We're well into October, and you know what that means. We have more horror flicks, but also more Oscar bait. The horror flicks are obvious. But why Oscar bait? The best movies are held back in hope of getting a nod from the Academy. Anyway, I don't think that any of the movies playing this … Continue reading What’s Screening: October 13 – 20
Tag: Howard Hawks
What’s Screening: July 7 – 13
This week, we have films from Japan, Italy, Mexico, and Warner Brothers. Most of them are pretty good – and all of them will be better in a theater. Festivals & Series Studio Ghibli Festival opens Saturday, and goes through July The San Francisco Silent Film Festival opens Thursday The San Francisco Frozen Film Festival … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 7 – 13
What’s Screening: June 30 – July 6
I have friends who love vintage wine. They carefully store their bottles and, on special occasions, take them down and pop the cork. But what about vintage cinema? Physical film also rots. But there's another kind of cinematic decay. If people don't watch movies, or just watch them at home, the motion pictures we love … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 30 – July 6
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
What’s Screening: January 20 – 26
Last week we were walloped by massive waterfalls from the sky. And this week? You must pick between noirs from the year of 1948 or half of the Coen brothers. Along with one of the brothers, Bay Area cinemas will be showing vintage movies from Martin Scorsese, F. W. Murnau, Jacques Tati, David Lynch, Howard … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 20 – 26
What’s Screening: August 19 – 25
In Bay Area moviegoing this week: A Powell/Pressburger film I’ve yet to see. A Kurosawa double bill. Spike Lee’s best film free in the open air. Movies by Howard Hawks and Samuel Fuller. And for the first time in movie history, a handsome man lights a cigarette and says the immortal words, “Bond. James Bond.” … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 19 – 25
Movies I’ve recently seen: L’Atalante ֍ Eating Raoul ֍ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ֍ Death on the Nile ֍ The Bitcoin Field Guide
Another random selection of old and new movies, from nearly brilliant to worthless junk. Click a movie's title to find out where you can stream it. A- L'Atalante (1934) It's a common story, but done very well, thanks to director Jean Vigo's poetic realism. A bride tries to adjust to her new family, and they … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: L’Atalante ֍ Eating Raoul ֍ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ֍ Death on the Nile ֍ The Bitcoin Field Guide
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of the year
When the ball drops and 2021 turns into 2022, some very good films will disappear from The Criterion Channel (but not forever; many of them will return after a few months). If you don't subscribe to Criterion, you can start a 14-day free trial. Here are some of the movies that you might want to … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of the year
What’s leaving Criterion when February ends
I was shocked! Shocked that so many good films were leaving the Criterion Channel at the end of the month. Worse than that, I didn't even know that a lot of them even were on the Channel. Here are ten of them that I recommend you try to catch before March 1. But if you … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion when February ends
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