At the end of every month, the Criterion Channel removes a selection of films from their catalogue. These ones will disappear on April 1. Full recommendations A Nosferatu (1922) Forget about sexy vampires; the first film version of Dracula doesn't have one. This unauthorized rip-off got the filmmakers in legal trouble, where Max Schreck played … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of March
Author: 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.
What’s Screening: March 17 – 23
The newsletter is kind of short this week. I've been under the weather. Festivals & Series Berlin & Beyond Film Festival closes Monday Sonoma International opens Wednesday Festival Recommendations: Berlin & Beyond A- The Forger (2022), Roxie, Thursday, 9:00pmCioma Schönhaus was an extraordinary forger. It's a useful job for a young Jewish man in Berlin during … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 17 – 23
Movies I’ve recently seen: The Watermelon Woman ֍ On Your Majesty’s Secret Service ֍ Police Story 3: Supercop ֍ Cleopatra
I've been under the weather, so I haven't written much lately. I enjoyed the Academy Awards. I was hoping that Women Talking would win – without much hope. But my second favorite, Everything Everywhere All at Once grabbed almost everything. And besides, Everything is just so much fun! A The Whale (2022) This is a … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: The Watermelon Woman ֍ On Your Majesty’s Secret Service ֍ Police Story 3: Supercop ֍ Cleopatra
What’s Screening: March 10 – 16
It's Oscar week, and at least eight Bay Area cinemas are projecting the ceremony onto their big screens. One theater is giving us a selection of Buster Keaton shorts from half a century. Aside from all that, there are excellent works by Hayao Miyazaki, Wim Wender, Christopher Guest, and Philip Kaufman. Festivals & Series Cinequest … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 10 – 16
Pre-Code Paramount on the Criterion Channel
As silent movies died and the talkies took over, movies became racier. The jokes got raunchier. The gowns were more revealing. And the bad girl could get the good guy – or maybe two good guys. This so-called "Pre-Code era" died in 1934, when the censors of the Production Code Administration took away much of the fun. … Continue reading Pre-Code Paramount on the Criterion Channel
Buster Keaton at the Criterion Channel
If you haven't experienced Buster Keaton, this is the time to discover the greatest physical comedian since the invention of cinema. He could take a fall like nobody else, But he was more than that. He was a complete auteur, with a sense of what made a good story, and the feel of where to … Continue reading Buster Keaton at the Criterion Channel
What’s Screening: March 3 – 9
Is this Jim Henson Week? Labyrinth is screening in four different Bay Area cinemas. And that's not the only movie screening starring David Bowie. There's also Peter O'Toole playing Errol Flynn. Among directors, there's Wim Wenders, Martha Coolidge, Nicolas Roeg, and two noirs directed by Ida Lupino - made at a time when woman directors … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 3 – 9
Movies I’ve recently seen: The Woman King ֍ Man Hunt ֍ Pillow Talk ֍ Your Place or Mine ֍ Free and Easy
It's been almost two months since I've posted one of these Movies I've recently seen articles. I was busy with Oscar nominees, film festivals, and producers hoping for a good review. Finally, I found time to simply watch a movie or five. So here are some pictures I finally got around to see. As usual, … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: The Woman King ֍ Man Hunt ֍ Pillow Talk ֍ Your Place or Mine ֍ Free and Easy
What’s Screening: Feb 24 – March 2
The festivals are all Jewish this week, and they're all happening over the weekend. There's a new documentary that's Only in Theaters. What else can you see in the cinema this week? There's Hiroshi Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes, and Warren Beatty's epic socialist love story, Reds. The Staple Singers, the Bar-Kays, Kim Weston, and … Continue reading What’s Screening: Feb 24 – March 2
What do I think about the Oscars?
Every year, I'm less interested in the Oscars. I didn't even watch the show last year. And what happened? Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and then got a statue. Maybe I should watch it this time. When I looked at what the Academy thought were the best ten movies of 2022, either Hollywood cannot make … Continue reading What do I think about the Oscars?
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