We’re off to see Harry Belafonte, Captain Kirk, and two black birds. And if you find yourself reading this newsletter over and over again, that’s because it’s Groundhog Day. In festival news, Noir City continues through Sunday. And the Mostly British Film Festival opens Thursday. B Sing Your Song, Roxie, opens Friday. Harry Belafonte is … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 27–February 2
Month: January 2012
Noir City Report: 2 by Sam Fuller
I spent last night at the Castro, where I saw two crime thrillers by the great Samuel Fuller: House of Bamboo and Underworld USA--all part of the Noir City festival running through Sunday. The evening got off to a late start. Due to an error, the starting time was advertised as 7:00 in some publications … Continue reading Noir City Report: 2 by Sam Fuller
Sing Your Song
Harry Belafonte is a great performer and a great activist. This reverential documentary emphasizes the activism. B Musical & political documentary Directed by Suzanne Rostock My mother was a big Harry Belefonte fan. She loved his singing voice. She very much approved of his political activism. And I suspect she found him very sexy. There … Continue reading Sing Your Song
The Arrow Awards: The Best in British Television Commercials
The British make great television and have a great comedy tradition. But does that mean you should pay to see their television commercials? C Collection of television commercials If you're like me, you probably mute or fast-forward through TV commercials. So why on earth would you go to a movie theater and buy a ticket … Continue reading The Arrow Awards: The Best in British Television Commercials
What’s Screening: January 20 – 26
The Wages of Separation When You Put Safety Last Noir City opens today (Friday) and runs through the week and a bit beyond. A A Separation, Embarcadero Center, opens Friday. Writer/director Asghar Farhadi demonstrates how good people can turn against each other in this harrowing tale from Iran about divorce, family responsibilities, and courtroom drama. … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 20 – 26
A Separation
A remarkable film from Iran reveals the tensions in two families. A drama/mystery Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi One seldom finds clear heroes and villains in family turmoil. When marriages fail and people lose their temper, you're most likely to find good people on both sides, angry and flawed, but trying to do the … Continue reading A Separation
Race and Casting in American Movies
Try this exercise: Start with a large selection of American feature films. They could be your all-time favorites, the ones you own, or AFI's most recent 100 Best American Films list. Or simply the unsubtitled movies currently in theaters. Now, remove all of the films where the protagonist--the central character or hero--is portrayed by a … Continue reading Race and Casting in American Movies
Two By Howard Hawks
I attended the first night of the Pacific Film Archive's Howard Hawks retrospective last night. The opening pictures, The Crowd Roars and Tiger Shark, made an odd choice. Made in 1932, soon after his classic Scarface, these are not amongst his best work, his earliest work, or his best early work. They're merely pretty good … Continue reading Two By Howard Hawks
What’s Screening: January 13 – 19
Grapes of wrath in a red desert beneath the colors of the mountain…where samurais search for German gems. Finally, some festivals! For Your Consideration: A Selection of Oscar Submissions From Around the World runs through the week at the Rafael. And German Gems plays the Castro on Saturday, then heads north to Point Arena for … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 13 – 19
What’s Screening: January 6 – 12
Yet another Bay Area week without a single film festival. A The Mill and the Cross, Castro, Wednesday. Painting with the wide palette that 21st century cinema allows, Lech Majewski creates a masterwork about Bruegel creating The Way to Calvary--one of his masterworks. True to Bruegel’s style, the film starts with the day-to-day lives of … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 6 – 12
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