SFFilm Fest Previews, Part 2

~ Lincoln Spector

The SFFilm Festival opens tonight at the Grand Lake with Stephen Curry: Underrated. I haven’t seen it. Since my last preview article, I’ve seen three other three films and here’s what I thought about them. From now on, I’ll be attending the festival in the flesh.

A Peafowl

Modern sexual freedom rubs badly against aged Korean traditions. Young Myung hopes that her professional Waack dancing can raise enough money to get a sex change, so that she ca be a full woman. When her father dies, she must deal with a large family, many of whom don’t approve of her lifestyle (a few accept her as she is). Why does she stay for the funeral? She’s hoping that if she stays through the entire ceremony, she may get the money she needs (yes, Myung is here for monetary reasons). Every character in this wonderful film feels true: each character is fully formed, with good and bad attributes. You’ll love some of them, and especially you’ll love Myung.

A- Home is a Hotel

This documentary, shot in San Francisco, follows six people living in SRO housing. (SRO stands for single room occupancy.) They all have sad stories and some of them have had problems with the police. Many of them have young children. Earlier in the film, you may want to look away. It’s just too depressing. But as you stick to it, you become attached to all six of them and their children. You come out with a sense that they may be able to escape poverty.

Home is a Hotel will screen on Saturday, April 22 at 12:45PM at CGV San Francisco. Directors Kevin Duncan Wong, Todd Sills, and Kar Yin Tham, as well as participants from the film.

B I Have Electric Dreams

At the age of sixteen, Eva lives with her mother, but she prefers to hang around with her artistic but unreliable father. He loves Eva, but staying with him can be dangerous. He races his car while his daughters are in it. Eva’s first sexual experience is with one of his father’s friends. Daniela Marín Navarro gives an exceptional performance as Eva.

Published by Lincoln Spector

Lincoln Spector writes about cinema, technology, and cinema technology. From 1986 through 2008, he wrote Gigglebytes, the first technology-oriented humor column. From 1977 through 2016, he wrote PC World's Answer Line column and blog.