Louis B. Mayer Library, American Film Institute

Yesterday was John Sayles' Birthday. Independent legend. Celebrate his birthday today by checking out any of the following films!

Lone Star

Matewan

Limbo

Brother From Another Planet

Return of the Secaucus 7

Today would have been Michael Madsen’s birthday. Celebrate the life of Michael Madsen by watching him star in such films as Reservoir Dogs / Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/ Directed by Quentin Tarantino or WarGames/ Directed by John Badham.

Today is Oliver Stone’s Birthday! A masterful, deeply passionate and thought-provoking director who deserves some love today. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen JFK or Born on The Fourth of July, consider a rewatch!

FOOTBALLLLLLLLL STARTS Thursday, September 4th...

The Great and Glorious Reigning Superb-Owl champion Philadelphia Eagles, led by quad-Gods Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts, face off against the Dallas "Cowboys," led by good-enough-but-never-gonna-be-great Dak Prescott, fantasy-stud CeeDee Lamb, and written-a-bit-too-on-the-nose-"meddling-Texas-oil-billionaire" Jerry Jones. The Cowboys -- the most valuable team in sports (valued at 12.8 billion dollars) -- are a perennial fount of disappointment for Cowboys' fans (who, let's face it, prolly kinda deserve it for being Cowboys' fans), and a... superb... source of schadenfreude for the rest of us.

Get yourself pumped up for the NFL season and a delightful Cowboys' shellacking by watching a TV show about the only football in Texas actually worth a darn (with apologies to the Longhorns)...
High School Football.

Come check out season one of Peter Berg's FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and watch the pilot where Coach Taylor's squad take on the 'Chaps,' based on the football team of one of our library assistants' alma mater. Then check out season five of Peter Berg's FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and watch an episode written by an AFI faculty member.

You could also check out the Peter Berg movie FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS if you really want to...

but we all know Kyle Chandler's Coach Taylor >>>>> Billy Bob Thornton's Coach Gaines, and it's not particularly close.

Please remember, - AFI is closed on Labor Day (September 1st). The library will reopen on the 2nd. Thank you.

Check out some of these new arrivals! Demolition Man, Gloria, Joy Ride, The Intruder, Carnal Knowledge and more!

We’re extending our hours for the semester starting August 25th to 9-9pm Mon-Fri and 10-6 Sat/Sun. And while you’re at it, check out Light Sleeper, which came out on today’s date in 1992. Schrader delivers in this dark thriller that’s a showcase for Susan Sarandon and Willem Dafoe.

In 1978 on this day, Claudia Weill’s “Girlfriends” was released. What began with a short film grant from the American Film Institute became widely recognized as a fiercely independent and realistic portrait of the ups and downs of friendship in the late 70s. Kubrick loved the film, comparing it to Europe’s finest films of the time. Take it out today!

Joy Ride / Directed by Adele Lim.

Holiday / Directed by Isabella Eklof.

Summer Palace / Directed by Lou Ye.

Get your vampire fix with new additions to our film collection:

Blood for Dracula/ Presented by Andy Warhol; Directed by Paul Morrissey

and Sinners/ Directed by Ryan Coogler

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Please be advised that the Ahmanson Room will be closed all day on Thursday 7/24/2025.

Summer is in full effect, Get In the Mood for Love from of one of the greatest Chinese film directors, Wong Kar-wai (born in Shanghai, China, July 17th 1958).

Along with this, please be advised that the Ahmanson Room will be closed all day today, Thursday 7/17/2025.

On this day in 1969, the APOLLO 11 mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A few days later, humans landed on the moon. You can commemorate that mission by checking out FOR ALL MANKIND, the 1989 documentary consisting entirely of original footage from NASA. with audio that includes director Al Reinert's interviews with Apollo members... OR



You could celebrate by checking out Dumb and Dumber, which has this glorious and heartfelt moment of joy, wonder, and awe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f_DPrSEOEo