The Salesman: Arthur Miller & Sexual Assault in Iran

January 11, 2017October 26, 2016 ~ Lincoln Spector

A Drama Written & directed by Asghar Farhadi An intruder assaults a woman in her own bathtub. As she slowly recovers physically and tries to recover emotionally, her husband's obsession with finding and punishing the perpetrator only makes things worse. In The Salesman, all points of view, and all emotional reactions, are understandable and believable--even when … Continue reading The Salesman: Arthur Miller & Sexual Assault in Iran

Upcoming at the Pacific Film Archive

January 10, 2017 ~ Lincoln Spector

After a three-week hiatus, the Pacific Film Archive opens its second year at the Center St. location on Wednesday, January 18. Here are some of the series that I'm looking forward to: In Focus: Hollywood Outsiders January 18 - March 1: The always interesting David Thomson not only curated this series on directers who fought … Continue reading Upcoming at the Pacific Film Archive

My thoughts on the Golden Globes, La La Land, and the Musical/Comedy category

January 9, 2017 ~ Lincoln Spector

The Golden Globes turned into a big party for La La Land. I liked the movie, but not as much as most people did. As you probably already know, La La Land won seven awards, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. I loved the first part of La La Land. The opening song, … Continue reading My thoughts on the Golden Globes, La La Land, and the Musical/Comedy category

Fences and the Theatrical Adaptation Question

January 5, 2017 ~ Lincoln Spector

Screenwriters must rethink novels entirely to turn them into movies, because cinema and prose fiction are entirely different beasts. But a stage play, like a movie, consists of dialog and action, requires actors, and must fit into an evening's entertainment. Screenwriters need only find excuses to "open up" the play to more locations. And yet, … Continue reading Fences and the Theatrical Adaptation Question

Julieta: A sad yet sexy tale of love and loss

January 4, 2017October 26, 2016 ~ Lincoln Spector

A drama Written by Pedro Almodovar; adapted from three stories by Alice Munro Directed by Pedro Almodovar The opening credits appear over what looks like deep-red curtains. We know we're in for a lush, romantic story with high emotions. When we meet the middle-aged Julieta (Emma Suárez), she seems to have everything she could want: a … Continue reading Julieta: A sad yet sexy tale of love and loss

Top ten movie-going experiences of 2016

January 1, 2017December 30, 2016 ~ Lincoln Spector

I don't list my top ten films of the year. Instead, I list my top 12 best moving-going experiences. The quality of the film itself is only one part of the equation. I also consider the projection, any discussion before or after the movie, and the enthusiasm of the audience. And that audience had to … Continue reading Top ten movie-going experiences of 2016

How Many Films are Still Shot on Film: The 2016 Edition

December 28, 2016 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

How many theatrical features are still shot on physical film? Judging from my own survey, about a third of them. Back in 2012, my first survey found 14 films shot digitally and 13 shot on film. By 2015, 20 films were shot digitally, and eight - a little more than a third - on film. … Continue reading How Many Films are Still Shot on Film: The 2016 Edition