Month: December 2007

Categories
News

Tim Kaine for (UVA) president [December 31]


Since he can’t run for Governor in 2009, why not wait for higher ed presidencies to open up at VCU and UVA?

With the ball set to drop on 2007, the Richmond Times-Dispatch is busy speculating on what Tim Kaine will be up to after the ball drops on his term as governor. Columnist Jeff Schapiro thinks Kaine might climb the Ivory tower, perhaps at Virginia Commonwealth University, whose current president, Gene Trani, is set to retire in 2010—or perhaps at UVA, where President John Casteen is expected to step down after the $3 billion capital campaign comes to a close in 2011. "Kaine’s breathy youthfulness—it endures even as he enters his 50s—could make him an ideal advocate for a university’s principal constituency: youth," writes Schapiro. "This adds to a visibility Trani and Casteen can’t match because their focus is on construction and capital." But before Wahoos get too excited (or disappointed) at the prospect of Kaine at Carr’s Hill, Schapiro footnotes that "Richmond seems a better fit for Kaine than Charlottesville, if only because the Holy City is his hometown and urban life reflects his taste for the eclectic."

Previous "This Just In" articles from this week:

Local bloggers remember Bhutto [December 28]
Assassination of former Pakastani Prime Minister hits home

On the first day after Christmas [Updated December 28]
Tragic murder/suicide attempt at the Westhaven housing complex

UVA still a long shot, and getting longer [December 26]
Getting in gets harder for out-of-state applicants

Jones beats Maryland [December 25]
Former UVA coach gets praise in Washington Post column

I’m wassailing away! [December 24]
Reporter searches for the history of the holiday drink along the Monticello Wine Trail

Categories
News

Local bloggers remember Bhutto [December 28]

The assassination of former Pakastani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has evoked strong reactions across the world, including on a couple of local websites. Charlottesville-based political blogger Rick Sincere recalls meeting Bhutto in a Fairfax townhouse and calls her “one of the most authentic political leaders I have ever met.”

The Charlottesville Podcasting Network responded to Bhutto’s death with a recording of her 2002 speech at Roanoke College, a year after September 11. “The world is a very different place than what we had dreamed of when the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended,” Bhutto said at the beginning of her speech. “The era of peace for which we prayed became a time of war.” She then discussed the difficult times that Pakistan and the Middle East faced and emphasized that the 2001 terrorist attacks did not represent the majority of the Muslim world.

Previous "This Just In" articles from this week:

On the first day after Christmas [Updated December 28]
Tragic murder/suicide attempt at the Westhaven housing complex

UVA still a long shot, and getting longer [December 26]
Getting in gets harder for out-of-state applicants

Jones beats Maryland [December 25]
Former UVA coach gets praise in Washington Post column

I’m wassailing away! [December 24]
Reporter searches for the history of the holiday drink along the Monticello Wine Trail

Categories
News

On the first day after Christmas [Updated December 28]

Update: The Daily Progress reported on December 28 that, contrary to initial reports from city officials, Powell is still alive at the UVA Hospital, though he is considered clinically brain dead.

Details are emerging about a murder/suicide at the Westhaven housing complex last night. According to The Daily Progress, a 19-year-old man who shared an apartment at the complex in the 800 block of Hardy Drive with a 20- or 21-year-old woman whom he was dating, shot the woman in the apartment at approximately 7:50pm, then headed to the parking lot behind the complex, where, according to an eyewitness, he shot himself in the head. The Progress quotes the eyewitness, a neighbor who knew both individuals, as saying, "I can’t believe this happened the day after Christmas."

Previous "This Just In" articles from this week:

UVA still a long shot, and getting longer [December 26]
Getting in gets harder for out-of-state applicants

Jones beats Maryland [December 25]
Former UVA coach gets praise in Washington Post column

I’m wassailing away! [December 24]
Reporter searches for the history of the holiday drink along the Monticello Wine Trail

Categories
News

UVA still a long shot, and getting longer [December 26]

Even though UVA recently went out touring with Harvard and Princeton in an effort to open its doors to more low-income high school students, a story in today’s Norfolk Examiner says UVA is becoming more and more of a long shot for out-of-state, public-school applicants.


Out-of-state applicants are finding it more difficult to become Wahoos.

"The University of Virginia, a school considered notoriously difficult to get into from out of state, is among those schools becoming more and more unreachable," writes Courtney Mabeus in the Examiner story. "In 2006, the school offered 107 students out of 319 public school applicants a spot in that year’s freshman class."

Of those 107 students, 33 enrolled. This year, 378 public schoolers applied to UVA, and 105 were accepted. Thirty-one enrolled, down two from last year.

Previous "This Just In" articles from this week:

Jones beats Maryland [December 25]
Former UVA coach gets praise in Washington Post column

I’m wassailing away! [December 24]
Reporter searches for the history of the holiday drink along the Monticello Wine Trail

Categories
Arts

Britta’s bees [with video]

Britta-Lena Lasko had just wrapped her master’s thesis for the Brooks Institute of Photography—a documentary project following women in Maine’s fishing industry that cast her into the ocean on clam diggers and sea urchin diving boats—and was sharing the results in an exhibit in Maine when she began speaking with a museum curator about bees. Interested, as many local foodies are, in where her honey was coming from, Lasko decided to take on a new project.


You may feel a slight stinging sensation: Britta-Lena Lasko confronts bees and their keepers (some protected, some not) in a buzz-worthy exhibit of photographs at C&O Gallery that opens with a reception and honey tasting on January 3.

Two-and-a-half years ago, Lasko took her family to what she calls a "bee tasting" sponsored by the Central Virginia Beekeepers Association. From that day on she started networking with people she met in the club, asking them—in the photographer’s words—if she could "meet them at their houses and see their hives," work that she scheduled around her job at UVA’s development office and a gig teaching cello lessons.

Lasko saw more than hives. She saw beekeepers from across Virginia whose hives suffered from colony collapse disorder and more who combatted mite problems by coating bees with sugar so that the tiny pests would slip off their buzzers’ backs. She met a family of four that visited local schools to advocate for bee respect. She met one man who wore his Ringling Bros. Clown College suit as a beekeeper suit, met another that wore no protection whatsoever and bought a suit of her own.

Now, Lasko’s sweet harvest—a collection of black and white photographs of local beekeepers—is ready for consumption. On January 3, "Bees & Brooms" will open at the C&O Gallery with a reception and an artisanal honey tasting, courtesy of a few of Lasko’s beekeeper friends.

Video of Britta-Lene Lasko talking about her brooms.

While Lasko’s bee efforts are confined to photos ("I don’t have bees, because I’m a renter," says Lasko), the evidence of her broom work is all over her home. Curtain Calls has less than a minute to process the long and winding bodies and thickly bundled corn tops of Lasko’s work before Enzo, her tirelessly playful dog, launches himself at Curt’s lap, then runs off to settle down by a pile of long, gnarled wood—handles for brooms yet to be made.

Lasko bought a few of her mother’s brooms (she stresses the artisanal nature of these objects; Curt decides not to use one to shoo Enzo off his leg) and spent time with broom maker Marlow Gates at his Leicester, North Carolina, studio, learning to strip bark, sand wood and weave handles together into what is called a "marriage broom."

Speaking of marriage, Enzo is really attached to CC’s leg, so Lasko takes him to eat dinner while Curt tries to count the brooms in her home. He gets to 18 in three rooms, but there are so many that his eyes begin to confuse them for curtain rods and picture frames. He tries to start over: one broom, two broom, big broom…

Capo-what-a?

Curt recently received an e-mail from a local resident named Kai Safran about Ourspace, a community center that Safran hopes to implement in a space on 414 East Main St., beneath the Tea Bazaar. Spread thinner than Kate Moss due to holiday deadlines but desperate to hear Safran’s plans, CC set up a very short meeting with Safran and a few of his Ourspace associates.

The meeting that followed was akin to The Usual Suspects: Safran’s multitalented crew (including 27-year-old Cara Legal, who teaches capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian fusion of martial arts, dance and sport) meets CC promptly and, in a move that surprised Curt, the members begin introducing themselves to one another. Turns out that many of the people involved had not formally met. Yikes.

Safran arrives late and the meeting quickly turns into a cat-herding session. At one point, Curt loses the role of interviewer entirely, as one of the Ourspacers steps in to ask Safran where he sees the venue a year from now. Out of time, Curt leaves the group of young artists chatting, with more than a bit of concern for the group. (The concern may be unfounded, however: A second e-mail from Safran explained that the group earned a total of $500 from 150 people in a fundraising party held on Friday, December 14. Fear not, dear readers, Curt will keep on the trail.)

Later, CC receives an e-mail from Cara Legal, the capoeira instructor. It could be the exotic pull of the word "capoeira" or Legal’s patient focus during the meeting, but Curt decides to meet with him to talk about his craft.

Legal developed an interest in capoeira at a young age from films like Only the Strong and was hooked; he purchased a berimbau (a traditional string instrument) and travelled to Richmond a few years ago for a capoeira event, where he met Mestre Panão, founder of a performance troupe called Grupo Resistência (www.capoeirava.com).

Now in his fourth year of training with Panão, Cara Legal (his capoeira name, which loosely translates to "cool guy") works with a total of roughly 30 students at Studio 206 and at UVA, and hopes to help Panão establish a following in Charlottesville.

Legal explains the rhythmic demands of capoeira to CC, stressing that the berimbau’s tune "determines whether we play, fight, dance, use more treachery…whether new friends are approaching, danger is approaching." Curt considers the frantic Ourspace meeting and thinks that Legal just might be the person to get the group up and running.

To inquire about Ourspace, e-mail Kai Safran at kaisafran@gmail.com. To become a capoeirista, e-mail cara.legal.resistencia@hotmail.com.

Sam Rockwell loves ATO Pictures

Well, that was the impression CC got when he caught up with Temple Fennell, who helps develop films at the cinematic branch of the media production company launched by Coran Capshaw and a few other familiar names (including Dave "Davedigger" Matthews).

Curt dialed Fennell to congratulate him on the acceptance of two ATO flicks, Savage Grace (by queer cinema auteur Tom Kalin) and Choke (in which Sam Rockwell plays a man who pretends to gag on grub and then cashes in on sympathy), and mentioned that Rockwell seems to pop up in ATO-related films a lot (he co-starred with Curt’s beloved Vera Farmiga in creepy evil-seed flick Joshua).

"We have incredible casting luck," said Fennell. "Sam is notoriously difficult to get to focus on scripts. [But] he mentioned Choke to us when we were doing Joshua."

Let’s make it a hat trick! Fennell mentioned that Rockwell has also committed to End Zone, a football-centric epic adapted from a Don DeLillo novel, that will star Josh "My Best Film Was The Faculty" Hartnett. The film is in preproduction, and Fennell says he hopes shooting will commence in the spring.

Got any art news? E-mail curtain@c-ville.com.

Categories
News

Forgit about it

O.K., so there’s a little thing in this business that we call "bad timing." It’s like when Al Gore scheduled a major global warming speech in New York, and it just happened to fall on one of the coldest days of the year. Or when the Ford Motor Company introduced its space-shuttle-shaped Aerostar minivan—complete with a multimillion-dollar series of shuttle-morphing-into-car TV ads—just weeks before the Challenger exploded over the Atlantic.


No-shock therapy: Mark Warner (left) told a crowd of Phil Forgit (right) supporters that "this race is going to shock not only the conventional political wisdom in Virginia, but across the country." Warner was wrong.

Well, as much as it pains us to admit it, The Odd Dominion sheepishly joined this pantheon of ignominy upon the publication of our last column, in which we trumpeted the unstoppable juggernaut that is Virginia’s Democratic Party—on the very day that the Republicans won a special election (for the U.S. House seat vacated by the death of Representative Jo Ann Davis) by an embarrassing lopsided margin.

Now, the win itself wasn’t a big surprise—this was, after all, a district that Dubya carried by double digits in 2004, and one that hasn’t elected a Democratic representative since 1977. Still, the Dems thought they had a decent shot at it, since they had both a credible, effective candidate (decorated Iraq war vet Phil Forgit) and the post-election political wind at their backs. In fact, just a few weeks ago ex-Governor Mark Warner was promising a crowd of Forgit supporters that "this race is going to shock not only the conventional political wisdom in Virginia, but across the country."

As it turned out, the only people who were shocked were the folks who thought that Eastern Virginia had somehow morphed into Northern California overnight. And yet, even if party insiders were prepared for a loss, the magnitude of the defeat must have been a bit sobering, to say the least. Sure, Republican candidate Rob Wittman was a strong, well-respected state delegate, but the fact that he could overpower Forgit so completely (holding him to a smaller percentage of the vote than even the windsurfing whirlwind John Kerry squeezed out of the district) sure took the fizz off that election-day bubbly the Dems have been drinking.

The real question remains, however: Is this election a bellwether, or merely the exception that proves the rule? It should certainly be noted that the National Republican Campaign Committee poured far more money into this race than its Democratic counterpart, and there were a number of mitigating factors (the foreshortened campaigning period, the strong affection local voters had for Republican Rep. Davis) that strongly favored Wittman. And overall, Commonwealth-wide trends do not seem to be running in the Republican’s favor (in just the last few weeks alone, high-ranking U.S. Rep. Tom Davis has indicated that he won’t be running for re-election, while popular Democrat State Senator Creigh Deeds has set his sights on the governor’s mansion).

But if we’ve learned anything since our last deadline (and, honestly, we probably haven’t) it’s that you can never count a good Republican out. (And the bad ones are even more resilient—they’re like cockroaches, those guys!) In fact, we’re so impressed with the GOP’s recent electoral resurgence, we’re going to toss them a bone and provide a ready-made soundbite for the upcoming race to replace Governor Tim Kaine.

In case you missed it, Virginia recently became the latest state to reject federal "abstinence-only" sex education funding, because—as the Governor’s spokesperson put it—Tim Kaine believes that "abstinence-only education does not show any results…it doesn’t work. He’s a firm believer in more comprehensive sex."

All right, the word "education" might have originally appeared at the end of that sentence—but what’s a few syllables, give or take? And believe us, when you’re on a roll, it’s best to take every opportunity you can. So go ahead and spread the Governor’s outrageous, pro-teen-sex proclamation far and wide—we’re absolutely certain that no one will ever question its veracity.

C’mon, trust us. Have we ever been wrong before?

Categories
News

Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo

cd

First off, the title of this collection of odds and ends from the Weezer frontman is disingenuous. Some of the songs were recorded in studios, most notably the segments of a rock opera called The Black Hole, tracked in a German studio, and the cover of Dion’s 1961 song "Little Diane." (Suggested by big shot record producer Rick Rubin and backed by fellow Geffen Records power-poppers Sloan, Cuomo was far from alone.) Though there are some songs that are genuinely homemade (on a couple tracks the old tapes fail momentarily, giving a visceral, intimate feel), I’d opt for the title Here You Go: Some Unreleased Recordings of Rivers Cuomo.


Many Rivers to cross: Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo proves himself a stranger specimen than his bandmates on a new collection of unreleased material.

Alone starts with "Ooh," a short, a cappella harmonization reminiscent of "Our Prayer" on Brian Wilson’s Smile. (Hold your horses—a long-awaited masterpiece Alone is not.) "The World We Love So Much," a Gregg Alexander cover, comes next and evokes the burgeoning alt-rock angst of 1992 so well that you might turn on MTV expecting the first season of "The Real World" or (God forbid!) a music video.

Then comes a quick, behind-the-scenes trip through Weezer’s early rockstarhood, from the Blue Album-like guitar crunch of "Lemonade" and a version of "Buddy Holly" (this demo version of Weezer’s breakout hit kills with its slow, muddy rumbling) to hodge-podge, which fluctuates between unsuccessful dramatic narrative ("Who You Callin B****?") and covertly introspective guitar pop ("Superfriend"). Thankfully, these ideas eventually coalesced for Weezer’s best album, Pinkerton. Tucked between are some odd gems: a lo-fi, freakout cover of Ice Cube’s "The Bomb," the strum-along "Chess," (which takes Weezer’s geek quotient up another degree) and the clarinet-complemented, wishful piano ballad "Longtime Sunshine."

At this point, the chronology and intrigue of the album disintegrates, as "This Is The Way," a 2007 demo from the sessions for Weezer’s forthcoming sixth album (maybe a promotional plug? Ick.) wedges itself between a few late ’90s and early ’00s compositions (all of which could stay or go) and a half-minute recording of a 1984 rehearsal conversation from Cuomo’s first band, Fury, that’s as out of place as Weezer rocking in Beverly Hills.

Alone‘s insert includes a photo of demo tapes with fascinating names like "Cherubim + Seraphim," "Mixed Weezer Collaboration Nonsense" and "Psoriasis Babies," and, while this disc has moments, these enticing titles make you wonder if Cuomo is still holding back and struggling to give the public what he thinks it wants rather than his genuine heart and soul.

Categories
Living

What's Cookin'? [with audio]


Blues clues: Eli Cook has African rhythms, Hendrix covers and more in store for the next few weeks.

Eli Cook‘s January 12th show at Four County Players in Barboursville caught our eye immediately. Hendrix: Classic Works, performed by the Eli Cook Band, reads pink and purple text over a swirling psychedelic pattern. Intrigued, we caught up with the local blues guitarist to learn more.

Take a listen to "Curbstomp" by Eli Cook:


powered by ODEO
Courtesy of Eli Cook – Thank you!

"It’s hard work," says Cook of covering Jimi Hendrix‘s tunes, but if any local group can pull it off, it’s Cook and his band. And Eli is no stranger to Jimi’s songs, as his first trio, The Red House Blues Band, included challenging jams like "Little Wings" in their repertoire. Cook’s astounding talent will no doubt lend itself nicely to more Hendrix numbers, and hardcore Jimi-heads should be pleased by Cook’s song choices. "We’re trying to do some of the more obscure songs," Cook says, "not the greatest hits." To make things even better, the concert is a benefit for Four County Players.

C-VILLE Playlist
What we’re listening to

"Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis," by Neko Case (from New Coat Of Paint: Songs Of Tom Waits)—A sad holiday tale penned by Waits and animated by Case’s spookily appropriate voice.

"Even If Love," by Bonnie "Prince" Billy (from Master and Everyone)—The bald, bearded folkster sings about love and monsters over a bafflingly simple melody and almost inaudible strings.

"Way Down In the Hole," by Steve Earle (Tom Waits cover, from Washington Square Serenade)

"John Allyn Smith Sails," by Okkervil River (from The Stage Names)

"Uncle Charlie," by The Fiery Furnaces (from Widow City)

You have a few chances to see Cook before he steps into the Jimi’s shoes, though. He and his band will open for Navel (who are back rocking for the holidays) at Outback Lodge on December 26 and play Durty Nelly‘s on December 28. Cook will also team up with percussionist Darrell Rose to play a mix of blues and African rhythms at Gravity Lounge on December 29 and play a solo acoustic set at Rapunzel’s on January 5. Last November Rose and Cook performed a great set at the Kennedy Center‘s Millenium Stage in D.C. (you can find video of the entire concert on the Center’s website), and Gravity seems like a perfect place to grab a drink, sit back and let these two wow you.

Get loud

After being cooped up with relatives for the holidays, you probably need to release some pent-up energy, and what better way to do so than a loud, noisy rock show? That’s why, for the past few years, local indie/punk band Worn in Red has put together a pre-New Year’s show that delivers cathartic decibel levels.

This year’s edition, which takes place downstairs at Outback Lodge on Friday, December 28, will feature Worn in Red, Horsefang, Tapeworms and The Unholy Four. Last week we met up with Tapeworms at Ludwig’s Schnitzelhouse to chat.

"What do you sound like?" is always a tough question, but what the band lacks in concise description it makes up for in energetic (and side-splitting) enthusiasm.

"We’re like the Allman Brothers locked in a room in Berlin with…somebody else…fighting!" says drummer Steve Snider.

"It’s like Jimi Hendrix playing with [Nintendo theme song cover band] The Advantage," responds guitarist Mac Mathews.

"No!" exclaims Snider with a laugh. And, after some more spirited discussion: "Well, we don’t hate melody."

As "Der Voglertanz" (the "Chicken Dance" song) played in the background, Snider, the overnight supervisor at UVA’s Clemons Library, related some of the insanity that occurs during exam time. "People were giving out free Red Bull last night, and kids were chasing them around. Twenty minutes later, I was walking through and this guy was dancing on a table with, like, eight empty Red Bull cans around him."

Given the liveliness that radiates from Tapeworms, we imagine the band sounds something like that over-caffeinated Wahoo, if you gave him a guitar and a really loud amp…and maybe threw in a little "Chicken Dance" for good measure.


Let the tape rock: Tapeworms play Outback on December 28.

Inside The Box

A new place called The Box will soon open in the former space of our much-beloved Atomic Burrito. As Restaurantarama mentioned last week, Beetnix manager Chas Webster and a couple other folks are primed to fill the space with music once again (they may even open by New Year’s Eve). Webster says that they want to continue the vibe with DJs and live bands. That’s great to hear, and we hope that they not only revive the tunes, but also carry on the gritty, anything-goes attitude that made Atomic great.

Inkin’ it up

Listen to "Old Virginia Block" from Devon Sproule‘s Keep Your Silver Shined:


powered by ODEO
Courtesy of Devon Sproule – Thank you!

We were thrilled to see a review of Sons of Bill‘s A Far Cry From Freedom in December 14’s Washington Post and equally happy to find a nice article on Devon Sproule in the January issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine. "The Sons showcase their sense of humor as well as their ability to craft a catchy narrative, two skills that make for a captivating and entertaining debut album," says the Post. And Acoustic Guitar gives a nice account of Sproule and her music, from her Twin Oaks upbringing in Louisa to Keep Your Silver Shined‘s "jazzy, literate, richly detailed songs." Viva la Charlottesville!

News or comments? Send them to feedback@c-ville.com.

Categories
Arts

Capsule reviews of films playing in town

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (R, 86 minutes) The cheapjack continuation of two once mighty franchises rolls on thanks to this budget-conscious follow-up to 2005’s AvP. Seems the warring Alien and Predator races have crash-landed in a small Colorado town, forcing the local residents to band together and defend themselves against extraterrestrial bloodshed. Opening Christmas Day; check local listings

Alvin and the Chipmunks (PG) Mere months after showing up in Underdog, Jason Lee signs on for yet another CGI decimation of a beloved childhood cartoon. Here he plays David Seville, adoptive "father" to three singing chipmunks. This was probably better left to the imagination, but little kids will laugh at the cute animals and occasional bouts of rude humor. Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

Atonement (R, 130 minutes) Ian McEwan’s novel comes to life in an epic and sweeping romance courtesy of director Joe Wright (2005’s Pride & Prejudice). In 1935 England, 13-year-old Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) spins a lie that breaks up the budding love affair between her older sister (Keira Knightley) and a handsome groundskeeper (James McAvoy). Five years later, the repercussions of that lie are still being felt as war rages in Europe. Will our lovers be reunited? Will Briony find forgiveness? Rich in morality, emotion and metaphysical depth, this weighty drama manages to combine love and war in one gorgeously assembled package. Playing Regal Downtown Mall 6

Beowulf (PG-13, 113 minutes) From the director who brought you The Polar Express (bad thing) and the writer who gave you The Sandman comic book (good thing), comes this motion-capture CGI update of the quintessential good-versus-evil fable. Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) voices our warrior hero, Crispin Glover (Wild at Heart) does Grendel duty and Angelina Jolie plays our monster’s disturbingly sexy mama. A bit on the rough side for kids. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Charlie Wilson’s War (R, 97 minutes) This fact-based drama details the life of unconventional Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), whose covert dealings with Mujahideen rebels in Afghanistan in the ’70s had some major long-term effects. (Cough—Osama bin Laden—cough.) Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Silkwood, The Birdcage) directs. Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Emily Blunt round out the sizable cast. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Enchanted (PG, 108 minutes) Disney attempts to turn its old image on its ear with this partly animated parody about a fairy tale princess (Amy Adams, Junebug) who is magically exiled to modern-day Manhattan by an evil queen (Susan Sarandon). She meets a handsome lawyer (Patrick Dempsey, trading on his "McDreamy" rep), but is soon pursued by Prince Charming (James Marsden). Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Golden Compass (PG-13) The first of Philip Pullman’s epic "His Dark Materials" trilogy comes to life courtesy of writer/director Chris Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy). Set on Earth in an alternate universe, the story concentrate on Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards), a gifted young gal who goes on a quest to save her best friend who has been kidnapped by a mysterious organization. Lyra’s quest leads her to the frozen North and into a war between her avaricious absentee parents (Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig). The CGI-heavy film glosses over much of the book’s (anti-)religious tone, which still isn’t enough to mollify angry Christians. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Great Debaters (PG-13, 123 minutes) Do you love true-life stories about teachers who inspire rag-tag groups of students to form winning cheerleading/football/math/poetry/whatever teams? Well, here’s another one. In this inspirational outing, Denzel Washington (who also directs) sweet talks students at tiny Wiley College in Texas into forming their first debate team all the way back in racially devisive 1935. It’s inspirational-tastic! Opening Christmas Day; check local listings

I Am Legend (PG-13, 100 minutes) Will Smith steps out in front of this third attempt to adapt Richard Matheson’s classic sci-fi horror novel. Previous versions included Vincent Price in 1964’s The Last Man on Earth and Charlton Heston in 1971’s The Omega Man. Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville, a scientist trapped in New York City after a virus decimates all of humanity—which wouldn’t be so rough if most people hadn’t been transformed into bloodsucking monsters. Playing Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

I’m Not There (R, 135 minutes) Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine, Far From Heaven) directs this radical "biopic" about musician Bob Dylan. For starters, he recruits eight different actors (from Cate Blanchett to Richard Gere to Heath Ledger) to play the star at various stages of his life. As the narrative leaps helter skelter in time and space, Haynes takes every myth Dylan ever created at face value, crafting a bizarre kaleidoscope of beautiful lies. Only hardcore fans will get all the inside jokes, but it’s an intriguing film no matter what your musical taste. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Margot at the Wedding (R, 93 minutes) Writer/director Noah Baumbach follows up his impressive indie The Squid and the Whale with another family-centric comedy-drama. New York writer Margot (Nicole Kidman) and her son decide to visit her estranged sister Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh) after she announces she’s getting married to an unemployed musician (Jack Black). It’s all fun and games until the sisters unsheath their claws and start ripping their troubled past apart. The film is often uncomfortably real, but there’s great humor to be found amid the familial infighting. Playing at Vinegar Hill Theatre

Michael Clayton (R, 119 minutes) George Clooney toplines this hard-hitting legal drama about an in-house "fixer" at a top New York law firm. When one of the firm’s defense attorneys goes bonkers working on a questionable class action lawsuit, our titular character is called in to clean house. Naturally, our protagonist starts to uncover all sorts of dirty truths that could potentially sabotage the case. Will he do his job or do the right thing? Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton and Sydney Pollack round out a topflight cast for screenwriter-turned-director Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum). Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

National Treasure: Book of Secrets (PG) After the first, frantic, largely nonsensical National Treasure raked in a ton of dough at the box office, we were guaranteed a return visit from Nic Cage and his Indiana Jones-ish historian. This time around, he’s trying to discover the truth about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by figuring out the mystery behind the missing pages from John Wilkes Booth’s diary. Naturally, this involves lots of crazy clues, some Tomb Raider-inspired traps and a United States map. Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

No Country For Old Men (R, 121 minutes) The Coen brothers bring a touch of Fargo to West Texas with this gripping adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s offbeat crime novel. Josh Brolin (Grindhouse) is a humble welder who stumbles across $2 million from a drug deal gone bad. Javier Bardem (The Sea Inside) is the freaky, emotionless assassin sent to recover the cash. Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive) is the small-town sheriff just trying to figure out what the hell is going on. This one is darker and more serious than most Coen films, but there’s still plenty of priceless dialogue and sharp black humor on display. One of this year’s best. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

P.S. I Love You (PG-13, 126 minutes) Are you a Vermont maple tree farmer? Do you love sap in all its forms? Well then, this high-concept romance-—sentimental enough to be a Mitch Albom novel—should be to your liking. Hilary Swank stars as a young widow who discovers that her late husband has left her a series of 10 messages, each describing inventive new ways to ease her pain. In carrying out these dying requests (with the help of her sitcom-cute friends, like Lisa Kudrow from "Friends"), our heroine learns to live and love again. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6


Johnny Depp prays that his legion of fans will accept him as a singer in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (R) Talk about your all-star collaborations. Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Stephen Sondheim? Sounds like a match made in heaven. The oft-told tale of a Victorian barber who wreaks gory revenge on the men who wrongly sent him to prison (and pretty much any other warm body that crosses his path) gets an imaginative big screen treatment. The story is bloody good fun and Depp ain’t half bad as a singer. Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (R) Comedy magic man Judd Apatow co-wrote and produced this musical mixture of Walk the Line and Forrest Gump. John C. Reilly stars as our man Dewey, a singer who overcomes adversity to become a rock ‘n’ roll legend. Along the way, he meets everyone from Elvis to The Beatles. Be sure and duck or you’ll get hit in the face by the dirty jokes (starting with the title). Playing at Carmike Cinema 6


Trailer for Walk Hard.


The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (PG, 111 minutes) In the proud tradition of Magic in the Water starring Mark Harmon and Loch Ness starring Ted Danson comes this twee family fantasy about a lonely Scottish boy who discovers a mysterious egg that hatches into the Loch Ness Monster. Kids who dream of raising giant monsters might enjoy this period re-creation of E.T., The Yearling, and Old Yeller—at least until the film’s rather scary final reels. Opening Christmas Day; check local listings

What Would Jesus Buy? (PG) Morgan Spurlock, he of Super Size Me fame, produces this campy documentary about Reverend Billy, a performance artist-cum-consumer activist who preaches the true meaning of Christmas—which oddly enough does not include the mass purchase of material goods. The film highlights America’s growing culture of credit card debt and confronts mega-corps like Disney and Wal-Mart head on. Billy’s a bit of a freak, quite honestly, but he’s got a point. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Categories
Living

We caught you looking sweet!

Laura Sprudz

Occupation: Second year Russian and Eastern European studies major at UVA

Where we spotted her: Walking down University Avenue

Style sense: Laura, in addition to finding staples at places like NY&Co. (where she got her pants), Old Navy (where she found her top) and Target (where she bought her plaid ballet flats), enjoys finding unique items at small boutiques. She got her scarf from a shop on the Downtown Mall and her green bangle earrings—a great way to add a splash of color, she says—from a tiny boutique in Northern Virginia.

Alex Skliris

Occupation: Marketing director for DS Trading Co.

Where we spotted her: Near the Downtown Mall

Style sense: Alex’s great style, she says, comes from her mother. Alex is wearing J Brand jeans, BCBG sunglasses, a pink Patagonia jacket, a gold bag from the Bahama Shop, boots from Banana Republic and she bought her scarf during a trip to Turkey.