Photo by PoPville flickr user ep_jhu

Going to the Movies is a new PoPville feature by Mount Vernon Triangle resident Catherine Taegel.

I’m Catherine Taegel, a MVT resident, and member of the wonderful DC Film Society(which anyone can join!). I have had no formal training in reviewing movies, but as a lover of all movies – old, new, big, and small – I look to provide thoughtful reviews that will intrigue and guide locals as they attempt to sort through the various cinema offerings in our area.

The other night I attended the screening of “Zero Dark Thirty” at the Regal Gallery Place cinema. Telling a story that is so engrained into the very fabric of our society is a tall order, even for Kathryn Bigelow, whose movie “The Hurt Locker”, portraying the war in Iraq, won a slew of awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture, in 2010. She’s no stranger to controversy – often criticized for glamourizing and sensationalizing war and the personal stories occurring within them. Her direction of “Zero Dark Thirty” is no different.

 Continues after the jump. (more…)


Dear PoPville,

We have an advanced screening of a movie, Premium Rush, this Thursday, August 23 at 7:00 p.m. at AMC Mazza in Friendship Heights. If people would like to see the movie and ride their bikes to the theatre, they can receive a FREE, reserved seat to the screening that evening. However, they must be willing to check in with a screening representative by 6:30 p.m. and have their photo taken with their bike. Tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so it is best to arrive early to ensure seating.



Photo by PoPville flickr user mosley.brian

From Screen on the Green:

“We hope you packed up your picnic basket and grabbed your blanket on the way out the door this morning because Screen on the Green is finally here! The wait has been long, but it was worth it.

Tonight, head over to the National Mall between 7th and 12th Streets to enjoy a sunset screening of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The sun sets at 8:32pm, but we recommend getting there early to stake your claim on a stellar spot!”



Photo by PoPville flickr user mosley.brian

From a press release:

Friends of Screen on the Green, in collaboration with festival sponsors HBO and Comcast, is happy to announce this year’s Screen on the Green movie line up. This year’s schedule and location have been modified to accommodate ongoing rehabilitation efforts on the National Mall.

Outdoor screenings will begin on Monday, July 16th, with one Wednesday screening on July 25th. Movies begin at sunset and will be shown on a giant 20’ by 40’ screen on the Mall between 7th and 12th Streets NW.

The full schedule for Screen on the Green 2012 is as follows:

Monday, July 16th: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Wednesday, July 25th: It Happened One Night
Monday, July 30th: From Here to Eternity
Monday, August 6th: Psycho

For more information about the films, visit Friends of Screen on the Green online at www.friendsofscreenonthegreen.org.


From the Textile Museum:

Celebrate spring and Japanese culture at the year’s first PM @ The TM! Bring a blanket or tatami mat into the museum’s lovely gardens for a screening of Honeymoon in Hell: Mr. and Mrs. Oki’s Fabulous Trip. Released in Japan in 2011, Honeymoon in Hell follows the bizarre adventure of one couple’s otherwordly vacation and has never been shown in Washington, D.C.

Venture indoors to explore the current exhibitions Woven Treasures of Japan’s Tawaraya Workshop and Sourcing the Museum, and stop by the craft station to make your own cherry blossom pin. Mix and match your own bento box with Kushi restaurant.

“Hapi hour” begins at 6 p.m., the film will screen at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15. One drink is included in ticket price (two drinks for museum members).



Photo by PoPville flickr user yostinator

From Netflix:

“We’re delighted to tell you that in late 2012 Netflix will be bringing to our members in the U.S. and Canada exclusively “House of Cards,” the much-anticipated television series and political thriller from Executive Producer David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey. We’ve committed to at least 26 episodes of the serialized drama, which is based on a BBC mini-series from the 1990s that’s been a favorite of Netflix members.”

The Casting Call email I received says:

CENTRAL CASTING is looking for UNION AND NON UNION EXTRAS for
the original series HOUSE OF CARDS. The series is shooting in
Baltimore and DC beginning mid April 2012. In addition to extras, you may also
be considered for recurring or featured roles.
OPEN CALL
SUNDAY APRIL 1st
11AM-4PM
THE HILL CENTER
921 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE SE

Located One Block From Eastern Market Metro Station
We are looking for the following:

ELEGANT WASHINGTON TYPES
40-60 yr old, ALL ETHNICITIES, MALE AND FEMALE

HILL STAFFERS, AIDES, REPORTERS
21-34 yr old, ALL ETHNICITIES, MALE AND FEMALE

POLITICIANS, LOBBYIST, REPORTERS
40-60 yr old, ALL ETHNICITIES, MALE AND FEMALE

BUSINESS ATTIRE IS REQUIRED FOR THE CALL. WE WILL TAKE YOUR
PHOTO AT THE AUDITION AND PROVIDE A SIZE/INFO SHEET FOR YOU
TO FILL OUT.



Photo by PoPville flickr user Huma Imtiaz

From an email:

The 2012 DC Environmental Film Festival which runs from March 13-25, 2012.

The DC Environmental Film Festival celebrates its 20th Anniversary by screening more than 180 films at 64 venues throughout metro Washington, DC, including 93 Washington, DC, United States and World premieres representing more than 42 countries. Topics range from health, food & agriculture, water issues, alternative energy, and architecture and the built environment.

Most film and program offerings are FREE and are available for adults, children and families.

Check the website for film descriptions, times, venues and discussions with filmmakers and subject matter experts following each screening: http://www.dcenvironmentalfilm fest.org.


A reader asks via the @PoPville twitter feed:

Howard theatre sounds great. But what about the failing Lincoln? Seems they will be even worse off now with the ‘competition’.”

I think that’s a really interesting question – do you think (if it is one) Howard Theatre’s (6th and T St, NW) success will hurt the relatively nearby Lincoln Theatre at 1215 U St, NW. Is this even more reason for the Lincoln Theatre to focus on movies? Or do you think the city, especially with all the new development/revitalization planned for the area, is big enough to support two historic theatres in Shaw/U Street?


From an email:

DC music lovers,
Join us for the documentary “Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune” on Wednesday, February 8, 7-9pm. Folksinger “Phil Ochs is a figure both glorious and tragic who haunts the history of the 1960s” (allmusic.com). “An unbelievable story of a true believer… one of the greatest the most passionate voices of the 1960’s was the first to be forgotten” (philochsthemovie.com).

Unlike the artists we’ve studied in our previous Salons, Ochs’ connection to DC is more tenuous — but this film’s incredible telling of his singular talent and tragic life make it essential viewing. As late as 1964, Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs were considered by many to be equals; Dylan famously chose rock ‘n’ roll, while Ochs stayed the narrow path of protest music. Sadly, Ochs has been largely been written out of history, but his music and spirit live in the countless artists and activists he inspired. This great documentary helps explain why. And we’ll go one step further in discussion before and after as we’ll be joined by Ochs expert Jeff Place — archivist for the Smithsonian Folklife Collections, Grammy winner and producer/writer of “Anthology of American Folk Music” and “Best of Broadside.”

Jeff’s full bio here, http://www.folkways.si.edu/about_us/staff.aspx
Film trailer here, http://philochsthemovie.com/

Wednesday, February 8 – Phil Ochs, from 7-9pm at the beautiful Watha T. Daniel Library in Shaw, 1630 7th St NW. Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/events/167593300003919/, is the best way to learn more about DC Music Salon and upcoming events.


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