Yesterday (Saturday) was a beautiful day, so I spent most of it at the Castro, enjoying two dark double bills--all part of the ongoing Noir City festival. Out of these four feature films, I watched two ex-cons re-entering society, four violent crimes turn out really bad for the perpetrators, two people jump to their deaths, … Continue reading Saturday at Noir City
Month: January 2013
What’s Screening: January 25 – 31
The Bay Area film festival scene looks dark and dreary this week. But that's a good thing! Noir City opens tonight and runs through the week and beyond. A Gun Crazy, Castro, Friday, 8:00. No, this movie isn't about Fox News and the NRA. Written under an assumed name by blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, Gun … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 25 – 31
What’s Screening: January 18 – 24
Movie-going with the stiff upper lip: The Mostly British Film Festival continues through the week. Berkeley's Movie Theaters - the Lost and the Found, Berkeley Historical Society, Sunday, 2:00, free. Author Dave (It Came from Berkeley) Weinstein will discuss the history of Berkeley's movie-going habits, including the birth of repertory cinema. Weinstein will also discuss … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 18 – 24
On the Road
B+ Drama Written by Jose Rivera, from the novel by Jack Kerouac Directed by Walter Salles Note: I wrote this review last summer, after a screening prior to the Mill Valley Film Festival. When I was told that the film would open in the Bay Area on January 18, I set this review to go … Continue reading On the Road
This Year’s IndieFest Announced
Most film festivals fall into one of three categories: Genre festivals, like Noir City and the the Silent Film Festival, concentrate on a particular kind of film. Ethnic festivals, like the Jewish Film Festival and Frameline, concentrate on a particular kind of filmgoer. General festivals, like the San Francisco Film Festival and Mill Valley, don't … Continue reading This Year’s IndieFest Announced
What’s Screening: January 11 – 17
The holiday festival draught is over. Both For Your Consideration and the Studio Ghibli Series open tonight. And the Mostly British Film Festival opens Thursday. And here's what else is playing. B+ Hitchcock Double Bill: The 39 Steps & Sabotage, Friday, 7:00. The B+ goes to The 39 Steps, which is not one of my … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 11 – 17
What’s Screening: January 4 – 10
Still no festivals. But that sorry state of affairs ends next week. Important note: I'm writing the newsletter early this week, and may not be able to update it later. Please excuse any errors. A Performing arts double bill: A Late Quartet & Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present, Castro, Tuesday. The A goes to … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 4 – 10
My Top Ten Movie-Going Experiences of 2012
As the curtain parts on 2013's opening titles, it's time to look at my favorite movie-going experiences of the past year. To make this list, both the film and the presentation had to be exceptional. I consider the quality of the print or digital transfer, the theater, the showmanship involved with the presentation, the audience, … Continue reading My Top Ten Movie-Going Experiences of 2012
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