Samantha Joslin
Features editor
The choice in film for Thursday’s 50th Anniversary Film series was an admiral one, and the post-movie discussion was similarly impressive.
The college’s choice to show Lady Bird is not an unconventional one, as the movie has exceedingly impressive reviews. It holds the prestigious title of being the highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes, able to hold a 100 percent rating with more reviews than any other film, in addition to procuring five Oscar nominations and two Golden Globe wins.
However, the decision to show the film goes deeper than its formidable reputation. Lady Bird is relatable in a way that many coming-of-age movies fail to be. The movie isn’t presumptive enough to decide which events in Lady Bird’s life are actually sad. Rather than using the usual teen problems (the disappointment of losing her virginity, the pitfalls of applying to college, arguments with her friends) as sources of comedy, director Greta Gerwig manages to give these events the weight they deserve. This is endlessly refreshing for students our age. To quote Lady Bird in the film, “Different things can be sad. It’s not all war.”
This adds to the utter simplicity of the film, which is what makes it so truly great in the first place. It doesn’t rely on Oscar-bait showiness to be good. There aren’t excessively long camera takes or actors learning new languages or delivering long-winded monologues. It’s just a good movie. The characters are lovable. The struggles are relatable. It’s a movie about real life, especially the lives of young adults, and I appreciate the decision to show a film like this at the college.
Libby Kleve, Production Manager, Video Services, served as a lively and able discussion leader after the film. The discussion period, scheduled to end at a boldly optimistic 9 p.m., ended around 8:20. The discussion, although short, was interesting and intellectual, although most of the attendees were older adults and few college-age opinions were heard.
I highly recommend attending the future film series showings. The films are chosen carefully by the Johnson County Community College 50th Anniversary Film Committee and are completely free to the public. The only missing piece of the discussions are the voices of actual students at the college, and the Polsky Theater was full of empty seats. Why not attend?