A rock star on the supreme court, a love triangle amongst spies, musical Milos, and three film festivals - all on Bay Area screens while I'm in New York State. I wrote this newsletter a little early, so it may not include everything it should. Festivals DocLands continues through Sunday. Read my report. The Empress … Continue reading What’s Screening: May 4 – 10
The Nitrate Picture Show Program Announced
Like Telleride, The Nitrate Picture Show - the film festival that brought me to Rochester, NY - keeps its schedule secret until the opening morning. I now have that schedule. Here are the films we'll all be seeing: Friday: 4:30: Nitrate Shorts 7:30: Summer Interlude, a little-remembered Ingmar Bergman film from 1951. 10:00: Holiday, a classic comedy with Cary … Continue reading The Nitrate Picture Show Program Announced
A New Film Festival Showing Very Old (and Explosive) Prints
When you consider how flammable film stock was in the first half of the 20th century, and how popular smoking was at the same time, it's amazing that any movies survived at all. Or any movie theaters. By the time you read this, I will presumably be in Rochester, NY, where I will be attending … Continue reading A New Film Festival Showing Very Old (and Explosive) Prints
RBG: The life and importance of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
A- Documentary Directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen Make no mistake, there's nothing objective about Betsy West and Julie Cohen's biographic documentary about the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. They clearly believe that the Supreme Court's progressive hero is a rock star, a superhero, and a major bulwark protecting American democracy. I happen to … Continue reading RBG: The life and importance of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Yet Another Silent Film Festival
Finally, folks in the Northeast Bay Area won't have to drive across a bridge to watch silent films. The Empress Theatre Silent Film Festival runs this Friday through Sunday at the Empress Theatre in Vallejo. It's a modest festival, with only four programs spread across three days. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum sponsors this … Continue reading Yet Another Silent Film Festival
A Snapshot of San Francisco Movie Going, 1977
Peter Moore of the Roxie recently shared a bit of history with his Facebook friends - of which I thankfully am one. It's a facsimile of the San Francisco Chronicle movie listings for Wednesday, May 25, 1977. You'll find a photo of the complete listing at the bottom of this article. May 25th was the … Continue reading A Snapshot of San Francisco Movie Going, 1977
What’s Screening: April 27 – May 3
Islamic justice, Communist romance, the western as myth, and a brief history of time. All that and three film festivals on Bay Area screens this week. Festivals The Tiburon International Film Festival closes tonight The Homage to Michelangelo Antonioni takes over the Castro Saturday. Here's my report. DocLands opens Thursday. You can read my recommendations. … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 27 – May 3
Chaplin Diary, Part 10: The Last Shorts
With The Kid's high acclaim and higher box office numbers, Charlie Chaplin proved that he could successfully make feature-length films. But he still owed First National three pictures, and his partners at United Artists desperately wanted Chaplin movies to release. To please both companies, he would have to make three more shorts before he could … Continue reading Chaplin Diary, Part 10: The Last Shorts
May Festivals: DocLands & CAAMFest
We have two film festivals coming up in May. Unfortunately, I don't have time to cover each of them properly, so I'll just give you a quick rundown. DocLands The Bay Area hosts almost as many documentary film festivals as it does Noir fests. This Marin County-based, four-day festival runs from May 3 through May … Continue reading May Festivals: DocLands & CAAMFest
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Get Carter, The Big Sleep, & 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
What with the big film festival and all, I've had very little time in the last month to simply watch movies. But here are three I managed to catch. All of them are old crime movies, and I saw all three on FilmStruck. I also saw The Big Lebowski at the Castro, but since I've … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Get Carter, The Big Sleep, & 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
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