My Insta feed keeps reminding me that it’s awards season and that leaves me with cinema on the brain. The Wexner Center for the Arts consistently delivers fascinating film series and at the moment their selections have me reminiscing about my teen years.
The Wex is hosting film critic J. Hoberman, who recently published Make My Day: Movie Culture in the Age of Reagan. On Thursday, Jan. 16, He’ll be reading from his book and exploring popular and controversial films from the ‘80s. All of this will provide context to a series of film screenings this weekend.
Make My Day screenings:
- Thursday, Jan. 16 River’s Edge (Tim Hunter, 1986)
- Saturday, Jan 18 Gremlins (Joe Dante, 1984); First Blood (Ted Kotcheff, 1982); The Terminator (James Cameron, 1984); The King of Comedy (Martin Scorsese, 1983)
- Friday, Jan. 17 is less Reagan era and more Reagan centric with a double feature from the 1960s that includes a speech by Ronald Reagan and the film The Killers, where Reagan stars as a mob boss.
One more movie option I am interested in has a cool twist. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is screening at the Ohio Theatre with the Columbus Symphony—that’s right, a live orchestra will be playing the movie’s dynamic score during the screening. This magical (pun intended) show happens Jan. 18 and 19.
I could watch movies every day of the week, but variety really is the spice of life so here are a few more arts options I am eyeing.
On Jan. 18 the McConnell Arts Center is opening their 10th Anniversary Exhibition, which will feature artworks from their first exhibition and up through 10 years of visual art at the MAC.
Opera Project Columbus’ production of Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss opens Jan. 17 at the gorgeous Lincoln Theatre. A little mad cap comedy seems like the perfect balance against angsty, testosterone laden 80s flicks.
And, on Jan. 19 the Inner City Blues Band is playing Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza.
These are my picks for the weekend, but you can find even more in the events section of ColumbusMakesArt.com, and you can share your arts experiences with #artmakescbus.
Lacey Luce is a digital marketing strategist for the Greater Columbus Arts Council who is about to find out if people are cool with her knitting at the movie theater.