I visited the Pacific Film Archive Friday night to catch two very different films, both from 1953, and both part of the series An Army of Phantoms: American Cinema and the Cold War. The first, Invaders from Mars, was all sorts of fun in ways that the filmmakers never intended. The second, Pickup on South … Continue reading Anti-Commie Friday Night at the Pacific Film Archive
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My Day at the Mill Valley Film Festival
I spend Sunday at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Here's what I saw and what I thought about it: New Movies Lab: Industry Panel I started the day not with a movie, but with a panel discussion on how independent filmmakers can promote their films and get people to see them. Much of it concentrated … Continue reading My Day at the Mill Valley Film Festival
What’s Screening: September 14 – 20
The Brainwash Movie Festival opens Saturday night, then closes until next weekend. And the Third I South Asian Film Festival opens Wednesday. And although I'm not really counting it as a festival, the Studio Ghibli Collection moves to Berkeley's California Theatre. A Samsara, Camera 7 Pruneyard, Guild, opening Friday. Ron Fricke (Baraka) provides us with … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 14 – 20
Hava Nagila & Opening Night of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
Opening night of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival got off to a slow start, but when the movie finally started--nearly 45 minutes late--it was worth the wait. No, there weren't crowd or (as far as I know) technical problems. The show started on time. It was just that the first part of the show … Continue reading Hava Nagila & Opening Night of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
This is not a Film & Always for Pleasure at the PFA
I attended two separate, and very different events at the Pacific Film Archive last night. This Is Not a Film You really want something this important, this courageous, and this amazing in its very existence to also be exceptionally great. Unfortunately, This is Not a Film doesn't live up artistically to the filmmakers' courage. Iranian … Continue reading This is not a Film & Always for Pleasure at the PFA
Great Directors and a Catholic Education
Let me start with a quote from Roger Ebert’s autobiography, Life Itself: In my childhood the Church arched high over everything. I was awed by its ceremonies. Years later I agreed with Pauline Kael when she said that the three greatest American directors of the 1970s—Scorsese, Altman, and Coppola—had derived much of their artistic richness … Continue reading Great Directors and a Catholic Education
What’s Screening: May 20 – 26
The Anti-Corporate Film Festival continues through Saturday, and I Wake Up Dreaming continues through the end of the week. Tramp Camp, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Sunday, 4:00. Want to connect to your inner Charlie Chaplin? Movies will be screened, of course, and there will be lessons in imitating the tramp’s walk and style. I’m … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 20 – 26
SFIFF: State of the Cinema Address
Last night I attended Christine Vachon's State of the Cinema address. By her own count, Vachon has produced over 60 films (IMDB says 65), including Boys Don't Cry, Happiness, I Shot Andy Warhol, and The Notorious Bettie Page. On the other hand, she's also produced I’m Not There and Cracks; not everything she made is … Continue reading SFIFF: State of the Cinema Address
Oscars at the Cerrito
I discovered just how fun an Oscar party can be. It happened last night at the Cerrito. But I must confess: I did not, after all, come costumed as a lesbian gardener ballet dancer with an eye patch. A few people were costumed as movie characters, however, and a great many dressed up formally for … Continue reading Oscars at the Cerrito
What’s Screening: December 3 – 9
A Marwencol, Lumiere, Shattuck, opens Friday for a one-week run. Five men attacked Mark Hogancamp with such viciousness he lost his entire memory and considerable brain function. Now he uses Barbie Dolls, GI Joe-type action figures, and models to create a fantasy world centering on a fictitious town in World War II Europe. There, Mark's rugged … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 3 – 9
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