Dog Days

We’re now officially immersed in the dog days of summer. Bow-wow, yip-yap, and all that jazz. Even the pups are feeling over-heated under this blanket of humidity. For those not soaking up rays at the pool, instead seeking the respite of air conditioning, a perfect remedy is the cool confines of your local theater. Plenty of great blockbusters to wet your whistle these next couple of months -- Spider-Man: Homecoming, War for the Planet of the Apes, and The Emoji Movie, are just a few that should keep fans oohing, ahhing, and laughing until school is back in session. School? Don’t even mention that word, Mr. Scandling!

Can’t make it to the cineplex, or prefer the convenience of viewing movies from upon your comfy sofa? We have plenty of titles at BPL to keep even Fido content. Let’s take a look at some of the popular YA-friendly titles gracing our shelves. Whether you’re watching it for the first time, or tenth, make sure the popcorn is fresh and the soda has extra ice.

Recommended by Emma, age 12:

Napoleon Dynamite 
Napoleon is a new kind of hero, complete with a tight red 'fro, sweet moon boots, and skills that can't be topped. Napoleon spends his days drawing mythical beasts, duking it out with his older brother, Kip, and trying to avoid his scheming Uncle Rico. When two new friends enter Napoleon’s life -- shy Deb and mustachioed Pedro -- the trio launches a campaign to elect Pedro for class president and make the student body's wildest dreams come true. But if Pedro is to beat stuck-up Summer, Napoleon will have to unleash his own secret weapon.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
It opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident, were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

Recommended by Johanna, age 15:

Freedom Writers
A true story about a teacher in a racially divided school who gives her students what they've always needed, a voice. Erin Gruwell comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism. She quickly discovers that her unruly classroom is not easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives. This assignment is something that the class can bite into with relish, eventually bonding them together and pushing aside racial rivalries.

The Goonies
Two kids find a treasure map just as they're about to lose their house. They and their friends go on a search for the treasure, but not without trouble from a few ne'er-do-wells.

Recommended by Selicia, age 15:

Holes
Young Stanley Yelnats finds himself at Camp Green Lake, where digging a hole a day keeps the warden at bay and "builds character". An ancient family curse still dogs Stanley and he's thrown headlong into the adventure of his life. Stanley and his campmates will have to forge fast friendships to unearth the mystery of what's really going on in the desert.

Evan Almighty
Newly elected to Congress, Evan Baxter has left Buffalo, New York in pursuit of a greater calling. But that calling isn't serving in the illustrious ranks of America's politics, but being summoned by the Almighty himself, who has handed Evan the task of building a new ark. With time passing by and his family belittled by Evan's newfound realization, Evan will have to do the work that God has given him in what promises to be an unusual adventure for a man who just wanted to serve his country. But, Evan might actually be serving all of humanity instead.

Recommended by Ellen, age 19:

August Rush
A charismatic young Irish guitarist and a sheltered young cellist have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square. They are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York City and cared for by a mysterious stranger, August uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.

500 Days of Summer
For Tom, it was love at first sight when Summer Finn walked into the greeting card company where he worked. Summer is the new administrative assistant. Soon, Tom knows that Summer is the woman with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life. Although Summer does not believe in relationships or boyfriends, Tom and Summer become more than just friends. Through the trials and tribulations of Tom and Summer's relationship, Tom could always count on the advice of his two best friends, McKenzie and Paul. However, it's Rachel, Tom's adolescent sister, who is his voice of reason. After all is said and done, Tom is the one who ultimately has to make the choice to listen or not.