A- Historical drama Written by Léonie-Claire Breinersdorfer and Fred Breinersdorfer Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel This spellbinding and sometimes gruesome story about Nazi Germany feels very relevant today. It's a must see, even though it will probably turn your stomach. No matter how much you like 13 Minutes, you probably won't want to see it twice. … Continue reading 13 Minutes: The difference between life and death in Nazi Germany
A+ List: Seven Samurai on the big screen
Sunday night, I saw one of cinema's greatest masterpieces, The Seven Samurai, at the Pacific Film Archive. It was the first time I'd seen it on the big screen in maybe 35 years. Which isn't to say that I hadn't seen it plenty of times at home. I've owned this epic on Laserdisc, DVD, a … Continue reading A+ List: Seven Samurai on the big screen
Warner Brothers at the Stanford
The four original Warner Brothers fought their way into the Hollywood mainstream in the 1920s. They achieved major studio status when they bet on sound and turned the business topsy turvy. In the 1930s and '40s, they made a reputation for tough, gutsy, left-leaning crime movies. They also made musicals, swashbucklers, and the occasional western. … Continue reading Warner Brothers at the Stanford
Jewish Film Festival Preview, Part 2
Here's four more movies that will screen at this year's San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. As usual, I've listed them from best to worst - although there are no real turkeys in this batch. You can also check out my first collection. A Fanny's Journey In occupied France, a school mistress attempts to smuggle a … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Preview, Part 2
What’s Screening: June 30 – July 6
W. C. Fields, Cab Calloway, Joe Dante, Bogart & Hepburn, tough British cops, and the Russian Revolution light up Bay Area movie screens this week. And oddly, not a single film festival. New films opening A- Nowhere to Hide, Roxie, opens Friday The experience of sitting through this documentary can best be described as harrowing, … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 30 – July 6
Nowhere to Hide: Powerful, important, & horribly depressing
A- Documentary Directed by Zaradasht Ahmed The experience of sitting through this documentary can best be described as harrowing, gruesome, scary, and deeply depressing. At yet, I have to recommend it. You'll be a better person for seeing Nowhere to Hide. In 2011, as American troops left Iraq, the filmmakers gave a small video camera … Continue reading Nowhere to Hide: Powerful, important, & horribly depressing
Jewish Film Festival Preview, Part 1
Here's my first, 2017 collection of San Francisco Jewish Film Festival mini-reviews. As usual, I'm starting with the must-sees and ending with the easy-to-misses. A 1945 August 1945. Two Orthodox Jews get off the train in a small Hungarian town. Who are they and what do they want? But this movie isn't about them. It's about the … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Preview, Part 1
