Shelf Life

 

Everyone knows we have lots of books at the library, but what about when you want some screen time? While there are many movies and TV shows available to stream online, these often cost money and always require reliable internet! If you’re looking for free entertainment, check out a DVD at the library. Here are some recent PCPL acquisitions that I have enjoyed and would recommend.

Mare of Easttown

For me, this HBO drama is hands-down the best television show of 2021. Kate Winslet stars as Mare, a small-town Pennsylvania detective investigating a local murder. The series explores the dark side of a close community and provides an authentic examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present.

Cruella

I was pleasantly surprised with Disney’s latest live-action adaptation! This prequel to 101 Dalmatians follows a young Cruella de Vil, played by Emma Stone. Estella is a young and clever grifter who’s determined to make a name for herself in the fashion world. She soon meets a pair of thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they build a life for themselves on the streets of London. However, when Estella befriends fashion legend Baroness von Hellman, she embraces her wicked side to become the raucous and revenge-bent Cruella.

A Quiet Place Part II

In this horror movie, a sequel to 2018’s A Quiet Place, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

Defending Jacob

This miniseries is based on the novel of the same name by William Landay. After a shocking crime rocks a small town, an assistant district attorney finds himself torn between his sworn duty to uphold the law and his unconditional love for his 14-year-old son, who may be a murderer. 

Palm Springs

While stuck at a wedding in Palm Springs, Nyles meets Sarah, the maid of honor and family black sheep. After he rescues her from a disastrous toast, Sarah becomes drawn to Nyles and his offbeat nihilism. But when their impromptu tryst is thwarted by a surreal interruption, Sarah must join Nyles in embracing the idea that nothing really matters, and they begin wreaking spirited havoc on the wedding celebration.

Jen Pace Dickenson is the youth services librarian for Polk County Public Libraries. For information about the library’s resources, programs, and other services, visit polklibrary.org or call 828-894-8721.