CBAA takes to the big screen

MOSES LAKE — Columbia Basin Allied Arts is branching out into the movies. 

“(It’s) part of our Civic Series vision,” said CBAA Executive Director Shawn Cardwell, “which is serving new audiences in non-traditional venues focused on collaboration.” 

CBAA worked in conjunction with the Moses Lake Creative District to put the series together, Cardwell said. The series consists of five screenings at the Moses Lake Civic Center auditorium. 

The series begins Aug. 23 with “Twilight,” the 2008 movie adaptation of the popular young adult book that put the Olympic Peninsula of Washington on the radar of millions of readers. 

“High school student Bella Swan, always a bit of a misfit, doesn’t expect life to change much when she moves from sunny Arizona to rainy Washington state,” CBAA wrote on its website. “Then she meets Edward Cullen, a handsome but mysterious teen whose eyes seem to peer directly into her soul. Edward is a vampire whose family does not drink blood, and Bella — far from being frightened — enters into a dangerous romance with her immortal soulmate.” 

The novel was first published 20 years ago next month, which Cardwell said was a factor in selecting it. Viewers can choose to be “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob,” depending on whether they favor the young vampire or his werewolf rival.  

“It's exciting to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the first Twilight book by watching the movie together,” Cardwell said. 

Oct. 3 will be the second installment in the series, a screening of the 1960 horror-comedy cult film “The Little Shop of Horrors.” Produced in 1960 by B-movie king Roger Corman, the film tells the story of a young man who discovers a house plant with a taste for human blood. The movie inspired the stage musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” which the Masquers Theater will present later that month. CBAA hopes to build enthusiasm for the Masquers production with the film, Cardwell said.  

“We’re trying to be collaborative with them and say ‘Hey, if you like this film, go to the (Masquers) Theater for it,’” she said. “Things don’t have to be competitive; they can be cooperative, and that’s what we’re hoping for … If you love house plants, if you love musicals, it’s a sort of one-two punch.” 

“And the Basin loves Halloween, let’s be honest,” she added. 

The December selection will be “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.” The ruler of Mars is disappointed with how the children of his planet just sit around and watch Earthling TV shows, so he kidnaps St. Nick to bring them some holiday joy. The film, renowned for its cheesy plot and low-budget production values, has become a cult classic. 

“It’s a fun, quirky thing for families to do together,” Cardwell said. “We’re hoping that it’s so silly that people enjoy it.” 

A local Santa Claus is expected to put in an appearance, she said, and hot cocoa will be part of the concessions. 

In February, the series will take a different turn, with the Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour. That’s a combination of seven short films, none more than 19 minutes in length, made by up-and-coming independent filmmakers for the Sundance Film Festival. Four of the films are American-made; there are also offerings from Mexico, Cambodia and the Czech Republic.  

Unlike the previous films, these are decidedly not for the whole family, Cardwell warned. Some of the shorts contain themes of sex, sexuality, gender and violence. 

The series closes out with “American Me,” a raw, emotional film about the Los Angeles gang culture. 

“We asked some of our board members with Hispanic heritage to reach out to their community (asking) what was like a defining film for you growing up as a Hispanic American,” Cardwell said. “A couple of them said ‘American Me,’ and it was so different from our other films that we decided to show that one.” 

“American Me” is also meant for the grownups, Cardwell added. 

All the movies will be shown with a 10-minute intermission, and locally-sourced concessions will be available. 

“We have Moses Lake-brewed beer,” Cardwell said, “We have Quincy-based wine and popcorn grown in Quincy. We have sour candies from Mattawa and cookies from Othello. Even with our concessions, we’re trying to show people that we’re a regional organization serving and supporting people, businesses and communities all over the Basin.” 

These days, it’s rare to see classic movies in a theater environment, Cardwell said. 

“It's sort of an immersive experience, because, honestly, people can stream these films at home for free,” she said. “It's not the film that is the focus. The focus is getting out of the house together, whether that's with your date or your family or your friends. It has a different feel when other people are there.” 

CBAA Film Series 

Doors open for all showings at 6 p.m., and films start at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets are $12 and available at www.cba-arts.org. 

Aug. 22 

‘Twilight’ 

Rated PG-13 

Oct. 3 

‘The Little Shop of Horrors’ 

Not rated 

Dec. 12 

‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’ 

Not rated, suitable for children 

Feb. 6 

Sundance Festival Film Shorts Tour 

Not rated, suitable for mature audiences only 

June 5 

‘American Me’ 

Rated R 

    Christmas, aliens and cheesy silliness will blend together in the Dec. 12 showing of “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” the third in Columbia Basin Allied Arts’ film series.