What’s leaving Criterion at the end of January

January 17, 2022January 16, 2022 ~ Lincoln Spector

Want to experience something frightening? A lot of Alfred Hitchcock movies will disappear from the Criterion Channel at the end of January. But this is not only about the Master of Suspense. Movies by Billy Wilder, Nicholas Ray, Julie Dash, Elia Kazan, George Stevens, and more will also disappear. See them before February. Full recommendations … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of January

Movies I’ve Recently Seen: The Gray Flannel Suit | Charming Bourgeoise | The Blue Dahlia | Crossfire

July 29, 2021December 21, 2021 ~ Lincoln Spector

There's a theme going through this list of theoretically random movies - they're all listed at the bottom of my last Criterion article. A- The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) This is much more than an attack on 1950's conformity. Gregory Peck stars as a father, husband, and breadwinner, and doing all that … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: The Gray Flannel Suit | Charming Bourgeoise | The Blue Dahlia | Crossfire

What’s Screening: June 11 – 17

June 11, 2021June 10, 2021 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

This week in Bay Area cinema: A serious drama that turns into a slasher flick. You can see My Fair Lady or But I'm a Cheerleader Inside real movie theaters - but not as a double bill. And at the drive-in, we've got everything from The Night of The Hunter to Coco. And also two … Continue reading What’s Screening: June 11 – 17

What’s leaving Criterion when February ends

February 18, 2021February 17, 2021 ~ Lincoln Spector

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

What’s Screening: January 10 – 16

January 10, 2020January 10, 2020 ~ Lincoln Spector

What's in the Bay Area's best movie theaters this week? Three new movies - two about capital punishment. A farewell to Agnès. Noir by Graham Greene, Charles Laughton, and Leigh Brackett. And comedies from the west, down under, and outer space. But no film festivals (I don't count Sketchfest). New films opening A Clemency, Embarcadero … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 10 – 16

A Discovered genre: The contemporary western drama

July 24, 2019July 24, 2019 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 5 Comments

I think I discovered a genre. It's been around for more than 60 years and has never been recognized as such. But it's worth considering. The films in this genre, or at least the ones I've seen, have all been excellent. I call them contemporary western dramas. These are not westerns, although they echo that … Continue reading A Discovered genre: The contemporary western drama

Saturday at Noir City

January 28, 2019January 27, 2019 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 3 Comments

This article was supposed to be about Saturday and Sunday at the Castro for the Noir City film festival. But after writing what's below on Sunday morning, and then realizing that I was under the weather, I stayed home. This year's theme is the 1950s, with each double bill representing a single year. What I … Continue reading Saturday at Noir City

What’s Screening: August 18 – 24

August 18, 2017 ~ Lincoln Spector

A deadly preacher, a family of superheroes, love-struck pre-teens, and a bunch of hippies appear in Bay Area screens this week. Festivals New Filipino Cinema continues through the week and beyond Special Screening B+ Unleashed, Sebastiani, Sunday, 6:00; Rafael, Monday, 7:15 In this predicable but very funny comedy, a dog and a cat run away … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 18 – 24

What’s Screening: August 11 – 17

August 11, 2017August 11, 2017 ~ Lincoln Spector

Both the Castro and the Rafael are honoring Robert Mitchum on his centenary; the Rafael series will run for three weeks. Also 3 Women, two swashbucklers, one Bogart, a flock of porn stars, and several animated monsters on Bay Area screens this week. Festivals New Filipino Cinema 2017 opens Thursday New films opening A- Whose … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 11 – 17