As 2022 becomes 2023, we can buy tickets and enter a Bay Area cinema. There you can see works by Martin Scorsese, John Huston, Walt Disney, Billy Wilder, Quentin Tarantino, and whoever directed The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There are no film festivals this week. Theatrical revivals A+ Taxi Driver (1976), Balboa, Tuesday, 7:30pm 35mm! … Continue reading What’s Screening: Dec. 30 – Jan. 5
Month: December 2022
It’s a dark and foggy film festival…and it’s only weeks away
Noir City isn't like most Bay Area Film Festivals. For one thing, they don't show new movies. You could probably stream most of these pictures right now in your home. But it's a lot more fun watching the movies at Oakland's Grand Lake Theater. People dress up for the occasion. Every movie is preceded by … Continue reading It’s a dark and foggy film festival…and it’s only weeks away
What’s Screening: December 23 – 29/fixed, I hope
Note: I attended to set this article to go live on Friday, December 23, at 8:30am. But, by my mistake, it came out earlier. Note 2: For some reason, several people have received an error problem instead of this article. I hope this time it will work. There’s not much Christmas spirit in Bay Area cinemas … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 23 – 29/fixed, I hope
What’s Screening: December 23 – 29
Note: I attended to set this article to go live on Friday, December 23, at 8:30am. But, by my mistake, it came out earlier. There's not much Christmas spirit in Bay Area cinemas this holiday week – unless you count Die Hard. But there's joy in the Richmond district. The 4-Star cinema is showing five … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 23 – 29
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: del Toro’s Pinocchio ֍ Little Big Man ֍ Eating Our Way to Extinction ֍ EO & Twentieth Century
Here are five films that I haven't written about until now. As usual, the films go from best to worst. A Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) I saw the Disney version some 40 years ago, and I didn't care for it then. I never read the original novel. This new version is set mostly in … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: del Toro’s Pinocchio ֍ Little Big Man ֍ Eating Our Way to Extinction ֍ EO & Twentieth Century
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of the Year
What makes these films different from any other films? Most of them are horror movies. Also, most of them will disappear from The Criterion Channel come midnight, December 31. Stream them before they go away. Full recommendations A+ Brazil (1985) One of the best black comedies ever filmed, and the best dystopian fantasy ever. In … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of the Year
What’s Screening: December 16 – 22
Remember that cute Christmas movie from 2003 called Elf? It's playing in five different theaters this week, some of them free. Overall this week, the theaters are giving us movies to make us merry. There's two of the most beloved family movies of all time, and more of Buster Keaton. And if you want to … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 16 – 22
Keaton at the BAMPFA
I've been writing a lot about Buster Keaton lately, thanks to BAMPFA's series Camera Man: Buster Keaton. I've been a fan of the Great Stoneface for more than 50 years now. but it's great to experience these films theatrically, with live music and other people laughing. I missed Sherlock Jr., so my first experience of … Continue reading Keaton at the BAMPFA
In the Heat of the Night in 4K
The Best Picture winner of 1967 is one terrific noir. But it's far more than that. Culturally, it was an important part of the civil rights movement, while still being an effective whodunit. It also used color film in ways that few had been rarely successful before – especially in noir. Kino Lorber is selling … Continue reading In the Heat of the Night in 4K
What’s Screening: December 9 – 15
Movies this week can be explained by two words: Buster, and Keaton. The great stoneface pops up, mostly as the movie's star, in four films this week. But Bay Area theaters are also giving us holiday cheer, even if it's a 3D noir. But if you want something serious, Inmar Bergman is on the screen, … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 9 – 15
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