On Sunday, the Noir City festival screened two potboilers from the late 40s, both directed by Douglas Sirk. Best remembered for his lush, Technicolor melodramas of the 1950's, Sirk made a number of noirs before he broke into the big leagues. Sleep, My Love Claudette Colbert wakes up on a train with no idea how … Continue reading Douglas Sirk Day at Noir City
Category: First-person Report
Joan Fontaine, Poison, Marriage, and Murder: Saturday at Noir City
I spent Saturday at the Castro, where I caught two double bills in the Noir City festival. The theme this year is "'Til death do us part," examining the thin line between marriage and murder. It was a lot of fun. All of the films were in 35mm, and for the most part were excellent … Continue reading Joan Fontaine, Poison, Marriage, and Murder: Saturday at Noir City
My top 12 movie-going experiences of 2014
As usual, I didn't see anywhere near as many movies last year as I would have liked. But when it came time to make my list of best movie-going experiences, I had a tough time getting it down to 10. So I settled for 12. After all, what does the number of fingers I have … Continue reading My top 12 movie-going experiences of 2014
Die Hard: Even Better on the Big Screen
Sunday afternoon, I finally saw Die Hard in a movie theater. And not just any movie theater, but the Castro. I've liked this movie for a long time. But between the big screen, the powerful sound system, and the enthusiastic audience, it was a whole new experience. And a great experience. I used to give … Continue reading Die Hard: Even Better on the Big Screen
The Best Years of Our Lives at the Castro
There's no better movie for Veteran's Day than William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives. A huge commercial hit and the Best Picture Oscar winner for 1946, it's now all but forgotten. That's too bad, because Best Years is not only an excellent film, it also deals with an issue that's unfortunately still with … Continue reading The Best Years of Our Lives at the Castro
Book vs. Movie: The Shining
I read Stephen King's novel The Shining in the late 1970s, not too long after its publication. It scared and thrilled me like no other work of fiction. I still remember the frustration of not being able to physically turn pages faster. This past Friday night I finally saw Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation at … Continue reading Book vs. Movie: The Shining
Opera in the multiplex
Wednesday night, I finally saw an opera in a movie theater. I liked the experience. I've known about the Met Opera HD series for years. But I've never been a huge opera fan, so it took me awhile to get to one. I picked a good one, Verdi's Macbeth. While I'm not that big on … Continue reading Opera in the multiplex
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
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