This year’s Virginia Film Festival showcased countless masterpieces in Charlottesville’s movie halls and theatres. While the event wows crowds each year without fail, the 2015 line-up included such special works as “Ithaca” — the directorial debut of actress Meg Ryan shot in small-town Virginia — and “Sol LeWitt: Wall Drawings” — a concise, simplistic piece about artist Sol LeWitt. Arts and Entertainment offers an evaluation of this year’s VFF schedule.
Victoria
“Victoria” is certainly captivating and plausible, yet not the most convincing story. The odds of someone falling in love and risking her life in one night doesn’t quite fit in with the nitty gritty “realist” theme of the movie. [...] “Victoria” is a brave and successful attempt at a new form of storytelling, yet one hopes that in the future, such a process will come with a better story to tell in the first place.
— Lowry Neil
Ithaca
In addition to the visually striking scenery filmed in Petersburg, Virginia, another strong point of this movie is its unrelenting theme of the familial small-town community. […] Still, charm can only take a movie so far. There are a few too many subplots in the film to leave the audience truly satisfied and fully connected with the characters, and [Director Meg] Ryan misses a few golden opportunities by allowing the ending to become extremely predictable.
— Milli Wise
Son of Saul
“Son of Saul” is a powerful film, one that employs elements of emotion and ambiguity, combining them within a framework of fundamental themes and unique filming techniques. [...] It is not an inherently enjoyable movie, but it is not supposed to be. It merely tells a story, one that evokes great emotional responses from its viewers while also offering motivations and mysteries to scrutinize.
— Matthew Gittelman
“Mercy Street,” an upcoming medical mini-series from PBS centering on a hospital in Union-occupied Alexandria…expertly balances the typical thrills of a medical drama with the complicated political and social turmoil of the South during the Civil War. [...] “Mercy Street” is not perfect — it falls victim to the occasional cliché and cheesy line — but if the premiere is any indication of what the rest of the season will bring, it is not to be missed.
— Ellen Adams
“Actor for Hire” overplays its central theme...none of the characters seem particularly genuine. And while this effect is likely what [Director Marcus] Mizelle aimed for, he goes too far...instances [of humor] are relatively rare in what otherwise feels like a movie straining for shrewd satire, but coming up short.
— Ben Hitchcock
At just under an hour, the film executes a beautiful, simple story of an artist who believed in the perpetual nature of art. The short and sweet format maintains viewers’ attention and allocates the perfect amount of time to sufficiently cover the expansive exhibit at MASS MoCA. [...]The solid beginning, middle, and end allow for a resolved, entertaining, and insightful film.
— Anna Morgan
Check the links above for full reviews of these films.
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