This year's San Francisco International Film Festival officially launched at a San Francisco press conference Tuesday morning. It opens Thursday, April 23 with Alex Gibney’s tech documentary, Steve Jobs: the Man In the Machine. Two Thursdays later, on May 7, it will close with Experimenter, a history-based drama about psychologist Stanley Milgram, who did some … Continue reading Richard Gere, Guillermo del Toro, and the rest of this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival
Category: SFFilm (San Francisco International Film Festival)
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
The San Francisco International Film Festival closes with Alex in Venice
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival ended Thursday night at the Castro with a screening of Chris Messina's directorial debut, Alex of Venice. It was not a perfect way to end the festival, but it was a good way. The crowd was surprisingly thin. There was an empty seat next to me, and the … Continue reading The San Francisco International Film Festival closes with Alex in Venice
A Classic Comedy and a Colombian Thriller: Sunday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival is beginning to wind down. Sunday was the last non-workday of the festival. I attended two events, and hit the jackpot both times. The Mel Novikoff Award Ceremony and The Lady Eve More than anyone else, Mel Novikoff helped bring repertory cinema to the Bay Area. The SFIFF's … Continue reading A Classic Comedy and a Colombian Thriller: Sunday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
I managed to get to three San Francisco International Film Festival screenings at the Kabuki yesterday. Let me tell you about it. B Bauyr (Little Brother) This seems to be the year of young boy films at SFIFF. Bauyr is the fourth such movie I’ve seen at this festival so far. It was pretty good, … Continue reading Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
SFIFF: Boyhood and an Evening with Richard Linklater
Last night at the Castro, the San Francisco International Film Festival honored Richard Linklater with their Founder's Directing Award. The event included a discussion between Linklater and actor Parker Posey, followed by a screening of Linklater's new film, Boyhood. When I arrived, more than an hour before the show, the line was already around the … Continue reading SFIFF: Boyhood and an Evening with Richard Linklater
SFIFF: Getting Down and Staying Down at the Castro
Tuesday night I visited the Castro for a special San Francisco International Film Festival event: Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. SFIFF has a tradition for daring silent movie accompaniment. They bring in a local musician or group, one with a significant following, and have them accompany a silent feature or a collection of … Continue reading SFIFF: Getting Down and Staying Down at the Castro
Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
I attended opening night, and managed to get to one movie Friday night, but Saturday was my first full day at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. Oddly, I didn't see a single feature-length film that day. But here's what I did see: Dolby Labs: The Sound of Movies In this Master Class at … Continue reading Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
SFIFF: Manakamana
I just caught the documentary Manakamana, an American-made film shot and set in a very specific location in Nepal. The setting: a cable car that takes people to a Hindu temple high in the mountains. Filmmaakers Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez set their camera in one seat and watch the people in the other, as well as … Continue reading SFIFF: Manakamana
San Francisco International Film Festival Opening Night
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival officially opened last night at the Castro, with a screening of The Two Faces of January. It was, as you'd expect, a packed and festive occasion. But it got off on a bad note, and an all too common one at festival big nights at the Catro. Almost … Continue reading San Francisco International Film Festival Opening Night
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