The MCPL Blog: Movies

March 14, 2018

Famed scientist, theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astronomer, mathematician and author Stephen Hawking passed away yesterday, leaving behind a legendary body of work challenging our knowledge of the cosmos and what it holds for humankind. Hawking was 76. Some of the British-born scientist's most famous works include A Brief History of Time, The Theory of Everything and The Grand Design, which explore the ideas of time, how the universe was created, parallel dimensions, what will happen when the universe ceases to exist and other quantum physics theories. Despite being diagnosed with a rare early-onset form of ALS at the age of 21, Hawking continued teaching, researching and sharing his findings and...

February 28, 2018

Every year, a decent selection of films based on books get nominated for various Academy Awards. These films are generally a mix of more obscure titles while others are based on best-selling and widely-known books. This year is no different, with a total of 16 films nominated for everything from Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Animated Feature to Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects. These films are made up of everything from gripping novels and biographies to beloved children's books and comic books.  Before the Oscars telecast this Sunday, take a look at the list below and see which books you've already read (or try to read a few before Sunday's ceremony!)   

December 30, 2017

Sometimes, you just want to curl up and watch a good movie. And what better place to find a selection of films (for free!) than the Marathon County Public Library? This year, patrons checked out a variety of DVDs, with the top titles being a great mix of blockbuster franchises (i.e. Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe), comedies (Ghostbusters, Bad Moms) and dramas (The Accountant, Manchester by the Sea). The most checked-out movie even had more than 250 views! Which flick do you think nabbed the top spot? Are there films you're surprised didn't make the top 10? Sound off in the comments and let us know. Then take a look at the list below and consider checking out and watching the titles...

December 20, 2017

2018 is less than two weeks away and with it will come a slew of new movies and TV series based on several popular books and book series. Oftentimes when film and television adaptations premiere, the holds list for the books they are based on can grow rather long. But you can get ahead of the curve by reading some of these titles now before they hit the big screen or are broadcast into your living room!

November 29, 2017

The latest film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express hit theaters earlier this month and has since resonated with audiences, raking in nearly $200 million in the last few weeks. The film, starring Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Judy Dench and more, is based on the 1934 novel of the same name by famed mystery writer Agatha Christie. If you’ve seen the film and loved it, you’re in luck – there are over 40 novels featuring her famous detective Hercule Poirot that you can dive into (as well as 12 novels featuring another one of her beloved fictional detectives, Miss Marple). But if you’ve already read through Christie’s work, never fear! Below is a list of 10 mystery novels that you may enjoy just...

February 10, 2016

Come February 28, many of Hollywood’s finest will gather to hand out golden statuette after golden statuette at the 88th Academy Awards. It's not uncommon for Oscar-nominated films to be based on or inspired by books and this year’s nominees are no different. Eight films based on novels are nominated for this year's ceremony with a total of 43 nominations among them, including several Best Picture nods. If you haven’t seen all (or any) of these nominated films you can still get a taste of what they’re like by reading the books they’re based on (it’s always best to read the book BEFORE you see the movie, right?). The Marathon County Public Library and its branches have copies of each of the nominated titles...

October 28, 2015

If you missed our Oct. 8, 2015 inspirational program with author and motivational speaker Gary Beyer, you can watch the video below. We enjoyed hosting Gary and his wife, Julie, as both of them exude positivity in light of difficult life circumstances.    

June 29, 2015

We were very happy to collaborate recently with Marathon County UW-Extension on a program at MCPL Wausau about chickens! Heather Schlesser, dairy and livestock agent with Extension, provided our audience with a primer on all that's involved with raising a clutch of chickens - the variety of breeds, diet, shelter, diseases to keep an eye out for and more! If you missed the June 9 program, you can watch the whole program below. Or, if you'd like to catch the program in person, Heather will present similar programs Sept. 3 at the MCPL Athens branch and Sept. 23 in Marathon City. A very special thanks to Heather for sharing her knowledge of chickens with those who came to the program. And one fun fact...

May 21, 2014

Did you know that you can now stream videos from the Wisconsin Digital Library Catalog (Overdrive)? New this week, stream a video from our current collection of 220 titles, and look for more to be added in the future. How to stream videos: --From the Wisconsin Digital Library Catalog (Overdrive) home page, select “New Streaming Video” under the featured collections list at the top of the page. -If you are using a web browser, once you have located a title that is available for streaming, simply click "Play" to start watching the video. -If you are using the Overdrive app, tap the "Add to app' button to add streaming video to your in-app bookshelf. -Streaming video works on most devices as long as you...

August 11, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in September! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter! Please note: Future movie events will be listed at the following link: www.mcpl.us/events?event_tag=movie (or browse events at www.mcpl.us/events). They no longer will be posted in the blog on a month-by-month basis. MOVIE NIGHT / Tue., 9/11/12, 6:00pm | Rated PG-13 (2012) 132 min (film details) (request this DVD) (request the book) MOVIE NIGHT / Tue., 9/25/12, 6:00pm...

July 19, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in July! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter!  TEEN MOVIE NIGHT / Tue., 7/3, 6:00pm | Rated PG-13 (2012) 132 min  (film details) (request this DVD) (request the book) TEEN MOVIE NIGHT  / Tue., 7/31, 6:00pm  | Rated PG-13 (2012) 99 min (film details) (request this DVD)  

May 21, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in June! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter!  MOVIE NIGHT / Tue., 6/5, 6:00pm | Rated PG-13 (2012) 91 min  (film details) (request this DVD) (request the book) MOVIE NIGHT / Tue., 6/12, 6:00pm  | Rated PG-13 (2012) 118 min (film details) (request this DVD)

April 26, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in May! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter!  MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 5/8, 5:45 PM Rated PG-13 (2011) 146 min (film details) (request this DVD) (request the book) MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 5/15, 6:00 PM Rated PG-13 (2012) 104 min (film details) (request this DVD) (request the book)     MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 5/22, 6:00 PM Rated PG-13 (2011) 118 min (film details) (request this DVD)

March 27, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in April! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter!  MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 4/10, 6:00 PM Rated PG-13 (2011) 129 min (film details) (request this DVD) CHILDREN'S MATINEE, SAT, 4/14, 1:00 PM Rated PG (2011) 95 min (film details) (request this DVD)   MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 4/24, 6:00 PM Rated PG-13 (2011) 129 min (film details) (request this DVD) (request the book)    

February 7, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in March! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter!  MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 3/6, 6:00 PM Rated R (2011) 137 min (film details) (request this DVD) MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 3/13, 6:00 PM Rated PG (2011) 127 min (film details) (request this DVD)   CHILDREN'S MATINEE, FRI, 3/16, 1:00 PM Rated PG (2011) 90 min (film details) (request this DVD)   MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 3/27, 6:00 PM Rated R (2011) 127 min (film details) (...

February 6, 2012

The following free movies will be shown at the MCPL Wausau Headquarters in February! Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot advertise the movies' titles online, but if you call 715-261-7200 or email us, we'll tell you. Otherwise, sign up for our monthly "Featured Events" email newsletter! MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 2/7, 6:00 pm Rated PG-13 (2011) 105 min (film details) (request this DVD)   CHILDREN'S MATINEE, SAT, 2/11, 1:00 pm Rated G (2008) 87 min (film details) (request this DVD)   CHILDREN'S MATINEE, SAT, 2/11, 1:00 pm Rated PG (2006) 120 min (film details) (request this DVD)   MOVIE NIGHT, TUE, 2/14, 6:00 pm Rated PG-13 (2011)  99 min (film details...

January 25, 2012

For those of us who love the silver screen, yesterday's  announcement of this year's Oscar nominees was exciting!   Your public library already has nine titles from the nominees available for check-out.  They are:  The Help, Beginners, Moneyball, Midnight in Paris, Puss in Boots, Bridesmaids, Rango, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and (kawabunga!) Kung Fu Panda 2.  Our goal is to acquire at least one copy of each of the nominees as DVD versions are released.  Check our  video catalog as we add new titles, and don't forget to keep on hand a monthly schedule of movies we show in-house.  Many of these are Oscar nominees and winners - you...

January 24, 2012

The nominations are in for the 2012 Academy Awards, and it's worth noting that several of the nominated films were based on books! We've listed these books below for your consideration. While you wait for the Oscar winners to be chosen and announced on February 26, you may want to check out and read your favorite film's literary counterpart!   Moneyball by Michael Lewis -- Billy Beane, the Oakland A's general manager, is leading a revolution. Reinventing his team on a budget, he needs to outsmart the richer teams. He signs undervalued players whom the scouts consider flawed but who have a knack for getting on base, scoring runs, and winning games. Moneyball is a quest for the secret...

March 7, 2011

If you were one of the many movie-goers enchanted by the Oscar-winning movie, THE KING'S SPEECH, but were wondering how accurate the movie was, here's your chance to find out "the rest of the story." Marathon County Public Library now has copies available of THE KING'S SPEECH written by Logue's grandson, Mark Logue, and Peter Conradi. Though ostensibly the biography of Lionel Logue, THE KING'S SPEECH devotes a great many pages to Logue's work with King George VI. The authors utilized the private diaries kept by Logue to present a detailed,  insider's view of the special relationship Logue enjoyed with the King. In some cases, those details conflict with what's depicted in the movie....

January 26, 2011

If you missed the recent premiere of WISCONSIN HOMETOWN STORIES: WAUSAU at the Grand Theater, you can now view it at home. The Marathon County Public Library recently added several copies of the WAUSAU DVD to its AV collection. WISCONSIN HOMETOWN STORIES: WAUSAU traces the history of Wausau from its lumber mill days to today. The DVD tells the story of Wausau's early settlement, its growth and development through the efforts of the Wausau Group, the city's cultural history, the Hmong immigration and current developments. The DVD uses archival film, photographs and interviews with local historians and residents to tell Wausau's rich history. Copies are available at the Wausau Headquarters:...

December 5, 2010

More free library movies are headed your way to  temper the January chill!  Bring your own tub of popcorn, cheesy nachos and a thermos of hot apple cider - sit back and watch these coming attractions! Tuesday, January 4 (6:30 p.m.) we'll feature a foreign film with English subtitles rated PG-13 about two young Palestinian men who are hours away from becoming suicide bombers in Tel Aviv. On Saturday, January 8 we'll offer a kids' 10:30 a.m. matinee with your favorite green ogre who lands in an alternate version of  Far Far Away.  He must undo mischief and evil in the hopes of restoring his world and saving his friends. Wednesday, January 12th's showing (6:30...

November 29, 2010

Marathon County Public Library has a great collection of DVDs. While many of the titles owned are feature films or TV series, our audiovisual collection also includes many non-fiction DVDs on a variety of subjects. New History DVDs include: Images of the Civil War; Valley Forge; Lincoln - Man or Myth; and several History Channel titles: Pearl Harbor; Disaster of Napoleon's Fleet; Earthquake in the Heartland; and America, The Story of Us. Other historical titles include: Haunted Hollywood; Ancient Aliens; Mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle; The Spear of Christ; and In Search of the Real Frankenstein. Technology buffs will enjoy: Stealth Technology; Pirate Ships; Golden Gate Bridge; Ice Breakers;...

November 17, 2010

Movies have captivated us since the 1894 presentation of Dickson Greeting using Edison’s modern Kinetoscope! Movies entertain, evoke tears of laughter and sorrow, shock and disgust us. Scrolling forward, high-tech theatre seats now pitch, shake and roll viewers for high resolution action thrillers such as Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Movie venues have also changed. Where we once queued-up to buy tickets for mass viewing in drafty theatres, technology now enables the privacy to enjoy your favorite flicks via video rental, cable, satellite, Netflix, YouTube and iPod. To this list of viewing venues you may now add… your public library! Through the recent purchase of a movie license, the Marathon County...

October 28, 2010

Friday, 11/5, 2:00pm @ MCPL Wausau -- Join us for a free movie on the Library's 3rd floor! (rated G) We can't advertise the movie's title online, but if you call 261-7200, or send us your email using the form below, we'll tell you: © Disney / Pixar 2010

October 21, 2010

Is your wallet too pinched to take the whole family to the cinema?  Has cable exhausted your interest?  Is Netflix too slow?  Do you just want a cheap night out with friends?  If you answered "yes" to any of these, then our newest library service is for you - FREE IN-HOUSE MOVIES on a big screen! At least twice a month we'll show newly-released DVD's or other movie genres in the Wausau HQ library in downtown Wausau.  Mark your calendars for these up-coming showings. Our license prohibits marketing outside the library  with titles so watch the BOLD PRINT below for clues: Friday November 5 (2:00 matinee) - welcome Woody, Buzz and the whole gang back to the big...

December 21, 2009

Our regular storytime schedule--Book Babies, Tales for Twos, Preschool Storytimes and Family Fun--will be suspended for two weeks over the holiday season.  Storytimes will resume after the holidays, beginning with Book Babies Monday morning, January 4. However, we will be showing "School's Out" movies on two days, in our Wausau Room Theater on the downtown library's third floor: Tuesday, December 29 at 10:30--a movie featuring the Care Bears. Tuesday, December 29 at 2:00--a movie featuring the Chipmunks. Wednesday, December 30 at 10:30--a movie featuring the Muppets. Wednesday, December 30 at 2:00--a movie featuring animals in the Ice Age. All ages are welcome to attend!