This week in Bay Area cinemas there's Andrei Tarkovsky, the Coen Brothers, Stanley Kubrick, Sergio Leone, and a story about the birds (but not Hitchcock's). But no festivals this week. New films opening A The Teachers' Lounge: (2023), Opera Plaza, check days & times through the weekThis exceptional German film follows the problems of a … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 12 – 18
Tag: Henry Fonda
What’s Screening: July 28 – August 3
Believe it or not, vintage cinema still exists in Bay Area theaters. This week we've got two of Preston Sturges' best comedies, and if you haven't seen them, you're missing much of life's treats. There's also The Beatles, Kurosawa in noir mode, Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, one of Pixar's best, and the only X-rated film that … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 28 – August 3
What’s Screening: April 14 – 20
This is a big week for Bay Area movie lovers. You have a choice between serious, international cinema with The SFFilm Festival in several theaters, or old-time Hollywood movies at Oakland's Grand Lake. If you want to know what to see at SFFilm, check out my articles SFFilm Festival previews and SFFilm Fest Previews, Part … Continue reading What’s Screening: April 14 – 20
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of February
As usual, a lot of movies available on the Criterion Channel will disappear at the end of February. If you like screwball comedy, and other genres, check out these films before it's March. Full recommendations A+ The Lady Eve (1941) Like most great screwballs, Preston Sturges' The Lady Eve looks at class differences. It also examines the problems … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of February
Márta Mészáros & John Ford: Two evenings at the BAMPFA
Two evenings. Two movies. Two brilliant auteurs at the BAMPFA. Márta Mészáros Last Saturday night, I discovered Márta Mészáros, a new, brilliant auteur. Well, not really new. she turned 90 last year. But she's new to me. Before the movie, curator Kathy Geritz told us a bit about Mészáros. She made her first film, The … Continue reading Márta Mészáros & John Ford: Two evenings at the BAMPFA
What’s Screening: June 17 – 23
New and old movies are playing in San Francisco theaters; and a lot of them are already streaming. Looking for old-time movie stars on the big screen? This week you've got Clark Gable, Steve McQueen, Henry Fonda, Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, and Daniel Day-Lewis. If that list is a bit too male-centered, there are real … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 17 – 23
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of June
A lot of early John Ford films will disappear from the Criterion Channel at the end of June. There are several other good films that will go away after June 30. Click the film's title to start watching the movie – assuming as if you subscribe to the Channel. Full recommendations A+ The Last Picture … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of June
Movies I’ve recently seen: Almost Famous ֍ Young Mr. Lincoln ֍ Planet of the Apes ֍ The Saphead
While reviewing films for the SFFilm Festival, I found some time to just enjoy some old movies. Click a picture's title to find how you can see one. A- Almost Famous (2000) The story would be unbelievable if similar events happened to writer/director Cameron Crowe in his adolescence. In 1973, a 15-year-old boy gets a … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: Almost Famous ֍ Young Mr. Lincoln ֍ Planet of the Apes ֍ The Saphead
What’s Screening: Jan 28 – Feb 3
What's happening in Bay Area cinema as January turns into February? We've got laughs from Preston Sturges, Bill Murray, and Monty Python. Also noir from Pedro Almodóvar, or satire from Boots Riley. I had to prepare this newsletter earlier than usual for personal reasons. That means that if a screening is announced at the last … Continue reading What’s Screening: Jan 28 – Feb 3
What will leave Criterion come midnight
When the trick-or-treaters go to bed and October turns into November, some excellent films will mysteriously disappear. Many of them were directed by John Huston. At the end of this month, Criterion will remove 59 feature films from its streaming service to make more for other classics. Here's a few of them: A The African … Continue reading What will leave Criterion come midnight
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