As usual, I'm listing the films from best to worst, but something strange happened. The older the films got, the worst they got. As a lover of classic cinema, that feels strange. A Hillbilly Elegy (2020) This powerful drama isn't really about hillbillies. They're more like ex-hillbillies. The extremely messed-up family at the center of … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Hillbilly Elegy | Barefoot in the Park | Mystery of the Wax Museum | The Kid from Spain
More movies free to stream from Kanopy
If you have a library card, you can probably stream up to ten movies for free monthly from Kanopy. Here are eleven dramas and comedies that are "New on Kanopy," although I don't know how new they actually are to the streaming service: A The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) At his height, John Sayles' … Continue reading More movies free to stream from Kanopy
What’s Screening: January 22 – 28
This week in Bay Area (virtual) movie theaters, we have a discussion on early cinema at the Presidio and a new, independent, animated documentary about sex. Also, on the bill, oldies but goodies from Terry Gilliam, Wong Kar-Wai, and Jackie Chan, along with two film festivals. Festivals For Your Consideration opens Friday and runs for … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 22 – 28
What’s leaving Criterion when January ends
More than 75 movies will disappear from the Criterion Channel at the end of the month. Here are some that I recommend you watch before February. One brilliant filmmaker, Bill Plympton, stands out on this list. A Idiots and Angels (2008) A man so rotten he pushes a tear of empathy back into his eye … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion when January ends
Sex & animation combine in Romantic Chorus
B Animated documentary Directed by Jeff M. Giordano This strange, unusual documentary studies human sexuality. But don't get too excited. It isn't exceptionally erotic, and I don't think it was intended to be so. For 84 minutes, people talk about their sex lives, their desires, and their experiences. But since this is a movie and … Continue reading Sex & animation combine in Romantic Chorus
What’s Screening: January 15 – 21
Alamo On Demand, the virtual cinema offering for the New Mission, has a new section called Alamo X Criterion. You can rent several classics for only $3 each. Besides that, you can get into a discussion on Kubrick's most controversial work, or watch another sexy film from Wong Kar Wai. Speaking of sex, there's Louise … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 15 – 21
Sundance with the Roxie
The Sundance Film Festival has given San Francisco's Roxie Theater a rare honor. The festival Robert Redford created, which turned into one of the most important film fests in America, has given the Roxie the honor to be a Sundance satellite screen. Sundance this year runs January 28 through February 3. Not that you're going to be … Continue reading Sundance with the Roxie
Rolling Thunder Revue on Blu-ray
With a title like Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese, you know this movie isn't going to be entirely serious. Yes, it's a documentary by one of our most brilliant and generally serious auteurs. But it's also a rockumentary. And since it's tongue-in-cheek and isn't totally real, it's also a mockumentary. … Continue reading Rolling Thunder Revue on Blu-ray
What’s Screening: January 8 – 14
This week in virtual cinema: Film historian Joseph McBride talks about writing biographies, Live Master Pancake talks about sexy killer bee women, other films streaming for theaters, and the close of 2021's first film festival. Festivals The San Francisco Latino Film Festival closes Sunday Special online events Writing Directors' Lives: A Conversation with Joseph McBride, … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 8 – 14
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: The Elephant Man | Death to 2020 | The Incredible Shrinking Man | Sylvie’s Love | Ocean’s Eleven
I was lucky with the movies I chose to watch over the last couple of weeks. For the most part, they were exceptional. A The Elephant Man (1980) David Lynch makes full use of his first Hollywood-sized budget. Shot in beautiful black and white scope, the sounds and images take you into Victorian London with … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: The Elephant Man | Death to 2020 | The Incredible Shrinking Man | Sylvie’s Love | Ocean’s Eleven
