I've screened five films that will play at the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them, from best to still pretty good. A Here Is Harold This very dark Norwegian comedy touches on issues of age, senility, parent/child relationships, big box stores and their effect on local businesses, and whether it's … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview
Category: Mill Valley
This year’s Mill Valley Film Festival announced
Tuesday evening, the California Film Institute officially announced the 38th Mill Valley Film Festival. This is one of the two really big film festivals in the Bay Area (the other being the San Francisco International Film Festival). Because of the late summer/early fall dates, Mill Valley tends to get a lot of the better Indiewood … Continue reading This year’s Mill Valley Film Festival announced
Sunday at the Mill Valley Film Festival
I spent Sunday at Mill Valley Film Festival. Amazingly, I was actually in Mill Valley. Here's what I saw: The 3D Sideshow 3D enthusiast and filmmaker Robert G. Bloomberg introduced this selection of shorts with a trailer to a 50's 3D movie called The Maze. He followed this with his own Frogs & Friends--a selection … Continue reading Sunday at the Mill Valley Film Festival
MVFF: A Bridge to a Border
Saturday afternoon, I made it to the Rafael for a Mill Valley Film Festival screening of Rob Nilsson's A Bridge to a Border. To be honest, I wouldn't have picked that film if I had recognized the director's name. Two years ago I caught his Maelstrom, and hated it. I'm glad to say that A … Continue reading MVFF: A Bridge to a Border
MVFF: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Lark
Wednesday night I finally got to a 2014 Mill Valley Film Festival event--a screening at the Lark of one of my favorite westerns, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Believe it or not, this was my first visit to the Lark. Yes, I've been covering it at Bayflicks for years, but this was the … Continue reading MVFF: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Lark
Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part II
Since I wrote Part 1, I've managed to see three additional movies that will screen at the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them, in order of best to worst. A Hide and Seek Four young adults, two women and two men, move into a large and remote country house, intent … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part II
Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
Here are three movies that I've been able to preview for this year's Mill Valley Film Festival. I've listed them in order of best to worst. There will be more to come. A- Two Days, One Night The boss gives his employees a choice: Either Sandra (Marion Cotillard) keeps her job, or everyone else receives … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
This year’s Mill Valley Film Festival announced
The California Film Institute today announced the 37th annual Mill Valley Film Festival--which, as usual, doesn't stay in Mill Valley. Major events will take place in San Rafael and Corte Madera. This festival provides the Bay Area with our first look at this year's Oscar bait. Consider this: For the last four years in a … Continue reading This year’s Mill Valley Film Festival announced
Steve McQueen and 12 Years a Slave
I attended the Mill Valley Film Festival screening of 12 Years a Slave Friday night. Absolutely amazing. True story: In 1841, Con artists kidnapped Solomon Northup--a free-born African American living in upstate New York--and sold him into slavery down south. Movie: This film shows us the horrors of slavery through the eyes of an educated … Continue reading Steve McQueen and 12 Years a Slave
Mill Valley Film Festival Report: Costa-Gavras Tribute
Greek/French filmmaker Costa-Gavras has been making slick, exciting political films since the 1960s. His works have attacked Fascism, Communism, American foreign policy, and a Pope. Friday night, he stepped up onto the stage at the Rafael's downstairs auditorium to discuss his career and screen his latest film. But he didn't step up on time. The … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Report: Costa-Gavras Tribute
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