They're low-brow popular entertainment, but in many ways the original Star Wars movies are about as good as motion pictures get. We can talk all we want to about cinema as fine art, but in a very primal way, we go to the movies to thrill at the beautiful and the exciting, cheer the hero, … Continue reading Revenge of the Sith

These are grim days for Bay Area movie lovers. First Anita Monga, then Edith Kramer. And now the future of the Roxie looks dark. The Mission District’s wonderful little revival/art/anything left-wing movie house is up for sale. According to an article by Jesse Hamlin in Monday’s Chronicle, the theater can’t cover $140,000 in debts, and … Continue reading The Roxie in Danger

There are plenty of interesting films playing this week. Unfortunately, I don't have time to write about them (let alone see any), so I'll just draw your attention to the Irish and San Francisco Documentary Film Festivals showing at the Roxie (the Documentary fest is also at the Woman's Building). They both have interesting line-ups. … Continue reading Movies for the Week of May 13, 2005

We leave the house and open our wallets because we expect a better movie experience in a theater than we could get on TV. But what creates that experience? Is it film’s superior visual properties? Or is it the thrill of sitting in the dark, surrounded by strangers, without benefit of a pause button? This … Continue reading TV at the Movies