Month: April 2019

Tiny life, factory clashes, & water in all its forms: Sunday at the SFFilm Festival

~ Lincoln Spector

I didn't see a single narrative film Sunday at the SFFilm Festival Sunday, and only one conventional documentary. The other two features could be described as docs, but they're more about the visuals than the contents. Minute Bodies: The Intimate Lives of F. Percy Smith This 63-minute visual poem can enthrall you, amaze you, or … Continue reading Tiny life, factory clashes, & water in all its forms: Sunday at the SFFilm Festival

Boots Riley, a British Spy, & AOC: Saturday at the SFFilm Fest

~ Lincoln Spector

Film festivals are always more exciting on weekends. There's more movies to watch, and more people to watch them with. Here's what I saw Saturday at the SFFilm Festival. State of the Cinema Rapper and filmmaker Boots Riley gave this year's State of the Cinema address. As one would expect from the very political Riley, … Continue reading Boots Riley, a British Spy, & AOC: Saturday at the SFFilm Fest

A beach vacation, Connecting with food, John C. Reilly, & and a very gruesome western: Friday at the SFFilm Festival

~ Lincoln Spector

When I planned for Friday's moviegoing at the SFFilm Festival, I failed to consider geography. I started at a movie at the Roxie - in the Mission. Then I had to dash to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts - in the financial district. Then to the Castro. BART and Muni Metro made a … Continue reading A beach vacation, Connecting with food, John C. Reilly, & and a very gruesome western: Friday at the SFFilm Festival

Afghan Cinema, Laura Linney, & a Dysfunctional Family: Thursday at the SFFilm Festival

~ Lincoln Spector ~ 2 Comments

Thursday was the first full day of this year's SFFilm Festival, and I managed two events that day. I liked them both very much. What We Left Unfinished Afghanistan had a strong film industry when the Soviet Union controlled the country, but it was destroyed when fundamentalist Islam replaced fundamentalist Communism. Afghan-American filmmaker Mariam Ghani … Continue reading Afghan Cinema, Laura Linney, & a Dysfunctional Family: Thursday at the SFFilm Festival

What’s Screening: April 12 – 18

~ Lincoln Spector

The SFFILM Festival pretty much takes over Bay Area art house theaters this week, but not entirely. We also have movies by William Wellman, Lon Chaney, Alfred Hitchock, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Monty Python. Festivals SFFILM (the San Francisco International Film Festival) runs through this week and beyond. You can follow my reports. The Tiburon International … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 12 – 18

Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Wanda, Kung-Fu Master & Race

~ Lincoln Spector

In the last three weeks, outside of films sent to me for review purposes, I've only had time to watch only three movies. Here they are. A- Wanda (1970), Criterion Channel This extremely low-budget, independent crime thriller turns cheap production values and ugly, poverty-wrecked locations into virtues. Writer/director Barbara Loden plays the title character, a drifter … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Wanda, Kung-Fu Master & Race

Son of Filmstruck: The Criterion Channel is up and running (sometimes)

~ Lincoln Spector

Last November, FilmStruck, the greatest cinephilic streaming service ever, was killed by its corporate overlords. As a combination of Criterion and Turner Classic Movies, it had the greatest collection of important films ever in one website. On Monday, Criterion opened The Criterion Channel, offering about half of what FilmStruck had, which still makes it an … Continue reading Son of Filmstruck: The Criterion Channel is up and running (sometimes)

SFFILM Fest Preview, Part 3: Running from fundamentalists, standing up to fundamentalists, Raising Hell, and just being weird

~ Lincoln Spector

Here's my third and last batch of films that will screen at the upcoming SFFILM Festival (also known as the San Francisco International Film Festival). All of the films are new, and none of them are narratives. A Midnight Traveler This documentary also works as a heart-stopping thriller. A family must leave Afghanistan; the father's name is … Continue reading SFFILM Fest Preview, Part 3: Running from fundamentalists, standing up to fundamentalists, Raising Hell, and just being weird