Last week I told you about a Preston Sturges series available on The Criterion Channel. This week, I'm telling you about two other series on the Channel intended just to entertain. One is about the most loved comedian of all time. The other was one of the first filmmakers to use the medium to tell … Continue reading Fun stuff on Criterion, Part 2: Chaplin & Méliès
What’s Leaving Criterion when March ends
At the end of every month, the Criterion Channel trims its collection of films to make room for others (probably because of contract issues). Thankfully, they give us warning, so we can watch a film before it goes away. If you're a Criterion subscriber, catch some of these before you wake up and discover it's … Continue reading What’s Leaving Criterion when March ends
Our night at the movies
My wife and I actually went to the movies Friday night! It's a much better cinematic experience than what we've been having for more than a year. And yet, I was left worried about the survival of theatrical cinema. The Shattuck Cinema is a multiplex in downtown Berkeley. It's owned by Landmark Theatres, which means … Continue reading Our night at the movies
What’s Screening: March 19 – 25
Almost exactly a year ago, I posted what I thought might be my last What's Screening newsletter. After all, how could I write about films in local theaters when the theaters were all closed? I ended up writing about movies set in medieval times. I knew this newsletter would have to change. For almost a … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 19 – 25
Movies on the big screen – in Berkeley!
Like almost everyone else, I haven't seen a movie in the theater in more than a year. But come Friday, that will change. Berkeley's Shattuck Cinema opens tomorrow with eleven films from this year and last. I've seen seven of these films, but only at home. And yes, I know that other theaters have been … Continue reading Movies on the big screen – in Berkeley!
The Oscar Nominees, and my opinion
The Motion Picture Academy usually announces the Oscar nominees in January. But everything was weird last year, and the weirdness has not yet worn off, so they waited until yesterday to announce them. I'm not going to list the nominees. You can find that list all over the web. So, I'll just offer a few … Continue reading The Oscar Nominees, and my opinion
Fun stuff on Criterion, Part 1: Preston Sturges
Criterion offers the important works of Bergman, Tarkovsky, and Antonioni. But movies aren't entirely intended to make you feel miserable. In the middle of March, The Criterion Channel adds three series spotlighting great auteurs who used their genius to make people laugh. The first, and the only one yet streaming on the Channel, is Preston … Continue reading Fun stuff on Criterion, Part 1: Preston Sturges
What’s Screening: March 12 – 18
The theaters are opening up…or at least a few of them are; you can learn more from G. Allen Johnson's recent Chronicle article. But it may be too late for some. Alamo Drafthouse, the company that owns the New Mission, has filed for bankruptcy. Anyway, here's what's happening this week in Bay Area cinema: Discussions … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 12 – 18
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Soul | Return of the Secaucus 7 | The Mauritanian | Buck and the Preacher | The Dig & Sergeant Rutledge
Four films I've seen for the first time and two I revisited, from one of Pixar's best to one of John Ford's worst. A Soul (2020) My children are all grown, and I don't have to go to every Pixar movie anymore, but I'm glad I saw this one. Soul is one of Pixar's best, … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Soul | Return of the Secaucus 7 | The Mauritanian | Buck and the Preacher | The Dig & Sergeant Rutledge
Jazz on a Summer’s Day on Blu-ray
The concert documentary didn't start with Woodstock, Gimme Shelter, or even Monterey Pop. In fact, it didn't even start with rock 'n' roll. But it just may have started with Jazz on a Summer's Day. Shot in and around the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, and released a year later, it's one of the best of its kind. First, there's the … Continue reading Jazz on a Summer’s Day on Blu-ray
