You will not learn anything by watching Singin' in the Rain. It will not make you a better person or help you understand the human condition. But for 103 exhilarating minutes, this movie will entertain you like no other. Singin' in the Rain contains several of the best dance routines in film history. And when … Continue reading A+ List: Singin’ in the Rain
Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
Over the course of this last week, I caught six films that will enjoy their Bay Area premieres at the Mill Valley Film Festival. I list them here from best to worst. None of them are really bad, and most of them are very good. All six will have theatrical releases after the Festival, so … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival Preview, Part 1
What’s Screening: September 16 – 22
This week in Bay Area screenings, we've got epic cowboys, silicon cowboys, sinking continents, a Latino film festival, and two celebrations of Star Trek turning 50. Festivals The CM SF Latino Film Festival opens Friday and runs until October 1 New films opening B Silicon Cowboys, Roxie, opens Friday IBM ruled the personal computer market … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 16 – 22
Silicon Cowboys take on Big Blue
B documentary Directed by Jason Cohen In the early 1980s, IBM ruled the personal computer market. If your computer wasn't made by Big Blue, it was incompatible with all the ones that were. Then a group of young, former Texas Instrument employees created Compaq, and everything changed. By the end of the decade, the PC … Continue reading Silicon Cowboys take on Big Blue
New haunted series at SFMOMA
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) recently gave its Phyllis Wattis Theater an upgrade. And now they're combining forces with the San Francisco Film Society for a three-weekend series of Modern Cinema, with an emphasis on films both haunted and haunting. SFMOMA and SFFS aren't the only organizations involved. The festival will focus … Continue reading New haunted series at SFMOMA
Mill Valley Film Festival program announced
Monday night, the California Film Institute introduced this year's Mill Valley Film Festival--the 39th edition. Now comes your chance to see this year's Oscar bait early--and probably with the filmmakers ready to answer questions. I mean it about Oscar bait. Since 2010, every Best Picture Oscar winner (whether it deserved it or not) had its … Continue reading Mill Valley Film Festival program announced
A+ List: North by Northwest
A glib advertising man with two ex-wives and a drinking problem becomes the victim of mistaken identity. Foreign spies want to kill him, and the police want to arrest him for the murder of a man killed by the spies. Clever witticisms won't help him this time. Alfred Hitchcock made thrillers more frightening and thoughtful … Continue reading A+ List: North by Northwest
What’s Screening: September 9 – 15
Mr. Spock, Dekalog, Merchant Ivory, and a Big Parade in this week's Bay Area screenings. Festivals Alfred Hitchcock Weekends continues through Sunday The California Independent Film Festival continues through Wednesday New films opening B+ For the Love of Spock, Roxie, opens Friday Adam Nimoy splits this feature documentary between his father Leonard and the character … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 9 – 15
Living in Oblivion finds humor in the frustrations of filmmaking
Sports fans like sports movies. Foodies love food porn. So it's no surprise that we cinephiles have a soft spot in our hearts for movies about movies. Few movies about movies are as funny as Living in Oblivion, Tom DiCillo's low-budget comedy about the making of a low-budget drama. Released in 1995--when independent filmmaking's popularly … Continue reading Living in Oblivion finds humor in the frustrations of filmmaking
For the Love of Spock (and Leonard Nimoy)
B+ Documentary Directed by Adam Nimoy When Leonard Nimoy died earlier this year, he was working with his son Adam on a documentary about the character that made the elder Nimoy famous--Star Trek's Mr. Spock. After his father's death, Adam changed his mind and made the film about both Spock and the actor who played him. … Continue reading For the Love of Spock (and Leonard Nimoy)
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