Classic Films

Do you play mandolin, mandola, mandocello, guitar, or bass? Would you like to? The Mandoleers are looking for musicians to join us. We play a variety of music genres, from classical and semi-classical to jazz, contemporary and a wide range of folks from around the world. **Rehearsal Details**: There is no requirement to audition. Reading music is helpful, but if you don't read music, bring a recording device. We rehearse (almost) every Tuesday evening from **7:30 to 9:30 PM** at: Clarendon United Methodist Church, 606 N. Irving Street, Arlington, VA 22201 **Please RSVP if you plan to attend!** The door to the church is *locked*, so we will need to come let you in. If you are not sure what instrument to play, assuming you play multiple stringed/fretted instruments, our Conductor will assist you to decide. Please go to our [contact page](https://mandoleers.org/contact-us) to inquire!

As part of the [DC Francophonie](https://www.francophonie-dc.org/event-list) Cultural Festival, the Embassy of Belgium invites you to a screening of "Rumba Royale" a historical drama set in pre-independence Congo. After the film, co-director and co-writer Hamed Mobasser will sit for a Q&A session, followed by a small reception with Belgian beer! Event registration is free, but capacity is limited. **To reserve tickets, [click here](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rumba-royale-screening-and-qa-tickets-1983568476710?aff=oddtdtcreator).** Set in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) in 1959, “Rumba Royale” follows a photographer drawn into the city’s most exclusive nightclub as Congo approaches independence. Inside the club, music, politics, and desire collide, with rumba mirroring the tensions of a society on the verge of change. The film will be in French with English subtitles. This event is organized in partnership with Embassy of France - La Maison Française.

It's Oscars season! Since every feature documentary up in this year's competition is on a different streaming service (::screams into the abyss::) we're taking a stroll down memory lane and watching a previous Oscar nominee. Plus, to honor Women's History Month, I've curated a list of films to choose from that were directed by women. The votes are in! We're watching: * The Square, 2013, Dir. Jehane Noujaim. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eWBmVprInQ Available for free on Kanopy, Xumo Play and Tubi, and to rent/subscription on YouTube, Roku, Prime and Google Play. ***Make sure to watch the film ahead of time*** and come prepared to discuss. We will not be screening the film at the meeting! What to expect the day of: * Please try to arrive on time * Meet new friends over some drinks & snacks (feel free to bring something to share!) * The host will lay some group rules and facilitate our discussion * Leave with some new insights and new friends! FYI - the free version of MeetUp limits me to 10 RSVPS, but if you're #1-5 on the waitlist please feel free to join us anyway.

Five directors present five interwoven stories mostly set in a nondescript bar. The characters are anything but nondescript, with their diverse interests and intentions colliding in strange ways. What they drink, why they drink, and how they drink are all part of the stories, with fate, coincidence, and even a touch of the supernatural weaving their way into the mix. ■ Title — *Life on the Rocks* ■ Directors — Joanna Bowzer, Tim Gagliardo ■ Cast — Zach Alden, Bonnie Bedelia, Jasmine Hester ■ Unrated, suitable for teens and adults ■ ©2021 \| 1h 30m \| Drama ■ Watch it free with ads on Fandango: https://athome.fandango.com/content/browse/details/Life-on-the-Rocks/1747115 ■ Watch it free with ads on Fawesome: https://fawesome.tv/movies/10678832/life-on-the-rocks ■ Watch it free with ads on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/707549/life-on-the-rocks ■ Available free without ads to Hoopla subscribers: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/18367241 ■ Available free without ads to Amazon Prime members: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.2039b5da-fb1c-4c8e-b29b-1f498db26285 ■ As with most of our online features, you can watch this one whenever you like. Members who watch at the scheduled time may enjoy exchanging comments with other members on this page. If you post a comment before the show, please avoid spoilers. Comments posted after the show may contain any content, but Oddball Cinema encourages members to always avoid spoilers unless there’s some particularly important details you need to mention. ■ Many of the movies on our online events from as far back as March 2020 are still available for viewing. However, titles sometimes move from one streaming service to another. If you find that the links on an old event no longer work, you can search for the current providers of any title here: https://justwatch.com

**This talk has completely sold out in advance and no door tickets will be available. You can catch the same talk at Highline RxR on March 15th, when plenty of tickets remain for sale.** [Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Celtic Mythology,”** an exploration of the beliefs of a people whose influence spread far beyond the British Isles, with Larissa “Kat” Tracy, past president of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies, former editor of its journal, *Eolas*, and visiting assistant teaching professor of English at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-celtic-mythology](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-celtic-mythology) .] The Celts inhabited lands stretching from the British Isles to parts of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Their influence can be seen in the art of the Vikings, in the rich oral and literary traditions of the Irish, Welsh and Bretons, and in the modern renaissance of Celtic culture. But who exactly were they? Get into the minds of the Celtic people by learning about their myths and beliefs with Larissa “Kat” Tracy, a scholar of Old and Middle Irish and Middle Welsh language and literature and published translator of Old Irish texts whose dynamic and fascinating talks have earned a considerable following among Profs and Pints fans. Dr. Tracy will delve into early medieval literary records that tell stories of the Tuatha de Danann, a godlike people who invaded Ireland and then were defeated themselves. She’ll offer a new perspective on faeries, banshees, and leprechauns by describing how the ancient Otherworldy people once believed to inhabit the western realms of Ireland were diminished or demonized into figures of popular folklore. You’ll learn how the ancient God of the Sun become one of the “little people” guarding cauldrons of gold and bestowing luck, how immortal beings of majestic stature shrank to small winged creatures in the back of gardens, and how supernatural women associated with the “people of the mound” became screaming harbingers of death. We’ll explore how medieval literary texts inspired later legends and became adapted into folklore. You’ll gain an understanding of how the medieval Catholic Church’s growing power led local people to reimagine their ancient gods and goddesses as Christian figures like Saint Bridget and Saint Patrick. You’ll gain an appreciation of how the Celts gave rise to living traditions that survive in modern popular culture through the preservation of languages, storytelling and music enjoyed all over the world, and renewed interest in goddesses like Brid and celebrations like Samhain. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From “Riders of the Sidhe,” a 1911 John Duncan painting of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Come network with fellow VA mediamakers at this Happy Hour in Richmond! This is a "BuyYOB" event held in Brambly Park. You MUST register here: https://www.wifv.org/calendar/#id=32398&cid=783&wid=401&type=Cal

**\*\*\*Tickets to this event are now sold out\*\*\*** Join us at AFI Silver Theatre March 13th for the first night of the New African American Film Festival where they'll be showing the highly acclaimed film My Father's Shadow by Nigerian director Akinola Davies. This film is Nigeria’s first-ever Cannes selection and winner of the Caméra d’Or Special Mention. [Check out the trailer](https://youtu.be/50ICTaEuQxg) We've heard so much about this film in passing and we're super excited to finally see it. **We expect the theater to be packed for the festival so please come early (between 6:15-6:45) so we can find each other and sit together. One of us will be in the front of the indoor theater past the lobby where you show your ticket. We'll be wearing a Black Girl Film Club sticker! Please check the WhatsApp and discussion board for any real-time updates.** The [New African Film Festival (NAFF)](https://silver.afi.com/events/detail/0000000182/), presented by the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and Africa World Now Project, brings the vibrancy of African filmmaking from all corners of the continent and across the diaspora to the Washington, DC, area. Shout out to Janna and Kamara for recommending this event!

The Kennedy Center was supposed to present this play last year with a cast from Broadway, but the producers cancelled. Luckily, Theater J has taken up the baton. I saw it a few years ago, I believe at Mosaic, and it is laugh-out-loud funny. To buy a ticket for a Pay What You Can performance, go to **[this link](https://www.edcjcc.org/theater-j/show/eureka-day/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=GET%20TICKETS&utm_campaign=2025-12-24-%20Iris%20Sizzle%20Reel%20)**. Click on Buy Tickets, then March 11, then just choose your seats and your price. (I believe March 12 is also PWYC if that is better for you. The Eureka Day School in Berkeley, California, is a bastion of progressive ideals: **representation, acceptance, social justice**. In weekly meetings Eureka Day’s five board members develop and update policy to preserve this culture of inclusivity, reaching decisions only by consensus. But when a mumps outbreak threatens the Eureka community, **facts become subjective and every solution divisive**, leaving the school’s leadership to confront the central question of our time: **How do you build consensus when no one can agree on truth?**

Hi everybody! Want to see a horror movie about a paranormal podcast host that has recordings mysteriously sent to her? If so, join me on March 14th for a 6:25 pm screening of “Undertone” at the AMC Hoffman Center 22. I’ll be sitting in seat F8 in Auditorium 3. I’ll be at Atlas roughly an hour before the screening if anyone wants to chat.

Join us as we finish cramming for the Oscars! Based on Denis Johnson's beloved novella, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century. TRAIN DREAMS is nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography, Original Song, Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. I'll be sitting in seat E8.

DC Film Society's 33rd Annual Party Watch the Oscars Broadcast ... LIVE ON THE BIG SCREEN! It's the next best thing to being there! Sunday, March 15, 2026 The Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA. (1/4 mile east of Glebe Road) **TICKETS**: $15.00 for DC Film Society members and WIFV members. $20.00 for the general public. Purchase advance tickets below. Same-day, on-site ticket sales start at 5:30pm. (CASH/CHECKS ONLY) The doors open at 6:00pm and the Red Carpet pre-show starts at 6:00pm. The Oscars broadcast is at 7:00pm. https://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com/shows/357590 Come on out to celebrate, jeer and cheer this year's Academy Awards at the Washington, DC Film Society’s annual Oscars Watch Party, “And the Winner is…” on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Advance tickets are ON SALE NOW online. On-site door sales that night start at 5:30pm, followed by doors open for Red Carpet shows at 6:00pm, then the ceremony starting at 7:00pm. All proceeds support DC Film Society’s parent organization, the Washington DC Int’l Film Festival - Filmfest DC.

Join us as we get together to see SIRAT, an Oscar-nominated Best International Film from Spain that follows a father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa. Here’s a description, trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: A father, accompanied by his son arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco while searching for his daughter who vanished months ago at one of these endless, sleepless parties. As their search continues, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. The film is directed by Oliver Laxe and stars Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona and Richard Bellamy. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-IXHXvS70 BUZZ & ACCLAIM: SIRAT has already won numerous awards, including 4 at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, along with the Chicago, Montclair and Toronto International Film Festivals! It also earned a whopping 11 nominations at the 40th Goya Awards, including Best Film and Director, and was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound at this year’s Academy Awards. The film is earning a stellar 92% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes which calls it “an unforgettable exercise in tension” and “a brutal reminder that the journey can be more important than the destination.” PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and we’ll meet inside the upstairs lobby between 6:40 and 6:50pm. Super Tuesday ticket price is just $6.50 (including online fee)! Advance ticket purchase is advised (via Gateway website preferred). Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event! This one will be a “movie only” event. PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

By popular demand, we're reserving a special meeting to watch the Oscars at Studio 35...

This 1967 film is widely regarded as one of the best American movies ever made. Now remembered almost as much for its Simon and Garfunkel music as its deadpan comedy and being the role that established Dustin Hoffman as the hottest actor in Hollywood. It became a cultural icon for capturing the spirit of 60s angst of a young man on the make, while garnering a batch of Oscar nominations. After watching the movie on your own, join us to relive (or experience!) those feelings at our discussion.

Join us as we get together for a CMG-favorite event, the OSCAR PARTY AND RED CARPET BASH at the Drexel Theatre! The highlight of the movie year live on the big screen always makes for a fun and memorable evening! Here are details for this event: WHAT TO EXPECT: This year’s ceremony will be hosted once again by Conan O’Brien. In addition to the Oscars on the big screen, your ticket includes a Meal Deal from the Drexel’s new food partner Newfangled Kitchen (I’m checking on vegetarian/vegan options) along with unlimited popcorn and sodas, a free box of candy, and your first beer, wine or specialty drink on the house! Also included: Oscar-themed trivia with prizes from local businesses, on-site paparazzi, and the Drexel's Oscar ballot contest with a chance to win a year of free Drexel movies! Plus, the BEST and most FUN way to watch the Oscars with fellow film fans and your CMG friends! ADVANCE TICKETS: General public tickets are $45 but Movie Group Members and their guests get in for just $35! Here’s how to purchase your tickets: \* Option 1 – In Person: You can purchase at the ticket counter anytime during operating hours. Just mention you are with the Columbus Movie Group for the discounted rate. \* Option 2 – Online: If you prefer to purchase online, you can do so by going to the link below and following these instructions: 1. Click the link below. 2. Click the little TICKETS box then click BUY TICKETS. 3. If you are a Drexel Member, you can log in here to receive the Member/Group rate, which is the same. If you are not a Drexel member, click “No” and the $40 Rate will pop up. But, don’t fret. It’s a little hard to find but there’s a “Promotion Code” section on the screen. Click the “Know a Promotion Code?” box, enter “CMG2026” (case sensitive) and submit. Select the appropriate number of tickets in the Discount Rate section and click “Add.” Next “Proceed to Checkout” then “Checkout” and enter your credit card info. There’s a $1.50 online service fee but it’ll save you a trip to the Drexel. (If you don’t already have one, you will need to sign in or create an account first.) Sellout possible so please purchase yours as soon as possible in advance! LINK FOR TICKETS (See Above Instructions): https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=373546\~e2e0a350-c626-4e33-bc63-27e983f4aecf&epguid=ab0b2f82-403c-4972-9998-5475e7dcfa0e&mdy=3/15/2026& DRESS: Dressing up for the occasion art of part of the fun! Dress up as much as you like – there will be everything from casual to formal at the event! Or you can go in character as one of this year’s nominated films! ARRIVAL: Doors open for CMG at 5:30pm so that’s when we’ll plan to meet! That’ll give us plenty of time to fill out our Oscar Ballots, pick up some free popcorn, candy, and something to drink, mix, mingle, take some photos, pick up your Newfangled Kitchen Meal Deal, grab a seat in our CMG Reserved Section, then settle in to enjoy the Academy Awards on the Big Screen! PICTURES: We’ll take pics throughout the evening and the Drexel Paparazzi will be on hand as well. We’ll also take a big group photo around 6:40 near the entrance before the show begins. If you happen to take some good shots yourself, be sure to upload them on the Oscar Party Meetup event! RESERVED SEATING: As you enter the theater, the roped off section to the right marked “Reserved” is reserved for you, your guest(s) and the Columbus Movie Group! VEGAN MEALS: As previously mentioned, the food vendor does NOT have a vegan option at this year’s Oscar Party. However, we DO have a solution! I have reached out to several individuals who are affected. If you are a vegan, plan to attend the Oscar Party and did not receive an e-mail from me, please reach out via private message post a note below. I’ll provide details off-line. And while there won’t be a vegan meal option this year, I think we do have a workable solution. And, all other plans are usiness-as-usual: popcorn, sodas, candy, on-site paparazzi, decorations, bar drinks (including your first drink on the house), the Drexel’s Annual Oscar ballot contest, along with the Big Show on the Big Screen and a fun group of Movie Group friends to watch ‘em with! BONUS LINKS: \* COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINEES: https://deadline.com/lists/2026-oscar-nominations-list/ \* INTERESTING ARTICLE ON RECORDS BROKEN, SUPRISING FACTS AND OSCAR FIRSTS: https://abc7.com/post/oscar-nominations-2026-surprising-facts-nominees-98th-oscars/18448908/ \* SHORT VIDEO MONTAGE OF THIS YEAR’S BEST PICTURE NOMINEES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3abMnrsaUA \* FUN VIDEO OF OSCAR NOMINEES HEARING THEIR NOMINATIONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6eY1yGQ2aU PARKING: Parking is available along Main Street in front of the theater, on Drexel Avenue, and other nearby side streets. Additional parking is available at the Bexley Municipal Parking Lot (two driveways west of the theatre). LINK: Should be a fun & festive evening and a terrific way to celebrate a great year of movies together! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Join us as we get together to see Ryan Gosling and Sandra Huller in the highly anticipated sci-fi adventure, PROJECT HAIL MARY! The film is based on the best-selling novel of The Martian and follows a man who awakens on a spacecraft before realizing his mission to save Earth. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: A science teacher wakes up on a spaceship, light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission to save the Earth. The film is directed by the filmmaking due Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (21 and 22 Jump Street, Into and Across the Spider-Verse) and is based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir (The Martian). The film stars Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest), Lionel Boyce, Milana Vayntrub and Ken Leung. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VYsnngkS_U MOVIE PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 2:30pm SuperScreen DLX showing and meet in the lobby area between 2:05 and 2:15pm! Tickets already on sale and will likely move fast for this hot ticket / opening weekend showing so advance ticket purchase as soon as possible is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. As a head’s up, this is a longer movie at 2hrs 36mins. DINNER PLAN: Dinner immediately following the movie at 5:30pm at group favorite, FUGU SUSHI, located just next door! Separate RSVP required for the Dinner / Movie portions of this event. An RSVP here means you're signed up for the MOVIE! This portion will be open as long as seats remain. If you also plan to join for dinner, please also RSVP in the separate event listing for the dinner portion of this event. Should be a good one, Dan

**Tickets are on sale now**

A great movie deserves a great dinner! Join us after PROJECT HAIL MARY for another fun and tasty dinner at a CMG-favorite restaurant, FUGU SUSHI! RSVPs are limited for the dinner portion of this event! Here are complete details: FUGU SUSHI: Fugu Sushi offers a truly authentic experience that keeps customers (and the Movie Group) coming back for more. They offer an extensive menu with a delightful array of options and something for everyone! From their top-rated sushi, to tasty appetizers, soups, salads, bento boxes, tempura, delicious teriyaki dishes (including chicken, shrimp, salmon, tofu, vegetable and more), and vegetarian and vegan options, you’ll be certain to find something you love! MENU: https://www.fugusushicolumbus.com/menus RSVP: An RSVP here means you're signed up for the DINNER portion of this event. Seating is limited. If you also plan to join for the movie, please also RSVP in the separate event listing for the movie portion of this event. For the movie, we'll meet in the theater lobby at 2:10pm for the 2:30pm SuperScreen DLX showing. Advance ticket purchase for the movie is advised. Please RSVP in both events, if you plan to attend the movie and dinner. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan