For the last few years, going to see a movie on campus meant squeezing into a classroom in the Center for the Arts and occupying the same uncomfortable chairs students sat in all day during classes.
Now it means taking a walk over to the new SUB, grabbing some dinner and heading downstairs to the new theater where the Southwest Film Center is armed with comfy seats, state of the art sound and cheap, but good films.
"We're trying to show films people have heard about to get people into the theater and to recognize the new theater," said Tom Andrews, director of the Southwest Film Center. Beyond films that students recognize, Andrews and his assistant David Herman are searching for independent, experimental and artistic films.
"What we want to do is show people how potent the art of filmmaking is," Herman said. "We have to include everyone, bringing in art and mainstream films."
This new philosophy came with the recent change in management. Each year ASUNM chooses a new director for the theater to decide which direction it will go.
"There has been speculation that this is going to be a second-run theater," Andrews said. "That's not going to happen."
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The process of getting films to the center is a long one. First, Andrews and Herman have to find a film's distributor and make sure it's available for screening. After that it's a matter of numbers.
Each year the center has to make enough money to fund its films for the next year. Each film can run from $400 and up - "The Matrix Reloaded," which was shown last week, cost the center $1,000.
"We sit together and say, what do we want to watch? What is good? What is important? What movie have we gotten a lot out of?" Herman said of the film selection process.
Andrews hopes to find student-made films to incorporate before the feature film showings and local bands to play on the new speakers before each show starts. He said the speakers in the theater rival those of bigger theaters in town.
"It's pretty awesome," Andrews said of the state of the art Dolby Digital sound system.
The theater, which holds 190 people, was close to packed this weekend. For the free Friday showing of "The Matrix Reloaded" 120 people came out. This Saturday, "Chicago" is showing at 7 p.m. free of charge, but after that prices go up to $3 for students and $5 for general admission.
Films for this month include "Rushmore," "In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01," "Frida" and "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" among many others.
"It's a good way for people to diffuse from school and outside life for a reasonable price," Herman said.
Discount cards can also be purchased, $12 for five student admissions and $20 for 5 general admission passes. Fall 2003 schedules can be picked up at the Southwest Film Center. Call or e-mail the center at 277-5608 and swfcunm@hotmail.com.
