film festival

Crystal City Announces Next Year’s Outdoor Movie Theme

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City’s Star Trek-themed outdoor film festival wrapped up last night with a screening of 2009’s JJ Abrams-directed Star Trek.

Now that this year’s film festival is in the books, the Crystal City Business Improvement District has announced next summer’s theme.

“Crystal Screen: By The Numbers” will kick off on June 6, 2011. It will feature a diverse selection of movies with numbers in the title, like Apollo 13 and Oceans 11. The new theme was voted on by audiences at this year’s movies.

“We just finished our most popular season yet, and look forward to next year’s run,” Crystal City BID president Angela Fox said in a statement.

Here’s next year’s movie line-up, after the jump.

(more…)

To Do This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn’s “I Love the 90s” outdoor film festival has been been plagued by rainy weather this summer. But not tonight. Expect perfect clear skies and comfortable temperatures for tonight’s screening of 1994’s “Dumb and Dumber” in Rosslyn Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway). The movie starts around 8:00.

On Saturday, more perfect weather is expected for the Friends of the David M. Brown Planetarium fundraiser. From 4:00 to 9:30 p.m., the Friends and the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club will be holding a marathon session of planetarium shows, to be followed by a chance to look at real stars through NOVAC’s telescopes. The event is being held at the planetarium, near Washington-Lee High School (1426 North Quincy Street).

If viewing far out objects is your thing, you may also be interested in trying to spot some of the attendees at the Hidden Councils Annual Costume Ball. Held at 7:00 Saturday night at the Hilton Garden Inn in Courthouse, the ball is “the social event of the year” for The Firefly House, a “nature-based church formed in Virginia in 2009.” We’re told to expect “political intrigue, barbed innuendos, backstabbing and betrayal,” as well as “murder, weapons, [and] spells.” Oh my, indeed.

Continuing the “far out” theme, Saturday night will also feature a musical tribute to Jerry Garcia. With the 15th anniversary of Jerry’s death coming up (yes, you’re that old), The U-Liners will performing covers of Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band songs at Iota Club & Cafe. The concert starts at 9:00. Tickets are $15.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The Heat Returns — After a stormy but cooler start to the week, the sun and the heat are back. And for good measure, the rains of the past two days have left us with plenty of humidity. See the forecast from weather.com, which — in a non-Arlington-related aside — is in the midst of yet another baffling redesign.

Slapsticon Returns — Slapsticon, the vintage comedy film festival, is returning to Arlington with a full slate of films from the silent and early sound eras. The four-day festival, held at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, kicks off at 1:00 this afternoon. The highlight of the festival will come on Saturday, when The Thief Catcher, a lost Charlie Chaplin film that was recently found at an antiques sale in Michigan, re-premieres on the big screen.

Obesity Discussion Tonight — Voice Box, the topical chat show on Arlington Independent Media, will be hosting a discussion on obesity and obesity prevention tonight. The scheduled guests are Amy Maclosky, Director of Food Services for Arlington Public Schools, and Dr. Scott Kahan, Co-Director of George Washington University’s Weight Management Program. The program films before a live studio audience. For those wishing to attend, doors open at 7:00 p.m. at AIM’s Clarendon studios (2701-C Wilson Blvd).

Flickr pool photo by mennyj.

Rosebud Film Fest Accepting Entries

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington-based Rosebud Film and Video Festival, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is now accepting entries from local (DC, Maryland and Virginia) film and video makers.

The festival, sponsored by Arlington Independent Media, “seeks to honor works that are innovative, unusual, experimental or deeply personal.

The deadline for submissions is September 26.

The awards ceremony will be held at Clarendon Ballroom on November 14. Five winners will each receive a $1,000 cash prize.

Hollywood Comes to Arlington: Outdoor Film Series

By ARLnow.com

Another outdoor film series is coming to Arlington, but this one has a bit more of a local flare.

While Rosslyn is showing ’90s movies and Crystal City is showing Star Trek movies, Lubber Run Amphitheatre (N Columbus St and 2nd St N) will be showing Arlington movies.

The series will kick off on Friday at 8:30 p.m. with a “tour of Arlington as seen through the eyes of Hollywood producers in ways both novel and creative.” The presentation will feature video clips and photos from the dozens of movies and TV shows filmed in Arlington, along with commentary from former Arlington Film Commissioner, current Arlington Virginia Network executive producer, and long-time movie buff Robert Farr.

Then, on Saturday, the films themselves will begin. Like Friday’s presentation, the films will start at 8:30 and admission is free. Here’s the schedule and each film’s Arlington connection.

  • June 19: The Blind Side (starring Arlingtonian Sandra Bullock)
  • June 25: Breach (scenes filmed in Arlington)
  • June 26: Heaven Can Wait (starring Arlingtonian Warren Beatty)
  • July 9: Clear and Present Danger (scenes filmed in Arlington)
  • July 10: Sweet Charity (starring Arlingtonian Shirley MacLaine)
  • July 23: Mission Impossible III (scenes filmed in Arlington)
  • July 24: Shark Tales (voice work by Arlingtonian Katie Couric)

What Do You Call a Group of Trekkies?

By Ashley Houghton

A Federation? A ghom? Whatever you want to call it, a heck of a lot of Star Trek fans attended the  Crystal Screen showing of Star Trek: The Motion Picture last night on Bell Street in Crystal City.

Star Trek, featuring the swashbuckling William Shatner and measured voice-of-reason Leonard Nimoy, was the first film shown as part of Crystal City’s Star Trek-themed, summer-long outdoor film festival.

Each installment of the Star Trek series plays Monday evenings at dusk in chronological order, which means next week will spotlight the 1982 classic Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan*.

Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets and a few snacks. While a few Star Trek fans could be seen in Federation t-shirts, it seemed that most fans left their Spock ears and other costumes at home.

Following yesterday’s boffo Trekkie turnout, Crystal City announced today a new contest for residents who want to vote on which films will be featured during next year’s film film. The series will adopt the theme “By the Numbers” and feature twelve films with numbers in their title (for example: The Whole Nine Yards or The 40 Year Old Virgin).

Visit http://www.crystalcity.org/ to vote for your favorite numbered film (or suggest your own, although the existing list of numbered films is pretty exhaustive). Crystal City will announce the twelve winning films on August 16, before the last film of the season (last year’s Star Trek, the blockbuster J. J. Abrams relaunch of the franchise).

* Speaking of Wrath of Khan (fun fact), did you know that Marc Okrand of the Washington Shakespeare Company is the original inventor of the Klingon language? Furthermore, the Rosslyn Spectrum and Marc Okrand are producing the Shakespeare play By Any Other Name entirely in Klingon this September, and it will feature George Takei in person. Repeat: George Takei reciting Shakespeare in Klingon at the Rosslyn Spectrum this September.

Lost Chaplin Film to Be Unveiled in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

An early Charlie Chaplin film, thought to have been lost to history but recently rediscovered by a collector at a Michigan antiques sale, will be shown here in Arlington for the first time since its 1914 release.

The movie, a silent Keystone Kops film called A Thief Catcher, will be a centerpiece of the 2010 Slapsticon film festival, being held at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater from July 15-18. The film will be shown at the festival kickoff on Thursday, July 15, at 7:00 p.m.

Chaplin has a two minute cameo as an incompetent cop in the 10-minute flick. He is seen sporting his soon-to-be-trademark mustache for one of the first times.

The film’s unlikely discovery in Michigan and the Arlington debut has caught the attention of historians and movie buffs.

“I only wish I could attend this year’s Slapsticon in Washington, D.C. and see it on a big screen with a first-time audience,” film critic Leonard Maltin wrote on his blog.

Afternoon Notes: Chain Bridge Closure

By ARLnow.com

Last Chain Bridge Closure — Starting around 9:00 tonight Chain Bridge will once again close completely to traffic and pedestrians. Crews will be working to repave the bridge deck, the Washington Post reports. The bridge is expected to reopen on Monday morning. This should be the last full closure of the bridge, which has been undergoing a year-long rehabilitation process.

Berry Officially Joins Young Guns List — GOP congressional candidate Matthew Berry has been officially listed as “On the Radar” on the National Republican Congressional Campaign’s “Young Guns” website. The list recognizes congressional contenders who have achieved certain fundraising goals.

Murray Objects to Straw Poll — Patrick Murray, Berry’s competitor for the eighth district GOP nomination, sent a strongly-worded email to supporters calling a straw poll that will be conducted at Saturday’s district Republican convention “illegitimate.” Murray says charging $20 for votes and not limiting the number of votes conflicts “with many principles for which our Republican Party stands.” Murray’s campaign also objects to the possibility of illegal aliens voting in the straw poll, since identification won’t be required.

Slapsticon Returns to Rosslyn Spectrum — The Slapsticon vintage comedy film festival is returning to Rosslyn this summer. The Spectrum Theater will host the festival from July 15-18. Read more here.

Flickr Pool photo by tadnkat