Since we can't escape from COVID-19's reality, we can at least spend some time with the most escapist genre in the history of cinema: swashbucklers. Although these sword-wielding adventure movies are usually set in Europe or the Caribbean from 1500 to 1800 CE, you can find them set in ancient Greece or 19th-century China. The … Continue reading Swashbucklers: A needed escape from reality
Category: Action Movies
Henry V times 2
O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention… I can't read or listen to the prologue of William Shakespeare's Henry V without thinking that he was wishing he were writing a screenplay. He may have wondered if the stage could hold "The vasty fields of France?" Or if the … Continue reading Henry V times 2
Fritz Lang and David Lynch: Saturday at BAMPFA
I spent Saturday at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), watching three movies I'd never seen before. Fritz Lang's Indian Epic The day started with two Fritz Lang action flicks, The Tiger of Eschnapur and The Indian Tomb. These are two movies the way Kill Bill are two movies. It's one story, with the … Continue reading Fritz Lang and David Lynch: Saturday at BAMPFA
Another Hole in the Head Film Festival
As December approaches, the autumn glut of Bay Area film festivals falls to few and finally none. But the last film festival of the year is one of the strangest. The Another Hole in the Head Film Festival isn't like any other. The movies it screens are rarely about poverty, divorce, or existential angst. Characters … Continue reading Another Hole in the Head Film Festival
Revisiting the original Star Wars trilogy
When we talk about films that significantly influenced cinema, we generally mention classics like Citizen Kane and Rashomon. But the real big influences were surprise commercial hits such as The Jazz Singer, This is Cinerama, and, yes, the original Star Wars. These influences, of course, weren't always for the better. You could argue that Star … Continue reading Revisiting the original Star Wars trilogy
Great Movies are Better on the Big Screen
Who would shell out money and travel across town to see a movie they already own on Blu-ray? I would. Nothing you can do in your own home competes with the theatrical experience. Within the last 10 days, my wife and I bought tickets and crossed town to see two favorites on the big screen: … Continue reading Great Movies are Better on the Big Screen
German Expressionism & Marvel Superheroes: How I spent my Sunday
I saw two movies on the big screen Sunday, and they couldn't have been more different. First, at BAMPFA, a late silent noir from Germany. Second, at the United Artists Berkeley 7, a new animated take on Spider-Man. I have to say that Spider-Man was the better movie. Asphalt at the BAMPFA Alas, Louise Brooks … Continue reading German Expressionism & Marvel Superheroes: How I spent my Sunday
