FILM & TV




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How a Charlottesville Surgeon Found Purpose in Ukraine

Every morning at 9 a.m. in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, the world stops. Cars freeze in the streets, trams halt mid-track, and pedestrians stand silent as the national anthem plays. It lasts a minute, a ritual pause to remember the dead and remind the living what they’re...

SALON DE RÉSISTANCE | The Shape of Music to Come

Dispatch Number six: will music survive technology? Join us for Salon de Résistance on November 20th at Black Iris for a conversation about the future of music and it's ability to survive the AI revolution, featuring John Campbell from Lamb of God and Tyler Williams...

D(e)ad: A DIY Film That Laughed Its Way Past Hollywood Gatekeepers

Editor's Note: What makes D(e)ad a bit different isn’t just the story or performances, it’s the way it came together. 344% funded on Kickstarter with more than 5,000 backers, the film turned community support into momentum. After getting passed over by the big...

VHS Club | Punishment Park (1971)

“You want me to tell you what’s immoral? War is immoral. Poverty is immoral. Racism is immoral. Police brutality is immoral.” — a defendant in Punishment Park I read that director Peter Watkins had passed away last week and realized I’d never heard of him. As it turns...

It’s Still Our City | Ep. 16 Mickael Broth aka The Night Owl

"Mickael Broth is an artist, muralist, sculptor, writer, father, husband, skateboarder, and climber, quite the talented bloke. He’s created hundreds of public works of art across the country and around the world. A recipient of the VMFA Professional Fellowship, his...

Review | Witch — Entropy Is the Point

The sun, our sun, will expand to engulf the planet Earth in 5 billion years. Don’t bother setting an alarm or getting some extra SPF sunscreen, it won’t matter. Everything we have ever built, or will build, will vaporize and collapse to cinders. Everything. If it all...

The Technicolor Horror Of Midsommar

In Midsommar, the horror of a Swedish cult ritual takes a backseat to the horror of a decaying, toxic relationship. Nothing is worse than hanging out with a couple at the end of their relationship. The snide remarks, the palpable tension in the air, the frustrating lack of action. These situations can be unbearable, and only seem worse once the...

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The Souvenir Is A Heartfelt and Insightful Memento

When going back through memories of past events, old friends, and lost loves, it’s easy to get lost in them like a daydream. Trying to remember and re-experience every emotion and sensation like the first time, making sure you can recount as many details as possible. These experiences are not just fun to look back on, but they can also be...

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Nightmare Van Brings Skateboard Carnage To The Big Screen

Will Rosenstock, Bust Crew, and Venue Skateboards are bringing Richmond's best skateboarders to the Byrd Theatre next Friday with Nightmare Van. The crusty, gritty streets of Richmond are a haven for a familial group of skaters that seems to keep on growing. And on June 28, they'll hit the big screen, as Nightmare Van, a video by Will Rosenstock,...

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Who Loves Galaxy Con? Kel (and RVA Mag) Loves Galaxy Con.

Is it true? Mmhm, we do, we do, we do-oooooo... Conventions are easy to get lost and overwhelmed in. Between Pikachu and Ms. Frizzle cosplayers on your left and volunteers on your right screaming to see your badge, it’s a lot. But they are absolutely worth it. A couple weeks ago, one of the biggest fan conventions in rotation right now,...

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Harold Lloyd’s The Kid Brother: More Than Just Slapstick

The Criterion Collection edition of silent-era comic Harold Lloyd's classic film, The Kid Brother, proves that Lloyd could absolutely stand alongside his more well-remembered peers, Chaplin and Keaton. Few silent-era comedy personas could top the legendary career that was Harold Lloyd’s. There were, of course, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin,...

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Opinion: TikTok Can’t Hold A Candle To Vine

Vine is dead, I know. But the recent onslaught of TikTok ads on the internet has left me feeling nostalgic for the once beloved video app. So in the spirit of love, Vine, and my opinions, “welcome back to... me, screaming.” In search of the right herbal tea, or bubble bath, or Netflix series, I have discovered that nothing eases my anxiety better...

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Netflix’s You Reminds Us That Men Can Be Creepy And Terrifying

The hit Netflix series frighteningly subverts a host of romantic-comedy cliches to bring us a powerful point: our culture needs to stop romanticizing abusive men. The TV series You, an adaptation of Caroline Kepnes's addicting 2014 novel of the same name, premiered on Lifetime in September 2018. But it really caught fire once it moved to Netflix...

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