Month: October 2019

The Hitch-Hiker, now on Blu-ray, keeps you on edge for 71 minutes

~ Lincoln Spector

Here's a little movie that ratchets up the suspense from beginning to end. Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker grabs you by the gut. Two men on a fishing vacation (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be a notorious, psychotic killer wanted by the police. Holding them at gunpoint, he … Continue reading The Hitch-Hiker, now on Blu-ray, keeps you on edge for 71 minutes

The State of the Industry at the Mill Valley Film Festival

~ Lincoln Spector

This year's Mill Valley Film Festival closed Sunday. My last event happened Saturday, and it wasn't even a movie. It was a panel discussion on the State of the Industry. The question of the day was "Can anything beyond blockbusters succeed in theaters?" If you care about the theatrical experience, that's important. Sure, I watch … Continue reading The State of the Industry at the Mill Valley Film Festival

A wild South African adventure in Mill Valley (actually Larkspur): Flatland

~ Lincoln Spector

Thursday evening, I saw one of the wildest, craziest, and bizarre road movie ever to grace the Mill Valley Film Festival. And it wasn't even in Mill Valley or San Rafael. I saw Flatland at the Century Larkspur, probably the easiest Marin County movie theater to get to from the East Bay. It's a regular … Continue reading A wild South African adventure in Mill Valley (actually Larkspur): Flatland

What’s Screening: October 11 – 17

~ Lincoln Spector

Coming to Bay Area movie theaters this week: An aging filmmaker, rebellious students, creatures from the dead, a future that never happened, pre-Columbian America, and lots of beautifully photographed water. And six film festivals. Important message: Yesterday, October 9, I received an email from BAMPFA stating that the museum/theater was closed do to the blackouts. … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 11 – 17

Pain and Glory: A portrait of the artist as an aging man

~ Lincoln Spector

B+ Drama Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar You can't watch a fictitious film by a major auteur, where the protagonist is also a major auteur, and not wonder to what degree the movie is autobiographical (think 8½). When I viewed Pedro Almodóvar's new film, Pain and Glory, I had to wonder to what degree … Continue reading Pain and Glory: A portrait of the artist as an aging man

It’s October, and that means horror movies in Bay Area theaters

~ Lincoln Spector

Halloween is only one day, but Bay Area movie theaters celebrate it weeks ahead. Here's what's coming if you want to jump out of your seat…or merely laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. I'm skipping new movies in regular release. My recommendations These are your best options for frightful cinema: Double bill: B+ Frankenstein … Continue reading It’s October, and that means horror movies in Bay Area theaters

A space-age orphanage, cinematic sound, & trying to get pregnant: Saturday at the Mill Valley Film Festival

~ Lincoln Spector

Here's what I saw on my first day at this year's Mill Valley Film Festival. Filmmaker Q&As followed all three films. Journeys Beyond the Cosmodrome The festival is presenting this program as a feature preceded by a short. But these are really two very short documentary features. So, I'll give each one a quick review. … Continue reading A space-age orphanage, cinematic sound, & trying to get pregnant: Saturday at the Mill Valley Film Festival

Movies I’ve Recently Seen: One Sings, the Other Doesn’t; Downton Abbey; & Da Sweet Blood of Jesus

~ Lincoln Spector

In the last few weeks, I've had few chances to see movies that aren't playing at the Mill Valley Film Festival. But I got to see these: A- One Sings, the Other Doesn't (1977), Criterion Channel Agnès Varda's small epic sometimes feels like the best of the hippy era - as opposed to her Vagabond, which … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: One Sings, the Other Doesn’t; Downton Abbey; & Da Sweet Blood of Jesus