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Luna Theater movies for UMass Lowell students

Luna Theater, located in Mill No. 5, where the philosophy film series will be shown. (Courtesy of the Luna Theater)

Marilyn Saha
Connector Staff

Having a boring Monday night? Need a break from studying? Or even just something to do? Never fear, the UMass Lowell Philosophy Department has come to the rescue.

On the last Monday of every month, the UMass Lowell Philosophy Department will be hosting a film series at Luna Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Some of these films are classics, while others should definitely be on people’s watch list. The films are as follows:
1. “The Matrix” with Jose Mendoza who will present the issue of External World Skepticism (Jan. 30)

2. “Don Jon” with Carol Hay who will present Ethical Issues on Pornography (Feb. 27)

3. “Pulp Fiction” with Christa Hodapp who will present on Masculinity and Race (March 27)

4. “Being John Malkovich” as Luis Oliveria will present on the Philosophy of Mind (April 24)

For those who are a little unfamiliar with these movies, here is a short, quick synopsis of what to expect.

“The Matrix” circles around a man named Thomas A. Anderson. He is an average computer programmer by day, but a hacker named Neo by night. Neo has always questioned his sense of reality but the truth is far too complex to understand. Neo finds himself targeted by the police when he is contacted by Morpheus, a distinguished computer hacker, who awakens him into the “real world.”

The real world consists of machines that have captured humans, and use human body heat and electrochemical energy to survive. These machines have imprisoned the human mind with an artificial reality known as “The Matrix.” It is up to Neo to confront the agents (super computers) and save the entire human race.

“Don Jon” stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jon Martello, a bartender from New Jersey. Jon knows what is important to him. Friends, family, car, church, sex—and porn. Jon is a porn addict and a ladies’ man. He is known for pulling “10s” every weekend, yet not even these flings result in the type of bliss that he feels when he is at home, alone, watching porn. Dissatisfied, Jon begins his journey in achieving an optimal sex life while learning some life lessons along the way.

“Pulp Fiction” surrounds Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega, who are two hit men out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a couple of days later when Wallace will be out of town. Butch Coolidge is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his fight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are intertwined together resulting in a series of hilarious and bizarre incidents.

In “Being John Malkovich,” Craig Schwartz does not seem to have much luck as a street entertainer. He eventually gets a job as a file clerk for a company located in an office tower on Floor 7 1/2, where the ceilings are only 5 1/2 feet high. No one questions this arrangement and Craig gets on with his work. Things change quickly when Craig moves a filing cabinet, exposing a tunnel that leads him to see through the eyes of actor John Malkovich. For Craig, it represents both risks and opportunities.

If any of these movies sound interesting, get over to the Luna Theatre located downtown in Mill No.5, just a short walk from the ICC. Best of all, admission is free.

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