Campus News

Math, Dragons and Aliens on the Bill at Cats Den

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 7, 2010) – The Late Night Film Series and International Film Series bring three quality films to campus this week. “Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi” will be screened at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9. DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon” follows at 10 p.m. On Friday, Sept. 10, there will be a free showing of the “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” at 10 p.m. All films will be screened in the Worsham Theater of the Student Center, hosted by the University of Kentucky Division of Student Affairs.

“Bonjour Monsieur Sholmi” is an Israeli film that tells a tale of family, love and woe. Even though he’s thought to not be “all there,” 16-year-old Shlomi manages to take care of everyone. He mediates his mother and father’s recent separation, bathes his grandfather who talks of nothing but invented WWII stories, ensures his older brother takes his medication and puts up with his older brothers pornographic anecdotes. This all changes when Shlomi goes through a math exam that snags the interest of both his math teacher and school principal. Will Shlomi realize his full potential? Will he find himself?

DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon” takes place in Berk. Berk is cold, has tough food, and nine months out of 12, it’s snowing. It only makes sense that Vikings would be the only people stubborn enough to stay. Their stubbornness is confirmed when they fight the dragons that are stealing their livestock instead of abandon the already geographically problematic Berk. Then there’s Hiccup, a scraggly Viking teen who won’t kill a dragon when the situation presents itself. Instead, he befriends it, and together, Hiccup and his dragon Toothless, help Vikings see Berk from a different perspective.

“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” centers on the British everyman, Arthur Dent, a man who finds that his house is to be demolished the same day the Earth is to be destroyed for an intergalactic highway. Luckily, Arthur saved the life of Ford Prefect a while back. Why is this lucky? Because, Ford is secretly an alien who is writing The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The two friends escape Earth just in time to hop a ride with the president of the universe, Zaphod Beeblebrox; earthling and former crush of Arthur’s, Tricia McMillan; and a depressed android, Marvin.

The Late Night Film Series and International Film Series screenings are free and open to UK faculty, staff and students.