Alas, the time has come for us to bid farewell to Wesleyan for the summer – a time to pine for gender-neutral pronouns, Usdan sushi, and, of course, the Wesleyan Film Series. Over the past year we’ve made you laugh, cry, and dance in the aisles; shows like “Heathers,” “Alien,” “Dear Zachary,” and, of course, “2001: A Space Odyssey” have taken you on a rollercoaster through the beautiful, wondrous land of cinema. But now, comrades, it’s time to step off this wild ride, if only for a short while. Come September, we promise to once again strap you in and bring you on another exhilarating adventure. 

In the meantime, though nothing can quite match the joy of the Film Series, the summer movie calendar seems to have a thing or two up its sleeve. For J.J. Abrams fanatics and unemployed 45-year-old nerds living in their mothers’ basements, “Star Trek” should be quite the event, and Johnny Depp admirers and gangster-flick diehards have Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” to look forward to. Tarantino junkies will get their fix with “Inglourious Basterds,” and basically anyone who likes explosions and fast cars – which, as far as I’m concerned, ought to be everyone – should enjoy Michael Bay’s “Transformers 2.” If none of the aforementioned flicks tickle your fancy, then surely countless others will hit the spot, so be sure to enjoy the air-conditioning and raucous filmic fare at theatres this summer.

But before you enter this popcorn-movie paradise and guzzle Hollywood glamour all summer, take a chance to savor the last juicy drops of the Film Series. Until autumn, farewell and happy moviegoing.

CORALINE

2009. USA. Dir: Henry Selick. With Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher. Animated. 100 min.

TONIGHT, May 1, 8PM $5

The mastermind behind “The Nightmare Before Christmas” returns with this intricate, expertly crafted stop-motion whirlwind of a motion picture. The film is a darkly fantastical journey through the mind of the eponymous child – one in which our protagonist leads us through alternate universes of idealization and youthful imagination. In a world of mind-numbing CGI, Selick’s stop-motion vision is at once invigorating and refreshing; the charming idiosyncrasies of his craft and story make this film enthralling as well. So travel over to the Film Series and let Goldsmith be your portal to a realm of animated mischief, wonder, and discovery. 

DAZED AND CONFUSED

1993. USA. Dir: Richard Linklater. With Matthew McConaughey. 103 min.

Saturday, May 2, 8PM, FREE

To write a short caption on this film seems like a fruitless endeavor. No matter which quotes I select from it, I’ll doubtlessly leave out some classic, hilarious one-liners, so please bear with me. Richard Linklater’s cult classic about the last day of high school in 1973 is a surprisingly poignant–but nonetheless hysterical–portrait of adolescence, grass, rock and roll and, of course, beer busts at the Moontower. Memorable performances by Matthew McConaughey (as the aging high-school womanizer/dirtbag Wooderson,) and Ben Affleck (as the pompous paddle-wielder Obbanion) are highlights in a cast of colorful, chemically-altered, highly quotable characters. I can’t think of a more appropriate movie to end the year with– so roll up in your bright orange Pontiac GTO and, as the film’s tagline suggests, “see it with a bud.” It’d be a lot cooler if you did.

SENIOR FILM THESES

May 7^th and 9^th – 16mm Films, 8PM $5

May 8^th and 10^th – Digital Films, 8PM $5

Finally, the hour has arrived for our Film Studies Thesis-makers to emerge from the cocoon of the editing room and showcase their work. This year’s batch of films is rumored to be a particularly strong one; the rather eclectic program showcases musicals, action odysseys, electrical allegories of self-discovery, and many more impressive student opuses. To attend the premier of these films may very well be to witness the birth of an auteur, or perhaps even 20 of them. If you come for no other reason, at least come to support fellow Wesleyanites who have been slaving away for the past six months. Their hard work will surely hold up well on the big screen.