A- Silent melodrama Written and directed by Pablo Berger Could The Artist have started a trend? Less than 18 months after Michel Hazanavicius' silent comedy hit Bay Area screens, here comes another brand new silent film, also in narrow-screen black and white. But Pablo Berger's very Spanish take on Snow White is as different from … Continue reading Blancanieves: Silent Film Still Lives in this Spanish Snow White Tale
Month: April 2013
Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey
B+ Music Documentary Directed by Ramona S. Diaz Note: I wrote this review after seeing this documentary at last year's San Francisco International Film Festival, with the intention of posting it just before the theatrical release. Then I filed it away and forgot about it. When the movie opened last month at the New Parkway, I … Continue reading Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey
Saturday at the Movies: 50s 3D Horror and Early Talkie Hitchcock
I attended two very different revival screenings yesterday. In the early afternoon, I visited the Castro to catch the newly-restored Creature from the Black Lagoon in all of its 3D spender. Then, in the evening, I dropped in at the Pacific Film Archive to catch a rare, early Alfred Hitchcock talkie, Rich and Strange. Both … Continue reading Saturday at the Movies: 50s 3D Horror and Early Talkie Hitchcock
What’s Screening: April 12 – 18
We've got two international festivals running in the North Bay right now. Sonoma ends Sunday, while Tiburon's festival continues through the week. A Best of Looney Tunes Cartoons, Sebastiani Theatre, Saturday, 9:30am. For much of the mid 20th century, Warner Brothers' cartoon division ran wild, making some of funniest and cleverest seven-minute shorts ever drawn. … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 12 – 18
SFIFF: Kanbar Award Recipient Announced
The San Francisco International Film Festival announced the recipient of this year's Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting: Eric Roth. I didn't recognize the name either. But then, screenwriters are rarely celebrated--at least as screenwriters. His best-known film is probably Forrest Gump, a big commercial and critical hit (and Oscar winner) that's no longer as … Continue reading SFIFF: Kanbar Award Recipient Announced
San Francisco International Film Festival Preview
I've now viewed four films that will get their local premiere at the San Francisco International. Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them, starting with the best: A- What Maisie Knew, Castro, Thursday, April 25, 7:00. Opening night. This family drama follows the aftereffects of a very angry, messy, and vindictive divorce--as seen through … Continue reading San Francisco International Film Festival Preview
Friday Night Report: Rare Hitchcock and New Studio Ghibli
I caught two very different movies at two very different theaters, Friday night. Both films were very much worth catching. The Wrong Man The Pacific Film Archive has been running its Alfred Hitchcock series since January, but it took me until Friday to actually get to one of the screenings. I'm really glad I went. … Continue reading Friday Night Report: Rare Hitchcock and New Studio Ghibli
What’s Screening: April 5 – 11
The Oakland International Film Festival, which I failed to list here last week, continues through Sunday. The Sonoma International Film Festival opens Wednesday, then the Tiburon International Film Festival opens Thursday. A+ Seven Samurai, Alameda, Tuesday and Wednesday. If you think all action movies are mindless escapism, you need to set aside 3½ hours for … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 5 – 11
San Francisco International Film Festival announced
The Bay Area's Big Kahuna of film festivals (or at least one of of the two Big Kahunas--the other being Mill Valley), announced most of its line-up today. The 56th Annual San Francisco International Film Festival opens April 25 and runs through May 9. As usual, the heart of the festivities will be at the … Continue reading San Francisco International Film Festival announced
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