What’s Screening: June 17 – 23

June 17, 2022June 16, 2022 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ Leave a comment

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

Best picture candidates from best to worst

February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

Here's my opinions of the ten Oscar Best Picture nominees, from really fantastic to "Did they spend money to make this thing?" You might notice that I'm giving most of these movies very good grades. That's how it should be. These are, in theory, the best films made last year. Click the name of a … Continue reading Best picture candidates from best to worst

What’s Screening: January 14 – 20

January 14, 2022January 13, 2022 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

I have stopped going to movie theaters because of Omicron. I just don't think it's safe - even though I wear a mask and have all the right shots. I'm not the only one who thinks that way. The Film Noir Foundation has postponed this year's Noir City festival. And the New Parkway has gone … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 14 – 20

What’s Screening: January 7 – 13

January 7, 2022January 6, 2022 ~ Lincoln Spector

I dedicate this week's newsletter to film historian and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich (July 30, 1939 – January 6, 2022). Considering what Omicron is doing all over the world, we have a surprising number of vintage movies playing in real theaters. We've got major works from Peter Jackson, F.W. Murnau, Wong Kar Wai, The Coen Brothers, … Continue reading What’s Screening: January 7 – 13

Movies I’ve recently seen: West Side Story ֍ Don’t Look Up ֍ The Power of the Dog ֍ The Last Emperor ֍ & The Edge of the World

December 21, 2021December 20, 2021 ~ Lincoln Spector

I've been trying to see as much Oscar bait as I can lately. That means that I've seen some very good, new movies. And that's why the new films on this list are better than the vintage movies. A West Side Story (2021) I've seen the 1961 version maybe seven times, but I never cried … Continue reading Movies I’ve recently seen: West Side Story ֍ Don’t Look Up ֍ The Power of the Dog ֍ The Last Emperor ֍ & The Edge of the World

The return of musicals

November 16, 2021November 15, 2021 ~ Lincoln Spector

Two or three years ago, I read about a film history professor who screened Singin' in the Rain to his students. They laughed at the wrong places. The students thought it was ridiculous that people would break into song and dance. A generation weaned on superhero movies had little or no experience with movie musicals. … Continue reading The return of musicals

The Cerrito opens with a classic fest

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021 ~ Lincoln Spector

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