PROJECTIONS: AIEEE! ROBOTS! Comes to the Coolidge in 2024

The Coolidge Corner Theatre has announced the 2024 edition of its sci-fi signature series Projections, which features seminal classics and cult favorites from the world of science fiction, with this year's theme being: Robots! Artificial intelligence is no longer the high-concept villain of some far-off future, but a major player in modern daily life and discourse. This January, we're taking a look at how Hollywood has shaped our perceptions and expectations of A.I. As the films in this series guide you through a thematic exploration of morality and consciousness, with most serving as cautionary tales for the potential perils of unchecked A.I. development, ask yourself: Can A.I. ever truly be trusted? Can it be effectively controlled to help us live more harmoniously? Or will the robots win…?

The series kicks off on Tuesday, January 2 with a 35mm screening of James Cameron's classic time-travel story of humans vs. machines, The Terminator. Subsequent screenings include a film that questions if robots can love in Steven Spielberg's  A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (Tues, Jan 9); an all-day 35mm marathon of the ground-breaking sci-fi epic The Matrix Trilogy (Sun, Jan 21); and Michael Crichton's first foray into a theme park gone wrong, Westworld (Tues, Jan 30). Spike Jones' Her (Wed, Jan 10), starring Joaquin Phoenix, will receive the Science on Screen treatment and a Coolidge Education seminar will be offered for the 2022 instant cult classic M3GAN (Wed, Jan 17). The series comes to a conclusion with the most influential automaton of all, as we screen the complete Metropolis with a live score performed by the Anvil Orchestra (Jan 23). The month also features a Coolidge Education Film Class: Invasion! Science Fiction of the 1950s, with Professor Nathan Blake, Tuesdays, from January 9 - February 6 at 10am. 

“I thought it would be interesting to hear from the subject of our film series for this announcement." commented Program Director Mark Anastasio. “So, I asked OpenAI's ChatGPT 3.5 for its thoughts on the program.”

"In exploring the intersection of humanity and artificial intelligence, this film series delves into the nuanced landscape of our collective imagination, provoking reflection on the potential futures we envision. From the shadows of fear in The Terminator to the echoes of desire in Her, each film invites us to contemplate not just the evolution of technology, but the evolution of our own fears, hopes, and the complex dance between creator and creation. It is a cinematic journey that mirrors our ongoing dialogue with the machines we create, questioning the very essence of what it means to be human in a world where the line between creator and creation blurs,” remarked ChatGPT. 

The Coolidge's screens are accessible by elevators. All are also equipped with a variety of options for patrons that are hard of hearing, deaf, blind, and/or visually impaired. For questions about accessibility or to request any special accommodations, please email info@coolidge.org.

All screenings take place at 7pm unless otherwise indicated; for tickets and showtimes, please visit coolidge.org. The Coolidge Corner Theatre is located at 290 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are $16.25 general admission and $13.25 for Coolidge members.

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