Monday night, the California Film Institute introduced this year's Mill Valley Film Festival--the 39th edition. Now comes your chance to see this year's Oscar bait early--and probably with the filmmakers ready to answer questions. I mean it about Oscar bait. Since 2010, every Best Picture Oscar winner (whether it deserved it or not) had its … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival program announced
Month: September 2016
A+ List: North by Northwest
A glib advertising man with two ex-wives and a drinking problem becomes the victim of mistaken identity. Foreign spies want to kill him, and the police want to arrest him for the murder of a man killed by the spies. Clever witticisms won't help him this time. Alfred Hitchcock made thrillers more frightening and thoughtful … Continue reading A+ List: North by Northwest
What’s Screening: September 9 – 15
Mr. Spock, Dekalog, Merchant Ivory, and a Big Parade in this week's Bay Area screenings. Festivals Alfred Hitchcock Weekends continues through Sunday The California Independent Film Festival continues through Wednesday New films opening B+ For the Love of Spock, Roxie, opens Friday Adam Nimoy splits this feature documentary between his father Leonard and the character … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 9 – 15
Living in Oblivion finds humor in the frustrations of filmmaking
Sports fans like sports movies. Foodies love food porn. So it's no surprise that we cinephiles have a soft spot in our hearts for movies about movies. Few movies about movies are as funny as Living in Oblivion, Tom DiCillo's low-budget comedy about the making of a low-budget drama. Released in 1995--when independent filmmaking's popularly … Continue reading Living in Oblivion finds humor in the frustrations of filmmaking
For the Love of Spock (and Leonard Nimoy)
B+ Documentary Directed by Adam Nimoy When Leonard Nimoy died earlier this year, he was working with his son Adam on a documentary about the character that made the elder Nimoy famous--Star Trek's Mr. Spock. After his father's death, Adam changed his mind and made the film about both Spock and the actor who played him. … Continue reading For the Love of Spock (and Leonard Nimoy)
Strauss, Powell, Leone, and Eastwood: Sunday evening at the Pacific Film Archive
I really wish the Pacific Film Archive allowed eating. When you go to two movies, the first starting at 5:00, hunger can become a problem. And yet I managed it Sunday afternoon/evening. I saw two very different movies, both by filmmakers I respect. Both were in scope, and presented in 35mm prints. Other than that, … Continue reading Strauss, Powell, Leone, and Eastwood: Sunday evening at the Pacific Film Archive
What’s Screening: September 2 – 8
Ozu, Cooper, and a whole lot of Hitchcock in this week's Bay Area screenings. Festivals Alfred Hitchcock Weekends opens today and runs through Monday, then closes for the workweek before coming back next weekend. The California Independent Film Festival opens Thursday And although it's not really a festival, the New Mission is running Septemburton, a … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 2 – 8
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