Charlottesville’s annual Virginia Film Festival opens today, and will run through the weekend. With the usual packed schedule and the timing with leaf season (ie, tourists in town for the weekend), this is likely to be the sell-out success that it has been for the past decade. This year’s theme is Masquerades, and consequently includes films like Phantom of the Opera, Some Like it Hot, Tootsie, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Is it just me or does the Film Festival which I used to Love, just seem to suck now. No big stars, it’s just like a weekend in the classics section of blockbuster. I look over the schedule and other than one maybe two movies the rest seems like a waste of what use to be oodles of fun.
Could it be made better or is it just time to die?
I think it’s just you, because I’m not quite sure how you can say that it’s not as good as it used to be. The year before last, I saw “Dr. Strangelove”, “Metropolis”, “Tron”, “Terminator 2”, and “Aliens” all in one sitting, and Sigourney Weaver spoke. Last year, there was “Titus”, “Planet of the Apes”, “Silence of the Lambs”, “The Birds”, and “Harvey” with Anthony Hopkins speaking. This year we’ve got “Phantom of the Opera”, “Tootsie”, “Remember the Titans”, “Show Boat”, and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” with Paul Robeson, Jr. and Sydney Pollock speaking. I don’t see how the past three film festivals were anything but awesome, with great films and excellent, well-known speakers. The past three years’ film roster is just as impressive as it was in the early ’90s, perhaps even better. Or is it just me?
Although I’ll miss Roger Ebert and his wonderful shot-by-shot film analysis this year, the Film Festival is just one of so many reasons that I’m grateful to live here and be a part of it all.
Sidney Pollack? Gena Rowlands? Silent films with live musical accompaniment at Culbreath? And, it’s all right here, in Charlottesville.
A big thank-you to everyone who makes it happen: staff, contributors, volunteers, film-makers, actors…
Harry Landers