After wasting an estimated $9,000 last semester on films that were never shown, University Union members now say UU Cinemas is back on track.

UU Cinemas has an entire semester’s worth of movies planned out and plans on electing a new director for next semester later this week, said UU president Dennis Jacobs.

‘We haven’t missed a beat since the end of last semester,’ Jacobs said.

Clarence Cross III, the current UU Cinemas director who took over the organization last semester, said this semester has gone well so far, and he plans to continue collaborating with other organizations such as HillTV to bring new events to campus.

‘My whole slogan for this semester is ‘UU Cinemas is back,” Cross said.

Jacobs said UU Cinemas has plenty funding for this semester. After requesting about $15,000 for this semester, the group ultimately ended up with an allocation of $10,000 after its initial request was sent back to the Finance Board by the Student Association assembly.

In addition to the $10,000 allocated to it, UU Cinemas has another $10,000 left over from last semester, leaving it with extra money.

‘Funding worked out fine; it became a matter of crunching numbers tightly,’ Cross said.

Cross said he wants to use this extra money to give out free popcorn and Pepsi during the last two movies of the semester.

This semester, UU Cinemas has shown such movies as ‘The Incredibles’ and ‘Ray,’ and after Spring Break will add such Academy Award nominated movies as ‘Sideways,’ ‘The Aviator’ and ‘Hotel Rwanda.’

Jacobs said UU Cinemas’ movies have had great turnouts, with about 275 people showing up to ‘Ray’ and over 300 to ‘The Incredibles.’

”Ray’ did amazing considering it was shown the same night as a men’s basketball game,’ Jacobs said.

In order to inform more students about UU Cinemas movies, Jacobs said schedules will be posted up in the Shine Student Center and all residence halls.

On Friday, UU accepted the last of the applications for new UU Cinemas director. Jacobs said the five applicants will interview with UU’s Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will then narrow down the applicants to two and from those two candidates. One will be hired as the new UU Cinemas director this Sunday.

Cross said when the new director is hired; he or she will learn the ropes by shadowing him throughout the rest of the semester.

Despite the problems with UU Cinemas last semester, both Jacobs and Cross seemed optimistic about the group’s future.

‘We had a bad semester, but we’ve completely rebounded,’ Jacobs said.

Published on February 28, 2005 at 12:00 pm