Each Tuesday, students gather in Room 110 to watch and discuss movies of all genres. Brought together by a shared interest, the room buzzes with chatter about the film they’ll view as students from all grade levels come together to decipher and critique different cinematic aspects. 

“We’re trying to include more well-known movies because last year what was happening was that we chose a lot of obscure movies that drove some people away,” senior film club president Brenda Sanchez said. “We’re reforming that to include more classic movies and expand our member base.” 

The club was started four years ago and currently has around 20 members. They meet every Tuesday after school, and although some things are changing, the purpose has remained.  

“It brings people who love movies together, but it sort of goes beyond that,” Sanchez said. “Every time we watch a movie, we try to analyze it as thoroughly as we can, and kind of like what you do with books where you find the purpose of certain things and the plot line, we do the same thing here. We analyze the directors’ choices, the plot, and bring everyone’s different opinions together.” 

Because the club is student-run, sponsor Shay Cowart doesn’t manage the films they watch, but she does sit in on meetings. 

“Film analysis allows for an analysis in general, and I want to make sure that I can foster and facilitate any kind of analysis that students choose to do with any sort of text,” Cowart said. “I think it gives an opportunity for students who aren’t typically into sports but do like to think and analyze and have small group discussions, just to give them a forum to do that.” 

The club watches movies of all genres and offers an opportunity for members to discuss their interest in film with others. 

“I think my favorite part is just being able to share my passion with other people, being able to talk and have discussion about that with my contemporaries,” junior vice president Lock Russell said. “We have a group of pretty like-minded individuals.” 

Students said that one of the reasons they enjoy being a part of film club was the friendships they were able to form by being members. 

“I love the club,” sophomore Thomas Porter said. “You walk in and see so many bright faces, so many people who love movies. I’m one of them.” 

The club has been trying to recruit new members and get their message out so that it will continue as a base for students sharing common interests.  

“I’ve been a member for two months,” Porter said. “We get in a group and just kind of talk about what we liked about it and all the cool shots in it that the directors do. The teamwork, we do little bonding activities that let you meet everyone and get to know all the other people.” 

The club brings together people who are from different grades that may otherwise not have an opportunity to meet. 

“I love films,” freshman Alexa Semmelman said. “I definitely love listening to the other members talk and express their own opinions on the movie. Everyone gets a chance to speak and give their voice on a film and it can be pretty interesting. The environment is very positive and always entertaining.” 

Film club enables people with different characteristics that share a love of films to meet despite the fact they all may have other interests that they may not necessarily share. 

“The thing that I really like about the club is that there’s really no specification of who would like it,” Sanchez said. “It’s a great place to meet people who like movies, but it’s also not a place where everyone has to be pretentious about which movies they’ve seen. It’s a diverse blend and the meetings are easygoing and a lot of fun.”