Wednesday evening, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival announced its 2016 schedule. And as fans have come to expect, it will be an intense experience. In the course of three full days plus an opening night, they will screen 19 different programs, all with live music. (There's also an opening night party.) Nine different musical … Continue reading Silent Film Fest Preview
Category: Festivals
SF International Film Fest Announced
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival was officially launched with a press conference and the opening of its website this morning (Tuesday). The festival will run from April 21 to May 5 at the Castro, the Pacific Film Archive, but mostly has several theaters in the Mission, including the Roxie and the New Mission. … Continue reading SF International Film Fest Announced
Trains on Film Saturday report
I spent Saturday at the Rafael, where I caught three of the six movies in the Trains on Film mini-festival ending today (Sunday). I had seen all three films before, but this was a great way to see them. And not only because of the big screen and enthusiastic audience. Film historian David Thomson and … Continue reading Trains on Film Saturday report
SFIFF: International Film Festival changes venues, announces some programming
We've still got more than two weeks to go before the San Francisco International Film Festival announces this year's program, but they've already fed us a few interesting tidbits about what we have to look forward to. The biggest change: The festival won't be in the Western Addition anymore. This shouldn't come as a surprise. … Continue reading SFIFF: International Film Festival changes venues, announces some programming
Sunday Classical Music Noir Citys
Sunday's Noir City was all about classical musicians; dark, evil, down-and-dirty classical musicians. Well, not quite. Humoresque Talent isn't enough to make you a great musician. You need to work hard. You have to devote yourself to your art. And you have to sleep with Joan Crawford. In Humoresque, John Garfield plays a brilliant young … Continue reading Sunday Classical Music Noir Citys
Saturday at Noir City
I attended three of the four movies screened at Noir City Saturday. They didn't all adhere to this year's theme: The Art of Darkness (ie, dark films about artists). But they ranged from reasonably entertaining to absolutely brilliant. But the movies themselves aren't the festival's only attraction. Many people dress up for Noir City, usually … Continue reading Saturday at Noir City
Rear Window and Noir City Opening Night
Friday night I came the Castro for opening night of this year's Noir City festival. They were screening one of my all-time favorites, Rear Window, along with the obscure Public Eye from 1992. After grabbing my seat in the 3rd row, I went upstairs to the mezzanine, where I examined the bookstore table. The covers … Continue reading Rear Window and Noir City Opening Night
First Film Festivals of 2016
The Bay Area's traditional December film festival draught will end soon. Here are four festivals coming down the pike: SF Sketchfest January 7 - 24 Yes, it's a stretch to call Sketchfest a film fest. After all, it's primarily about standup comedy. But it has some funny movies, too These movies include Teen Witch, Hook, … Continue reading First Film Festivals of 2016
Sons wrestle with their past in What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy
B+ Documentary Written by Philippe Sands Directed by David Evans How do you go through life with the knowledge that your father, arguably your loving father, was a mass murderer? This unsettling documentary offers two reactions: You can denounce your father for the monster that he was, or you can live in denial. This troubling … Continue reading Sons wrestle with their past in What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy
Coming in December: Day of Silents & Alamo Drafthouse
It's a little early to write about December, but here are two events I want to tell you about right away. In fact, I wanted to tell you about them weeks ago, but I was too busy. A Day of Silents The San Francisco Silent Film Festival will run a one-day festival at the Castro … Continue reading Coming in December: Day of Silents & Alamo Drafthouse
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