The United Nations Association Film Festival wraps Sunday. French Cinema Now continues through Wednesday, and Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival keeps going through this week and beyond.. Cinema by the Bay opens Thursday. And, of course, there are a lot of Halloween events this week. I’ve placed them at the end of this newsletter. B+ … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 28–November 3
Month: October 2011
The San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation Takes Over the Balboa
The San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation, which runs the Vogue, is joining forces with current Balboa manager Gary Meyer to keep that theater open. (I bet you didn’t even know it was in danger of closing.) The Balboa was built in 1926, making it one of the oldest continuing movie theaters in the Bay Area. … Continue reading The San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation Takes Over the Balboa
Miracle Mile: A Little Miracle I Just Discovered
I discovered a rare gem Friday night--a modestly-budgeted Hollywood film from 1988 called Miracle Mile. I’d never heard of it before, and have no idea if it ever played the Bay Area. Without a doubt, this is the very best dark and suspenseful romantic comedy I’ve ever seen about the end of civilization as we … Continue reading Miracle Mile: A Little Miracle I Just Discovered
What’s Screening: October 21 – 27
A lot of festivals going on. Berlin & Beyond continues through Wednesday, and Docfest continues through the end of the week. Both the Children's Film Festival and the Petaluma Film Festival open Friday and run through the weekend. United Nations Association Film Festival also opens Friday, but continues through the end of the month. French … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 21 – 27
Black and White Films in a Color World
I’ve read a lot about the birth of color movies, but little about the reverse transition: the near death of black and white. (I say “near death” because, thankfully, a few films are still made in shades of gray.) Until the late 1930’s, almost every Hollywood film was in black and white. A decade later, … Continue reading Black and White Films in a Color World
What’s Screening: October 14 – 20
Do you ever get the feeling that the Bay Area has too many film festivals? Neither do I, except when I try to cover them in any meaningful way for this blog. So I’ll just let you know that they’re happening: The Mill Valley Film Festival is still running, although it closes Sunday. Both the … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 14 – 20
Movies and Showmanship
I know people who use the word showmanship to refer to a high technical quality in motion picture presentation—usually referring to old-fashioned technology. I don’t. When I think of "showmanship," I don't think of movies. I think of circuses, magic shows, and rock concerts. Showmanship isn't about technology, but about live human beings putting on … Continue reading Movies and Showmanship
What’s Screening: October 7 – 13
The Mill Valley Film Festival continues through this week and beyond. My festival reviews are at the end of this newsletter. A+ The Third Man, Castro, Sunday. Classic film noir with an international flavor. An American pulp novelist (Joseph Cotten) arrives in impoverished, divided post-war Vienna to meet up with an old friend who has … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 7 – 13
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