I just found out about the Latino Film Festival, playing at various locations, while preparing this newsletter. It’s already running, and will continue to do so through this week and beyond. The Iranian Film Festival plays Saturday and Sunday at the San Francisco Art Institute. The The Isle of Wight 40th Anniversary Film Festival opens … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 17 – 23

B+ The Bridge On the River Kwai, Castro, Friday through Thursday. The longer it’s been since you’ve seen David Lean’s World War II adventure, the better it gets in your  memory. That’s because the brilliant story of an over-proud British POW (Alec Guinness) sticks in the mind. But to see the actual movie again is … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 10 – 16

Our first Kurosawa-free newsletter in months. The celebration was fun, but I’m glad it’s over. A Romeo and Juliet (1967 version), Pacific Film Archive, Sunday, 4:00. Franco Zeffirelli’s version of Shakespeare’s popular romantic tragedy changed forever how filmmakers approached the Bard–and changed it for the better. Beautiful, violent, funny, sad, and lusciously romantic, it makes … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 3 – 9

The Maya Indie Film Series, showcasing six Latino-themed films, runs this week (Friday through Thursday), at the Camera 7 Pruneyard theater. Once again, I’m putting several Kurosawa films at the end of the schedule. If you’re getting sick of him, fear not. The centenary series are running out. B- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Castro, Friday through … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 27 – September 2

No film festivals running this week. In fact, none yet announced that I know of. Kurosawa films, at the PFA and the Viz, are at the end. A Triple Feature Jason and the Argonauts, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, & The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Castro, Saturday. Ray Harryhausen enjoys a unique place in the … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 20 – 26

The Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival ends Saturday. Then, after five festival-free days, the Sausalito Film Festival opens Thursday night. There’s so much Kurosawa going on at the Pacific Film Archive this week that I’m separating those films at the bottom of the newsletter. A Metropolis, Castro, Friday through Sunday. The first important science … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 13 – 19

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival finishes up this week, with engagements at the Roda, the Rafael, and the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. And the Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival runs Tuesday, Thursday, and the following Saturday at the Elmwood. Once again, festival screenings are at the bottom of this newsletter. A … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 6 – 12

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival moves out of San Francisco this week to settle in Palo Alto and Berkeley. (That’s why we’re called Wandering Jews.) And once again, I’m placing the SFJFF screenings at the end of this post. Also, the SFFS Screen opens again Friday at the Kabuki with Alamar. Since I missed … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 30 – August 5

Disclaimer: This may not be up-to-date. I’m actually writing this Monday, July 19, before going off on a vacation. Should anything change, I won’t be able to update it. Another Hole in the Head continues through the week, and the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival opens Saturday night. I’ve placed Jewish Film Festival screenings at … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 23 – 29

Festival climate for this week: silent but scary. The San Francisco Silent Film Festival runs through the weekend, and Another Hole in the Head continues all week. I’ve separated the Silent Film Festival listings at the bottom of this newsletter. A Love and Honor, VIZ Cinema, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Yoji Yamada makes Samurai films … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 16 – 22