Between drug wars and swine flu there has been a lot of negative press for Mexico recently. An industry which has not slowed down, however, is Mexico's excellent film production. One standout that recently played at Sundance and Tribeca is Carlos Cuaron's debut feature, "Rudo y Cursi." Even discounting my serious interest in any film with a passing reference to soccer, this looks like a lively comedy that will add to Mexico's important cinematic output. The creation of Cha Cha, a new production companies with powerful directors Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Guillermo del Toro is an indication that Mexican film is growing even stronger.
Just wanted to remind everyone about the Wilco Documentary coming up this Friday. Tickets for this bonus screening will cost $5 and be available at the door.
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"If this show ends up being one of the greatest rock and roll concerts of all time, I'm afraid its going to have an asterisk next to it. Because I'm on steroids..." -Jeff Tweedy
You may have thought OFFscreen was finished with "Inland Empire," but we have been working behind the scenes to bring a new Wilco concert documentary, "Ashes of American Flags" to Charlottesville next Friday, May 1st. Local fans who remember Wilco's October 2007 performance at the Pavillion will have the chance to get a more intimate view of this legendary band in action.
More than a concert video, "Ashes of American Flags" combines HD video from performances with elements a road movie and personal interviews with all band members, as they travel the highways from Tulsa Oklahoma, to a final, raucous performance at the familiar 9:30 club in Washington D.C.
The film will be introduced by producer Brendan Canty. If the name sounds familiar, that is because Mr. Canty was the drummer for D.C. greats Fugazi. We hope that you will kick off your weekend right and come out for this extra-special presentation. "Ashes of American Flags" will give you a front row seat to one of the best live acts going.
Note that this film is screening at a special time: Friday, May 1 at 7 PM at the Newcomb Hall Theater (map).
Director David Lynch to Canal Plus (the French studio that made "Inland Empire" financially possible): "I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m shooting on D.V."
A famous actress working on a script that may have been cursed. A jealous husband and a Don Juan lead actor. Coming (we think) for the first time to a big screen in Charlottesville is David Lynch's monumental, semi-narrative meditation on the psyche and the act of recording, "Inland Empire."
Lynch controversially used a midrange DV camera during filming. The finished product retains the raw look of early digital, but the size and cheapness of the cameras allowed the director new creative opportunities. Critics fell into the predictable camps of "What is this?" and "This guy is a genius...I think." OFFscreen invites you to enter the labyrinth for yourself and enjoy Lynch's most recent film.
This showing will conclude our Spring 2009 series, so come out to enjoy "Inland Empire" as it was meant to be seen. As Lynch himself said in a brief NYTinterview, "There’s nothing like the big screen. The cinema is really built for the big screen and big sound, so that a person can go into another world and have an experience. As an example, there’s Stanley Kubrick’s “2001:A Space Odyssey” — this would be kind of a pathetic joke on a little screen." Don't be a pathetic joke.
"Inland Empire" will be playing at the Newcomb Theater on Sunday, April 19. Due to its running time of 180 minutes, there will be only one showing at 7 PM.
Thanks for a great season. Trailer and interview after the jump.
"What do you think was the significance of the Rolls-Royce?" "I think it represented his car"
Maybe this joke explains the hit-or-miss critical reception to Woody Allen's 1980 masterpiece "Stardust Memories." Often drawing comparisons with Fellinni's "8 1/2," Allen's film not only targets critics, but, as NYT critic Janet Maslin, writes, ''Stardust Memories'' is inhabited by grotesques, sycophants, every kind of fool, and when the film takes aim at any of them it easily hits its mark." This may include you, if you are honest with yourself. Be prepared to be put off and awed over the course of the same 90 minutes. Roger Ebert famously said of this film, "It is the first Woody Allen film in which impotence has become the situation rather than the problem. This is a movie about a guy who has given up." Perhaps this is what makes the film transcendent and modern. It is unafraid to face such abysses...with humor.
"I would trade an Oscar for one more second of life."
Obviously not to be missed, "Stardust Memories" will be shown in glorious black and white at the Newcomb Hall Theater. One night only: Sunday, April 12 at 7 and 9:30 PM. Tickets are $3.
Just want everyone to know that the good people that run the Vinegar Hill/Visulite theater are giving Charlottesville the lineup for Cannes 2008 in April 2009.
Last week had "Waltz with Bashir." This week is "The Class" - a great film and only in town tonight and tomorrow. Next week is "Che pt. 1" and the week of April 17 is "Gomorrah" !!!!
Make sure to check for times and do not miss these memorable films.
The French department will be showing the new film by award-winning Quebecois director Philippe Falardeau called "Ce n'est pas moi, je le jure! " ("It's not me I swear!") this Friday (tomorrow) in the Wilson auditorium - room 402 at 5 PM. (Map) The film will be subtitled in English and will be presented by the director himself!
Based on a successful French novel of the same name, "Ce n'est pas moi je le jure!" tells the story of a pre-pubescent Quebecois boy acting out in a number of imaginative and destructive ways. It played at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival and won a crystal bear as one of the best feature films by a new director.
