This didn't get into my original review of Interstellar, but I wanted to share it anyway. In the much less ambitious but far more enjoyable sci-fi blockbuster Independence Day (from 1996), evil aliens attack Earth with the intention to wipe out the human race and make our planet their own. Their motive: They mistreated their … Continue reading One more quick thought about Interstellar
Month: November 2014
Physics Saturday: Interstellar and The Theory of Everything
I saw two very different movies on Saturday, but both were about physics. Well, sort of. Physics and fiction don't blend together unless you can work in suspense, romance, tragedy, horrible diseases, and special effects. Although one movie is a big, expensive Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster, and the other a British Indiewood biopic, their titles are … Continue reading Physics Saturday: Interstellar and The Theory of Everything
What’s Screening: November 28 – December 4
No festivals this week. But we do have some movies. B+ The Cranes Are Flying, Pacific Film Archive, Friday, 5:30. War has a nasty way to interfering with true love. This sweet Russian story of young lovers separated by The Great Patriotic War (AKA World War II) never comes off as Soviet propaganda (it was … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 28 – December 4
December at the Castro
Have you seen the Castro's Coming Soon page? Some interesting stuff coming up in December. Regular readers know that I disapprove of all the brouhaha over Gone with the Wind's 75th anniversary. I find it upsetting that a film so racist can be a beloved classic in the 21st century, with very little discussion of … Continue reading December at the Castro
Birdman, Dear White People, & Citizenfour–new movies I’ve seen recently
Here are three new films I caught in theaters recently. A- Birdman Michael Keaton plays a has-been movie star hoping to gain artistic respectability by writing, directing, and performing in a Broadway play. But as he goes through rehearsals and previews, everything seems to be spinning out of control. What's more, he either has supernatural … Continue reading Birdman, Dear White People, & Citizenfour–new movies I’ve seen recently
What’s Screening: November 21 – 27
The end-of-the-year film festival draught approaches. A lot of festivals ended last week. Only three are still running, and they'll close before Thanksgiving. New Italian Cinema continues through Sunday The Chinese American Film Festival continues through Tuesday And The French Had A Name For It: comes back in a Redux version, opening today and running … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 21 – 27
The Better Angels
B+ Historical drama Written and directed by A.J. Edwards About half way through A.J. Edwards' gentle exploration of our 16th president (and my namesake), it occurred to me that a native-born American who hadn't paid much attention in history class might not realize that the film was about Abraham Lincoln. Names are seldom spoken, and … Continue reading The Better Angels
The Mediocre Fascist: The Conformist comes to Blu-ray
Fascist states don't really need that many committed fascists. But they do need ambitious, unscrupulous, and cowardly people. In Bernardo Bertolucci's brilliant character study of a man lacking character, we see political murder as an act of a bureaucrat. Jean-Louis Trintignant plays Marcello Clerici as a confused, emotionally cut-off cog in the wheel of Mussolini's … Continue reading The Mediocre Fascist: The Conformist comes to Blu-ray
What’s Screening: November 14 – 20
A lot of festivals this week, most of which will be closed by the end of the week. The South Asian Film Festival, which is pretty much over, will have one more full day on Saturday And the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival, also pretty much over, has one final screening on Sunday The Napa … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 14 – 20
The Best Years of Our Lives at the Castro
There's no better movie for Veteran's Day than William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives. A huge commercial hit and the Best Picture Oscar winner for 1946, it's now all but forgotten. That's too bad, because Best Years is not only an excellent film, it also deals with an issue that's unfortunately still with … Continue reading The Best Years of Our Lives at the Castro
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