I spent yesterday afternoon at the Castro, watching one of my all-time favorite films, Lawrence of Arabia. I've seen it many times, and over the last few years, always at the Castro. But this time was different. Sony digitally restored the epic this year, and this new version was played off a DCP instead of … Continue reading The Digital Lawrence of Arabia Experience
Month: December 2012
What’s Screening: December 28 – January 3
Still no festivals. But as we move in 2013, we do have some good movies. A Lawrence of Arabia, Castro, Saturday through Monday. Lawrence isn’t just the best big historical epic of the 70mm roadshow era, it’s one of the greatest films ever made. Stunning to look at and terrific as pure spectacle, it’s also … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 28 – January 3
New Movies I’ve Seen Recently…and How I Saw Them
I've managed to see six first-run movies in theaters over the last couple of months. I liked all of them to varying degrees. Here's what I thought about the movies, and about the conditions in which I saw them. Technical note: All of these films were screened digitally, two of them on screens that had … Continue reading New Movies I’ve Seen Recently…and How I Saw Them
Yet Another Upcoming Festival, This One With a Stiff Upper Lip
When I posted First Festivals of the New Year yesterday, I missed an important one: Mostly British Film Festival January 17 - 24 This festival celebrates British cinema--by a rather broad definition of the term--both old and new. Amongst the films you may have seen are Odd Man Out, two by David Lean, This Happy … Continue reading Yet Another Upcoming Festival, This One With a Stiff Upper Lip
First Festivals of the New Year
The holiday season isn't so festive for Bay Area cinephiles. In fact, it's a big, seasonal, film festival drought. But it won't last. Here are some festivals on the way: For Your Consideration January 11 - 17 As it does every year, the Rafael will screen a series of movies that the Academy is considering … Continue reading First Festivals of the New Year
Important Notice for Those Receiving Bayflicks by Mail
Hello, readers. Some of you may be receiving the weekly Bayflicks newsletter via the RSS-to-Email service Feed My Inbox. I've been promoting that site for people who just want to receive the Friday morning "What's Screening" newsletter via email. If you're one of those people, you should know that Feed My Inbox will stop its … Continue reading Important Notice for Those Receiving Bayflicks by Mail
What’s Screening: December 21 – 27
No festivals this weekend, but there is a deeply religious Christian holiday turned into an orgy of consumerism. Also some really good movies. We'll start with a very special rarity that you may never get another chance to enjoy: A Miracle Mile, Castro, Friday, 9:20. This apocalyptic romantic comic tragedy thriller sits high on my … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 21 – 27
The Coming PFA Schedule
The new Pacific Film Archive schedule arrived in the mail today, and it left me wanting to move into the screening room for a few months. Unfortunately, that's not possible, and not only because it lack beds and showers. I'm directing a one-act play to be performed on February 23, and my time will be … Continue reading The Coming PFA Schedule
What’s Screening: December 14 – 20
If the holidays are putting you into a festive mood, sorry. No festivals this week. But we do have movies. A The Central Park Five, Embarcadero, Shattuck, opens Friday. A white woman was brutally raped and left for dead in Central Park. NewYork’s finest arrested five black and Puerto Rican teenage boys, all of whom … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 14 – 20
The Central Park Five
A documentary Directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon In 1989, a white woman was brutally raped and left for dead in Central Park. New York's finest arrested five black and Puerto Rican teenage boys, all of whom confessed under police interrogation. Their confessions contradicted each other, and they all contradicted the physical … Continue reading The Central Park Five
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