Saturday Matinee Films in Two Parts: (1) Artificial Intelligence in Film and (2) Stylish Films 

Dan and Paul have teamed up to offer a two-part program of films for the Saturday Matinee crowd. A list of and detailed information about the films will be sent out before the first class. We will typically finish by about 12:00 noon, unless a film is unusually long.
Part 1: Artificial Intelligence in Film - ChatGPT, an AI system capable of conversing, writing, and understanding English, brilliantly revised my initial draft course description (quoted below). 
"The first half of the 2025 Spring Term will explore the theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the lens of cinema. AI is one of the most transformative and discussed topics of our time. Companies like Nvidia, a leading silicon chip maker, are at the forefront of this revolution. Their cutting-edge chips, capable of performing the tasks of over 1,000 general-purpose computers on a single chip, are driving advancements in AI that were once the realm of science fiction.”
Let’s see what we can learn to prepare ourselves for this amazing technology revolution. Our AI films include: “Her” (2013), “A.I. Artificial Intelligence” (2001) directed by Steven Spielberg, and “Forbidden Planet” (1956).
Part (2) Stylish Films - The second half of the Term focuses on “Stylish Films” which are notable due to their combination of unusual visuals, sounds, and spoken language that help create an enjoyable and memorable film. Visuals play a key role, as in The Wizard of Oz when color is dramatically introduced, or in films that use light, shadows, unusual camera angles, and distorted perspectives to evoke anxiety. Sound is equally impactful, like the shark music in Jaws or Darth Vader's breathing in Star Wars. Spoken words, such as "Rosebud" and "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore", also contribute to making a stylish film.
Our stylish films include: “A Matter of Life and Death” also known as “Stairway to Heaven” (1946), “Diva” (1981), and “In the Mood for Love” (2000), and collectively have elements of fantasy, romance, crime, music, and other themes.