I never thought that drive-in movie theaters would come back. I haven't been to one of them (aside from flea markets) in almost 50 years. And yet, here they are again, thanks to that changer of all things, COVID-19. For various reasons, I haven't yet visited my nearest Drive-in, the Solano, in Concord. I hope … Continue reading Drive-in Memories
Movies I’ve recently seen: Billy Liar, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, & Blithe Spirit
Here are three films, all comedies (to a certain extent), that didn't play in a recent film festival, nor are they coming up soon. None of them are new and their distributors didn't ask me to review them. I just watched them for my own enjoyment. A Billy Liar (1963), Kanopy This is how a … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: Billy Liar, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, & Blithe Spirit
Cinegogue Summer Days: The pandemic version of the SF Jewish Film Festival
If this were a normal year, I'd be writing about an 18-day San Francisco Jewish Film Festival taking place in five theaters around the Bay Area. Instead, thanks to the pandemic, I'm writing about a four-day festival that will run mostly in our own homes. I say mostly because opening night will take place at … Continue reading Cinegogue Summer Days: The pandemic version of the SF Jewish Film Festival
In Bay Area Virtual Cinema & Drive-ins: July 3 – 9
The hardtop theaters in the Bay Area are still closed, but the drive-ins are open (I didn't even realize they still existed). But at home you can see freedom fighters Ai Weiwei, John Lewis, and Mad Max, along with Catherine Deneuve and Ethan Hawke playing actors. We've also got polar bears and dinosaurs. Bay Area … Continue reading In Bay Area Virtual Cinema & Drive-ins: July 3 – 9
The Truth isn’t always what you want
B- Family drama Written by Hirokazu Koreeda from a story by Ken Liu Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda Let's face it. We all know what families are about. Even the best of them involve fights, misunderstandings, secrets that occasionally bubble up, and are all held together with genuine love. That makes family dramas tricky. If one … Continue reading The Truth isn’t always what you want
John Lewis and his Good Trouble
B+ political documentary Directed by Dawn Porter Update: I've added more information at the bottom of the article. I'm writing my review of the biographical documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble, in early June. The murder of George Floyd and the resulting riots are pushing COVID-19 off the front page. I don't know what America will … Continue reading John Lewis and his Good Trouble
The Last Charlie Chaplin Days of 2020
It's kind of weird to wake up, eat breakfast, and go into my home office for a film festival. Here's what I watched on the last day of this year's Charlie Chaplin Days. The Whiz Bang Talent Show, Trivia Quiz, Lookalike Contest and Goodtime Hour! As with Saturday, I started with a 10:00am Zoom event. … Continue reading The Last Charlie Chaplin Days of 2020
Saturday “at” Charlie Chaplin Days
There are problems with virtual film festivals. You don't run into old friends or meet new ones. And when you get up and walk out of the theater, you just might enter a kitchen needing to be cleaned. Nevertheless, here it goes. Meet David Robinson I started my viewing at 10:00am on Zoom with a … Continue reading Saturday “at” Charlie Chaplin Days
Friday at Charlie Chaplin Days
I experienced my first virtual film festival Friday. While it's nowhere as fun as the real thing, it has its advantages. No commuting. The festival I'm following from home is Charlie Chaplin Days, run by the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. I'm writing this quickly, so if I let through some spelling or grammatical errors, … Continue reading Friday at Charlie Chaplin Days
In Bay Area Virtual Cinema: June 26 – July 2
This week, through closed Bay Area movie theaters and into your home, you've got Stanley Kubrick, Ray Harryhausen, Spike Lee, Charlie Chaplin, Ella Fitzgerald, and some talented artists you've never heard of. And a few conversations over the Internet. Virtual Festivals Frameline continues through Sunday. Read my preview. Charlie Chaplin Days opens today and closes … Continue reading In Bay Area Virtual Cinema: June 26 – July 2
