We've still got more than two weeks to go before the San Francisco International Film Festival announces this year's program, but they've already fed us a few interesting tidbits about what we have to look forward to. The biggest change: The festival won't be in the Western Addition anymore. This shouldn't come as a surprise. … Continue reading SFIFF: International Film Festival changes venues, announces some programming
What’s Screening: March 11 – 17
Welcome to the new and--I hope--improved Bayflicks newsletter. The old newsletter format became unwieldy, discussing as many as 20 films a week, each with a photo and a paragraph. It was taking up too much of my time and--in the unlikely chance that you read it all--too much of yours. So from here on in, … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 11 – 17
Manchurian Candidate Criterion
Evil Chinese, worse Americans, innocent bystanders, brainwashing, assassination, and party politics collide in this surprisingly timely cold-war thriller from 1962. While the suspense grows, the story attacks both Communism and McCarthyism (a recent memory with lingering effects in the early 60s). it also contains the most evil mother in the history of movies. I reviewed … Continue reading Manchurian Candidate Criterion
Melvin Van Peebles, Sweet Sweetback, and Me
I finally saw the completed version of Melvin Van Peebles' ground-breaking Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. I didn't see it when it was in theaters partly because I was a bit too young for X-rated movies. But mostly because I had already seen a rough cut. When it hit theaters, Sweetback created a sensation. Here was … Continue reading Melvin Van Peebles, Sweet Sweetback, and Me
What’s Screening: March 4 – 10
This week's film festivals: The on-going Cinequest continues through this week and beyond. CAAMfest opens Thursday. B The Wave, Embarcadero Center, Shattuck, opens Friday A horrifically deadly tsunami crashes into a popular tourist resort in this Norwegian disaster movie. It starts strong and slow, as the geologist hero (Kristoffer Joner) tries to convince his co-workers … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 4 – 10
The Wave loses power in last act
B Disaster triller Written by John Kåre Raake and Harald Rosenløw Eeg Directed by Roar Uthaug Scandinavia created more than just democratic socialism. In recent years, it's also created some exceptional thrillers--Headhunters being the best of them. Norway's latest heart stopper almost reaches that level of frightening entertainment, but then it sags in the final stretch. … Continue reading The Wave loses power in last act
Quick thoughts on the Oscars
No one who cares about cinema considers the Academy Awards to be a reliable indication of great art. But the Oscars do provide an interesting view of what Hollywood thinks of current movies. And reasonably often, they actually reward good films. To a reasonable degree, they did so last night. My wife and I didn't … Continue reading Quick thoughts on the Oscars
What’s Screening: February 26 – March 3
The San Francisco's Jewish Film Institute's one-day WinterFest opens and closes Saturday. And for those of you in the south bay, Cinequest opens Tuesday. The Oscars screen Sunday evening. If you want to watch the silly extravaganza with other people in a movie theater, here are your options. (For what it's worth, the Academy is … Continue reading What’s Screening: February 26 – March 3
A+ list: McCabe and Mrs. Miller
I visited the Castro Sunday afternoon to see my all-time favorite Robert Altman film, McCabe and Mrs. Miller. (It was on a double bill with the Woody Guthrie biopic, Bound for Glory, which I saw long ago and didn't care for. I skipped it this time.) For its daring rethinking of the western genre, it's … Continue reading A+ list: McCabe and Mrs. Miller
The Last Man on the Moon
B biographical documentary Directed by Mark Craig What was it really like to be an astronaut when that title was still new? Navy pilot Gene Cernan joined the elite ranks of space explorers not long after the original Mercury astronauts were selected. He flew into space three times--once in a two-man Gemini capsule and twice … Continue reading The Last Man on the Moon
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