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
Category: Film Noir
Film Noir
The Irishman at the Castro
Tuesday night, SFFilm hosted the Bay Area premiere of Martin Scorsese's latest crime drama, The Irishman, at the Castro. For the second night in a row, Scorsese was there in person. Since the film runs almost three and a half hours, without an intermission, Scorsese spoke for only about a minute and a half. He … Continue reading The Irishman at the Castro
The Hitch-Hiker, now on Blu-ray, keeps you on edge for 71 minutes
Here's a little movie that ratchets up the suspense from beginning to end. Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker grabs you by the gut. Two men on a fishing vacation (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be a notorious, psychotic killer wanted by the police. Holding them at gunpoint, he … Continue reading The Hitch-Hiker, now on Blu-ray, keeps you on edge for 71 minutes
Something evil lurks in Hungary in Budapest Noir
B+ Mystery Written by András Szekér, from the novel by Vilmos Kondor Directed by Éva Gárdos Note: I wrote this review last summer, after seeing the movie at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. My intention was to post the review shortly before the film's Bay Area theatrical run. Last night I discovered that it's … Continue reading Something evil lurks in Hungary in Budapest Noir
Ash Is Purest White but love is for the worthy
A- Crime drama Written and directed by Zhangke Jia At first you think this is going to be a gangster movie. At one point you decide it's becoming a revenge flick. Slowly, you realize it's something very different; something much more subtle. For most of Ash Is Purest White's long runtime, there's no conventional plotline. … Continue reading Ash Is Purest White but love is for the worthy
This Holiday isn’t much fun
D- Not really quite a thriller Written by Johanne Algren and Isabella Eklöf Directed by Isabella Eklöf The setup feels like a thriller: A beautiful, spoiled, not-too-bright blonde belongs to a gang of drug dealers, and they're all vacationing on the Turkish Riviera. Will a deal go down badly? Will a rival gang attack? Will … Continue reading This Holiday isn’t much fun
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
