Category: Drama

Drama

Adapting Shakespeare: Ran and Chimes at Midnight

~ Lincoln Spector

400 years after his death, people still love William Shakespeare. I can think of no other story teller whose works have remained popular so long. His talent, obviously, has a lot to do with it. But so is his adaptability. His plays, written with almost no stage directions, give actors and directors countless interpretations. Most … Continue reading Adapting Shakespeare: Ran and Chimes at Midnight

Pregnant nuns, and no; it’s not a comedy. My review of The Innocents

~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

B+ Religious drama Written by Sabrina B. Karine, Alice Vial, Pascal Bonitzer, Anne Fontaine Directed by Anne Fontaine Religion at its worst--stern, rule-based, shameful, and dictatorial--comes up against basic human values in this drama about a nunnery experiencing a rash of new-born babies. Yes, that description suggests a Monty Python-like farce, not a serious drama. … Continue reading Pregnant nuns, and no; it’s not a comedy. My review of The Innocents

Strangers become family in the strangely warm yet violent Dheepan

~ Lincoln Spector

A- Refugee drama and crime thriller Written by Noe Debre, Thomas Bidegain, and Jacques Audiard Directed by Jacques Audiard A family escapes from war-torn Sri Lanka to make a better, safer life in France. Except it's not safe, and they're not really a family. The smugglers who brought this man, woman, and child out of … Continue reading Strangers become family in the strangely warm yet violent Dheepan

Friday at the PFA

~ Lincoln Spector

I caught two very different films, from two very different series, at the Pacific Film Archive Friday night. Both films were shown without an introduction. Bachelor's Affairs This was the second screening of the UCLA Festival of Preservation 2016 series, and the first in that series that I was able to attend. Before the feature, … Continue reading Friday at the PFA

Disability, sexual preferences complicate growing up in remarkable Margarita with a Straw

~ Lincoln Spector

A Coming of age drama Written and director by Shonali Bose Laila (Kalki Koechlin) has issues that few college students have to deal with. She was born with cerebral palsy, and is confined to a wheelchair. Even writing and talking takes some effort. But in many ways, she's doing surprisingly well. She has friends at … Continue reading Disability, sexual preferences complicate growing up in remarkable Margarita with a Straw

When Evening Falls on Bucharest Or Metabolism: Not Quite Jim Jarmusch

~ Lincoln Spector

C+ Drama Written and directed by Corneliu Porumboiu May 12, 2016: I wrote this review in 2014, on the assumption that this film would get a theatrical release in the Bay Area (it had screened in that year's San Francisco International Film Festival). The release never happened. However, on discovering that this film is available on … Continue reading When Evening Falls on Bucharest Or Metabolism: Not Quite Jim Jarmusch

Thursday: The last day at this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival

~ Lincoln Spector

I saw two movies on the last day of this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. The first one was directed by someone named Ross. The second by someone named Moss. Neither of them was a loss. Frank & Lola I saw this at the New Mission, and thankfully, it was in the big, downstairs … Continue reading Thursday: The last day at this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival