No festivals this week. And unless I've missed something, it will be almost three weeks before the next one. A+ The Third Man, Opera Plaza, Shattuck, opens Friday New 4K restoration. Classic film noir with an international flavor. An American pulp novelist (Joseph Cotten) arrives in impoverished, divided post-war Vienna to meet up with an old … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 3 – 9

Two film festivals this week: Frameline, our LGBTQ festival, closes its long running on Sunday. Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival opens today (Friday) and runs through the weekend. B+ The Cheat, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Saturday, 12:30 Cecil B. Demille's darkly erotic melodrama of lust, greed, and conspicuous consumption was way ahead of its time--especially … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 26 – July 2

In festival news, Frameline continues through this week. But, in a push against Frameline, Outside the Frame opens today and runs through Sunday. No, it's not a Republican homophobic festival, but one that "challenges Frameline's complicity with Israeli apartheid," under the banner "Queers for Palestine." B Akeelah and the Bee, Roxie, Sunday, 10:30am A talent for … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 19 – 25

I have a confession to make. Years ago, the San Francisco Black Film Festival fell off my radar, and I haven't been promoting it since. That's why I didn't note its opening night last week. I won't let that happen again. It runs through Sunday. Here are this week's other festivals. There are a lot … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 12 – 18

We've got three film festivals going on in the Bay Area this week: The San Francisco Silent Film Festival runs through Monday. The Green Film Festival run through Wednesday. SF DocFest opens Thursday You'll find festival screenings at the bottom of this newsletter. A+ Citizen Kane, Rafael, Sunday How does any movie survive a half-century reputation … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 29 – June 4

No festivals this week…until the very last day. Both the San Francisco Silent Film Festival and the Green Film Festival open Thursday night. All Quiet On The Western Front, Castro, Thursday, 7:00. The first great talkie war movie delivers a powerful anti-war message. When war breaks out, a young, naïve German student patriotically and enthusiastically volunteers … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 22 – 28

No film festivals this week. Not many films I can tell you about, either. If it wasn't for the Castro, this would be a very short newsletter. On the other hand, the newsletter has a whole new look--one that should be more mobile friendly. A Orson Welles Centennial Double Bill: Touch of Evil & Magician: … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 15 – 21

The Albert Maysles Memorial Film Festival opens tonight and runs through the week. Although I've seen several of the films to be screened, I haven't seen any of them recently enough for me to offer an opinion. One other important note: With Works from the Eisner Competition tonight, the Pacific Film Archive will close for … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 8 – 14

Only one film festival this week, but it's a big one and it continues through Thursday. I'm talking, of course, about the San Francisco International Film Festival. The SFIFF films are listed at the bottom of this newsletter. Save Shattuck Cinemas, Berkeley City Council Chambers, Tuesday, 7:00. As I've mentioned before, Berkeley's Shattuck Cinema is … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 1 – 7

The big one (well, one of the big two), the San Francisco International Film Festival,  runs through this week and beyond. My festival listings are at the bottom of this newsletter. But even if you don't go to the festival, you can still catch some good movies. B+ In the Footsteps of Godzilla, Roxie, Sunday, … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 24 – 30