Saturday, May 4, 2013
PG-13 film in theaters starting Thursday is a 'hoot, wild ride and an emotional journey.'
Let's face it. Those of you who are interested in films of Iron Man's ilk and have waited through a year of Comic-Cons dressed like your favorite Marvel superhero, do not need Cinema Siren to tell you whether to head out this weekend to keep one of Hollywood's biggest studio franchises alive and Robert Downey Jr. out of the poorhouse. You already have your tickets. It is the souls who usually stay home with a glass of wine watching Downton Abbey, and occasion the multiplex only for the most hyped and well reviewed blockbusters they want to charm into theaters. Try Regal Potomac Yard 16 at 3575 Jefferson Davis Highway or AMC Hoffman Center 22 at 206 Swamp Fox Road. With its mix of magnetic superstar power, exciting action and strong …
Friday, May 3, 2013
Be a tourist in your own hometown. The Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association is offering city residents free tours to many local attractions for one day in May.
Sure, you know Alexandria. But just how well? That house is cool and so is that one over there. You’ve recommended your out-of-town guests take the Old Town Ghost and Graveyard Tour and enjoy the view from the river, but what about you? In recognition of National Travel & Tourism Week, the Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association and its members invite City of Alexandria residents to be tourists in their own hometown with free tours Friday, May 10. The ACVA is partnering with 10 tour companies and attractions to offer free tours and admission throughout the day. To participate, you must complete an online reservation here. Proof of residency may be requested. These tours include:
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
T.C. Williams High School conducted the performance.
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Tuesday, April 30
By Brenna Carroll, Bishop Ireton High School student All that could be heard coming from T.C. Williams High School’s auditorium on a recent Friday night was laughter and applause as members of "The Wiz" cast delighted audience members with musical numbers from the upbeat redo of a classic tale based on L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Decorated with a script full of wit and a libretto filled with endlessly catchy melodies, by Charlie Small and William F. Brown, "The Wiz" was sure to be a night of fun on all sides of the stage lights. The story follows Dorothy on her journey from Kansas to Oz as she encounters creatures unimaginable in the real world. Dorothy, played by senior Samantha Rose Williams, showed off her range of …
Monday, April 29, 2013
Don White will play at the Church of the Resurrection.
Focus Music is presenting an evening of original songs and humor with Don White in concert at 7 p.m. May 19. The concert will take place at Church of the Resurrection, 2280 N. Beauregard St. Tickets are $18 general and $15 in advance at www.focusmusic.org. For more information, call 703-380-3151 or email herb@focusmusic.org. White, who is based in Boston, is known for taking his audiences from laughter to tears, sometimes in the course of one song. His vocals range from talk-singing to an almost operatic power to a nasal drone, depending of the song's subject. His between-song patter is there with the storytelling of Bill Cosby or Garrison Keillor, perhaps because his subjects usually involve the joys, annoyances, embarrassments and …
Top news of the week from our Patches around Virginia and DC.
Patch has 31 community sites in Virginia and D.C. Here are some of the top stories from around the region over the past week. 16. Mark Wahlberg Visits: Actor Mark Wahlberg visited T.C. Williams High School on Wednesday morning for an assembly presented by Get Schooled, a nonprofit that aims to engage high school students in an effort to improve graduation rates and empower more students to achieve in college. “I had to work really hard to get where I’m at,” Wahlberg said. “And I don’t mind working really hard to try and maintain it." 15. Runner Pledges 30 Races: Arlington resident Lauren Bailey is halfway through a personal challenge that has been daunting and exhilarating — running 30 races in one year, the year of her 30th birthday. …
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Plus, Iguana models, cell towers in disguise, a Ladybug exodus and two birds ask, "Who cooks for you?"
Editor's Note: Patch has 31 sites in Virginia and D.C., and not a day goes by that something weird isn't happening somewhere in the area. Here's a look back at some weird goings on over the past week. Drivers at the Lake Ridge commuter lot near Interstate 95 saw more than the road crews and heavy machinery that have become standard commute scenery. Prince William County Police arrested a man April 19 when they found him dancing naked on the hood of his car. Without question, you should surrender to authorities when police have identified you as the suspect in a grand-larceny case. But we feel compelled to caution suspects about checking their pockets after a 27-year-old Annandale man turned himself in. Police in Falls Church say they …
Sunday, April 21, 2013
The show aims to reduce the stigma of mental illness.
The Mental Health Anti-Stigma HOPE Campaign has announced the opening of the Third Annual Alexandria Art Exhibition, “Art Uniting People,” in May. The opening is from 5 to 8 p.m. May 9 at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St. in Old Town Alexandria. The exhibit aims to engage the community in a conversation about the uniqueness and commonality of people through art. It’s part of an effort to raise awareness about the stigma faced by those with mental illness, substance use disorders and intellectual disabilities. This year, storyteller Auntie Oyé and master drummer Joseph Ngwa and Friends will provide entertainment. The program starts at 6:30 p.m., and light refreshments will be served. For more information contact carrie.fesperman@vdh.…
Saturday, April 20, 2013
PG-13 film starring Tom Cruise opens Friday in theaters.
In director Joseph Kosinski's Oblivion, you can see a love for and desire to expand on the great classics of science fiction on film. With the most impressive use of IMAX for a feature film to date, in that respect he has created something new and exciting, with what is essentially a 3-D movie where you don't need the glasses. Production esigner Darren Gilford (of TRON: Legacy) and cinematographer Claudio Miranda (Oscar winner for Life of Pi) make, to quote the movie, "an effective team." The visual landscapes of the film and the meticulousness taken in the action sequences are extraordinary. Here, the integration of CGI (computer-generated imagery) and live filming is another indication of the rapid advancements happening in moviemaking…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Hills' soprano has made her one of contemporary folk music's premier vocalists.
Focus Music will present folk singer/songwriter Anne Hills, with special guest Jesse Palidofsky, on April 21 at Church of the Resurrection in Alexandria’s West End. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the church, located at 2280 N. Beauregard St. Tickets are $18 general, $15 in advance at FocusMusic.org. For information, call 703-380-3151 or emilherb@focusmusic.org. Hills' soprano has made her one of contemporary folk music's premier vocalists, completed by deft work on guitar and banjo. She has received awards and recognition for her live performances, her unique solo and collaborative recording projects and her overall artistry and benefit work. She's also known for choosing unforgettable material and writing heartfelt original songs. Her …
Friday, April 5, 2013
The 3D enhancements make it worth seeing again on the big screen.
Once again we are at an old vs. new and purist vs. innovator crossroads. Why in the world would anyone go out to see Jurassic Park in the theatre for $12+ when they can snuggle at home and watch it on their own 40-inch HDTV? What could make this release worth the time of movie fans out there when my own Siren spouse couldn't be cajoled into seeing it with me at the multiplex? It all comes down to the experience. We haven't seen Jurassic Park in the movie theaters since its release in 1993. They could have rereleased it without the new bells and whistles and I'd have been halfway there. With all the mediocre new 3D releases depending on the new technology to fill the gap of good story, I really wanted to see one of the favorites of my…
DnLMom
5:57 pm on Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Wiz was fantastic - the cast excelled; especially Ben Ribler – the best Scarecrow to come down the yellow brick road lo these many years… more ›