No festival-free days this week. The California Independent Film Festival continues through Wednesday. And the day after that, the San Francisco Irish Film Festival opens. A Nashville, Castro, Thursday For an all-too-brief time in the 1970s, the Hollywood studios financed and released serious art, including Robert Altman's Nashville. It follows a whole lot of people--all … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 11 – 17

The California Independent Film Festival, which I just found out about this week, opens on Thursday. Here's what else is going on. A Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, Embarcadero, California (Berkeley), opens Friday Director Alex Gibney starts this multifaceted documentary with a difficult question: Why did so many people who never met Steve … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 4 – 10

No festivals this week. But a very, very special event happening Sunday: A+ The Crowd, Castro, Sunday, 7:00 If you get to one movie this week, this is the screening you should attend! A young man comes to New York, dreaming of success and wealth. But reality refuses to live up to his dreams–perhaps because … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 28 – September 3

Only one small film festival this week, but it looks like a fun one: Ring-a-Ding-Ding: The Movies of Frank Sinatra. A On the Town, Vogue, Saturday, 7:30 Three sailors arrive in New York for a 24-hour leave. That's precious little time to see the sights, drink in the atmosphere, and fall in love. What makes … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 21 – 27

The Japan Film Festival continues through Sunday. A Apu Trilogy, Lark, various dates throughout the week (details below) Epic in scope, Satyajit Ray's three-film masterwork follows the life of poverty-born Apu from birth through young adulthood. None of the films has a plot in the conventional sense, but they all brim with drama, laughter, joy, … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 14 – 20

The SF Jewish Film Festival finishes up Sunday. And the Japan Film Festival opens today and runs into next week. Jewish Film Festival movies are listed at the bottom of this newsletter. A Manos Sucias, Roxie, Friday & Saturday A rare chance to see an exceptional film not generally available in this country. Two brothers, … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 7 – 13

This weekend marks the end of Pacific Film Archive screenings in its 15-year-old "temporary" theater. The PFA will reopen early next at their new location near downtown Berkeley. In festival news, the Brainwash Movie Festival reopens today and closes Saturday. As I write this, the programs have not yet been released. But the San Francisco … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 31 – August 6

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival runs through this weekend and beyond. And the Brainwash Movie Festival opens tonight, runs through the weekend, takes the week off, then revives for next weekend. I've placed the festival films that I've seen at the bottom of this newsletter. A+ Red River, Balboa, Thursday, 7:30 John Wayne gives one … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 24 – 30

The Frozen Film Festival opens today and runs through the weekend. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival opens Thursday night. Here's what else is screening: A Tangerine, Embarcadero Center, California (Berkeley), opens Friday Sometimes a new movie blows apart every concept you had about what a motion picture can be. Sean Baker's tale of a transgender … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 17 – 23

No film festivals this week, but there are still plenty of movies. ? The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Castro, Sunday, 1:00 An evil, megalomaniac music teacher imprisons young boys in his strange world and forces them to play the piano. The only Dr. Seuss feature film made during his lifetime and with is input is … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 10 – 16