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The year in audio celebrates stories that prove as timeless as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and as modern as Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr!, each a testament to the pure joy of being read a story. 

The best videos released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2024 offer a wide sweep of feature films and documentaries, including one originally made in 1941 and many more just recently created. From an upbeat look at the future to a dramatic consideration of Vatican politics, these films highlight just how illuminating on-screen stories can be.

The best videos released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2024 offer a wide sweep of feature films and documentaries, including one originally made in 1941 and many more just recently created. From an upbeat look at the future to a dramatic consideration of Vatican politics, these films highlight just how illuminating on-screen stories can be.

The experiences that authors and narrators supply to those who read with their ears seem to resonate ever more strongly, as our annual list of the best audiobooks, 10 fiction and 10 nonfiction, attests. 

Film is a deeply satisfying medium, supplying a myriad of delights for those who prefer their stories and learning in visual form. Our list of the best feature films released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2023 ranges from this year’s Oscars contenders to older movies getting fresh editions and attention.

Documentary films are a unique visual outlet for creative nonfiction, journalism, memoir, history, and more. Our list of the best documentaries released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2023 explores topics as diverse as sports and space.

This year’s top picks for cinephiles and those who read with their ears include laugh-out-loud stories, fast-paced action, musical revelations, and family secrets. And that just gets us started. Selected by LJ’s editors and columnists, these audiobooks and films/documentaries offer hours of delight. Grab the popcorn or the headphones and get ready for 39 extraordinary experiences.

Plan a movie night with these best of the year picks for films patrons can find at the library. Titles cover plotting murder, escaping assassination, fighting crime, and conducting an affair—and that’s just the start.

Delve into 10 wonderful documentaries that made LJ’s Best of 2022 list. They cover subjects as diverse as bees, music, art history, and incarceration.