Student Activities could hardly be more excited than we are for our next Movie Night Marathon, as we present the original three Indiana Jones movies in the LaHaye Event Space on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, January 28-30. All showings will start at 8 p.m. and will be shown as follows:

• Thursday, Jan. 28 – Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Friday, Jan. 29 – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
• Saturday, Jan. 30 – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

A recent podcast from the great folks at Christ & Pop Culture lamented the fact that there are a great deal of action movies available today, but not nearly as many adventures. Since action and adventure tend to get lumped together, this distinction is important. And lament is not too strong a term to use either. The current state of the movie industry allows for a James Bond or a Star Wars to show up here and there, but sadly, for every one of those, there seems to be three of The Expendables or The Transporter or The (Insert Superhero Name Here) movies. There is a remembrance of and longing for stories that involve great and perilous journeys through exotic locations, places that are felt and experienced, not just driven through, bullet-riddled, or blown to bits. We want the endearing nature and warmth of stories with action that results from the adventure, as opposed to stories that exist for the sake of action itself. Almost no movie or series of movies in the past 50 years define this like Indiana Jones.

Each of the Indiana Jones movies can stand alone. Even Temple of Doom, probably the least of the first three movies, was described by Roger Ebert as “not so much a sequel as an equal” to Raiders of the Lost Ark, the greatest of the three. Steven Speilberg managed to make each movie unique, an amazing accomplishment since two of them are primarily about beating up the Nazis. His lead-role choice of Harrison Ford, who was only a rising star at the time by no means a shoo-in for the part, is one of the great “what could have been” moments of movie history: we could very easily be talking about Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones today*. Thankfully, this never happened, and Harrison Ford gets to be one of the luckiest actors ever, one who is both Indiana Jones and Han Solo. This certainly benefited his portrayal of Dr. Jones, as one critic described that character as “part Sherlock Holmes (smart), part James Bond (suave), part Man With No Name (tough), and part Han Solo (lovable rogue)”. No one plays the lovable rogue better than Harrison Ford.

On one hand, Indiana Jones is an earthy, very real set of movies. All of the chases are on horseback, trucks, tanks, mine cars, or whatever other vehicle happens to be around. Indy travels through jungles and deserts, he gets dirty and covered in spider webs, and he gets punched a lot. Heck, he spends a good bit of his time just running away from people or things that are trying to kill him. Yet, all three movies have religious and supernatural elements as major plot points, incorporated so effortlessly, the movies would never work without them. (What else besides the power of God will defeat/melt the Nazis?) Despite his sarcastic and oftentimes sardonic demeanor, Doctor Jones, archaeologist, seems to assume the power of the Ark and the Holy Grail in Raiders and Last Crusade and the magic of the stones in Temple of Doom. Rogue or not, he is still a hero, and the hero has to keep such power from falling into the wrong hands, no matter how much danger it involves. The sci-fi/fantasy and action/adventure elements of Indiana Jones combine everything we love about movies. They are as exciting, goofy, and repeatedly watchable a series of movies that have ever been made and we hope you will join us in viewing them next week.

*See Jamie Benning’s awesome “filmumentary” about Raiders – Tom Selleck screen test footage starts at 16:16.

Student Activities presents another outstanding Movie Night, featuring The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, on Saturday, January 23 in the LaHaye Event Space. There will be two showings, the first at 8:30 p.m. and the second at approx. 10:30 p.m.

As movies based on a popular book series go, you can’t ask for much more than The Hunger Games franchise. On the scale from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2 to the three Radagast stains that are The Hobbit movies, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2 are certainly on the higher, Harry Potter side. Turning one book into two (or three) movies is definitely a “cash grab”, as at least one prominent reviewer has called it. But this is not surprising (it is a Hollywood blockbuster franchise, after all), and it is not necessarily a bad thing. That same reviewer reminds us that between the first Hunger Games movie and Mockingjay Part 2, Jennifer Lawrence went from up-and-coming star to Academy Award winner and major star. Her performance as Katniss Everdeen is nearly unanimously regarded as the defining aspect of the franchise, so from that perspective, perhaps more is better. As another critic argued, Jennifer Lawrence gave “way more” to The Hunger Games than it gave back to her.

Simply put, it’s sad when a story ends, and the quality performances from Jennifer Lawrence, Donald Sutherland, and rest of the supporting cast, as well as the final on-screen moments of Philip Seymour Hoffman, punctuate this. But this series needed dynamic performances, especially in the concluding chapter, to take on such difficult themes as celebrity and excess, the effects of war and poverty on a people, oppression, and racism. The various conflicts, whether external, internal, or interpersonal, are represented well in the action and on the faces of the actors. And though the series is one of post-apocalyptic action that features a good amount of violence, reviewer Jessica Gibson raises an excellent point concerning this: The violence is never glorified, and is never shown “as anything other than awful and destructive.” No one would argue that Mockingjay Part 2 was a perfect ending to the series, but it is certainly a good one. As for the lasting impact and legacy of The Hunger Games, that remains to be seen. But there is no denying it has been one of the top movie franchises of the past 15 years, so the series as a whole deserves our attention, with Mockingjay Part 2 holding particular importance as the conclusion of the story.

As usual, our Movie Night is free to attend, with free popcorn, and other concessions are available for purchase. Please contact email us with any questions or concerns, and be sure to check out our website for more information about our upcoming Movie Nights and other events.

I feel confident speaking for the staff members of Student Activities when I say that it is a great honor to be responsible for two of the best and longest-running traditions here at Liberty: Block Party and Coffeehouse. However, as fun and exciting as Block Party is, there is nothing quite like Coffeehouse for us. The collective effort that goes into each production seems to grow each time as we push just a little harder to improve on the previous show.

But those three words, “the previous show”, represent a history of Coffeehouse that stretches back into the early 1990’s, a continuous chain of productions that, from the very first event, started with the same hands-on, student-led approach that still makes the show what it is today. So if you’ve ever wondered what started it, here’s a short history of how Coffeehouse came to be.

“We had about $100 for those early shows…We had to be extremely creative with our finances.”

Brian Lewis eventually became an Assistant Director in charge of Student Activities, but when he first arrived at Liberty in 1993, he was basically a volunteer, helping out in the planning of Student Activities events. As the university grew, the demand for more events grew with it, and at the time, some of that burden fell on Student Government. Bryan had close connection with then-SGA President Matt McMurray, and together, along with a small group of students, decided it was time for a student talent show, which they decided to call Coffee House. “I honestly don’t remember why exactly we called it Coffee House,” said Bryan, noting that it may have had something to do with the popularity at the time of The Drowsy Poet, the now-vacant coffee shop in the Candler’s Shopping Center. The first shows that fall were in the multi-purpose room of David’s Place, the old student center that now lies somewhere under the baseball stadium. The first show budget: $0. Ticket price: $2. There were about 150 people in the building, a packed house for the size of that particular room, which Bryan says made them realize “we should have done the show twice (each night).” They also realized that there was going to be a “next show”, which made it clear that they were going to need a bigger space, prompting a move the following spring (1994) to the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall.

For the content of the show, there was a panel of several people, including Bryan, who sat in on all auditions for the performances. “We never hurt for talent,” Bryan said, seeing somewhere close to 40 tryouts, even at the David’s Place event. They utilized what is now CSER workers to help put on the show, as well as the few available staff members of Student Activities. “It was a full-fledged, volunteer basis, student-led, no money, good-luck project.” Well, there was some money, but it only came from ticket sales from the previous show. Bryan said, “…When it was time for the next Coffeehouse, we would get a couple hundred dollars for the next show. We had to be extremely creative with our finances.”

The Dining Hall Coffee House sold out too, with attendance somewhere around 800 for a couple shows (Ticket price: still $2). By the 95-96 school year, that good-luck project became 3 shows per semester, 2 performances of each show each night, in the old Schilling Center (the remnants of which are somewhere under the Library) with a total attendance reaching into the thousands. This was significant since the total population of the school was not much over 5,000. The show got a host, Steve Kyle, and various themes, including Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Country Music, the 1970’s, 1980’s, and an All-Star Coffeehouse which brought back the best and most popular talent from the shows throughout the year. Mike Stewart, Dean of Student Life at the time, said, “It was never intended to be something that happened 3 or 4 times a semester, but it got to be the biggest thing, besides concerts, that we did all year long.”

“Every show, I felt like I would throw up before it started.”

The Coffeehouse host has always been an unenviable position. Student expectations on the host have always been somewhere between Jerry Seinfeld and David Letterman, a funnyman facilitator who also is never allowed to make a mistake. Matt Gallagher, host from 1997-99, said, “Every show, I felt like I would throw up before it started.” And who wouldn’t? Stepping out on stage, staring at thousands of your peers, a significant number of which were ready to pounce on any mistake or not-so-good joke, should make anyone nervous. No, Coffeehouse has never had the perfect host. It did, however, have a string of outstanding students who moved the show along, told some good jokes (and perhaps a few not-so-good jokes), and contributed to the overall excellence of a show with a now 23 year history. “A lot of credit goes to Steve (Kyle) for making the show more successful,” said Bryan Lewis. “Steve always hosted the Liberty Olympics and Block Party, so he was a natural fit to take on Coffeehouse hosting duties.” Mike Stewart said that they “had to script everything, and I had to approve everything…(The hosts) would always deviate from the script.” But, both Mike and Bryan said that in those early years, they never had a major controversy. (At least not with the host – Mike said, “We had people line dancing on stage [during Country Coffee House], which, looking back, was probably pretty controversial at the time.”) But, Mike added that the effort to improve the show was always something the host had a hand in as far as content was concerned: “It was always a challenge – we always asked ‘How can we top that [last] one?”

Two hosts carried Coffeehouse smoothly through the late 1990’s and early 2000’s: Matt Gallagher and Nic Carver. For most students attending Liberty between 1997 and 2003, the Coffeehouse they saw almost certainly featured one of those two. For Matt, hosting duties were assumed reluctantly, and initially with only a 33% chance of getting it at all. In the fall of 1997, Matt was one of three people who were given a chance during an actual Coffeehouse to audition as host. The three were then put to audience vote to officially become the next host. He went third out of the three. “I told some corny jokes, corny but clean,” he said, and after the audience voted, was selected as host. “If I had gone first, I probably would have primed the pump for one of those other guys,” he told us. But he didn’t, and he went on to host Coffeehouse for the next three school years. David “Moose” Pierce, who worked with Student Life at the time (1997-99) and contributed to the show alongside Matt said, “I cannot brag enough about Matt. I had a ton of fun writing with him because he was so willing to collaborate and work with everyone’s ideas.”

Nic Carver had a somewhat easier path to Coffeehouse host, as he was already hosting well-attended karaoke nights in David’s Place in the 2000-01 school year, and so was an easy choice to bump up to the bigger show. As for his role, Nic said he “tried to stay off the stage as much as possible” because too much stage time could easily become tedious. “The host is basically the ambassador for the audience. I wanted to do everything I could to keep myself on the audience’s side during the show.” However, Nic was (and still is) an accomplished musician, and so he was able to bring his musical talent to Coffeehouse at times, including opening a show with a song of his own that led into all of the acts on stage singing “We Are the World.” Both Matt and Nic talked about the increased prevalence and quality of technology by the late 1990’s/early 2000’s as doing the most to affect the show; by then, it was much easier to shoot and edit videos, so video content became a more prominent, and we would now say essential, part of Coffeehouse. Both of them had a significant role in transitioning Coffeehouse into the show as it appears today.

“After the show, I always realized it was worth it.”

Cosmetically, Coffeehouse has changed quite a bit from the first show in 1993. We’re in the Vines Center now, with a significantly bigger budget, allowing bigger sound, bigger lights, and more decorations. The crowds are bigger too, with over 7,900 students in attendance last Christmas alone, greater than the entire school population in the early to mid-90’s. But even with more money and bigger space, Coffeehouse is still that same student-led, all-hands-on-deck show that started 23 years ago. Bryan Lewis’ quote ties the first show to the last show: “We never hurt for talent.” Easily the most repeated statement we hear at every Coffeehouse, whether it’s by word of mouth or on Twitter, is essentially, “This student body is so incredibly talented!” The volunteers and Christian Service workers, the Student Activities staff members, the full-time leadership, the hosts, and every single act and performer, all of them have contributed from the very beginning to make this a lasting tradition that is truly by the students, for the students. And no matter the challenges Student Activities has faced, regardless of the reception of the show afterward, and despite all the long hours and sore feet, we have always been proud to be part of such an amazing tradition. The day after the show, we can always say proudly, “It was worth it.”

Student Activities is practically bursting with Christmas spirit, which is why we’re bringing you not one but two showings of Elf on Friday, December 4 in the LaHaye Event Space. Show times will be as follows:

• First showing – 8:00 p.m.
• Second showing – 10:00 p.m.

At this point, you can basically trace the all-time great Christmas movies by decade: Miracle on 34th Street and It’s A Wonderful Life in the 40’s, White Christmas in the 50’s, Charlie Brown, The Grinch, and Rudolph in the 60’s, A Christmas Story in the very early 80’s, Christmas Vacation and Home Alone in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But very few Christmas movies since Home Alone are beloved and/or display the magic of the holidays enough to be added to this list. Except, that is, for Elf.

Elf could have been much different. Elf could have starred Jim Carrey instead of Will Ferrell. Consider for a moment how your childhood could have been affected if this had been true. Thankfully, we live in a world where Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf is arguably his most popular character, and one who represents the childlike wonder and joy that everyone hopes for at Christmas. This is certainly one of the reasons Elf became so popular. However, the supporting cast of the movie is outstanding as well, and provides all the balance to Buddy that makes it so appealing. Think of the dour look and feel of James Caan (Walter), Bob Newhart (Papa Elf), and even Zooey Deschanel (Jovie). Each provides a realistic, or pessimistic, proportion to the unbridled optimism and fantasy of Buddy. And while much of the humor of Elf is the result of Buddy as a “fish-out-of-water”, the sight gags and slapstick nature of the movie makes it endearing and forever-fun, while still touching on some deeper, more difficult issues. The pressures of work and family tensions, particularly between father and son, are obvious story features and allow for the excellent supporting performances from James Caan and Mary Steenburgen (Emily).

Elf is a feel-good holiday classic because it has everything you love about Christmas. You love it because it’s silly. It has a Claymation narwhal, Buddy says “cotton-headed ninny muggins”, and he burps for 12 seconds. It is familiar, paying homage to several other Christmas classics, using the original elf uniforms featured in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and casting Peter Billingsley (aka, Ralphie) as the elf Ming Ming. It has Peter Dinklage. In the end, however, Elf is a feel-good holiday classic because it is about maintaining the belief, wonder, and joy of Christmas.

In preparation for the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (in theaters November 20), Student Activities presents The Hunger Games: Movie Marathon, taking place on Saturday, November 14 in the LaHaye Event Space. The movies will be shown as follows:

• The Hunger Games – 7:00 p.m.
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – approx. 9:30 p.m.
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 – approx. 11:59 p.m.

The Hunger Games movies have certainly earned the right to be called “blockbusters.” The first three movies have earned over $2 billion, putting them in 20th all-time on the list of top-grossing movie franchises. The release of Mockingjay – Part 2 should propel it at least into the top 15, if not higher. As with other movie franchises based on popular novels, The Hunger Games has been an engrossing experience from the beginning. Based on critical reception of the first three movies, it can be argued that The Hunger Games is one of the new standard-bearers of movie adaptations of novels, remaining true to the story as it originally appeared, the clearest sign that Suzanne Collins participated in crafting the screenplay. Perhaps more quality like this may help get us closer to a truce in the everlasting battle between Books vs. Movies. In one sense, it is a bit sad to think that people are so, well, hungry to see the embodiment of a novel’s characters, discontent to leave those characters on the page in their minds. But that is the reality of the entertainment industry we feed. Positively, however, it is only natural to want to see the action, the settings, and the characters who so capture our imaginations. This shows the power of movies to tell our stories, and when performed well, the value of strong actors.

The cast of The Hunger Games is one of the most celebrated aspects of the movies, starting of course with Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Whoever plays Katniss in the eventual reboot of the franchise will have a hard time taking her away from Ms. Lawrence. As other reviewers have noted, her performance is a near-perfect complement to the gray sadness that characterizes Panem, an outstanding portrayal of “scarred survivor and a reluctant symbol.” Josh Hutcherson receives high marks for his performance as Peeta Mellark, so what if he’s not as handsome as Liam Hemsworth/Gale Hawthorne? Few actors could be better as President Snow than Donald Sutherland, calm yet maniacal, increasingly devilish as the series proceeds. The name value of the remaining, supporting cast is high, with Stanley Tucci, Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, and Philip Seymour Hoffman all adding a great deal to an already outstanding list of performances.

Is there redemption in The Hunger Games? Yes, very much so. Both Katniss and Peeta demonstrate the high virtue of self-sacrificial love (please see Amy Simpson’s thoughts on Peeta as a Christ-figure in the movies). Despite the horrors of the Hunger Games themselves, and in the face of oppressive evil, Katniss represents hope to the masses, hope that extends beyond immediate circumstances, pointing to the possibility of a better future. It is hope in the face of fear, the two adversaries that characterize all of life. The Hunger Games deals with these issues in a compelling way, using racism, class distinctions, traditional gender roles, political corruption, and biting critique of entertainment-saturated culture as backgrounds. These movies are well worth your time and attention.

Please enjoy the FREE popcorn, get some good snacks and drinks, and enjoy The Hunger Games: Movie Marathon, brought to you by Student Activities.

The 2015 movie year is nearly over. The late fall/early winter blockbusters will be here soon, while the year’s biggest hits, like Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron, have fallen like memory leaves in our brain forests, just lying there with the other crappy ones, like Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Ah, this cruel life, as we trod over what was “then” for what will soon be “now.” What’s that you say? The new Star Wars is out in like 40 days?!? Well, what are we waiting for?? Let’s trample all over those dumb memories as we look ahead to the Fall/Winter 2015 Movie Season!

Yes, it’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens’* (Dec. 18) universe, and we’re just a small, Hoth-based, Rebel alliance in it. Many of you have likely downloaded some sort of countdown timer for it, or, Yoda help you, forced yourself to re-watch the Jar-Jar Binks nightmare that is Episodes 1-3 in anticipation of the biggest movie of our time. These are very natural feelings you’re having toward The Force Awakens, and we encourage you to embrace them. Use your aggressive feelings, feel the hatred of other movies flow through you! Yes! Good! GOOD!!***

Actually, there are some other huge movies in the next month and a half that are worth checking out, so don’t go too crazy with the dark side there, kids. In fact, why not start with the very opposite of the dark side at The Peanuts Movie (Nov. 6)? Watch the cartoon stars of MetLife commercials/various holiday parade balloons come to life on the big screen in amazing animation! Charlie Brown will probably try to kick that football again, Snoopy will probably fly his doghouse like a WWI fighter pilot, and the kids’ teacher and/or parents will talk like a muted trombone. There may even be some surprises!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Nov. 20) may be the other, most anticipated movie of the year after Star Wars. Mockingjay – Part 2 follows in Part 1’s footsteps, challenging the establishment, daring to use both a dash and a colon in the title, a clear homage to the bravery of Katniss Everdeen herself. WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Don’t miss Donald Sutherland as The Most Interesting Man in Panem, or Julianne Moore as what looks like a fancy ghost.

Pixar is back again, presumably for more of your tears, with The Good Dinosaur (Nov. 25). It’s the story of a prehistoric-looking, grunting boy who shares an adventure with a somewhat sophisticated, talking dinosaur. MOVIE DOUBLE-TAKE: If you replace the boy with Anne Hathaway, you basically get The Intern.

Two, beloved old stories are shocked with Hollywood electricity, revived for blockbuster movie life, and then (probably) harpooned or torched by angry critics: Victor Frankenstein (Nov. 25) and In the Heart of the Sea (Dec. 11). Victor Frankenstein is the name of the scientist. The monster is actually Daniel Radcliffe’s neck beard. In the Heart of the Sea is based on the story which begat Moby Dick and features the can’t-miss, Hollywood magic of adding Chris Hemsworth to the cast. Call me Ishmael…’s wife, AM I RIGHT, LADIES??? (Actually, his movie name is Owen Chase, so I am not at all right, ladies.)

If you love the seventh circle of hell mixed live-action and animated characters on screen, then you’ll want to see Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (Dec. 18). THE END IS NIGH ALERT: The Road Chip is the FOURTH MOVIE in this series. Why/how? Surely, there are not many puns or days on earth left. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Four Horsemen of the Chip-ocalypse cannot be far behind.

Finally, just in time for the holidays(!), Christmas Day brings us a set of very interesting, not-very-feel-good movies: Concussion and The Revenant (Dec. 25). Concussion looks like it’s going to force Will Smith to act, and with such a relevant topic, the combination may make everyone forget his movie Focus, and maybe, fingers crossed, start to cleanse the stain of After Earth. As for The Revenant, there is no joke. The only possible downside is that the trailer makes it look a little too good. Here’s hoping there is no downside. And here’s hoping you finally get that Oscar, Leo!

There you have it: just a little preview of a fall movie season jam packed full of movies that look like they could be at least pretty good, maybe even very good, but possibly also not so good. It’s our seasonal way of saying “Don’t get your hopes up too much” and “Don’t forget: more than anything, ‘Hollywood’ wants your money.” Now go pre-order those Star Wars tickets and pick your camping spot for The Force Awakens’ premier!

On Thursday & Friday, October 29 & 30, Student Activities is hosting back-to-back Movie Nights in the LaHaye Event Space, featuring two, outstanding animated movies, Inside Out & Minions. Each movie will be shown twice (8 & 10 p.m.) on their respective nights, Inside Out on Thursday the 29th, Minions on Friday the 30th.

Inside Out is a beautiful movie, one that is well-deserving of the accolades* it has already received, and one we will hopefully see as Best Picture nominee at next year’s Academy Awards. It is the story of Riley, an 11 year old girl in the middle of significant changes in her life resulting from a family move from Minnesota to San Francisco and all of the difficulties that come with it. Her life action is guided by the primary emotions in the “control room” of her mind, represented by Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Casting for each of these emotions is outstanding, with Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith (from The Office), Lewis Black, Bill Hader, and Mindy Kaling voicing each, respectively. Though all five actors are excellent, it would be difficult to find two better voices than Lewis Black for Anger and Phyllis Smith for Sadness; their tone and persona carry over nearly perfectly to their on-screen characters. As for the movie itself, it is a colorful, vibrant, and imaginative handling of the complexities of human thought and emotion. What makes the movie so special is that these complexities are woven seamlessly into a deep and easily relatable story, never letting the complexity overpower or distract from the narrative. It is a powerful picture of virtue and the strength of the family without any sap; it is an honest dealing with the realities and difficulties of life. Though there is strength to all of the characters, the interplay between Joy and Sadness is one of the things that sets Pixar’s movie making apart. This content of the movie is well worth the time as a study or evaluation, yet it has tremendous power and value in its visual artistry and emotional depth.

Minions, on the other hand, is nothing more than slapstick fun and silliness. Please, someone tell us what is wrong with this. You already know you like Minions in general. You know what they’re about. You know you want to understand their gibberish, and perhaps even enjoy bananas as much as they do. But does the story of a movie like this, or the voice actors in it, matter a great deal to you? How much of a difference does it make to know that Sandra Bullock is the voice of Scarlet Overkill, or that Jon Hamm voices Herb Overkill? Geoffrey Rush as narrator: how do you feel about that? We’ll answer for you: fine. You feel fine about it, because the only voice that really matters is Pierre Coffin’s, the voice of the Minions. No matter who the other actors are, ultimately you know that Kevin, Stuart, and Bob are going to smash each other with various blunt instruments, they’re going to have their butts out, and they’re going to scream mostly nonsense and sometimes real words like “papaya” and “La Cucaracha”. In short, you know you’re going to laugh at their voices, their faces, and their jokes that, for some reason, have and will always be funny.

Of course, all showings of these movies are FREE, and we’ll have lots of FREE popcorn and reasonably-priced snacks & drinks for you. It’s yet another great set of Movie Nights, featuring Inside Out and Minions, brought to you by Student Activities.

This is the first year I have really thought about the word Homecoming. I’m not sure if I just never took the time to think about it, or if this is the first time it has really applied to me. I was introduced to the idea of Homecoming in high school, but that was always confusing because I was already home and nothing about the word “Homecoming” communicated the fact that I would have to get dressed up and go to a dance. Next, we experience Homecoming in college, and at this point, there is only a football game, no dance (thank goodness), and you can tell people are visiting Lynchburg because suddenly it feels like you’re in D.C. rush hour traffic. The word is basic enough – it implies that you are coming home, and now it makes sense, because that is exactly what Lynchburg has been for me: home.

This past May I graduated from Liberty with a major in Advertising and a minor in business, which is kind of amazing considering that I did not anticipate coming here for college. Beyond that, I never would have guessed I would stay. When I started doing CSER with Student Activities my sophomore year, I never would have guessed that I would end up working for Student Activities full time. I also never would have guessed I would be starting grad school. Yet here I am, not just a student at Liberty, but a resident of Lynchburg – I have chosen to stay here. No offense to Lynchburg, but I would have to say the reason I have chosen to make this my home temporarily is not because there is no place I would rather be, but because Lynchburg has been home to the people I want to be with.

That’s the thing about homes: they are nothing without the people. And the thing about college is that it is only a temporary home. So why get attached to the people you know will find a new home once your four years are up? Because the memories and the things you learn from them will stick with you forever. And although you will all find new places with new people that make those places a home for you, it doesn’t change the fact that this was also once your home. That is the great thing about Homecoming: the people come back to the place they once called home. We get to celebrate the place we called home for four years (or five… depending on what kind of friends you have). Homecoming isn’t about celebrating the place that we currently are, but the place that helped form us.

I realize that some of you may not be in my shoes. It may be your freshman year, and you may not have any idea what to expect. You’ll attend your first Homecoming Parade, get dressed up for the football game, and take too many pictures. You’ll meet a cute guy and eat late night food after the game with him and his friends (and probably end up marrying his roommate). But soon it will be your last homecoming as a student. You’ll be experienced, you will have gone to your fair share of football tailgates and parades, and you may even choose to skip the festivities altogether because you’re too good for that now. And one day, you’ll get to be in my position. You will be a graduate, you’ll have earned the right to be called an alumnus, and you’ll feel even more unfamiliar with the construction going on around campus. You will also be able to look back at your freshman pictures from your first college Homecoming and realize the people in the pictures are still standing next to you today.

From here on out, you’ll have many different homes. You may get an apartment where you get your first, “grown-up” job, or your parents’ home may become your home once again while you figure out how the major you chose will provide you with any sort of income. Some places will only be your home for a year, and others may become the place your kids will consider home. While it is sad for me to realize my homes in the future won’t be shared with the same people I have shared my life with for the past few years, it does not change for a second that Liberty University is a place we have all once called home.

At Student Activities, we have a full calendar of fun and unique events for you to get together with your friends, or even to make new friends. From the Homecoming Parade, to our monthly movie nights, concerts, and Coffeehouse, there’s almost always something for everyone. Check everything out on our website here.

On Saturday, October 3, Student Activities brings you yet another action-packed, Double Feature Movie Night featuring two of this year’s biggest movies: Ant-Man and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.

First up will be Ant-Man, #12 on the ever-growing list of movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, and Michael Douglas are your heroes for the night, starring as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Hope Van Dyne, and Hank Pym, respectively. As usual, Paul Rudd’s funny, endearing, everyman acting quality transitions easily to the superhero genre. He plays Scott Lang, a reforming crook who, because of his various “skills” in that regard, gets invited by scientist Hank Pym to become Ant-Man, and gets training and assistance from Hank’s daughter, Hope Van Dyne. His mission: to retrieve the mysterious “Pym particle”, which, like many movies’ mysterious “particles”, has tremendous powers and is being used for corrupt means, this time by a bad, bad man named Darren Cross (played by actor Corey Stoll). Cross becomes “Yellowjacket”, Ant-Man must stop him, and battles ensue. Tiny, tiny battles. As some reviewers have noted, the smaller scale of Ant-Man isn’t just in the size of the hero. As you may have seen in the movie or its previews, since fights take place in ant-size measure, whole cities, or even the whole world, are not at risk of destruction, but the toys in a little girls room are. (It’s tough to choose whose minor role is better in the movie: TI’s, or Thomas the Tank Engine’s.) Beyond the unique action of the movie, there are themes of redemption/second chances as well as commitment and love from father to daughter. Like its protagonist, Ant-Man is fun, a tad unassuming, and just self-deprecating enough, but still manages to pack a big punch.

Second, hang on to your hats, your seats, your wallets, and maybe even the folks next to you, because Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation will knock your hat off, knock you out of your seat, steal your wallet, AND sit next to you on both sides without asking. It’s not the only reason to see the movie, but you may already know that Tom Cruise did his own stunts, which included hanging on the side of a giant, military-sized airplane as it took off. The incredible part is, even after hanging onto a real airplane, all of his other stunts are still so impressive. (He had to hold his breath underwater for six minutes.) Another thing you have to like about the J.J. Abrams phase of Mission: Impossible is the increased appearance of Simon Pegg. In fact, the supporting cast of Rogue Nation, especially relative-newcomer Rebecca Ferguson, is exceptional, and certainly one of the reasons the movie has been so well received. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is proof that “spy vs. spy vs. spy vs. spy agency vs. international governing bodies, etc.” is a movie concept that will likely never grow old, at least as long as compelling storylines and unbelievable stunts are the hallmark of such movies.

Be sure to take advantage of our FREE popcorn and inexpensive snacks and drinks. It’s yet another outstanding and action-packed Double Feature Movie Night, brought to you by your friends at Student Activities.

On Thursday, September 24, Student Activities will feature The Drop Box for our Documentary Film Night.

It is increasingly clear that the affirmation of human dignity, at all stages and “quality” of life, from advocates of all religious and political persuasions, is one of the most pressing needs of this age. Questions surrounding the fate of the unborn, the refugee, and the equal treatment of all ethnicities in the eyes of the law have dominated much of the national conversation in recent memory. For its part in this conversation, particularly as it relates to the lives of infants and young children, The Drop Box is an important documentary. It highlights the work of Pastor Jong-rak Lee and his wife at Jusarang Community Church in Seoul, South Korea as they take in abandoned children. The statistics given in the film are that approximately 204 infants were abandoned in the city of Seoul in 2013, and that the number of these children has doubled in the past 2 years. As a result, the work of Pastor Lee, his wife, and his church, is essential.

The issue of “quality of life” is evident from the earliest moments of this film, as a number of the children taken in by Pastor Lee have various physical and mental disabilities. Considering the abortion rate of babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome both nationally and globally, this aspect of the film is perhaps the source of its greatest glory. Jung Ja Yang, Director of Korea Family Legal Service Center, is quoted in the film saying, “Even the mothers or parents who are capable of raising babies, if the child is disabled, they abandon them.” As much as this film highlights the work of Pastor Lee and those affiliated with his church, the foundation of this ministry, and perhaps the “hero” of this story, is Pastor Lee’s son Eun-Man. Born with major physical disabilities, Eun-Man became the reason Pastor Lee began his work, giving him the experience and perspective to be able to take on the burden of caring for the disabled. (The section of the film featuring Eun-Man, from minute 50 of the film until approximately 59:22 is extraordinarily powerful and full of beauty. We encourage you to pay particular attention to it.)

The film deals with tensions between societal norms and pressures, especially those put on young mothers who get pregnant out of wedlock. It addresses the legal issues surrounding childbirth in South Korea, such as the Korean requirement for births to be registered by the mother in order to keep accurate records, as well as issues surrounding adoption. But most of all, it deals with the care of children who may otherwise be abandoned anywhere at any time. “Abandoned”, “unwanted”, “discarded”: these are terms used to describe children. The contrast of this is the constant image of workers caring physically for these children: holding hands, feeding, putting on clothes, bathing, hugging. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me”; Pastor Lee, his wife, and his workers are the hands of Jesus.

In describing his early life, Pastor Lee says, “I was brought up with love.” Appropriately, Jusarang, the name of his church, means “God’s Love”. The Drop Box is a film of life, presenting a vivid picture of what the tangible display of God’s love looks like in the world, giving grace to the broken and unlovely, and offering hope to all, even the abandoned and unwanted.