Cinematic Society, sometimes referred to as “Movie Club,” has been a staple of Wantagh’s artistic culture for 10 years and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Supervised by Mr. Hunter, Cinematic Society has been established as a welcoming place for any and all new and returning members who want to partake in the exploration of film. Meeting weekly to watch films in installments of 30 to 40 minutes, Cinematic turns room 117 into an open space for everybody’s opinions and interpretations every Wednesday afternoon. “About 10 years ago,” Mr. Hunter says, “We had an influx of kids in the art department who were interested in movies and we felt a need to create something for those kids who loved film.”
For many, the appeal of Cinematic Society is not just the films the club views, but also the way Mr. Hunter and the Cinematic board run the club. The board members, who are elected by other members of the club, make it a priority to ensure a safe, positive environment for all of their members with the help of Mr. Hunter. The main goals of Cinematic Society are to expose students to a culture of film that they may never otherwise experience and to do so in an accepting manner. Mr. Hunter has high hopes for current and graduated members saying “I hope they come away with a passion for analyzing and watching films. I hope that they appreciate good movies that might not be constant action. With the whole phone thing, everyone’s doing TikToks that are 13 seconds long. I hope they can sit through a movie and appreciate it for the storytelling.”
So far in the 2023-24 school year, Cinematic Society has viewed six films with more to come through June. One of Mr. Hunter’s favorite films to watch with the Cinematic members is Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. “One of those that resonates with everyone and everyone seems to enjoy is The Shining. We like picking it apart and there’s so many ways to look at that film, it’s one that everyone seems to gravitate towards and we get a lot of good conversations about that film.” His personal favorite movies include, in no particular order, Stand By Me, Memento, The Prestige, Pulp Fiction, and The Thing.
Current and future watches are displayed on the bulletin board next to the ramp leading to rooms 117-121 and permission slips are available in Mr. Hunter’s room as the club does watch films containing mature adult content. Mr. Hunter said his favorite thing about running Cinematic Society is “Just seeing kids continually come back and have a love for film, but also it’s not just about film, it’s about us hanging out and creating a small bonding culture of kids” In Cinematic Society, everyone is always welcome, but remember, as Mr. Hunter puts it, “we don’t watch movies, we watch films.”