Movies 2017

Every time, it’s the same routine. I buy my ticket, get some popcorn and Cherry Coke and sit down in the theater early enough to watch every trailer. Sometimes I go with friends, but I don’t mind going alone. Often, I’ll have an unexpected window on a weekday night when it would be impossible to coordinate a plan with anyone else.
While adhering to this routine, I’ve seen practically every critically-acclaimed movie that came out this year.
It takes a lot of planning to make the time to see this many movies, especially considering many are only in theaters for a few weeks. For me, it all leads up to one night: the Academy Awards, the only television event I watch every year. Sitting in front of the TV with my predictions for every category, I am glad that I’ve seen everything.
I love predicting the winners, but nothing compares to seeing historic moments unfold live, like last year’s Best Picture announcement. Watching the award go to Moonlight after it had been mistakenly given to La La Land is a moment I would not have wanted to miss.
Moments like this tie us together in a collective experience—using movies as a medium to do so. Even if you don’t see as many movies as I do, you can still appreciate the tearful acceptance speeches, the topical jokes and the snubs everyone will be talking about the next day. So as Oscar season begins, this week’s Iris is celebrating movies—and the event that commemorates them. Turn to pages 2 and 3 to see more.