What we’re about
-LOOKING FOR THE HIKING GROUP? You can find them here and here—easy-peazy!
-Yes, we do take movie requests!
This group description was partly written with AI:
Do you crave movies that make you question reality, your existence, and whether your coffee was laced with something? Do you find yourself quoting obscure directors no one else has heard of just for fun? Are you a film school dropout? Does the idea of a black-and-white, three-hour film with no dialogue and a mysterious floating balloon sound like your ideal Friday night?
[Note: I wouldn't say we'll watch anything quite that boring; but oldies can be goodies. And we'll watch some new stuff as well.]
Welcome to Hampton Roads Cinephiles! This is a group for people who want to see the latest indie horror at the Naro, appreciate a slick New Waver by Godard or Varda, thrill in the samurai epics of Kurosawa, and joy in being mindf*d by Kubrick—along with taking pleasure in many newer films that the normies may or may not have heard of.
Whether it’s thoughtful thrillers, surrealist horror, a bloody Yakuza joint, or a gorgeous wuxia film by Zhang Yimou, Hampton Roads Cinephiles is all about the wow factor; we live for those moments when a true work of art leaves you staring at the screen long after the credits roll, trying to process what the hell just happened. (And we're happy to stand outside or go to a bar across the street and talk about it.)
We'll be gathering at local cinemas around Town Center, the Oceanfront, and probably the Naro, but don’t be surprised if we end up in some cozy, tucked-away venue for those avant-garde films you can't see in the theaters.
(I also run two other Meetup Groups, the Hampton Roads Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club and the Richmond Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club. Check 'em out if that's your thing!)
**No-Flake Policy, effective September 26, 2024**
- What’s Flaking? Flaking is when you cancel or don’t show up for something you RSVP’d to with less than 8 hours’ notice. I understand that things come up, but last-minute cancellations or no-shows affect attendance and waste my time, effort, and occasionally money—especially when I’ve made reservations for rooms or restaurants, or gotten hard copies of movies and AV equipment for watch party events specifically.
- Life Happens: I totally get it—emergencies, illnesses, or other unexpected things can happen. Please just give me a heads-up as soon as possible. If it’s not an emergency, try to cancel at least 8 hours before the event so I can adjust plans.
- Keeping It Fair: If you flake more than three times in a two-month period without a valid reason, I’ll have to remove you from the group. This ensures everyone respects each other’s time and commitment.
- Half of Life is Just Showing Up: Your attendance is what really makes the group special. When you show up, it creates a more engaging and fun experience for everyone, sparking great conversations with fellow cinephiles. The more people who attend, the richer our discussions will be. So, if you RSVP, please make it a priority to come. If something comes up, just let me know at least 8 hours in advance so I can adjust accordingly.
(This policy becomes effective September 26, 2024. If you flaked previous to this date but not after, your slate is clean.)
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- They Live (1988) directed by John Carpenter @ Naro Expanded CinemaNARO EXPANDED CINEMA, Norfolk, VA
After The Thing and Christine, I'm always up for a John Carpenter horror romp at the Naro. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance on the Naro website.
RUNTIME: 93 minutes
SYNOPSIS: Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. As he walks the streets of Los Angeles, Nada notices that both the media and the government are comprised of subliminal messages meant to keep the population subdued, and that most of the social elite are skull-faced aliens bent on world domination. With this shocking discovery, Nada fights to free humanity from the mind-controlling aliens.
BLURBS:
"It is a big, silly barrel of fun, with a delirious, tongue-in-cheek script..." - Chris Bennion, The Times (UK)"Carpenter's primary objective was to make a tough action flick, which he does; it fits snugly into his filmography's subset of urban mayhem movies (alongside 'Escape from New York,' 'Assault on Precinct 13,' and parts of 'Big Trouble in Little China')." - Jason Bailey, Flavorwire
"Behold the message as articulated by John Carpenter's sublime sci-fi opus: 'I'm giving you a choice: Either put on these glasses, or start eating that trashcan.'" - Calum Marsh, Slant Magazine
- WATCH PARTY: 8 1/2 (1963) directed by Federico Fellini @ Mary Pretlow LibraryMary Pretlow Anchor Branch Library, Norfolk, VA
This is the favorite film of Tim Cooper, former owner of the Naro Video Store, who recently passed away. Read more about him here. (h/t cinephile Ben!) We'll be in the large room, Meeting Room 1, for one of the most highly regarded movies of all time (and one I've tried to watch a couple times, and found a bit challenging. Maybe on the big screen it'll click.)
RUNTIME: 138 minutes
SYNOPSIS (via Criterion.com): Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido Anselmi, a director whose new project is collapsing around him, along with his life. One of the greatest films about film ever made, Federico Fellini’s 8½ (Otto e mezzo) turns one man’s artistic crisis into a grand epic of the cinema. An early working title for 8½ was The Beautiful Confusion, and Fellini’s masterpiece is exactly that: a shimmering dream, a circus, and a magic act.
BLURBS:
"8 1/2 is probably the most potent movie about film-making, within which fantasy and reality are mixed without obfuscation, and there's a tough argument that belies Fellini's usual felicitous flaccidity." - Derek Malcolm, The Guardian"In terms of execution I cannot remember a more brilliant film." - Stanley Kaufmann, The New Republic
"It's a deluxe glorification of creative crisis, visually arresting (the dark and light contrasts are extraordinary, magical) but in some essential way conventional-minded." - Pauline Kael, The New Yorker
