), Death on the Nile, and The Mirror Crack’d.

She’s known for her mystery writing, but there was a bit of mystery in Christie’s life as well. In 1926, during a difficult time in her first marriage, she disappeared for ten days. When she was found, she claimed to have no memory of the intervening time. This incident was explored in Carole Owen’s 1996 book The Lost Days of Agatha Christie. It was also the subject of the 1978 film Agatha starring Vanessa Redgrave and Dustin Hoffman, and portrayed in a fantastical light in the Doctor Who episode “The Unicorn and the Wasp.”

This is just a taste of all the incredible Agatha Christie content we have to offer. Visit our website to pre-order the new version of Murder on the Orient Express on DVD and Blu-ray, and while you’re there, browse around to find all this and more to complete your Christie collection and keep your mystery-loving patrons coming back for more.

Hot This Week: November 13

Two new movies make their debut at the top of this week's list. It's a big week for new music, with six new titles, headed up by heavy hitters Kenny Chesney, Kelly Clarkson, and Chris Brown. There are three new fiction titles this week, with John Grisham earning another week at #1. And in non-fiction, a biography of RFK and a memoir from Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson make the list.

Movies

1. War for the Planet of the Apes (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. The Dark Tower (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. The Emoji Movie (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Annabelle: Creation (Blu-ray)
6. The House (Blu-ray)
7. The Mummy (Blu-ray)
8. Wonder Woman (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. Baby Driver (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. Kenny Chesney, Live in No Shoes Nation
2. Kelly Clarkson, Meaning of Life
3. Chris Brown, Heartbreak on a Full Moon
4. Post Malone, Stoney
5. Yo Gotti, I Still Am
6. Big K.R.I.T., 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time
7. Ed Sheeran, Divide
8. Ty Dolla $ign, Beach House 3
9. Imagine Dragons, Evolve
10. Gucci Mane, Mr. Davis

Fiction

1. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
2. Two Kinds of Truth, Michael Connelly
3. Origin, Dan Brown
4. Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier, Mark Frost
5. Uncommon Type, Tom Hanks
6. Deep Freeze, John Sandford
7. Sleeping Beauties, Stephen and Owen King
8. A Column of Fire, Ken Follett
9. Manhattan Beach, Jennifer Egan 
10. In the Midst of Winter, Isabel Allende

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Bobby Kennedy, Chris Matthews
3. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
4. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
5. Grant, Ron Chernow
6. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
7. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
8. We Were Eight Years in Power, Ta-Nehisi Coates
9. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
10. What Does This Button Do?, Bruce Dickinson

Cars 3 Expands Pixar’s Legacy

Written by Jon Williams

Cars 3 is out this week on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD. No doubt your young patrons have already cultivated quite a hold list for the latest installment in the adventures of Lightning McQueen. The series began in 2006 with Cars, which introduced Owen Wilson as the voice of the race car who learns about friendship during an unintended pit stop. The movie also featured voice work from Bonnie Hunt and Larry the Cable Guy, not to mention Paul Newman (in his final role), George Carlin, and, of course, John Ratzenberger. Cars 2 followed in 2011, and in 2013 the series spun off into Planes (which got its own sequel, Planes: Fire & Rescue, in 2014).

Cars 3 is just the latest in a long line of high-quality, very popular animated films from Disney-Pixar. Pixar began as a division of Lucasfilm before breaking off into its own company in 1986, with Steve Jobs as chairman. In 1991, the company agreed to produce three feature-length animated movies for Disney. That resulted in the first fully computer-animated film, 1995’s classic Toy Story, and the rest is history. They finished out the 1990s with A Bug’s Life (1998) and Toy Story 2 (1999).

Pixar had a contentious relationship with Disney during the first half of the 2000s, but you wouldn’t know it from the quality of their output. They began the decade in 2001 with Monsters, Inc., starring Billy Crystal and John Goodman. That was followed in 2003 by Finding Nemo, an underwater adventure that is currently Pixar’s highest-grossing non-sequel with over $380 million at the domestic box office, good for #30 of all time. Then in 2004 came The Incredibles, about a family who (some more reluctantly than others) must use their superpowers to save each other and their city.

In 2006, Disney cemented their partnership with Pixar by purchasing the company. The first Cars movie was the first released after the sale, although it was developed and made independently. Going forward together, the two companies finished out the 2000s with Ratatouille (about a rat who learns how to be a chef), WALL-E (about a robot who finds love), and Up (about a man who attaches balloons to his house to go on a wonderful adventure).

Up to that point, Pixar had traditionally not produced sequels, with Toy Story 2 being the lone exception. That changed in 2010 with a third installment, Toy Story 3, and then Cars 2 the year after. They’ve since followed up both Monsters, Inc. (with Monsters University in 2013) and Finding Nemo (with 2016’s Finding Dory, the #9 highest-grossing film of all time with over $486 million). They’ve also continued to make quality original films, with Brave in 2012 and both Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur in 2015.

Pixar makes wonderful, timeless movies that will continue to be popular with young patrons, and that their parents will enjoy just as well. With Cars 3 now available, and with their next movie, Coco, releasing in theaters on November 22, now is a great time to make sure your Pixar collection is complete.

Hot This Week: November 6

Welcome to November! The month begins with a slew of new hot titles, including two movies, with The Emoji Movie landing at #1. Former One Direction member Niall Horan's first solo album debuts atop the week's music chart. In fiction, John Grisham's latest novel wins the week, while Joe Hill joins father and brother Stephen and Owen King on the list as well. There are four new titles in non-fiction as well, headlined by a book from a pair of former first daughters.

Movies

1. The Emoji Movie (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. The House (Blu-ray)
4. The Mummy (Blu-ray)
5. Annabelle: Creation (Blu-ray)
6. Baby Driver (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Wonder Woman (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. Transformers: The Last Knight (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. 47 Meters Down (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Niall Horan, Flicker
2. P!nk, Beautiful Trauma
3. Post Malone, Stoney
4. Chris Young, Losing Sleep
5. Gucci Mane, Mr. Davis
6. Ed Sheeran, Divide
7. Darius Rucker, When Was the Last Time
8. Demi Lovato, Tell Me You Love Me
9. Imagine Dragons, Evolve
10. Khalid, American Teen

Fiction

1. The Rooster Bar, John Grisham
2. Origin, Dan Brown
3. Deep Freeze, John Sandford
4. Sleeping Beauties, Stephen and Owen King
5. Uncommon Type, Tom Hanks
6. A Column of Fire, Ken Follett
7. Quick & Dirty, Stuart Woods
8. Fairytale, Danielle Steel
9. Strange Weather, Joe Hill
10. The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, David Lagercrantz

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Sisters First, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
3. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
4. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
5. Grant, Ron Chernow
6. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
7. We're Going to Need More Wine, Gabrielle Union
8. The Storm Before the Storm, Mike Duncan
9. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
10. American Radical, Tamer Elnoury and Kevin Maurer

Hot This Week: October 30

This week brings plenty of new treats your patrons will love to pick up. Spider-Man's blockbuster first solo outing as a member of the Avengers takes over the top spot in movies. Four new CDs are led by the latest album from pop superstar P!nk, her first in five years. You'd normally find Tom Hanks with a contribution to the movie list, but this week he has a book of short stories in at #3 in fiction. And in non-fiction, Walter Isaacson's bio of Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci makes its debut at the top.

Movies

1. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. The House (Blu-ray)
3. Baby Driver (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. The Mummy (Blu-ray)
5. Wonder Woman (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Transformers: The Last Knight (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. 47 Meters Down (Blu-ray)
10. Wish Upon (Blu-ray)

CD

1. P!nk, Beautiful Trauma
2. Gucci Mane, Mr. Davis
3. Beck, Colors
4. Post Malone, Stoney
5. Ed Sheeran, Divide
6. Imagine Dragons, Evolve
7. St. Vincent, Masseduction
8. Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
9. Khalid, American Teen
10. Demi Lovato, Tell Me You Love Me

Fiction

1. Origin, Dan Brown
2. Deep Freeze, John Sandford
3. Uncommon Type, Tom Hanks
4. Sleeping Beauties, Stephen and Owen King
5. Fairytale, Danielle Steel
6. A Column of Fire, Ken Follett
7. Manhattan Beach, Jennifer Egan
8. Don't Let Go, Harlan Coben
9. The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, David Lagercrantz
10. It Devours!, Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

Non-Fiction

1. Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson
2. Killing England, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Grant, Ron Chernow
4. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
5. Endurance, Scott Kelly
6. The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, Bandy X. Lee
7. We're Going to Need More Wine, Gabrielle Union
8. We Were Eight Years in Power, Ta-Nehisi Coates
9. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
10. The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, Gucci Mane and Neil Martinez-Belkin