Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq is not a film with a message. It’s not an allegorical tale of tragedy with unstated yet entrenched sociopolitical implications made so Hollywood could pat itself on the back for its good conscience. Chi-Raq is a wake-up call in a world that seems increasingly determined to repeat the mistakes of history while […]
Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq is not a film with a message. It’s not an allegorical tale of tragedy with unstated yet entrenched sociopolitical implications made so Hollywood could pat itself on the back for its good conscience. Chi-Raq is a wake-up call in a world that seems increasingly determined to repeat the mistakes of history while […]
James Yates is on a quest to bring magic back during the holidays. “When I was a kid, we used to drive around the town looking at Christmas lights. I remember how awesome that was: me being in the back of the station wagon, drinking hot chocolate, looking out the windows,” the artist says. “Several […]
Wild and crazy guy Steve Martin’s affiliation with the Steep Canyon Rangers may have led to wider recognition for the group when he invited them to tour as his backing band in 2009, but the North Carolina-based bluegrass act already held a stellar reputation among fans on the pick ‘n‘ grin circuit. With the release […]
“It’s a fascinating place. It’s in my neighborhood, within walking distance from my house, but I had no idea it was there,” says filmmaker Jason Robinson, describing Moore’s Creek Wastewater Treatment plant. This type of facility probably doesn’t top most people’s list of neighborhood places to explore, but the allure was quick to present itself […]
Anyone who’s listened to the Dawes album All Your Favorite Bands could have guessed the folk-rockers would make Charlottesville one of their 2015 tour stops. Little old C’ville is, after all, right there in the opening lines of the title track. “Late night drives and hot French fries and friends around the country/From Charlottesville to […]
Former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Rita Dove guest narrates The Night Before Christmas at the UVA University Singers and the Charlottesville Symphony Family Holiday Concerts. The joint performance will include seasonal favorites such as “Sleigh Ride” and “Winter Wonderland” and crowd-pleasers from The Polar Express and Frozen soundtracks. Saturday 12/5 & Sunday […]
Let Trumbo be the textbook example for future generations to distinguish between a good story with fine performances and snappy dialogue, and a good film. An entirely familiar period piece whose best attributes are reduced to window dressing, Trumbo is certainly not an unpleasant experience, but one drastically in need of a reduction in either […]
Sculptor and painter Aggie Zed sees all of the beauty and strangeness in her imaginative ceramic and copper works as alive. Her complex elephant creations often feature elements of low-tech industry like wheeled carts that intricately express the physicality of the pachyderms. Zed names wings, particularly “clumsy, comic, metal wings,” as a part of her […]
Set the holiday mood with the Moscow Ballet’s take on the beloved story of The Great Russian Nutcracker. Experience the artistry of world-class Russian dancers, handcrafted sets and costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s time-honored musical score that shines in the orchestra’s upper register. Sunday 12/6. $30-177, 1pm and 5pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. […]
When Sarah Carr started the annual Gift Forest pop-up holiday shop in 2010, it took place at The Bridge PAI. “I called the shop Great Gifts through 2012 and changed the name to Gift Forest in 2013,” says Carr. “I had a much stronger vision for things in 2013. That’s when I started to feel […]