Here are three movies that I've been able to preview for this year's Mill Valley Film Festival. I've listed them in order of best to worst. There will be more to come. A- Two Days, One Night The boss gives his employees a choice: Either Sandra (Marion Cotillard) keeps her job, or everyone else receives … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
Category: Upcoming & Local
This year’s Mill Valley Film Festival announced
The California Film Institute today announced the 37th annual Mill Valley Film Festival--which, as usual, doesn't stay in Mill Valley. Major events will take place in San Rafael and Corte Madera. This festival provides the Bay Area with our first look at this year's Oscar bait. Consider this: For the last four years in a … Continue reading This year’s Mill Valley Film Festival announced
How I lost my love for Stanley Kubrick
45 years ago, when I was a teenager enthralled by 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick was not only the greatest living filmmaker, but the greatest filmmaker of all time (I didn't know much film history back then). Today, I see him as a flawed genius--a brilliant visual artist lacking the warmth and empathy needed … Continue reading How I lost my love for Stanley Kubrick
September at the Castro
Have you checked out the Castro's Coming Soon page? Here you'll find the September schedule--sans links to more details. A few events worth noting: The month begins with the end of a three-day run for Lawrence of Arabia, which should look wonderful with the Castro's new 4K projector. August 30-September 1. Not surprisingly, Robin Williams … Continue reading September at the Castro
Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, and the Strange Case of the Stereotyped Detective
Racism clouds old Hollywood movies. Even films intended in their time to be progressive and tolerant can look shockingly bigoted today. Consider Charlie Chan at the Opera, which the Stanford will screen Thursday and Friday. And that's just the beginning. The theater will screen Charlie Chan mysteries every Thursday and Friday through October 10, each … Continue reading Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, and the Strange Case of the Stereotyped Detective
Jewish Film Festival Preview
I've previewed five films that will screen at this year's San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them, in order from best to worst. Curiously, the two best are also the least Jewish. I guess they were so good they had to be added anyway. A Swim Little Fish Swim Don't let … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Preview
This Year’s SF Jewish Film Fest Coming in July
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival claims to be the oldest and largest Jewish film festival in the world. And at 34, it may also be the oldest film festival geared to a particular ethnicity. Since I am personally of that ethnicity, this festival catches my attention more than the others. Which explains why I'm … Continue reading This Year’s SF Jewish Film Fest Coming in July
I Wake Up Dreaming about Silents: Bay Area May Film Festivals
Taking some time off of the San Francisco International Film Festival, I thought I'd tell you about three other festivals opening in May. I Wake Up Dreaming May 16 - 25 Noir City isn't the only local festival to concentrate on the dark side of cinema. The Roxie's I Wake Up Dreaming series offers its … Continue reading I Wake Up Dreaming about Silents: Bay Area May Film Festivals
SFIFF Preview, Part II
I've previewed another three films that will screen at the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival (for my first set of three, see SFIFF Preview). Curiously, the best two of them, by far, are about the young sons of impoverished, widowed mothers. This is the end of my previews. The next films I see for … Continue reading SFIFF Preview, Part II
SFIFF Preview
So far, I've managed to preview three films that will screen at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them. A Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy I believe this is the first feature film adapted from a real-life Twitter feed. The title character (Patcha Poonpiriya) is a disturbed and spontaneous … Continue reading SFIFF Preview
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