I caught the presentation of Ryan’s Daughter at the Rafael, last night. It was part of their Films of My Life series. This time around, the honored guest was Pixar writer/director Andrew Stanton, the creator of WALL-E. Why would someone known for family pictures pick Ryan’s Daughter, a film that somehow got a PG rating … Continue reading Ryan’s Daughter at the Rafael
Category: First-person Report
The Digital and Deflated Imax Experience
Regular readers may remember my enthusiastic response to The Dark Knight in Imax. I called it "the best way to present the most spectacular of Hollywood entertainments." After seeing Star Trek in digital Imax at AMC's Emery Bay multiplex last night, I have to amend that. Real, film-based Imax, in a real Imax theater, is … Continue reading The Digital and Deflated Imax Experience
SFIFF Report: Sunday
I finally got to the San Francisco International Film Festival yesterday. I saw three movies there. One major concern--not surprising considering the economy: The place wasn't as crowded as in past years. The first film I saw played to a near-empty house, and there was no waiting at the concession stand. Here's what I saw: … Continue reading SFIFF Report: Sunday
Paths to Paradise in Niles
My wife and I drove to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum to catch a screening of Paths to Paradise last night. As I suspected, big fun. As is Niles' custom, the evening started with speakers, introductions, and two short comedies--in this case Harold Lloyd's "Chop Suey & Co." and Monty Banks' "Chasing Choo Choos." … Continue reading Paths to Paradise in Niles
Ang Lee & James Schamus at Zelerbach Hall
I just got home from watching Ang Lee and James Schamus talk about their films, show clips, and answer audience questions. It was all at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall. I assume you know that Ang Lee is the director of Brokeback Mountain, Lust, Caution, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and a whole lot of other great … Continue reading Ang Lee & James Schamus at Zelerbach Hall
Speaking of Silents
I attended the screening of 3 Bad Men at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum last night. I'd been wanting to see this John Ford silent western since I'd read Joseph McBride's Ford biography, where he described it as “the silent film pointing most clearly to the strengths of his mature masterpieces.” Visually, it was … Continue reading Speaking of Silents
The Sound of Wall-E at the Rafael
First, let me apologize for getting this out to you so late. It describes an event that happened a month ago tomorrow, and I wrote it that day. I held back on posting it because I was hoping to have it posted elsewhere. Andrew Stanton and the folks at Pixar created an amazing although compromised … Continue reading The Sound of Wall-E at the Rafael
metropolis Report
My wife and I attended the screening of Metropolis at Stanford University (not the Stanford theater) last night. This was as much a music event as a movie one--maybe more so. The West Coast premiere of Martin Matalon’s score, performed by members of the Santa Rosa orchestra under the baton of Bruno Ferrandis. My wife's … Continue reading metropolis Report
Japanese Films at the PFA
I haven't had a chance to write up the new Pacific Film Archive schedule, but it includes a series of Japanese films meant to honor the late curator Kashiko Kawakita. It includes a few films I've seen, more I want to see, and two I saw for the first time Friday night. That's when my … Continue reading Japanese Films at the PFA
The Rest of Sunday at the Mill Valley Film Festival
I saw two movies today after Mishima, but didn't get a chance to write them up until now. It's hard to talk about Burning the Future: Coal in America as cinematic art. This documentary about the environmental effects on mountaintop mining is propaganda, pure and simple. But as I'm in complete sympathy with its message--that … Continue reading The Rest of Sunday at the Mill Valley Film Festival
Bayflicks 