The From Britain with Love festival continues at the Rafael. This is a silent film-heavy week. Leap Year, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Saturday, 7:30. I have a good reason to have never seen Roscue “Fatty” Arbuckle’s last starring feature; this will be only its second public screening in the Bay Area. A major box … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 26–September 1

From Britain with Love continues at the Rafael. The Sausalito Film Festival opens today for a three-day run. And since Buddhists and us Jews get our own festivals, it’s only right that the Roxie devote one day (Sunday) to the Atheist Film Festival. A- Special Harold Lloyd evening with presentation & Girl Shy, Niles Essanay … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 19 – 25

I missed this earlier, but From Britain with Love has moved across the Golden Gate to be Rafael. And over the weekend, VIZ Cinema @ New People presents An Asian American Film Retrospective. No other festivals this week. A+ Ikiru, VIZ Cinema @ New People, Friday, 7:00. One of Akira Kurosawa’s best, and one of … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 12 – 18

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, although out of San Francisco, continues around the Bay Area through Monday. Festival films are at the end of the newsletter. Days of Heaven, Cerrito, Thursday, 7:00. I was blown away by this movie when it first opened–Nestor Almendros’ atmospheric cinematography turned the simple story of lovers posing as … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 5 – 11

I just realized that a movie I previewed before this year’s Cinequest has just opened in theaters. I should have included the following in this week’s What’s Screening newsletter: C- A Little Help, Opera Plaza Cinemas, CineArts @ Pleasant Hill, opens Friday. This film really helped me appreciate Mike Leigh. It did so by reminding … Continue reading Newsletter Addendum

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival closed its San Francisco run at the Castro last night. It’s taking today (Friday) off, then opening Saturday at Berkeley’s Roda Theatre. Going from Yiddish to British, the From Britain with Love festival opens today at the Balboa. And the Castro is running a tribute to composer Max Steiner … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 29 – August 4

I’m writing this a week early, so if anything changed at the last minute, it won’t be reflected here. The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival plays at the Castro through the week. I’ve listed those screenings at the end of the newsletter. And the Red Vic closes its doors Monday night. Harold and Maude, Red … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 22 – 28

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival continues through Sunday. San Francisco Jewish Film Festival opens Thursday night. Also, this is the Red Vic’s last full week of operation, and they’re going out with a big week. I’m grouping their programs at the end of the newsletter, as if they were a festival. A Terri, Bridge, … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 15 – 21

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival opens its four-day run on Thursday. The Big Uneasy, Elmwood, opens Friday; Rafael, Monday, 7:15. We associate comedian Harry Shearer with mockumentaries (Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind), but now he’s made the real thing. In his first true documentary (which I haven’t yet seen), Shearer examines the causes of … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 8 – 14

No festivals running this week. Das Boot, VIZ Cinema @ New People, Thursday, 6:00. I haven’t seen Wolfgang Petersen’s breakthrough submarine epic in a very long time, but I remember being very impressed when I saw it. This screening will be the 208-minute director’s cut. Considering Petersen’s effective use of surrounds and the Viz’s sound … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 1 – 7