A few years ago I thought my friends and I were lucky to get tickets to the hottest festival screening of the year, but it didn’t turn out the way we planned.
Picture Culbreth Theatre (this is before the Paramount reopened I believe) packed to the rafters with the who’s who of Charlottesville society dressed to the 9’s for the premier of the directorial debut of Nicolas Cage. What followed, the screening of ‘Sonny’ was perhaps the worst film I’ve ever seen. With more T&A than a timm-ay post, Sonny was the coming-of-age story of a New Orleans gigolo, chock full of whores, madames and pimps wrapped around a seemingly 10 minute long Trans-Am fueled music video, with extra helpings of drugs and violence. Not only was the story itself offensive to most everyone there, but the acting was terrible (including a cameo by Cage himself as the pimp ‘Acid Yellow’???) and the directing and production lousy.
But this was the film festival, so after the screening, and as the shock of what we’d seen was still wearing off, chairs were assembled on stage so that Cage, there himself, could be interviewed by film critic extraordinaire Roger Ebert. What went through Ebert’s mind I’ll never know, but rather than score headlines by giving the film the critical work-over it more than amply deserved in front of Cage and the live audience, Ebert quietly damned it with faint (”New Orleans is such a beautiful city, isn’t it?”) praise and few questions, focusing instead on Cage’s large body of excellent work. Roger’s a class act in my book. Lisa Marie was there as well, as this was during the brief period of their marriage, I can’t help but think that her mortification brought on by viewing the train wreck her husband had created helped convince her that marriage to Cage maybe wasn’t such a good idea (and this from a woman who’d stayed married to Michael Jackson longer).
Were any other Cvillains there? I’m sure there are other good film festival stories floating around… awkward glances around and a smattering of applause as Sandra Bullock wins an award for ‘Miss Congeniality 2′?
Anyone else hate the fact that they come up with a theme every year and then have to explain the convoluted connection to that theme of films they’re showing just because a famous name is showing up?
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Sandra Bullock did a closed q&a with Drama majors that year, and she was surprisingly interesting. She may do a lot of “fluff” romcoms, but she is a very intelligent and savvy woman. Very well spoken. I genuinely enjoyed listening to her. She’s also probably even better looking in person than on screen.
Mark Johnson has done the producer’s forum the past couple of years (and also spoke to our Senior Sem class for Drama majors). He’s always interesting and funny and honest. A very nice and easy-going guy…surprising considering you always see these producers as head-hunting money grubbers. For an aspiring producer like myself, he is a real inspiration and role model.
The Nine Lives screening at The Paramount a couple of years ago was def a highlight. The movie was AWESOME, and we got to see the director, producers, and several actresses all up on stage for a round table discussion. Kathy Baker was especially great up there.
The Tenacious D screening last year was sweet.
Does anyone else feel like this year’s fest really sucks? There’s only 2 movies I’m even moderately interested in seeing (and I see EVERYTHING). I thought with a theme like family, there were a lot of great films to choose from and direction to explore. Instead, they just got a bunch of boring no-name flicks and one B level celebrity (although it is Jesus…8 year olds dude).
I agree that this year’s fest is the suck.
I wish I’d caught Luke Wilson’s screening when he was her a couple of years ago. Was that the Mark Johnson forum you caught Tim? The Wendell Baker Story.. right?
Haha, at the Luke Wilson party event I remember a guy going up to Luke and saying something about smoking a joint in the bathroom when suddenly Luke’s bodyguard popped up and whispered something ridiculously menacing to the guy.
I think Mark Johnson’s here most years. One time I saw him with - no joke- the most attractive woman I’ve ever seen.
One of my favorite memories is Vanessa Redgrave stopping random groups of sorority girls on Rugby Rd. and giving them life advice. I heard one of them say “that old lady was so nice!” while walking away. You’d think they would know her from Nip/Tuck.
I was at the Luke Wilson screening and party, and I know Mark Johnson.
I’m disappointed in you, Thor. You’re missing the point. Film festivals are not about bringing a celebrity to a small town so people can say they saw them in real life. How… trite. They’re about giving films the exposure they deserve that they might not otherwise receive, or giving audiences exposure to films that they would not otherwise see. Additionally, this festival brings classic films to the bigscreen. Silents with live music! Did you even read about any of the movies or guests? I hate that I’m missing Hoop Realities and Honeydripper right now. John Turturro, John Sayles, and Sean Patrick Thomas are incredible actors and filmmakers. Romance & Cigarettes is probably going to sell out. Autism: The Musical is apparently spectacular.
How many Virginia Film Festival screenings have you even been to?
/annoyed
Oh come on! This year’s film lineup is WEAK. I don’t feel like we’re getting many classics (something like “To Kill A Mockingbird” would have been fantastic), and the new stuff is by and large incredibly boring sounding. We’re not really getting any early peeks at upcoming films, like we did with “The Cooler” or “Nine Lives” or “Pick of Destiny.” I don’t really know anybody talking about it, and it’s usually full of buzz and excitement. I see it bombing.
Johnson is a UVA alum and on the board of the film festival. He’s usually here every year doing something. I didn’t actually catch the Wendell Baker screening; the producer’s forum goes down at Darden every year during the fest. I wonder who his lady friend was?
And as for Starks’ comment, well, lets just all agree that the return of Nip/Tuck on Tuesday was totally awesome. I can’t begin to say how overjoyed I am that it’s back (now if only my fucking cable would stop breaking).