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Tench’s Topics
This space features current and recent articles and posts by Naro co-owner Tench Phillips. Tench is a regular columnist for Veer Magazine where he often expands on subjects he is passionate about: social justice, environmental protection, and peace. This page will feature both his Veer columns and additional articles. Please feel free to comment on films or offer your own opinion on posted topics. Please note that comments are moderated for relevancy and civility.
The Life of Mal Vincent – Video & Tributes
A public memorial was held at The Naro on Saturday, December 11, 2021, for the late Mal Vincent, long-time movie and theater critic and journalist at The Virginian-Pilot. Hosted by Naro owners Tench Phillips and Thom Vourlas, the program included lively remembrances by colleagues and community members along with musical and visual presentations. The video below (click “read more”) was produced by videographer and digital media specialist Danny Lee Epperson for this event and he has kindly offered to share it with our Naro community at large. Enjoy!
The End of an Era
The inimitable entertainment critic Mal Vincent passed away this weekend at the age of 83. In the days before the internet, Rotten Tomatoes, and social media, Mal's film reviews as printed in The Virginian-Pilot often determined the size of our audiences, to both the...
Spencer – A Multi-Genre Movie?
CRITIC’S PICK ‘Spencer’ Review: Prisoner of the House of Windsor Kristen Stewart stars as an anguished, rebellious Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín’s answer to “The Crown.” Excerpt below from the New York Times Review of "Spencer" : Prisoner of the House of Windsor By...
Welcome to Wes World…
With The Naro running a mini-fest of classic Wes Anderson films leading up to a run of his latest film The French Dispatch, we thought we'd link to some media of interest concerning all things Wes. From the NY Times, October 21, 2012: In the Company of Wes...
A Note from Valdimar Jóhannsson (Director of LAMB)
(reprinted from A24 Films – the following are the words of Valdimar Jóhannsson )
On my recent travels with my first feature film Lamb, I have been asked many questions that I had no answers to. It has made me very happy to hear the different and inspiring interpretations from both audiences and journalists.
At Long Last, Naro Reopens!
After a lengthy hibernation that commenced with the closing of the theater in March of 2020, the Naro Cinema announces our reopening on Friday, June 4 with an initial weekend of an eclectic mix of some of our favorite titles from yesteryear. Thom, Tench, Theresa,...
Waiting for Godot: The Elusive Promise of Reopening
The temporary closing of the Naro Cinema on March 20th of this year marked the beginning of a long period of anticipation for the extended Naro family. We originally planned for a July 4th weekend reopening with showings of the Spielberg classic ‘Jaws’ as a fun and...
John Lewis: A Profile In Courage
It is a good time to reflect on the civil rights era of the sixties and re-learn the effective strategies used by protest organizers and leaders. America has long memorialized the life and work of Martin Luther King. And yet there were other leaders who marched with...
Surviving the Storms Together
Guest Contributor Al Markowitz is a freelance writer, poet, publisher, activist and philosopher. His articles frequently appear in Veer Magazine. He also publishes the Blue Collar Review, Journal of Progressive working Class Literature. More of Al's writings can be...
Bad Habits: Keeping Up With Our Joneses
I like to do my writing in the mornings when I feel most clear-headed. I sit with my laptop accompanied by my cats and a hot cup of black coffee. My daily java ‘jones’ requires freshly ground French dark roast beans placed in our manual pour-over Chemex drip-through...