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RVA Mag X The Cheats Movement Exclusive: Ice T on The Art Of Rap
Ice T has been associated with hip hop culture since his debut album, Rhyme Pays, was released 25 years ago. The rapper, once known for gritty rhymes about L.A. gang culture, has matured into a groundbreaking actor, business mogul, and even reality star. It was only a matter of time before he took on filmmaking. In his directorial debut, Ice decided to give back to the culture that gave him his start.
RVA TV: New daybyday Video: "Love"
And now we present another amazing video from former RVA video comedians daybyday. The duo, which consists of Dave Stewart and Will Carsola, left Richmond almost 5 years ago for LA, going on to star on Fuel TV and later HBO's Funny or Die.
FRIDAY: Girls Rock! RVA Documentary At Lamplighter!
In the past year, the creative collective known as Girls Rock! RVA have been hard at work on making a difference within the musical community. Through organizing workshops, instrument drives, live concerts, and a multitude of other events, they have found a means of expanding the creative drives of female youth throughout Richmond. Along with all of this, they've spent time putting together a homegrown documentary that chronicled the accomplishments and the mission statement of the collection.
MOVIE REVIEW: Unauthorized And Proud Of It
Unauthorized And Proud Of It: The Story Of Rock N' Roll Comics (2012)
(dir: Ilko Davidov)
Music and comic book fans who were around in the early 90s may remember Rock N' Roll Comics, a small-press comic book title that printed unauthorized sequential-art biographies of then-popular rock stars, and took a lot of legal heat for doing so. However, despite the fact that the story was big news at the time, at least in the music and art world, it is mostly forgotten now, to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if our younger readers don't remember it at all. This documentary exists to remind everyone who comes across it about Rock N' Roll Comics, and why they mattered. And make no mistake, they did matter, as publisher Revolutionary Comics, and specifically its owner and the creator of Rock N' Roll Comics, Todd Loren, fought and won quite a few legal battles that set precedents in favor of freedom of speech and the press that still stand today.
RVA TV: RVA Street Art Festival Video
The goal of the RVA Street Art Festival was to show the creative power of street art, liven up an otherwise drab floodwall, and attract people and tourists to an outdoor art gallery showcasing the Canal Walk and Shockoe Bottom neighborhood.
Five Film Favorites: Johnny Depp Films
Upon viewing a still image of Johnny Depp as Tonto for the upcoming Lone Ranger flick (2013), I came to the conclusion that Johnny Depp looks tremendous in makeup. He probably looks good all the time, but he shines in makeup. While the choice to have Depp represent Tonto may be politically and culturally dubious (as if the character of Tonto is not always already fraught with political and cultural dubiousness), Depp nonetheless looked terrific in makeup that may or may not be a culturally and historically accurate representation of Native Americans.
Bru-Two East Coast Skate Video From Thunderwood
If you're a fan of VA skate culture, you need to check this out! Chris Underwood, a local filmmaker and winner of 2010 VMFA Fellowship award, is in the process of putting together an all-HD skateboard video showcasing East Coast skaters and skate spots. His company, Thunderwood, in conjunction with Culture Shock, have put up a Kickstarter page, raising money in order to complete filming and get the video pressed onto Blu-Ray/DVD discs.
SUNDAY: The Devil's Carnival Pulls Into Town At the Byrd Theatre
Fans of horror film, heavy metal music, off-kilter musicals, and gothic burlesque will all have occasion to rejoice at the arrival in Richmond this weekend of the Devil's Carnival Road Tour! From director Darren Lynn Bousman (director of Saw II, III, and IV) and writer/actor Terrance Zdunich, who previously brought you Repo! The Genetic Opera, The Devil's Carnival is a similar sort of musically-driven horror film, though word is that this one is a lot darker. The cast features several varieties of well-known names, from veteran actors like Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas), Sean Patrick Flanery (Boondock Saints), and Bill Moseley (House Of 1000 Corpses) to famous musicians like Slipknot percussionist Shawn Crahan, Skinny Puppy frontman Nivek Ogre, gothic violinist Emilie Autumn, and Five Finger Death Punch singer Ivan Moody.
RVA TV: daybyday's Bank Robbers
Here's another amazing video from former RVA video comedians daybyday. The duo left Richmond almost 5 years ago for LA, going on to star on Fuel TV and HBO's Funny or Die. There's not much we can show you that isn't network-owned, but here's one of the side projects they do to keep their chops up.
WEDNESDAY: James River Film Festival Presents Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song!
This is going to be epic. As one of the final events comprising this year's James River Film Festival, which began on April 12, the James River Film Society will be presenting a theatrical showing of Melvin Van Peebles's legendary African-American action film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song.
RVA TV: G40 RVA Murals Progress #2
The G40 guys are at full steam now. We're doing our best to catch up with them, so get out there and see just how big they're going!
RVA TV: REACH: Trust / Follow
From local film-maker William Robinette:
I sat down at the top of October last year to write out a short that could play at the Byrd Zombie Festival that was going on around Halloween. Things ended up getting very busy and I shelved the project until January, when I showed it to Ben Price, with whom I have made several films before. His first reaction--as well as that of others as we built a cast and crew--upon hearing it was a "zombie" film was not one full of enthusiasm. However, once everyone got a chance to read the script, they seemed to warm up to it and really dedicated a lot of time to the project. I think the fact that it isn't a standard zombie film helped a great deal.
DAILY FIX: "I've Seen It All In My Palm," by Todd Raviotta
This is something pretty different, but also pretty cool. Todd Raviotta, whose photography and video work you've been seeing in our pages and on our site for years now, put together this video from a huge collection of images he shot while living his life over the past year and a half. I'll let him explain it further:
THIS WEEKEND: MIX International Short Film Festival At The Byrd
The MIX (Moving Image Xchange) International Short Film Festival will take place Friday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Byrd Theatre in Carytown. This event will feature 39 different short films from 16 different countries, including the U.S. (New York, Los Angeles, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee), Canada, Turkey, Israel, Singapore, Serbia/Montenegro, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Taiwan, Portugal, Belgium, India, France, UK, Germany, and Japan.
Explore The Corners Of The Soul's Awakening: An Interview With Summer Rayne Oakes
Summer Rayne Oakes is known as the world's first eco-model, but the emphasis is definitely on "eco." With degrees in Environmental Science and Entomology from Cornell, Summer originally got involved with the world of fashion modeling as an effort to disseminate environmental awareness. Since then, she's worked as a correspondent for Discovery Channel's Planet Green, produced the first sustainable fashion editorial to appear in a magazine for Lucire, and authored the book Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide To Sustainable Fashion And Beauty.
Now she has written, produced, and starred in a short film called eXtinction, which will be playing in Richmond this weekend as part of the MIX International Short Film Festival.
MOVIE REVIEW: RE:GENERATION
Re:Generation (2012)
directed by Amir Bar Lev
When I first heard about this documentary, the concept sounded intriguing: 5 well-known DJs/electronic music producers (Pretty Lights, Skrillex, Mark Ronson, DJ Premier, and electronic duo The Crystal Method) would each be assigned a different musical genre, which they would then explore through the process of creating a new track. However, from that pitch, I wasn't exactly sure what form the finished film would take.
Reinhold's Take it or Leave it Valentines!!
Oh crap, it's Valentine's Day again. Where is that chubby little cherub bastard!
Well hell, I figured I could make a video list for all occasions - whether you love Valentine's Day or hate it - take it or leave it.
SATURDAY: The Biograph Theatre 40th Anniversary Celebration!
40 years ago, on February 11, 1972, The Biograph Theatre, located on W. Grace St. in The Fan, opened its doors for the first time. To celebrate that theatre's 15-year run, the James River Film Society will be holding a 40th Anniversary Party and Film Screening tomorrow night at the VCU Grace Street Theatre, at 934 W. Grace St.
DAILY FIX: Mekong Pho King Challenge 2012!
Super Bowl Sunday was a big day around Richmond, and not just because of the big football game. At Mekong Restaurant in the West End, hours before the game, something magical was happening. It was the return of the annual Pho King challenge, in which contestants competed to see who could down a giant bowl of pho (pronounced "fuh" ...and yes, that does mean what you're thinking it means about the way the name of this challenge is pronounced) and a liter of dark Belgian beer (and keep them down) the fastest.
DAILY FIX: Vaudeville Galore At Gallery 5!
Vaudeville Galore, a brand new locally-grown entertainment troupe that arose from the ashes of the Voix De Ville Follies, made their public debute on Saturday, January 21 at Gallery 5, and our own Todd Raviotta was in attendance.
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