By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Mar 07, 2024 at 6:16 PM

A screening? What is it!? It's a event where they project a film on a big screen in front of a crowd of people – but that's not important right now. What is important is that the Oriental Theatre will host a special screening of the cinematic comedy icon "Airplane!" on Saturday, March 16 – complete with one of the film's writer-directors, David Zucker, in attendance. Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop watching movies. 

Originally scheduled as one of the theater's regular staff pick screenings, the 7 p.m. Saturday showing of the incredibly quotable disaster spoof has quickly expanded like Otto Pilot. In addition to showcasing the movie itself back on the big screen, the night will now feature a pre-movie Q&A session with Zucker. The writer-director will also sign copies of his new behind-the-scenes book, "Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!", for free for those in attendance who previously purchased it.

“I'm glad for the opportunity to reminisce about 'Airplane!' and my filmmaking roots in the city where it all started,” Zucker said, in a release.

Tickets for the "Airplane!" screening are available now at Milwaukee Film's website – so good luck. We're all counting on you. For more info, click here. And remember: The showing is March 16, so if you're choosing between steak or fish for dinner that night, have the lasagna.

The announcement wraps up an eventful and exciting week of announcements from Milwaukee Film, from announcing actor-writer-director Ethan Hawke in attendance for screenings of his new movie "Wildcat" to revealing the organization will reopen the Downer Theatre on the East Side. And there's still even more fun news to come with the Milwaukee Film Festival yelling "action!" once again in a little more than a month – so stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for more updates.

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.