Now playing in select cities. Opens everywhere Friday." Everywhere but State College, it seems.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one planning my Friday around seeing Chicago when it "opened everywhere" Jan. 24 only to find State College wasn't included in this super-broad category.

And I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was just a bit embarrassed when Spike Lee, upon visiting Happy Valley Jan. 28
as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series, discovered our cinematic selection didn't include his most recent joint, 25th Hour.

"If you have to go to Altoona, Pennsylvania to see a film, where are you?" Lee said of our rather undistinguished film offering.

Ouch.

Less than a month before Oscar night, only two of the films nominated for best motion picture of the year are currently playing in the State College area.

Both critically acclaimed films, Chicago and The Hours, arrived fashionably late, making their State College debuts two full weeks after their national premier dates.

And this isn't a recent trend.

I remember watching the Oscars last year and hearing titles such as Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, Mulholland Drive and Iris for the first time just before winners made their acceptance speeches.

Instead, we get cinematic feats like Old School and Two Weeks Notice, which aren't exactly receiving Oscar nods.

I'm graduating in May, and one of the things I'm looking forward to the most is moving to a town that actually gets quality films. On time.

I realize that we, as students, are not the only residents of this middle-of-nowhere-Pennsyl-vania town, but we do account for more than 40,000 pairs of movie-watching eyes.

And let's face it, aside from drinking yourself into oblivion at a local bar or painting pottery at 2000 Degrees, what else is there to do on weekends around here?

The people deciding which films to bring to State College must figure they'll safely make their money back with movies aimed directly at the college-aged wallet.

And while everyone loves the occasional Shanghai Knights or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, we deserve a chance to explore the diverse world film is today.

We're in college. We're supposed to be opening our minds to a lot more than we've been given in all three of our local movie theaters.

And judging from the number of people I know who drove to Altoona to see Chicago the weekend it "opened everywhere," I'd say we're ready and willing.

What's the harm in giving a good movie a run when it's actually supposed to open? If it flops, close it.

I don't believe that would be the case. But in State College, it seems we may never know.