It's nice to be appreciated.
Especially in the form of cheap candy and movies.
The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center is doing just that for the Lincoln area college students.
Tonight is Student Appreciation Night at the Ross. The proverbial golden ticket is simply a student ID from any college, unlocking an paradise of the dollar bill: $1 movie tickets, $1 popcorn and $1 drinks.
The featured films are the shorts that were nominated for Academy Awards.
If the those selections don't catch students' fancies, they can opt for "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers," a full-length, independent drama directed by Wayne Wang.
Danny Lee Ladely, Ross director, said the theater tries to hold a student appreciation event once a month during the fall and spring semesters. The events are well-attended and attract students from various colleges in Lincoln.
"Our mission or goal is to present films that normally wouldn't be shown (in Lincoln). That's our goal all of the time," Ladely said.
This is especially true of the Oscar shorts.
Ladely said a lot of moviegoers wouldn't know where to begin finding a way to view the shorts. The Ross is bringing them all to one place, cutting out a lot of search on the Internet and in obscure movie stores.
"We have a very diverse program that has a lot to offer students," Ladely said. "We're one of the premiere art venues in this community."
It's a chance for students who want to see films besides the usual big-screen popcorn flicks. Gems from around the world are included.
There's also at least one guilty pleasure: "Presto," a short film directed by Doug Sweetland, is one of the more popular shorts to be shown tonight. It appeared before the Pixar full-length film "Wall-E."
"It's a good, cheap date," Ladely said with a chuckle.
Thursday night the Ross will host another college event, sponsored by the University Program Council.
It's the free movie night with an advance screening of "Adventureland," a comedy starring Saturday Night Live stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig.
Britt Carlson, vice president of UPC, said the free movie nights are very popular with UNL students, and a chance to do something easy on the wallet.
"I attended one last month, and it was completely sold out," Carlson said.
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