Fantastic Fungi & The Pollinators

Take a look at this photo, and keep in mind — there was still a line at the ticket counter! We had amazing attendance and a fun crowd at Cinema Center last Friday night for our double feature, Fantastic Fungi and The Pollinators. I honestly had no idea what to expect. A movie about mushrooms seemed pretty niche to me, but I found it to be an incredible experience. The film was absolutely gorgeous, with jaw-dropping time-lapse cinematography that elicited gasps at times from the audience. I consider myself to be a pretty big special effects geek, and yet, I found myself marveling at the seldom-seen FX show that nature puts on every day. With amazing hit-home messages, this eye-opening documentary paired very well with The Pollinators, a film not only about the plight of the endangered honeybee, but also about committed individuals driving change in a state of insurmountable odds. Simply inspirational.

Both films ended with enthusiastic applause and reminded me of the impact that our art house theater has on this community. Maybe these niche films will show up on a streaming service at some point, but there's no comparison to getting out of the house to experience great cinema and documentaries with a live audience. Hearing the occasional reaction, talking with attendees after the film, meeting new people — it really is the way film is meant to be experienced. So please, keep coming to our films! And help Cinema Center get the word out. Share our story, invite your friends, join or renew your membership, volunteer, sponsor a film or film series, and if possible, please make a year-end donation to this great, not-for-profit theater. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Derek Devine

Cinema Center Board President