Tuesday evening, my wife and I attended a special Tribute to Spike Lee at the Castro. First, David Thomson interviewed Lee on the Castro stage. Then, after an intermission, they screened Lee's latest film, BlacKkKlansman. As so often happens at these big events, a huge chunk of the house was reserved. If you're not some … Continue reading Spike Lee and BlacKkKlansman at the Castro
Category: Thriller
BlacKkKlansman: Truth vs. Art (spoiler: Art wins)
"God never wrote a good play in his life" - Kurt Vonnegut. When a movie has actors reciting dialog written by a screenwriter, it's a work of fiction. It can't be anything else, even if it was based on something that really happened. Life doesn't work like a well-told story. If you want facts, watch … Continue reading BlacKkKlansman: Truth vs. Art (spoiler: Art wins)
Forget about the story and just Let the Corpses Tan
C- Thriller Written and directed by Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani From the novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette & Jean-Pierre Bastid This Italian thriller isn't about people. It isn't about story. it's not even about suspense. It's arguably about violence. It's really about cinematic style. And what is that style? Imagine the output of an overenthusiastic, coked-up … Continue reading Forget about the story and just Let the Corpses Tan
Hitchcock and Others at the Stanford
If you like to be scared out of your theatre seat, you may want to visit the Stanford over the next two months. Silicon Valley's classic movie palace opens its new series, Hitchcock and Other Masters of Suspense, this Friday. It closes Sunday, June 10. All films will be screened in 35mm. The series starts … Continue reading Hitchcock and Others at the Stanford
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Carnival of Souls, Ministry of Fear, Blade Runner 2049, & Tabu: A Story of the South Seas
In which I tell you about a classic, independent horror film, two works by German directors in America, and the sequel everyone is talking about. A- Carnival of Souls (1962), FilmStruck This low-budget horror movie works in some very strange ways. A car goes off a bridge into a deep river, and one sole survivor comes … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Carnival of Souls, Ministry of Fear, Blade Runner 2049, & Tabu: A Story of the South Seas
Broken Mile in seamless shot, but still broken
D+ Thriller Written and directed by Justin McConnell Note: I reviewed this film on the assumption that it would get a Bay Area theatrical release. Now, I'm not so sure. But I do know that it becomes available in home formats (VOD/DVD, etc.) today. Few one-shot feature films get made, and for good reason. They're … Continue reading Broken Mile in seamless shot, but still broken
Fanny’s Journey: Children on the run
A Holocaust thriller Written by Lola Doillon and Anne Peyregne; based on the book by Fanny Ben Ami Directed by Lola Doillon [Note: I wrote this review, after previewing the film before the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, with the intention of posting it before the picture's theatrical release. I changed my plan Sunday morning, … Continue reading Fanny’s Journey: Children on the run
Old Stone finds drama and violence from society’s inhumanity
B Drama turned thriller Written and directed by Johnny Ma Intended as a critique of Chinese society, Johnny Ma's first feature shows us a man economically trapped for committing a good deed. But Old Stone loses its way in the third act, when it shifts from serious social drama to attempted thriller. In the confusing … Continue reading Old Stone finds drama and violence from society’s inhumanity
A+ List: North by Northwest
A glib advertising man with two ex-wives and a drinking problem becomes the victim of mistaken identity. Foreign spies want to kill him, and the police want to arrest him for the murder of a man killed by the spies. Clever witticisms won't help him this time. Alfred Hitchcock made thrillers more frightening and thoughtful … Continue reading A+ List: North by Northwest
Strangers become family in the strangely warm yet violent Dheepan
A- Refugee drama and crime thriller Written by Noe Debre, Thomas Bidegain, and Jacques Audiard Directed by Jacques Audiard A family escapes from war-torn Sri Lanka to make a better, safer life in France. Except it's not safe, and they're not really a family. The smugglers who brought this man, woman, and child out of … Continue reading Strangers become family in the strangely warm yet violent Dheepan
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