Crossings. This experimental screening at the Loft Cinema celebrates multiple film techniques, including the mise-en-scène, the long shot, performance and collage. Crossings, showing for one night only, is presented by eight students from the University of Arizona's School of Art. This compilation is as diverse as the students who created it, and examines "each artist's visual vocabulary within a conceptual framework of their own choosing." Recommended for those interested in the diverse power of the moving image. The artists are Uthai Andres Espinoza, Matt Galvan, Maxwell Lukas Mijnlieff Gay, Rebecca Meyerson, Akasia Oberly, Bridget Plante, Haozheng (David) Wang and Kevin Zuniga. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Free.
The Muppet Christmas Carol. Muppets were merry to begin with, so combining them with Dickens' classic only sweetened the deal. This free screening, presented by the Children's Museum Tucson, will be held outdoors in the December air. We all know the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, but when it's combined with world of Jim Henson, it gains a new (not to mention colorful) life. However, one of the best aspects of the film doesn't have to do with Muppets at all: Academy Award-winner Michael Caine's fantastically dour performance. 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. 200 S. Sixth Ave. Free. Please bring your own seating and dress warmly.
Evils of the Night. For their Mondo Mondays series, the Loft Cinema is screening this obscure, gratuitous '80s sex-sci-fi about alien vampires in search of youthful blood! From the filmmakers of Eaten Alive—oh you haven't heard of that silly/gory mess either? Regardless, Evils of the Night is a whole lot of sleaziness and entertainment mixed together and described as "Insanely stupid but never dull." 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $4.
What's Up, Docs? It seems the University of Arizona is taking over the Loft this week, as they screen eight new short documentaries from the UA School of Theatre, Film & Television. The documentaries range from a profile of a Tucson police officer to a circus performer to a high school teacher turned doo-wop singer. This community rental of the Loft also features a Q&A with the filmmakers after the documentary showcase. 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $5.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. The third film in the "National Lampoon" series about the Griswold family, Christmas Vacation has enough culturally lasting scenes to allow it stand up to many films in the Christmas canon: draining an RV's septic tank into the street, putting up so many holiday light you short-circuit the entire neighborhood, that bug-eyed Chevy Chase stare. Christmas Vacation has just about everything you could want, even Julia Louis-Dreyfus as an uptight neighbor. As part of their Tuesday Night Classics series, Harkins Theatres invites you to spend your holiday with the Griswolds. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17. 5755 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive & 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz. $5.
The Star Wars Holiday Special. The Loft Cinema is allowing you to see the very-very-special Star Wars Holiday Special for free! (Probably because they couldn't allow themselves to charge you to see it.) This odd holiday tradition shows the 1978 TV special that George Lucas has vowed to smash with a hammer should he ever stumble across a copy. In this rough relic from the past, the heroes from A New Hope gather to celebrate "Life Day," their version of the holidays. Featuring the entire Chewbacca family, Life Day even got a fleeting reference in the new Mandalorian TV show. Time to get spacy and weird! 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Free.
