I just caught the documentary Manakamana, an American-made film shot and set in a very specific location in Nepal. The setting: a cable car that takes people to a Hindu temple high in the mountains. Filmmaakers Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez set their camera in one seat and watch the people in the other, as well as … Continue reading SFIFF: Manakamana
San Francisco International Film Festival Opening Night
This year's San Francisco International Film Festival officially opened last night at the Castro, with a screening of The Two Faces of January. It was, as you'd expect, a packed and festive occasion. But it got off on a bad note, and an all too common one at festival big nights at the Catro. Almost … Continue reading San Francisco International Film Festival Opening Night
What’s Screening: April 25 – May 1
The San Francisco International Film Festival dominates this week (and next) for Bay Area cinephiles. I placed my SFIFF capsules at the bottom of this newsletter. But even if you eschew the Festival, there's plenty to see: A- Teenage, Opera Plaza, Shattuck, opens Friday. Using a combination of archival footage and dramatic recreations, Matt Wolf’s … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 25 – May 1
SFIFF Preview, Part II
I've previewed another three films that will screen at the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival (for my first set of three, see SFIFF Preview). Curiously, the best two of them, by far, are about the young sons of impoverished, widowed mothers. This is the end of my previews. The next films I see for … Continue reading SFIFF Preview, Part II
What’s Screening: April 18 – 24
The Tiburon Intl. Film Festival closes today (although, according to their schedule, their last screening was yesterday). The big one (or at least one of the two big ones), the San Francisco International Film Festival, opens Thursday. B+ The Lost Boys, New Parkway, Thursday, 9:15. This clever and funny--and even occasionally scary--teenage vampire movie was … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 18 – 24
SFIFF Preview
So far, I've managed to preview three films that will screen at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. Here's what I thought of them. A Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy I believe this is the first feature film adapted from a real-life Twitter feed. The title character (Patcha Poonpiriya) is a disturbed and spontaneous … Continue reading SFIFF Preview
The UC Theatre to be born again (but not as a movie house)
According to a Berkeleyside article by Frances Dinkelspiel, the UC Theatre is coming back to life. That's the good news. The bad new--admittedly from my personal perspective--is that it's not going to show movies. For 25 years, the UC Theatre was my favorite temple to the cinematic arts. I saw hundreds of films there, from … Continue reading The UC Theatre to be born again (but not as a movie house)
What’s Screening: April 11 – 17
The Tiburon International Film Festival continues through the week. A+ City Lights, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Saturday, 7:30. Charlie Chaplin's Birthday. In Charlie Chaplin’s most perfect comedy, the little tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl and befriends a suicidal, alcoholic millionaire, but neither of them know the real Charlie. The result … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 11 – 17
What’s Screening: April 4 – 10
Both the Sonoma Film Festival and the Food & Farm Film Fest play through Sunday. And the Tiburon Intl. Film Festival officially opens Thursday. B+ The Red Shoes, Castro, Thursday. This 1948 Technicolor fable about sacrificing oneself for art makes a slight story. Luckily, the characters, all fanatically devoted to their art, and all very … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 4 – 10
Film, Digital, and the Current Castro Calendar
Early every month, I visit the Castro's Playlist page to see which classics they're showing digitally rather than on film. And no, I don't do this to get angry. I love film, but I also love DCP (the digital standard that's replaced film in theaters). It's more a matter of curiosity. As I understand it, … Continue reading Film, Digital, and the Current Castro Calendar
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