This year's San Francisco International Film Festival ended Thursday night at the Castro with a screening of Chris Messina's directorial debut, Alex of Venice. It was not a perfect way to end the festival, but it was a good way. The crowd was surprisingly thin. There was an empty seat next to me, and the … Continue reading The San Francisco International Film Festival closes with Alex in Venice
What’s Screening: May 9 – 15
No festivals this week. But we still have some movies worth seeing. B Young and Beautiful, Opera Plaza, Shattuck, opens Friday. François Ozon’s almost-unwatchable drama about a 17-year-old girl takes a major turn at the halfway point, suddenly becoming a good film. In the first half, she goes from virgin to whore without explanation or … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 9 – 15
Bad film turns good: My review of Young & Beautiful
B drama Written and directed by François Ozon As François Ozon’s drama about a 17-year-old prostitute nears its mid-point, you might find yourself wondering why you're sitting through such an awful piece of junk. Then, beyond all expectations, the film gets interesting. The once-cardboard characters become intriguing and worth caring about. A bad film has … Continue reading Bad film turns good: My review of Young & Beautiful
A Classic Comedy and a Colombian Thriller: Sunday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival is beginning to wind down. Sunday was the last non-workday of the festival. I attended two events, and hit the jackpot both times. The Mel Novikoff Award Ceremony and The Lady Eve More than anyone else, Mel Novikoff helped bring repertory cinema to the Bay Area. The SFIFF's … Continue reading A Classic Comedy and a Colombian Thriller: Sunday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
I managed to get to three San Francisco International Film Festival screenings at the Kabuki yesterday. Let me tell you about it. B Bauyr (Little Brother) This seems to be the year of young boy films at SFIFF. Bauyr is the fourth such movie I’ve seen at this festival so far. It was pretty good, … Continue reading Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
SFIFF: Boyhood and an Evening with Richard Linklater
Last night at the Castro, the San Francisco International Film Festival honored Richard Linklater with their Founder's Directing Award. The event included a discussion between Linklater and actor Parker Posey, followed by a screening of Linklater's new film, Boyhood. When I arrived, more than an hour before the show, the line was already around the … Continue reading SFIFF: Boyhood and an Evening with Richard Linklater
What’s Screening: May 2 – 8
The San Francisco International Film Festival continues through Thursday. My Festival capsules are at the end of this newsletter. A- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Alameda, Tuesday and Wednesday. Corrupt political bosses appoint a naive, young idealist (James Stewart) senator because they think he’s stupid. They’re wrong. The second and best film in Frank Capra’s … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 2 – 8
I Wake Up Dreaming about Silents: Bay Area May Film Festivals
Taking some time off of the San Francisco International Film Festival, I thought I'd tell you about three other festivals opening in May. I Wake Up Dreaming May 16 - 25 Noir City isn't the only local festival to concentrate on the dark side of cinema. The Roxie's I Wake Up Dreaming series offers its … Continue reading I Wake Up Dreaming about Silents: Bay Area May Film Festivals
SFIFF: Getting Down and Staying Down at the Castro
Tuesday night I visited the Castro for a special San Francisco International Film Festival event: Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. SFIFF has a tradition for daring silent movie accompaniment. They bring in a local musician or group, one with a significant following, and have them accompany a silent feature or a collection of … Continue reading SFIFF: Getting Down and Staying Down at the Castro
Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
I attended opening night, and managed to get to one movie Friday night, but Saturday was my first full day at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. Oddly, I didn't see a single feature-length film that day. But here's what I did see: Dolby Labs: The Sound of Movies In this Master Class at … Continue reading Saturday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
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