I usually only review Blu-rays of films that I already know and like. I want to explore how a film I know is good is getting a worthwhile presentation. I consider the quality of the image, the sound, and the extras. But with Ernst Lubitsch's 1924 silent melodrama, Three Women, I was buying a pig … Continue reading Three Women Blu-ray
Losing Berkeley’s California Theatre
The California Theatre, Berkeley's only true movie palace, is in danger of disappearing. I suspect that the California will be gone within months. Built in 1913, this is one of the last Art Deco movie theaters in the Bay Area. Inside and out, the California felt like you were entering a glorious adventure. Like other … Continue reading Losing Berkeley’s California Theatre
Sloan Science & Don’t Look Up
A huge comet will hit the earth and destroy all life within months. The good news: It's a movie, and a metaphor for the climate crisis. Rather than months, in real life we have a few years to fix the problem. This year's Sloan Science in Cinema Prize goes to Adam McKay, the writer and … Continue reading Sloan Science & Don’t Look Up
What’s Screening: January 7 – 13
I dedicate this week's newsletter to film historian and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022). Considering what Omicron is doing all over the world, we have a surprising number of vintage movies playing in real theaters. We've got major works from Peter Jackson, F.W. Murnau, Wong Kar Wai, The Coen Brothers, … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 7 – 13
Matrixes: Kung Fu, digital effects, and ridiculous stories
I was never a fan of The Matrix franchise. The very concept of these films bothered me since I saw the first one (I'll go into this below). I saw the first two movies when they were relatively new, with no desire to see more. I skipped the third movie when it came out. But … Continue reading Matrixes: Kung Fu, digital effects, and ridiculous stories
Parallel Mothers: What you heard at the maternity hospital
A- drama Written & directed by Pedro Almodóvar Some movies are easy to review, but not this one. If I'm not careful, I can ruin the movie for you - and not just in the last act. Pedro Almodóvar's latest film, Parallel Mothers, contains some important surprises over its two-hour runtime, and each new revelation … Continue reading Parallel Mothers: What you heard at the maternity hospital
Movies I’ve recently seen: From Here to Eternity ֍ Tick, Tick… Boom! ֍ Terror in a Texas Town ֍ One Hour with You & ֍ No Way Out
I haven't been going to theaters recently, but here are a few, mostly old movies that I've watched at home. The fact that four of the five movies are in black-and-white tells you that that most of these pictures are vintage. And if you want to find out how to stream any of these, click … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: From Here to Eternity ֍ Tick, Tick… Boom! ֍ Terror in a Texas Town ֍ One Hour with You & ֍ No Way Out
The best new films I saw at home
Like all of us, I saw a lot of new films at home this year. Along with Netflix, Vudu, and other services, I also streamed films in the job of a reviewer - especially near the major film festivals. These were the best: A Skies of Lebanon: directed by Franka Potente The movie begins like … Continue reading The best new films I saw at home
My best moviegoing experiences of 2021
I don't write a list of the year's best ten movies. Instead, I list the best ten moviegoing experiences (sometimes I list more than ten). I couldn't do that last year, but this time I could. What do I mean by moviegoing experiences? The movies can be old or new. The experience must happen in … Continue reading My best moviegoing experiences of 2021
What’s Screening: Dec 31 – Jan 6
A lot of really good, new movies in theaters right now, even if I haven't seen many of them. But you can see some good classics on the big screen this week. And as usual around the new year, there are no festivals. Theatrical revivals A+ Fargo (1996), New Parkway, Thursday, 9:00pm I'm not sure … Continue reading What’s Screening: Dec 31 – Jan 6
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