Best of 2020: TV Shows, Movies & Music | Villa Park Public Library

Notes

“A great show that I feel like no one is watching but me. A German gritty police thriller that has an incredible look with its elaborate costumes and sets to capture the time period. Worth the subtitles!”—Margita, Adult Services Librarian

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"Babylon Berlin is one of the most critically acclaimed European televisions shows of the decade, a sumptuously paranoid thriller set in 1929 Berlin, a metropolis in turmoil. In Seasons 1 and 2, the glittering excesses of the city's nightlife sparkle while an army of the impoverished strives for a better life. Organized crime and political extremists take advantage, extending their power throughout town. Gereon Rath, a young cop from Cologne, is transferred...

2) Disco

Author

Minogue, Kylie

Notes

“This is exactly what I needed right now. It’s upbeat, fun, and perfect for a one person dance party.”—Kathy, Collection Development Librarian

3) Emma

Notes

“Emma is my favorite Austen book, and I thought this adaptation was delightful. Great cast—my favorite: Miranda Hart as Miss Bates.”—Jenna, Collection Management Librarian

Description

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Handsome, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse is a restless queen bee without rivals in her sleepy little town. In this glittering satire of social class and the pain of growing up, Emma must adventure through misguided matches and romantic missteps to find the love that has been there all along.

4) The farewell

Notes

“This is a family drama/comedy. I’m a big fan of Awkwafina, so I was delighted with her stellar performance.”—Rashmi, Adult Services Librarian

Formats:

Blu-ray, DVD

Description

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Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To assure her happiness, they gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, uniting family members scattered among new homes abroad. As Billi navigates a minefield of family expectations and proprieties, she finds...

5) The Good Place: Season one

Notes

“A perfect show to watch this year, especially now that it has wrapped up and all four seasons are available. It has a great balance of humor, philosophy, and heartwarming moments.”—Margita, Adult Services Librarian

Description

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Welcome! Everything Is Fine. What happens when we die? It's a question everyone has asked, since the beginning of time. But when Eleanor Shellstrop dies tragically, she finds out that the afterlife is amazing; full of frozen yogurt, soulmates, and wonderful people who have done incredible things with their lives. It is absolutely perfect. The only problem is Eleanor isn't supposed to be in The Good Place. In fact, her life decisions wouldn't have...

6) Honeyland

Notes

“I grew up having a friend whose parents were beekeepers. Also, our library is among the few places in Oak Park that has honeybee hives. So, I watched the Oscar nominated documentary, Honeyland. It has gorgeous cinematography and a moving story.”—Rashmi, Adult Services Librarian

Description

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"Hatidze lives with her ailing mother in the mountains of Macedonia, making a living cultivating honey using ancient beekeeping traditions. When an unruly family moves in next door, what at first seems like a balm for her solitude becomes a source of tension as they, too, want to practice beekeeping, while disregarding her advice"--Container.

7) Schitt$ Creek: The complete first season

Notes

“I could not have made it through 2020 without my three full rewatches of this show.”—Shelley, Children’s Services Librarian

Description

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When filthy-rich video store magnate Johnny Rose, his soap star wife Moira and their two kids -- über-hipster son David and socialite daughter Alexis -- suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup and rebuild their empire from within the rural city limits of their only remaining asset - Schitt's Creek, an armpit of a town they once bought as a joke.

8) Fetch the bolt cutters

Author

Apple, Fiona

Notes

“My favorite release of the year so far, Fetch the Bolt Cutters is completely untethered, I can’t think of anything that sounds quite like it. It’s the kind of album that makes me want to put on noise cancelling headphones and listen to the whole thing through to make sure I don’t miss a word.”—Andy, Children’s Services Library Assistant