My wife and I attended the screening of Metropolis at Stanford University (not the Stanford theater) last night. This was as much a music event as a movie one--maybe more so. The West Coast premiere of Martin Matalon’s score, performed by members of the Santa Rosa orchestra under the baton of Bruno Ferrandis. My wife's … Continue reading metropolis Report
What’s Screening: December 5-11
Metropolis, Stanford University's Memorial Auditorium, Saturday, 8:00 (pre-performance discussion at 7:00). The first important science fiction feature film still strikes a considerable visual punch. The images--workers in a hellish underground factory, the wealthy at play, a robot brought to life in the form of a beautiful woman--are a permanent part of our collective memory. Even … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 5-11
What’s Screening: November 28-December 4
Wow! No festivals. But we still have some movies worth watching. A Century Ago: The Films of 1908, Rafael, Thursday, 7:00. One hundred years ago, movies were just about to discover they were an art form. And Thursday night, the Rafael will screen about two hours of shorts from the year D.W. Griffith first started … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 28-December 4
Two Quick Reviews
Two movies I've seen theatrically in the last few days: The Secret Life of Bees Hollywood makes terrific action movies and romantic comedies, but nothing helps you appreciate independent cinema like a major studio attempt at serious social drama. Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel (which I haven't read) is well-meant, well-designed, and … Continue reading Two Quick Reviews
What’s Screening: November 21-Thanksgiving
The Latino Film Festival closes Sunday. Then we're festival-free for awhile. Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer, Elmwood, opens Friday. People don’t recognize the name Anita O’Day the way they do Billie Holiday or Ella Fitzgerald, but as a jazz vocalist she’s arguably in their class. She possessed a beautiful voice, a unique … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 21-Thanksgiving
What’s Screening: November 14-20
The Stanford is going to weekly engagements. That's the big news this week. The just-announced Humphrey Bogart festival will open a different double bill every Friday and run it through Thursday. 3rd I, the Chinese American, and the Latino Film Festival continue this week. Sounds of Wall-E, Rafael, Sunday, 3:00. Andrew Stanton and Pixar made … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 14-20
Arab Labor Comes to American TV
Last summer I raved about Arab Labor, a very funny Israeli sitcom shown at the Jewish Film Festival. Now the Link TV satellite network will broadcast the show the way it was meant to be seen--at home in weekly installments. The series starts this Saturday night at 7:00. Amjad, an Arab reporter working for a … Continue reading Arab Labor Comes to American TV
Japanese Films at the PFA
I haven't had a chance to write up the new Pacific Film Archive schedule, but it includes a series of Japanese films meant to honor the late curator Kashiko Kawakita. It includes a few films I've seen, more I want to see, and two I saw for the first time Friday night. That's when my … Continue reading Japanese Films at the PFA
Let the Right One In
Horror Written by John Ajvide Lindqvist, from his own novel Directed by Tomas Alfredson Last night I saw what may be the best vampire movie I've ever seen. Better than Horror of Dracula, Interview with a Vampire, and Lost Boys; better even than Nosferatu. It's called Let the Right One In. I'm really glad I … Continue reading Let the Right One In
What’s Screening: November 7-13
Well, yes, I did promise to get back to regular blogging, and it hasn't happened. I guess I have to get back to regular movie-going first. Such a busy life! Three festivals open this week. The Latino Film Festival starts Friday with the traditional opening at the Castro. It runs through the 23rd with screenings … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 7-13
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