Movie Night

5th Movie Night - February 12, 2019 at 1830

Featuring:

Mad Max: Fury Road – a love letter to show don’t tell, Chekovs gun, and anti-Deus-Ex-Machinas [the concept, not the film/game]

Next Tuesday 12.2.19 we’ll show Mad Max Fury Road at 18:30h. With this movie we can sum up the story pretty easily for a change: It is exactly what you'd expect:

One of the most exiting chases ever put to film.

Broken down to the basics that is essentially it…In the same way that Star Wars is at its core a coming of age story with increasing reliance on heavy symbolism and that the Alien movie is about…aliens. Luckily, movies are so much more than “only” their core story: Pacing, cinematography, sound design, musical scores, character development, motives, etc. It is a visual medium and Mad Max Fury Road gets that better than most other movies do. At no point will someone state the obvious:

“I am so sad that this happened”  [we know that’s what expressions are for],

“I see that you know how to use a gun. Let us elaborate on that skill in a lengthy discussion” [OR: Just use the gun and don’t question that particular knowledge in an apocalyptic wasteland],

“Please remind us again about the universal-blood-donoryness of Max, to make sure everyone got that.” [Instead: Deliver this information in the first 5 min by tattooing it on his back after his capture, while simultaneously showing us how the antagonist's system views its people (as mere ends to a cause). Then proceed to strip Max of all his person-hood and agency, when he is strapped to a car, acting as an adrenaline bank for one of the warboys, chasing the runaways, who have all been objectified in the same way he was.]

You can do this comparison (“most action movies” vs [Mad Max FR]) with almost all the plot devices that are shown. Almost everything has a purpose that improves passively our understanding of the relationships, motives and the themes of the movie [which are agency, forgiveness and trust, btw]. This movie is a love letter to the moving picture. A loud, action-filled love letter that includes a blindfolded dude, who is playing electric guitar that spits fire from its neck, while he is riding a truck through the desert in front of a metal blasting jukebox tower…and it is exactly as amazing as it sounds! And while there is no particular reason for this particular scene (except for the obvious “rule of cool”) this movie is not lazy, quite the opposite: It treats its audience with respect. It trusts us to notice the details it plants and to make our own conclusion about the characters state of mind, the world, and its history. With impressive attendance to continuity it awards everyone with sweet, sweet satisfaction that is counting the bullets after it was established that only four of them remain...To put it in Chekhovs words:

“One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn't going to go off. It's wrong to make promises you don't mean to keep." Anton Chekhov, 1889

It is that willingness to make good on its promises, the trust in the audience, and in the medium of film that raises this movie above others. It is a treat. A gun heavy, insane and beautiful treat. Every action flick in comparison, and say it with us, Immortal Joe, is simply: MEDIOCRE!

***Wasteland special***

Civilization is dead! With it went the old currency. Pay your food (vegan lentil soup + bread) and drinks (beer) with bottle caps (or with plain old money, if you insist…)

4th Movie Night - January 28, 2019 at 1830

NOTE: You decided for "Hidden Figures"

Dearest friends of the moving picture,

Movie Night is back! And as compensation for its long absence, we decided to do something new: We let you decide (at least between two pre-selected choices).

Pick your movie till Friday evening (25.1.19) and enjoy the winner next Monday (28.1.19). The election is anonymous.

Choose between:

Hidden Figures or The Imitation Game

Additional perks:

• Free snacks (crisps, carrots, peppers, dip, etc.)
• Not free beer (50 cent a bottle)
• New batches (50 cent a piece)
• SPECIAL SURPRISE for everyone with at least 3 different Movie Night batches (the new one already counts)

Give your vote (for next time it will be our choice again) and join us for the 4^th Movie Night on Monday!

Cheers,

Your PhD reps

3rd Movie Night - November 05, 2018 at 1830

“Remember, remember the Fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot

I know of no reason why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.”

Dear Friends,

It will come to no surprise which movie we’ll show during the 3^rd Movie Night. Released in 2005, V for Vendetta was one of the last good films affiliated with the Wachowski siblings after The Matrix. The film is a more or less faithful adaptation of the eponymous comic produced by Alan Moore (Watchman, Batman: Killing Joke, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). Like EVERY film adaptation the author despises the adaptation to the tip of his bushy beard. Why? We’d guess because of the softer tone it is going for. Centering around a dystopian England, where a fascistic government has taken over, discriminating against minorities and inflicting its rule on its people with an iron fist, we would not exactly call it light hearted, but then again: Compared to the comic it definitely is. So which one is better? The dark comic or its brighter adaptation?

The film. Easy answer. Definitely the film… At least if you want to make your message heard. Both stories have a fairly standard message that they want to get across, however, we’d argue that the movie version delivers on its premise way better than the comic. The styled action scenes and popular cast (Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea) make it attractive to a broader audience, letting it reach more ears than just those of hardcore Moore fans. By no means a movie that will change the world with deep-layered philosophy – but that is the point. It can be consumed, understood and enjoyed by everyone, with a theme sadly still relevant to our community and this world.

So join us on the 5^th of November (18:30h) for V for Vendetta. A controversial film, screen played by a colorful duo, adapted after the works of a by now crazy man, who was reimagining an historic event – which is controversial by its own right!

2nd Movie Night - October 02, 2018 at 1830

One month has passed since the last movie night. We started with a movie from 2014, now let’s go back in time! Literally. Follow the rabbit through its hole (no, not the movie with the grinning cat and smoking caterpillar), I am talking about 2001s Donnie Darko. By now an October classic - and for a good reason. Completely different in tone and style compared to Kingsman, it is worth a watch or re-watch. As the name is promising, we are getting dark. Meet some of the most condemnable, sad, and/ or frightening displays of human beings, implemented in the seemingly mundane setting of everyday suburbia and follow our protagonist on his path to fight his own demons, as well as those surrounding him. This movie does not shy away to show us how reality can look like, but despite its honesty does not fall in the same negative preachiness of the “oh so terrible humans”. I would argue: Quite the opposite is the case. A movie with many broken people, thrown in situations that are not always theirs to control, who show us acts of kindness, empathy and human decency. A movie that lets you weep and smile at the same time. Join us for this bittersweet rollercoaster on October 2^nd for Donnie Darko. A movie fitting for its month.

Instead of crepes, we’ll prepare pumpkin soup this time! It is going to be vegan, so everyone can enjoy it ;) Also there will be cake and beer. Cost: 50 cent a piece! OR: Buy the exclusive and limited Bunny-Box for 2 euro! Including soup, cake and a mystery batch! You wanna collect them all! Who knows what perks they’ll bring in the future (maybe non, which is totally part of the mystery :D)

1st Movie Night - September 06, 2018 at 1830

Based on the weather the summer is over. But good news: With decreasing temperatures the very first Movie Night creeps around the corner! Let’s start big with the surprise hit of 2014: Kingsman – the secret service! Praised by critics for its incredible camerawork, amazing performances especially by Colin Firth and honestly surprising moments that you would not have seen coming it is a treat for every cinema nerd and casual movie goer alike!

The action will be accompanied by beer, popcorn and crepes (vegan and non-vegan, please fill out the Doodle to make planning easier: https://doodle.com/poll/46kagd25a6vk7zed), which can be purchased for a reasonable fee of 50 Cent a piece. Or buy the spy packet (two Euros), which contains popcorn, a crepe and a beer, as well as a “totally not worth its price”-patch that proves that you were part of the very first Movie night and can afford the extra :D [only limited supply of package deals!]