Losing the California and the Castro in one month?! That's a bad January for Bay Area cinephiles. But losing the Castro Theatre was the one that really hurt. As long as I've lived in the Bay Area, and especially after the UC Theatre went dark and then became a music venue, the Castro Theatre has … Continue reading The Castro and the loss of repertory cinema
Category: Theaters
Losing Berkeley’s California Theatre
The California Theatre, Berkeley's only true movie palace, is in danger of disappearing. I suspect that the California will be gone within months. Built in 1913, this is one of the last Art Deco movie theaters in the Bay Area. Inside and out, the California felt like you were entering a glorious adventure. Like other … Continue reading Losing Berkeley’s California Theatre
What’s happening at BAMPFA: December thru April
From early December through late April, here's what will happen cinematically at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). As I write this, the museum's theater is currently the only cinema in the Bay Area that focuses specifically on old films. They're offering a lot of good movies, and at least two stinkers. BAMPFA arranges … Continue reading What’s happening at BAMPFA: December thru April
After Mill Valley: What’s coming up at BAMPFA (and that doesn’t count virtual cinema)
I haven't written an article like this one for almost two years, and I sure am glad to be writing this one now. The Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is getting back into show business, and I don't mean streaming into your home. As the Mill Valley Film Festival closes at BAMPFA, UC Berkeley's repertory … Continue reading After Mill Valley: What’s coming up at BAMPFA (and that doesn’t count virtual cinema)
Advertising Broadway
C show business documentary Directed by Directed by Oren Jacoby On Broadway is not so much a documentary, but advertising for New York City's big and flamboyant theater district. But I'm not sure who they're marketing to. Is the film for people who might buy a ticket or two, or those who are considering investing … Continue reading Advertising Broadway
In the Heights & in the theaters – along with reserved seats
Saturday night, my wife and I went to the Cerrito Theater to see In the Heights. It was more than just a really good movie on the big screen. It was the first time in 16 months I sat in a good-sized theater with a good-sized audience. That meant a lot. No more masking tape … Continue reading In the Heights & in the theaters – along with reserved seats
One theater opens and another one closes
I entered the Cerrito Theater Monday for the first time in more than a year, for a matinee screening of Singin' in the Rain. After the song and dance, my wife joined me for a screening of Shadow of a Doubt. (It was not a double bill.) This is all part of the Cerrito Classics … Continue reading One theater opens and another one closes
Our night at the movies
My wife and I actually went to the movies Friday night! It's a much better cinematic experience than what we've been having for more than a year. And yet, I was left worried about the survival of theatrical cinema. The Shattuck Cinema is a multiplex in downtown Berkeley. It's owned by Landmark Theatres, which means … Continue reading Our night at the movies
Movies on the big screen – in Berkeley!
Like almost everyone else, I haven't seen a movie in the theater in more than a year. But come Friday, that will change. Berkeley's Shattuck Cinema opens tomorrow with eleven films from this year and last. I've seen seven of these films, but only at home. And yes, I know that other theaters have been … Continue reading Movies on the big screen – in Berkeley!
What we lost when the theaters closed
Please indulge me my nostalgia. As 2019 turned into 2020, none of us really knew what would soon happen. Looking back at the first months of this year, it seems amazing how many great films were available theatrically in real, hard-top movie theaters; some of them even using physical film. And you didn't have to … Continue reading What we lost when the theaters closed
Bayflicks 