It’s all too much. I’ve got a career, two kids at home, and a very busy wife. I spend more time at a computer than is healthy. Something has to give. And that something is going to be Bayflicks’ weekly schedules. I realize that people find those schedules helpful, but they’re a huge time sink. … Continue reading Big Changes at Bayflicks
Death From Laughter
What makes British humor so damn funny? First we get Hot Fuzz, easily the funniest new comedy since, well, the equally British Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Now Death at a Funeral (directed by an American but still very stiff-upper-lip) passes them all on the laugh meter. To put it simply, … Continue reading Death From Laughter
Found Footage and the End of the World
Matinee, Castro, Saturday, 12:00 noon. On one level, Matinee works as a nostalgic comedy, allowing us to laugh at the bad movies and outrageous attitudes of the early 1960's. But there's something deeper at work here. Writer Charles S. Haas and director Joe Dante use the premise of a cheap horror film's small-town preview during … Continue reading Found Footage and the End of the World
The Found Footage Festival
Something very funny is coming to the Bay Area the first weekend in October. If you're a fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (and regular readers know I'm one), you're going to love The Found Footage Festival. Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett collect the garbage of our video-saturated culture. Rummaging through garage sales, dumpsters, and … Continue reading The Found Footage Festival
Lebowski of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia, Castro, Saturday and Sunday. Lawrence isn't just the best big historical epic of the 70mm roadshow era, it's one of the greatest films ever made. Stunning to look at and terrific as pure spectacle, it's also an intelligent study of a fascinatingly complex and enigmatic war hero. T. E. Lawrence--at least in … Continue reading Lebowski of Arabia
Taking Less Time
I started Bayflicks.net almost three years ago when my business was in a slump. Now business is doing pretty well. That’s good, but it’s giving me less time to maintain this site. Since I can’t afford to turn down paying work, Bayflicks has been eating into my recreational time. In other words, it’s keeping me … Continue reading Taking Less Time
Interesting Events–Not In Mill Valley
Some interesting events coming up, none connected to the Mill Valley Film Festival. First, in honor of its 90th birthday, Oakland’s Piedmont Theater will celebrate its 90th birthday with a week of classic cinema. The movies include Lawrence of Arabia, Safety Last, His Girl Friday, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. All films will … Continue reading Interesting Events–Not In Mill Valley
This Week’s Recommendations
Sorry I'm a bit late with the newsletter this week. Rosh Hashanah. I've also changed my weekly newsletter (what you're reading). I now list ongoing engagements of reviewed films at the bottom, without repeating the reviews. Delirious, Lumiere and Shattuck, opens Friday for one-week run. It's official: Low-budget independent films can be as slick and … Continue reading This Week’s Recommendations
Mill Valley Turns 30
1977 must have been some year from Marin County cinemaphiles. First, a film made by one of their own broke box office records and redefined the Hollywood blockbuster. Then the Mill Valley Film Festival debuted--fated to become the other big festival in the Bay Area. The Mill Valley Film Festival turns 30 this year, and … Continue reading Mill Valley Turns 30
All My Loving & The Pink Floyd and Syd Barret Story
Seems like a good deal. Two documentaries about '60s British rock 'n' roll for the price of one. But since the two movies combined only run 101 minutes, it's more like one movie for the price of one. And since only one of the two is even remotely worth seeing, it's more like half a … Continue reading All My Loving & The Pink Floyd and Syd Barret Story
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