Sorry, folks, but the only things playing this week that I've got enough knowledge to talk about are the last pieces of the Mifune x Kurosawa : A Beautiful Man series at the VIZ Cinema. Things should pick up when the holidays are over. A+ Seven Samurai, VIZ Cinema, Sunday, 1:30. f you think all … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 31 – January 6
Month: December 2010
The Bridge On the River Kwai Blu-ray Collector’s Edition
So here we are with another war film set (and shot) in the jungle. And like the previous one I wrote about, The African Queen, Bridge On the River Kwai was produced by Sam Spiegel. Aside from that, the only things these films have in common are that they were made in the 1950s and … Continue reading The Bridge On the River Kwai Blu-ray Collector’s Edition
What’s Screening: December 24 – 30
Once again, slim pickings plus the last rattle of Kurosawa Centennial Fever. A+ It's a Wonderful Life, Stanford, Friday, 9:00. There’s a rarely-acknowledged dark side to Frank Capra’s feel-good fable. George Bailey (James Stewart) saves his town and earns the love of his neighbors, but only at the expense of his own dreams and desires. … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 24 – 30
Upcoming Festivals
How long can the Bay Area go without film festivals? Obviously not that long. These festivals will (hopefully) delight local cinephiles in early 2011: German Gems, January 14 – 16, Castro. Berlin & Beyond may be gone, but this new festival (only the second year) seems to filling its slot—both on the calendar and in … Continue reading Upcoming Festivals
San Francisco Film Museum
I received an emailed holiday card this morning from the San Francisco Film Museum. I'd never heard of the place. So I had to check out the web site. Let's start with the bad news: There is no San Francisco Film Museum in the strict sense of the word. There is no building in which … Continue reading San Francisco Film Museum
What’s Screening: December 17 – 23
As Akira Kurosawa's centennial year comes to a close, someone in the Bay Area had to get in one more Kurosawa series. That someone is the VIZ Cinema, and if it wasn't for them, there would only be two items in this week's newsletter. And one of those two would still be Kurosawa! Hey, he's … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 17 – 23
African Queen Commemorative Blu-ray Box Set
In six years of writing this blog, I've only had two occasions to tell readers that they could catch John Huston’s 1951 romantic comedy action adventure on the big screen. Now I can tell you about a great way to own it. True, even Blu-ray can't compete with sitting in the dark, surrounded by hundreds … Continue reading African Queen Commemorative Blu-ray Box Set
Movies, TV Shows, and Blu-ray Boxed Sets
I recently completed a Blu-ray boxed set gift guide for PC World. I looked at a lot of discs for that one. Not all of them contained movies. With few exceptions, I've pretty much ignored series television for a very long time. In recent years I've heard and read raves about The Sopranos, Weeds, and … Continue reading Movies, TV Shows, and Blu-ray Boxed Sets
What’s Screening: December 10 – 16
A The King's Speech, Embarcadero, opens Friday. King George VI (the Duke of York through much of the film, and Bertie to his family) doesn’t want to live in the limelight. But fate forces that job onto the shy, reluctant man with a very bad stammer. Terrified, he turns to Australian immigrant Lionel Logue … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 10 – 16
Good News on Blue Valentine Rating
I just received word that the MPAA has agreed to The Weinstein Company's request to rate Blue Valentine R rather than NC-17. It appears that parents have the right to decide if their 16-year-olds can watch simulated cunnilingus.
Bayflicks 