Sagehens and the Silver Screen

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As we adjust to life during the pandemic, catching the latest summer blockbuster at the local movie theatre might require some adjustments. That doesn’t mean that movie night is canceled. Below is a just a small sample of Hollywood productions you can stream from the comfort of your home that have a ¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection.

Here are eight Hollywood films in no particular order that ¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û alumni and faculty have had a hand in, from writing, directing, producing or acting. This list just touches the tip of the iceberg of the College’s impact in Hollywood.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Available to rent or buy , , , and . Available on Hulu with Showtime add-on subscription.

Rated PG: One of the most popular romantic comedies of all time, Sleepless in Seattle stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as a widower and a reporter who fall in love.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Lynda Obst ’72 is an executive director and David Ward ’67 is a screenwriter.

Lady Bird (2017)

Available to rent or buy on , , and .

Rated R: A comedy that revolves around a high school student and her relationship with her mother.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Allison Jones ’77 is the casting director.

Stomp the Yard (2007)

Available to rent or buy on , , , and . Available on Hulu with Showtime add-on subscription.

Rated PG-13: At a historically Black university, DJ falls for a young woman on the first day of college who tutors him. DJ, a dancer, gets involved in a dance competition between two fraternities as a big secret from his past is revealed.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Directed by Sylvain White ’98.

The Martian (2015)

Available to rent or buy on , , , and . Available on Hulu with Live TV subscription.

Rated PG-13: In this science fiction film, Matt Damon stars as an astronaut stranded on Mars.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Aditya Sood ’97 is a producer.

Zoot Suit (1981)

Available to rent or buy on , , iTunes, and . Available on and Hulu with Starz add-on subscription.

Rated R: Set in a Los Angeles barrio in the early 1940s with the Zoot Suit Riots and World War II serving as the cultural backdrop, the film follows Henry Reyna and other young Chicano men accused of a murder they did not commit.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Rose Portillo ’75, ¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û lecturer in theatre and dance, plays the role of Della Barrios.

Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

Available to rent or buy on , , and .

Rated R: A private detective in 1950s New York sets out to uncover the mystery surrounding the murder of his only friend while uncovering a web of dark secrets.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: The film is based on the novel of the same name written by Jonathan Lethem, the ¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û Roy Edward Disney ’51 Professor of Creative Writing and Professor of English.

Interstellar (2014)

Available to rent or buy on , , , and . Available to stream on Hulu with Live TV subscription.

Rated PG-13: Matthew McConaughey stars in this science fiction film, leading a pioneering expedition into space.  

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Lynda Obst ’72 is a producer.

Chinatown (1974)

Available to rent or buy on , , and . Available on Hulu with Starz add-on subscription.

Rated R: Jack Nicholson stars as a private eye in 1930s Los Angeles who is investigating a murder case that becomes more tangled and complicated than he initially thought.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Robert Towne ’56 won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Chinatown.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017)

Available to rent or buy on , , , and . Available on with subscription.

Rated TV-MA: Based on a true story, this television movie stars Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks who is looking for answers about her mother Henrietta Lacks.

¼«ËÙÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û connection: Written and directed by George C. Wolfe ’76.