Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg's Sc-Fi: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
2026-05-31 11:00, 2026-06-20 19:00, 2026-06-21 14:00 (America/New_York) | Jacob Burns Film Center
Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg’s Sc-Fi: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
With revolutionary special visual effects by Douglas Trumbull (2001: A Space Odyssey), John Williams’ unforgettable score, and memorable performances by Dreyfuss, Garr, Dillon, Bob Balaban, and legendary film director Truffaut (The 400 Blows), Spielberg’s Close Encounters (first bite at the extraterrestrial world before E.T.) quickly established itself as one of the most popular films of all-time upon its release in late 1977.
Jacob Burns Film Center

Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg's Sc-Fi: War of the Worlds
2026-05-31 14:00 | Jacob Burns Film Center
Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg’s Sc-Fi: War of the Worlds
A contemporary retelling of H.G. Wells’ seminal classic starring Tom Cruise in his second collaboration with Steven Spielberg, this reimagining of War of the Worlds is a dramatic science fiction thriller that reveals the extraordinary battle for the future of humankind through the eyes of one American family fighting to survive a catastrophic alien attack on Earth.
Jacob Burns Film Center

Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg's Sci-Fi: Ready Player One
2026-06-06 19:00 | Jacob Burns Film Center
Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg’s Sci-Fi: Ready Player One
Set in 2045, the world is a harsh place, and the only time Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) feels alive is when he escapes to the OASIS, an immersive virtual universe. The OASIS was created by James Halliday (Mark Rylance), who left his immense fortune and total control of the OASIS to the winner of a contest he designed to find a worthy heir. When Wade conquers the first challenge of the reality-bending treasure hunt, he is hurled into a fantastical universe of discovery and danger to save the OASIS.
Jacob Burns Film Center

Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg's Sc-Fi: A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2026-06-07 11:00 | Jacob Burns Film Center
Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg’s Sc-Fi: A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Originally developed by Stanley Kubrick before Steven Spielberg took over as director following Kubrick’s passing, A.I. Artificial Intelligence is the story of David (Haley Joel Osment), the first mecha (a futuristic term for a mechanized human being) designed with the ability to love.
Jacob Burns Film Center

Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg's Sci-Fi: Ready Player One
2026-06-07 14:00

Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg's Sci-Fi: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
2026-06-14 11:00 | Jacob Burns Film Center
Jacob Burns Film Center: Spielberg’s Sci-Fi: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning four (including one for John Williams’ unforgettable score) E.T. the Extraterrestrial is Steven Spielberg’s most beloved film that follows the relationship between a young boy in a suburban California town and an extra-terrestrial who he helps return to his home planet.
Jacob Burns Film Center
