For some time now, I've been hoping that some local rep house would do a series on MGM musicals from the 40s and 50s. They could call the series The Lion Dances. For the next four weeks, we have something close. Starting this Friday, the Stanford will run what they're calling the Gene Kelly Film … Continue reading Gotta Dance: Gene Kelly at the Stanford
Category: Upcoming & Local
What’s Screening: October 5 – 11
A Jewish werewolf, a Borsht Belt monster, and a very scary Alan Arkin. Sounds like a Yiddish Halloween! Also migrating birds, Chinese exploitation, and (of course), Ingmar Bergan. Also, five film festivals. Festivals The Japan Film Festival continues through Sunday The Mill Valley Film Festival continues through the week and beyond. Read my reports. Modern … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 5 – 11
Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 3
I thought this final Mill Valley Film Festival preview would be exceptionally large. But two films I requested never arrived, and another lacked subtitles. So, I'm only reviewing three movies, one of which you've probably already seen. And, of course, they're in order from best to worst. A Coco In Spanish version with English subtitles. I … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 3
What’s Screening: September 21 – 27
Spike Lee, Gilda Radner, Ingmar Bergman, Laurel and Hardy, James Dean, and a young girl accused of witchcraft. Add three film festivals and there's plenty to see in Bay Area movie theaters this week. Festivals The SF Latino Film Festival continues through this week and beyond The Homage to Marcello Mastroianni takes over the Castro … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 21 – 27
Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 2
Here's another crop of movies coming to this year's Mill Valley Film Festival. This selection, unfortunately, isn't as good as the last one. You can follow my Mill Valley coverage. B+ Destroyer Crime and grime penetrate the city in this very dark noir. Nicole Kidman (in a brilliant performance) plays Officer Bell, the hard-drinking, tough, unreliable … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 2
Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
Alfonso Cuarón returns to his roots, the Kronos Quartet take on the Vietnam War, Maggie Gyllenhaal gets obsessed with a five-year-old, and the Big Bad Fox can't get a break. Here are four films that will screen at this year's Mill Valley Film Festival, in order from best to worst…although they're all pretty good. A … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
Mill Valley Lineup Announced
The Mill Valley Film Festival announced this year's lineup Thursday morning. And the big question is: Which film will win the Best Picture Oscar? Okay, the real big question is: What movies should you see? From October 4 through 14, the Festival will screen 108 feature films and 96 shorts, from 46 different countries. I … Continue reading Mill Valley Lineup Announced
Modern Cinema festival honors Satyajit Ray
Few artists caught the sorrows and sympathies of the human condition like India's Satyajit Ray. Come October, you'll get a chance to see 15 of his feature films, along with 11 others that either inspired Ray or were inspired by him, at SFMOMA's Phyllis Wattis Theater. SFFILM and SFMOMA presents Modern Cinema/Satyajit Ray: Intimate Universes … Continue reading Modern Cinema festival honors Satyajit Ray
Five countries celebrate their national film industries in Bay Area festivals and series
From mid-September through early November, the Bay Area will host film festivals and series celebrating recent movies from China, Italy, Iran, Hong Kong (which isn't really a country, but…you know), and Japan. As far as I can tell, none of these films have been screened locally. I have not seen any of the films to … Continue reading Five countries celebrate their national film industries in Bay Area festivals and series
Bergman, Bergman, Wiseman, Visconti, & more Bergman: Autumn at the BAMPFA
Summer wanes. Children look in trepidation to the coming of the school year, while their parents rejoice. And we get a new round of film series at the BAMPFA (formerly the Pacific Film Archive). Here's what's coming up for Berkeleyites in the fall: In Focus: Ingmar Bergman August 29 - November 28 BAMPFA has gone … Continue reading Bergman, Bergman, Wiseman, Visconti, & more Bergman: Autumn at the BAMPFA
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