It’s always good to laugh, and an evening of Buster Keaton, with live accompaniment, should supply the entertainment. I just got my first press release concerning this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival, which will run from April 19 through May 3. As is the festival’s custom, they leak several major events to the press [...]
Filed under: Festivals, SFIFF, Silent Films | Tagged: Buster Keaton | Leave a Comment »
I wrote this review after seeing Cracks at the 2010 San Francisco International Film Festival. I was under the impression it would receive a theatrical release and therefore held back the full-length review. As it turns out, it did get a theatrical release, but it didn’t spread to the Bay Area. Since it’s available on [...]
Filed under: SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
Graham Leggat, executive director of the San Francisco Film Society (the organization that runs the San Francisco International Film Festival and has just taken over the VIZ Cinema @ New People movie theater) announced this morning that he’s stepping down for health reasons. According to an article by Leah Garchik in this morning’s Chronicle, he [...]
Filed under: SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
This year’s San Francisco International Film Festival ended nearly a week ago. Either the festival programmers did an excellent job selecting titles or I had exceptional luck picking ones to see. Of the 16 new films I caught this year (two on preview DVDs and 14 at the festival itself), six earned a full A, [...]
Filed under: Festivals, First-person Report, SFIFF, Technical | Leave a Comment »
This year’s San Francisco International Film Festival closed last night with a screening of On Tour at the Castro, followed by a party at The Factory. I got to the Castro early–about 6:15 for a 7:00 show–and discovered something that would reasonably upset most moviegoers. Almost the entire middle section of the house was reserved [...]
Filed under: Festivals, First-person Report, SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
Managed to get to one movie at the Kabuki today—the last one I’ll see there at this year’s festival. B+ The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975. The nature of the civil rights movement changed dramatically in the mid-to-late 1960’s, and this American/Swedish documentary tracks the black power movement from Stokely Carmichael’s heyday until heroin ravaged Harlem. [...]
Filed under: Documentaries, Festivals, SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
I forsook the Kabuki for two San Francisco International Film Festival events at the Castro today. La Dolce Vita This was my second time seeing what many consider Fellini’s masterpiece. The first time–maybe 15 or 20 years ago–was at the UC Theater (of blessed memory). That was also from a new restoration spearheaded by Martin [...]
Filed under: Festivals, SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
After the Kanbar Award event, I caught two other films at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Coincidentally, both were about teenagers. Both were also very good. B+ Children of the Princess of Cleves. In France as in every other country, adolescents must deal with ranging hormones, overly-strict parents (in their eyes, at least), tests [...]
Filed under: Comedy, Documentaries, Festivals, SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
The San Francisco International Film Festival’s Kanbar Award tribute to screenwriter Frank Pierson started 10 minutes late. But it was worth the wait. Pierson’s work ranges from memorable ‘60s classics like Cool Hand Luke to one of the best TV shows of recent years, Mad Men. As the Festival speaker who introduced the event put [...]
Filed under: Festivals, SFIFF | Leave a Comment »
I skipped Oliver Stone’s tribute this evening at the San Francisco International Film Festival and I’m glad I did. In its place, I caught a French gem that’s the sort of movie you go to film festivals to discover. A Living on Love Alone “Youth,” as W. S. Gilbert wrote, “must have its fling.” But [...]
Filed under: Festivals, SFIFF | 1 Comment »
