Another five movies I've seen since my last list, in order of quality: A Ben is Back (2018), Shattuck, one of their tiny, lousy theaters This excellent drama about drug addiction turns into a crime thriller, and amazingly, despite the change in tone, it works. A nice, small-town family has its Christmas plans blown when the … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Ben is Back, Stalag 17, Vox Lux, The World Is Not Enough, Ready Player One
What’s Screening: January 4 – 10
Not much to talk about this week, but we do get dancing mice, a Claymation Mark Twain, Adam Sandler in a dramatic role, Hitchcock's best, and our first film festival of 2019. Festivals 2019's first Bay Area Film Festival, For Your Consideration, starts tonight and closes Thursday. Read my preview. New films opening B+ 2018 … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 4 – 10
You know what you’re getting when Swimming with Men
B Comedy Written by Aschlin Ditta Directed by Oliver Parker Note: I saw this British comedy at last year's Mill Valley Film Festival. I incorrectly assumed it would get an American theatrical release, and therefore, I wrote the review below. I have recently discovered that it's streaming on Vudu, Google Play. and Amazon Prime. So … Continue reading You know what you’re getting when Swimming with Men
The Best Shorts at Sundance Last Year
Short films can make you laugh, inspire you with beautiful visuals, and even break your heart. And if one of them turns out to be a stinker - well, it will be over soon. Starting Friday, the Roxie will run a program containing seven shorts that wowed audiences and judges at this year's Sundance Film … Continue reading The Best Shorts at Sundance Last Year
My 15 Best Moviegoing Experiences of 2018
I went to the movies quite a bit in 2018, and it was often a wonderful experience. I attended six (I think) Bay Area film festivals, numerous special presentations, and just plain really good movies. In May, I flew to Rochester, New York for the Nitrate Picture Show. For four days of screenings and museum … Continue reading My 15 Best Moviegoing Experiences of 2018
Movies for New Years’ Eve and Day
Throughout 2019, I'll be writing articles about holidays and the best movies for them. And I'm starting, before the year begins, with New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. If you want to start the year with a tragedy that may make you want to fight for justice, I doubt you can find anything better … Continue reading Movies for New Years’ Eve and Day
What’s Screening: December 28 – January 3
As one year ends and another begins, we get to celebrate with Kubrick, DeMille, Cuarón, Murnau, and Chaplin - all in Bay Area movie theaters. But still no film festivals. The Week's Big Event A+ 2001: A Space Odyssey — The 70mm / 4K Challenge, Castro, Friday through Tuesday 70mm and/or 4K presentations! Stanley Kubrick's … Continue reading What’s Screening: December 28 – January 3
The Tech in the Birth of Four Stars
Hollywood has now made four films called A Star is Born, all of which followed the same basic story of love, substance abuse, one star rising while the other falls, and inevitable tragedy. But each of the films, except the most recent one, has been a trailblazer in cinema technology. 1937 version, starring Janet Gaynor … Continue reading The Tech in the Birth of Four Stars
Blu-ray vs 4K: Great and Greater
When I reviewed The Big Lebowski 4K/Blu-ray disc set, I promised that I would soon compare Blu-rays with 4K Ultra HD discs. I finally got to it. 4K Ultra HD discs (yes, it's a horrible name) offer better image quality than Blu-rays . The improvement is not as spectacular as that of DVD to Blu-ray, … Continue reading Blu-ray vs 4K: Great and Greater
Movies I’ve Recently Seen:A Star is Born, Crazy Rich Asians, Don’t Look Now, Mary Queen of Scots & 20th Century Women
Merry Christmas for those who celebrate it. Here are four films I've seen in the last week. A A Star is Born (2018), Elmwood downstairs The same old tragedy still carries that emotional punch. The man, a major star but an alcoholic, falls in love with a talented nobody. As his career self-implodes, his lover's fame … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen:A Star is Born, Crazy Rich Asians, Don’t Look Now, Mary Queen of Scots & 20th Century Women
Bayflicks 