What’s Screening: February 10 – 16

The Elite Squad of Colonel Blimp brings up baby. If you’re feeling like a festival, IndieFest continues through this week. B Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, 4-Star, opens Friday. Captain Roberto Nascimento believes in killing "scumbags." And as an officer in Rio’s militaristic Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE), he gets plenty of opportunities to do [...]

What’s Screening: February 3 – 9

Beauty and the French Connection Looking Through a Glass Onion. The Mostly British Film Festival continues through the week and IndieFest opens Thursday. A Beauty and the Beast (1946 version), Castro, Thursday. I’d be hard-pressed to think of another film that’s anything like Jean Cocteau’s post-war fantasy. It’s a fairytale, told with a charming and [...]

What’s Screening: January 27–February 2

We’re off to see Harry Belafonte, Captain Kirk, and two black birds. And if you find yourself reading this newsletter over and over again, that’s because it’s Groundhog Day. In festival news, Noir City continues through Sunday. And the Mostly British Film Festival opens Thursday. B Sing Your Song, Roxie, opens Friday. Harry Belafonte is [...]

What’s Screening: January 20 – 26

The Wages of Separation When You Put Safety Last Noir City opens today (Friday) and runs through the week and a bit beyond. A A Separation, Embarcadero Center, opens Friday. Writer/director Asghar Farhadi demonstrates how good people can turn against each other in this harrowing tale from Iran about divorce, family responsibilities, and courtroom drama. [...]

What’s Screening: January 13 – 19

Grapes of wrath in a red desert beneath the colors of the mountain…where samurais search for German gems. Finally, some festivals! For Your Consideration: A Selection of Oscar Submissions From Around the World runs through the week at the Rafael. And German Gems plays the Castro on Saturday, then heads north to Point Arena for [...]

What’s Screening: January 6 – 12

Yet another Bay Area week without a single film festival. A The Mill and the Cross, Castro, Wednesday. Painting with the wide palette that 21st century cinema allows, Lech Majewski creates a masterwork about Bruegel creating The Way to Calvary–one of his masterworks. True to Bruegel’s style, the film starts with the day-to-day lives of [...]

What’s Screening: December 30–January 5

West Side Story, Douglas Fairbanks’ last silent, and The Wizard of Oz. No festivals this week. And the Pacific Film Archive and Stanford are closed, as well. B Sing-a-Long West Side Story, Castro, Friday through Monday. I’m commenting on the movie, not the sing-a-long experience. West Side Story swings erratically from glorious brilliance to astonishing [...]

What’s Screening: December 23 – 29

It’s a wonderful life for a reincarnated artist who will melt with you while singin’ in the rain. All playing this week in San Francisco Bay Area Theaters. Still no December festivals, but you can read about the January ones. On the other hand, the Castro will screen four musical double bills, which between them [...]

What’s Screening: December 16 – 22

Still no festivals, but this strange December phenomenon won’t last. German Gems and Noir City have already been announced for January. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Shattuck , Saturday, 10:00; Castro, Sunday. I’ve only seen this on Mystery Science Theater 3000, so I can’t formally judge this cinematic work on its own merits. Neverheless, I’ll [...]

What’s Screening: December 9 – 15

Shakespeare, Truffaut, and killer Androids (and I don’t mean smartphones). Here in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the Bay Area, December is the darkest month of the year. It’s cold. People look for indoor activities. It’s also, outside of summer, the biggest month for movie-going. And yet, no festivals this week or, ASAIK, this month. [...]

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