What we're listening to: Glee. Volume 4: The Music

NEW CD-MUSICAL ST VARIOUS GLEE
Find it in the catalog!

Glee. Volume 4 includes songs performed by McKinley High glee club New Directions from the first part of season 2, with the exception of songs from the Rocky Horror and Christmas episodes. On this CD you'll find three Britney Spears covers from the "Britney/Brittany" episode: "Me Against The Music," "Stronger," and my favorite, "Toxic." Although I was quite excited for Glee to cover Britney, I thought their versions (and the performances in the episode itself) stuck too close to the originals. I thought that only "Stronger," featuring Kevin McHale on lead vocals, and "Toxic," which utilized the entire cast, did something fun with her songs. The cast also takes on three Bruno Mars songs: "Billionaire," "Marry You," and "Just the Way You Are." Both "Marry You and "Just the Way You Are" are taken from the episode entitled "Furt," where Kurt's father and Finn's mother get married. "Marry You" is one of my favorite Bruno Mars songs, and although I prefer his version, I love the way the song is performed by New Directions as the walk down the aisle at the beginning of the wedding ceremony. Corey Monteith's cover of "Just the Way You Are" had me crying as I watched his character, Finn, sing to his new brother, Kurt. After the past issues between the two characters and Kurt being the target of bullies at school, I thought the performance of "Just the Way You Are" was quite heartfelt and beautiful. I don't know, Glee is often deemed a comedy, but more often than not I'm breaking out the tissues as I watch each week.

But back to the music. More highlights off this CD:

• Chris Colfer's heartbreaking version of the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand"
• Gwyneth Paltrow covering Cee Lo Green's "Forget You"
• Darren Criss singing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" -- I've already raved about this performance in my "Great performances in 2010 post".
• Lea Michele's cover of "The Only Exception" by Paramore -- which also was the only non-Britney Spears song covered in the "Britney/Brittany" episode.
• Joan Osbourne's "One of Us" performed by the entire cast in the "Grilled Cheesus" episode.

Missing: Jenna Ushkowitz and Amber Riley's awesome take on Florence + the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over;" Corey Monteith's cover of REM's "Losing My Religion" from the "Grilled Cheesus" episode.

More Christmas music recommendations

Glee: The Music: The Christmas Album
NEW CD-HOLIDAY VARIOUS GLEE
Find it in the catalog!
The cast from TV's Glee perform Christmas standards such as "O Christmas Tree," "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "O Holy Night" that were featured on the December 7 Christmas episode. The girls do their version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and the guys do their unique take of "Jingle Bells." I love the fun and energetic "Deck the Rooftop" and also Lea Michelle's version of The Carpenters' "Merry Christmas Darling." Lea Michelle and Corey Monteith's performance of George Michael's "Last Christmas" is one of my favorite songs on the CD. My other favorite is the duet between Chris Colfer and Darren Criss on "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

Home Alone: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
CD-MUSICAL ST WILLIAMS HOME
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One of the reasons I'm a big fan of the movie Home Alone is the music, especially the distinctive "Home Alone Main Title" ("Somewhere in My Memory"). The score was composed and conducted by John Williams. In addition to the instrumental pieces are the songs "White Christmas" by The Drifters, "Please Come Home for Christmas" by Southside Johnny Lyon, and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Mel Tormé. I love the Drifters' version of "White Christmas" -- the Bing Crosby classic is transformed into a soulful groove! Additionally, a choir performs the songs "O Holy Night," "Carol of the Bells," and "Somewhere in My Memory."

Merry Christmas II You by Mariah Carey
NEW CD-HOLIDAY CAREY MERRY
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Mariah follows up her successful 1994 album Merry Christmas with Merry Christmas II You, which again strikes a nice balance between traditional Christmas songs and originals. Mariah co-wrote the songs "Oh Santa!," "Christmas Time is in the Air Again," When Christmas Comes," and "One Child." The vibrant, R&B flavored dance song "Oh Santa!" is probably my favorite on the CD.  Be sure to check out "O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus," which finds Mariah singing with her mother Patricia Carey. Listening to the song, you'll wonder if they got together because they wanted to see who could hit more consecutive high notes (verdict: Mariah's mom). The CD also includes a live version of "O Holy Night" and an "extra festive version" of "All I Want for Christmas is You." If you enjoyed Mariah's previous Christmas CD you will also like this one.

Time Capsule Cinema: The Sound of Music

Originally premiered in New York City on March 2, 1965.

Growing up, I wore out our VHS recorded copy; I watched it repeatedly on the weekends. I know all the words to all the songs and I can recite dialogue. To this day, I adore Julie Andrews and think it a shame she can no longer sing. So, all of this may be trite, but I was reminded why I love this movie so much after seeing the recent Oprah episode with the reunited cast. It hits a nerve for many people.


Based on a true story, Julie Andrews plays Maria, a young woman unsure of her commitment to become a nun. The Mother Superior directs her to become the governess for a motherless local family. The father, Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), is a Captain in the Austrian navy. Naturally, the two do not see eye-to-eye initially. The children are skeptical of Maria as well. Once she begins teaching them to sing, the tides turn. And, eventually a romance develops between Maria and the Captain, but it's not happily ever after yet-- the government begins to put pressure on the Captain to serve the Nazi agenda.

It has everything one could possibly want in a movie: romance, comedy, suspense, a little bit of action, and good music. I would also argue that the plot is deeper than most musicals; defying oppressive governments and leaving your home is not the stuff of most family entertainment.

If you've never seen this movie, or just want to be nostalgic, take a look at The Sound of Music.
Find it in the catalog!

More songs from Glee

In a previous Dundee Media Corner post I wrote about Glee: The Music Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and The Power of Madonna. Now here are two more Glee albums that Gleeks can check out. For the first time actor Jonathan Groff (who plays Vocal Adrenaline singer Jesse St. James) makes an appearance on a Glee compilation album!

Glee Volume 3: Showstoppers
NEW CD-MUSICAL/ST VARIOUS GLEE
Find it in the catalog!
This CD includes highlights from the second part of Glee's first season. Some awesome duets that deserve several listens: Lea Michelle and Jonathan Groff on "Hello," Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison on "One Less Bess To Answer / A House Is Not A Home," Jane Lynch joining Olivia Newton-John on "Physical," and Neil Patrick Harris and Matthew Morris on "Dream On" (Harris recently won an Emmy for his guest appearance on the show). My favorites on this CD are Jonathan Groff and Lea Michelle singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and the glee club singing Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."

Glee, the Music. Journey to Regionals
NEW CD-MUSICAL/ST VARIOUS GLEE
Find it in the catalog!
This CD includes the songs performed by New Directions at Regionals in the first season's last episode. They sang the Journey songs "Faithfully," "Any Way You Want It/Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'," and "Don't Stop Believin.'" Other songs performed on the season finale are on the CD as well: "Bohemian Rhapsody" (sang by Groff), "To Sir With Love," and "Over the Rainbow."

Freak the Gleek out!

Several CDs featuring songs performed on the TV show Glee are available now. The first part of the season (aka The Road to Sectionals) ended in December and Glee: The Music Volumes 1 and 2 include songs from those episodes. The second half of season 1 is currently airing; the CD Glee: The Music: The Power of Madonna has already been released to go along with an episode that featured solely Madonna songs. Glee, set in a high school in Lima, Ohio, is about the outcast members of the glee club, the teacher (Will Schuester, played by Matthew Morrison) who motivates them, and a cheerleading coach (Sue Sylvester, played by Jane Lynch) who stops at nothing to mock them. Awesome trivia fact: co-creator Ian Brennan developed the idea for the show (which initially was supposed to be a movie) based on his high school years at Prospect High School in the show choir (located in Mount Prospect, IL). Which high school did American Idol finalist Lee DeWyze also attend? Prospect!

On the show the actors cover a variety of song types, from current songs ("Gold Digger," "Smile" by Lily Allen, "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson) and guilty pleasure songs ("Crush" by Jennifer Paige or "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice, featured in a recent episode), to karaoke staples ("Alone" by Heart, "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond) and Broadway songs ("Mr. Cellopane" from Chicago). My favorites are those that include the entire glee club, like "Don't Stop Believin'," "Gold Digger," and "Somebody to Love." I think on the big group numbers the singers and varied arrangements really breathe new life into the songs. I also love anything sung by Matthew Morrison, even his rapping on "Gold Digger" and "Bust a Move." A big stand-out is his performance of the mash-up of "Don't Stand So Close To Me" by the Police and "Young Girl" by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.

	Glee: The Music, Volume 1 Find it in the catalog! 17 songs; includes the Rhianna cover "Take a Bow," sung by Rachel (Lea Michelle), Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself," sung by Artie (Kevin McHale), Heart's "Alone" sung by April (Kristen Chenoweth) and Will, and "Defying Gravity," from Wicked, sung by Rachel and Kurt (Chris Colfer) Highlights: Kanye West's "Gold Digger," Queen's "Somebody to Love" covered by the entire club, Finn (Corey Monteith) and Rachel leading the glee club on "Don't Stop Believin'"
	Glee: The Music, Volume 2 Find it in the catalog! 17 songs; includes Finn singing "I'll Stand by You" by the Pretenders, Artie and Mercedes singing "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers, Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) signing Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" Highlights: "Don't Stand So Close To Me / Young Girl" performed by Will, "Crush" performed by Rachel
	Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna Find it in the catalog! 7 songs from the"Power of Madonna" episode which aired on April 20. My favorite is "4 Minutes," the Madonna-Justin Timberlake duet, which includes the McKinley marching band backing Mercedes (Amber Riley) and Kurt. Other highlights include the guys singing "What It Feels Like For A Girl," Sue Sylvester's (Jane Lynch) "Vogue," and the group number "Like A Prayer."

Songs from the show are also available for download from iTunes. The Glee cast performs May 25 and 26 at the Rosemont Theatre!

The moviemaking team of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp

The creative movie partnership of director Tim Burton and actor Johnny Depp that began with Edward Scissorhands has endured for twenty years. Burton once again teams up with Depp in Alice in Wonderland, which opened in theaters on Friday (in both 2-D and 3-D). You can check out their previous collaborations on DVD, available through the library:

Edward Scissorhands (1990)
DVD FICTION EDWARD
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Ed Wood (1994)
DVD FICTION EDWARD
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Sleepy Hollow (1999)
DVD HORROR SCI-FI
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
DVD FAMILY CHARLIE
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Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005)
DVD MUSICAL CORPSE
Find it in the catalog!

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
DVD MUSICAL SWEENEY
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Movies at the library in February

Come join us for our free movie nights in February at the Dundee Township Public Library. We have free popcorn and refreshments available at each movie. You can pick up your tickets at the Information Desk (847-428-3661 x 308) starting today. Walk-ins are also welcome; just keep in mind that the audience capacity is 80 people. Doors open 30 minutes before the movie starts. I hope to see you at the movies!

Fame (2009)
Wednesday, February 17 at 6 PM
Rated PG; 1 hour 47 minutes

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Saturday, February 20 at 2 PM
Rated PG; 1 hour 21 minutes

Casablanca (1942)
CLASSIC MOVIE NIGHT!
Tuesday, February 23 at 6 PM
Not rated; 1 hour 42 minutes

Free movies in January at the library

Looking to get out of the cold? Come to the Dundee Township Public Library and catch a movie for free on the big screen! Several times a month we show movies downstairs in the Meeting Room. Free popcorn and refreshments are always served! To guarantee a seat at the movie pick up tickets before the date of the show at the Information Desk (847-428-3661, ext. 308). Walk-ins are also welcome as long as space is available (the audience is limited to 80 people). Check out what we are showing in January:

The Wizard of Oz
Tuesday, January 12 at 6 PM

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Saturday, January 16 at 2 PM

Julie & Julia
Wednesday, January 20 at 6 PM

Come join us! In February we will screen Fame (2009), Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and Casablanca.

Hannah Montana: The Movie and other DVDs

Yesterday 36 people attended our free showing of Hannah Montana: The Movie. Did you come to the library to see the movie? What did you think? I could tell certain people really had a good time while watching the movie because they were dancing and clapping! If you are a Hannah Montana fan you can check out or put on hold these Hannah Montana DVDs:

Hannah Montana: The Movie
Find it in the catalog!

Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana
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Hannah Montana. Keeping it Real
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Hannah Montana. The Complete First Season
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Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
Find it in the catalog!

One in a Million
Find it in the catalog!

Life's What You Make It
Find it in the catalog!

Pop Star Profile
Find it in the catalog!

That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana
Find it in the catalog!

Livin' the Rock Star Life!
Find it in the catalog!

Free movies at the library are back

Starting in October we'll be back to showing free movies downstairs in the Meeting Room. In addition to screening recently released films we will also screen some classics. Free popcorn and refreshments are available at each movie.

Movies in October
Tickets available October 1 at the Info. Desk

17 Again
Thursday, October 15 at 6 PM
Doors open at 5:30
Starring Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann
Rated PG-13; 102 minutes

Hannah Montana
Saturday, October 17 at 2 PM
Doors open at 1:30
Starring Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus
Rated G; 92 minutes

The Wolf Man (1941)
Wednesday, October 21 at 6 PM
Doors open at 5:30
Starring Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Fay Helm
Not rated; 70 minutes

Coming in November
Planes, Trains and Automobiles; Race to Witch Mountain; Monsters vs. Aliens

Coming in December
The Shop Around the Corner, White Christmas, Star Trek, Up