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
Tag: Sean Connery
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
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: The Big Chill | The Man Who Would Be King | Island of Lost Souls | Gretchen the Greenhorn & The Good German
It's amazing I've been seeing so few movies recently, aside from those I reviewed for the Mill Valley Film Festival. But I managed these four. A- The Big Chill (1983) A group of baby boomers, now coming into their 30s, come together for a funeral. They were all radical activists back in the day; now … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: The Big Chill | The Man Who Would Be King | Island of Lost Souls | Gretchen the Greenhorn & The Good German
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: CODA, Respect, Thunderball, & Annette
Over the last few months, my Movies I've Recently Seen articles have focused entirely on old movies, streaming into my home. But things are changing. Three of these four movies are brand-new. And two of them I actually saw in theaters. A CODA (2021) You rarely find so much in such a conventional story. Teenaged … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: CODA, Respect, Thunderball, & Annette
The Cerrito opens with a classic fest
When was the last time you watched a beloved classic the way it should be seen? And by that, I mean in a theater with a large screen and an audience. I don't think I've had that experience since 2019. The Cerrito celebrates its reopening this Friday with the Cerrito Classics Festival. Here are the … Continue reading The Cerrito opens with a classic fest
Movies I’ve recently seen: Chloé Zhao’s first feature, James Whale’s haunted house, Hannah Arendt, & Dr. No
Another selection of movies that no one asked me to watch. I just wanted to see them (or see them again). A- Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) Chloé Zhao's first feature isn't quite as good as the two she made since, but it's still very much watching. Like The Rider, it's set on a … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: Chloé Zhao’s first feature, James Whale’s haunted house, Hannah Arendt, & Dr. No
What’s Screening: March 19 – 25
Almost exactly a year ago, I posted what I thought might be my last What's Screening newsletter. After all, how could I write about films in local theaters when the theaters were all closed? I ended up writing about movies set in medieval times. I knew this newsletter would have to change. For almost a … Continue reading What’s Screening: March 19 – 25
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: In the Heat of the Night, Shampoo, The Great Train Robbery, & a lot more
I've recently been revisiting movies I liked long ago, which is probably why I'm giving so many good grades out this time around. But there's a real stinker in the collection, as well. A- In the Heat of the Night (1967) The Best Picture winner of 1967 is one really good noir. You already know … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: In the Heat of the Night, Shampoo, The Great Train Robbery, & a lot more
What’s Screening: November 13 – 19
A few hardtop theaters are opening up, but despite all the precautions they're taking, I'm still not ready to visit one. But a lot of fine films are playing in makeshift drive-ins. Festivals The Napa Valley Film Festival closes Sunday So does the Transgender Film Festival New films opening B The Climb, in real movie … Continue reading What’s Screening: November 13 – 19
What’s Screening: September 20 – 26
This week in Bay Area theaters: Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery save Alcatraz. Teenage vampires and a hammy Shakespearean reduce the population. Silent builders put up a rickety shack and the Taj Mahal. And Peter Bogdanovich closes the last picture show. Plus four film festivals. Festivals The Oakland International Film Festival opened yesterday (sorry, I … Continue reading What’s Screening: September 20 – 26
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