I saw Wim Wenders' new film, Palermo Shooting, at the Berlin & Beyond festival last night. I also saw Wim Wenders, who was there to receive a lifetime achievement award. If the Castro wasn't sold out, it was close to it. After four people came onstage to talk about Wenders' effect on their lives, the … Continue reading Wim Wenders and Palermo Shooting
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Upcoming Festivals
After a brief lull, the festivals are starting again. Berlin & Beyond runs January 15 through 21 at the Bay Area's favorite festival venue, the Castro. In addition to the Blue Angel screening I mentioned earlier and a Wim Wenders tribute, it includes 29 new (at least for America) features. As soon as B&B closes, … Continue reading Upcoming Festivals
Two Quick Reviews
Two movies I've seen theatrically in the last few days: The Secret Life of Bees Hollywood makes terrific action movies and romantic comedies, but nothing helps you appreciate independent cinema like a major studio attempt at serious social drama. Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel (which I haven't read) is well-meant, well-designed, and … Continue reading Two Quick Reviews
What’s Screening: October 10-16
Festivals, of course. The Mill Valley Film Festival continues through the weekend, and the Oakland International Film Festival runs through the week. Plus, the CounterCorp Anti-Corporate Film Festival opens Wednesday, and the Taiwan and Arab Film Festivals open Thursday. I've placed Mill Valley screenings at the bottom of this newsletter. Sadko, Pacific Film Archive, Sunday, … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 10-16
What’s Screening: September 5-11
The Godfather Parts I & II, Castro, Friday through next friday. Francis Coppola, taking the job simply because he needed the money, turned Mario Puzo's potboiler into the Great American Crime Epic. Marlon Brando may have top billing, but Al Pacino owns the film (and became a star) as Michael Corleone, the respectable son inevitably … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 5-11
What’s Screening, July 4-10, 2008
Quite a selection this week. Who says revival cinema is dead! Stagecoach, Pacific Film Archive, Tuesday, 7:30. How hard is it to see great westerns on the big screen these days? In the 3 1/2 years I've maintained this web site, this is my first chance to recommend you catch John Ford's 1939 masterpiece. Nine … Continue reading What’s Screening, July 4-10, 2008
Precious Prints Lost to Fire
You've probably heard about the big fire at Universal Studios, and about how nothing irreplaceable was destroyed. While that's true in the technical sense, economic realities control what does and does not get replaced. Thus, thanks to that fire, many an old Universal and Paramount movie will probably never be properly screened again (Universal owns … Continue reading Precious Prints Lost to Fire
More on First Run at the Castro
This is a follow-up to an earlier post, Indiana Jones and the First Running at the Castro. I'm assuming you've read that one. A PR representative was kind enough to get back to me on Monday with more information about this seeming change in policy: We had a substantial opening in our programming at the … Continue reading More on First Run at the Castro
Another Local Movie Calendar
Missing the old calendar I used to on this site? The Film on Film Foundation, which I've mentioned in the past, has started one. You'll find it at http://www.filmonfilm.org/filmcalendar/. I hope the Foundation is able to keep it going.
Non-Western Westerns Coming to SFMOMA
We think of westerns as a…as the…American genre. They’re our national myth; our way of defining ourselves as a people. But just as Hollywood has made medieval romances and tales from the Arabian Nights, other countries have made westerns. They’ve also let westerns influence their contemporary dramas and samurai films. March 1 through April 26, … Continue reading Non-Western Westerns Coming to SFMOMA
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