My name is Cal Reynolds, and I am the Campus Activities Board (CAB) Movies Coordinator. The following article is the first in a series of entries by CAB members where we will provide updates on all that is happening within the organization and will share our general plans for the future. In this article, I will discuss the changes occurring within CAB Movies, the events I will be running this spring, and my goals for future semesters.
Really, there has been little incentive in the past for students to attend CAB’s movie events with the existence of the Movies Channel and its’ ability to provide up-to-date movies to campus with even more convenience than we can provide. Further, with Netflix’s and HBO’s increasingly broad scope, most are satisfied with what either service offers.
I entered the role as Movies Coordinator this semester with hopes of fundamentally altering the position to both increase attendance and generally execute more exciting events. In doing so, my ultimate goal with movies was to bring a household name from Hollywood to hold a screening of his or her content and participate in a question-and-answer session with students. An event of this nature would both be an interesting change of pace for students to see one of their favorite Hollywood figures and an especially good chance for writing, film, and arts students to gain valuable, first-hand insight into the entertainment industry.
At the beginning of this semester, my main goal was to bring Tommy Wiseau, the eclectic and innovating mind behind the “worst-best movie of all time,”
The Room
, to campus some time in the spring. When Wiseau unfortunately fell through, I intended to book Paul Lieberstein, a Hamilton alumnus and known by many as Toby Flenderson on
The Office
.
However, scheduling such figures as Lieberstein on such short notice with a limited budget became an unrealistic task. So, next semester I fully intend on bringing Wiseau or Lieberstein to campus when I have more funds and proper scheduling.
This semester, I have had the pleasure to show amazing films like
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
and
Lady Bird
on campus. Both have been well attended by students, with 73 attending
Three Billboards
and 94 attending
Lady Bird
. I will likely be showing one more blockbuster film after break (and am very open to suggestions: [email protected]).
On Mar. 4, CAB Movies will be working in conjunction with Sadove Student Activities to hold an interactive Oscars viewing event featuring a catered Chipotle dinner, an Oscars-related Bingo game for prizes, and a ballot where those who guess award winners correctly will be eligible to win prizes.
In terms of the future of movie events this spring semester, I will be hosting “Mystery Movie Mondays” throughout April where we will show cult-classics, beloved television shows, and perhaps even certain viral content. In keeping the actual film a mystery, we avoid paying exorbitant prices and can instead invest in quality snacks and catering.
Much is to come in the realm of CAB Movies, so keep your eyes open in the future and for now, enjoy the events we have planned!
