Here's another "hold review" old review. I saw this drama at a press screening before the 2010 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. At the time, I was told that it would receive a full release sometime after the festival. So I wrote this review and held onto it. Now, after waiting more than two years … Continue reading Saviors in the Night
Love, Friendship, Aging, and Playing by the Rules: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Clive Wynne-Candy is an officer and a gentleman. A career soldier in His Majesty's army, he believes in following the rules of combat--even against an enemy willing to commit atrocities. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp follows Wynne-Candy through four decades, from his dashing youth to a somewhat foolish old age. Along the way, … Continue reading Love, Friendship, Aging, and Playing by the Rules: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
What’s Screening: October 19 – 25
The Mill Valley Film Festival is over, but both the Petaluma Int'l Film Festival and Not Necessarily Noir open tonight. I only just found out about the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival, which opens Saturday. And French Cinema Now opens its brief run on Thursday. B The House I Live In, Kabuki, Shattuck, opens Friday. … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 19 – 25
The House I Live In
B Documentary Directed by Eugene Jarecki The United States has 5% of the world population, but 25% of the world's incarcerated prisoners. African Americans make up 13% of the country's population, and an estimated 13% of its drug users, yet 90% of those jailed for non-violent drug offenses are black. Those are just some of … Continue reading The House I Live In
Anti-Commie Friday Night at the Pacific Film Archive
I visited the Pacific Film Archive Friday night to catch two very different films, both from 1953, and both part of the series An Army of Phantoms: American Cinema and the Cold War. The first, Invaders from Mars, was all sorts of fun in ways that the filmmakers never intended. The second, Pickup on South … Continue reading Anti-Commie Friday Night at the Pacific Film Archive
What’s Screening: October 12 – 18
The Mill Valley Film Festival continues through Sunday. Taiwan Film Days starts its three day run today, while the Arab Film Festival plays San Jose Saturday and Sunday. A Mary Poppins, Kabuki & various CineMark Theaters, Wednesday. The best live-action movie Walt Disney ever made, and one of the great all-time children’s pictures. Julie Andrews … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 12 – 18
My Day at the Mill Valley Film Festival
I spend Sunday at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Here's what I saw and what I thought about it: New Movies Lab: Industry Panel I started the day not with a movie, but with a panel discussion on how independent filmmakers can promote their films and get people to see them. Much of it concentrated … Continue reading My Day at the Mill Valley Film Festival
What’s Screening: October 5 – 11
The Mill Valley Film Festival continues through the week. My Mill Valley recommendations and warnings are at the end of this newsletter. A Fort Apache, Pacific Film Archive, Sunday, 6:00. Even though it's told entirely from the white man's view, the first and best film in John Ford's cavalry trilogy leaves no doubt who the … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 5 – 11
Dogtooth
When I saw Alps last spring at the San Francisco International Film Festival, it amused but perplexed me, and I gave it a positive but lukewarm B. Several people then told me that I needed to see Giorgos Lanthimos' previous film, Dogtooth. Last night, I saw Dogtooth, and they were right. It had the strange, … Continue reading Dogtooth
What’s Screening: September 28 – October 4
This is a big week for festivals. The Palo Alto International Film Festival opened last night and closes Sunday. Berlin & Beyond also opened last night, but runs through the week. Both the Irish Film Festival and the Action/Sports Film Festival open today (Friday) and run through Sunday. The Italian Film Festival opens Saturday night … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 28 – October 4
Bayflicks 