YOUR OSCAR BALLOT OLD BOY: terrifying, will stay in your head all night MONSTERS UNIVERSITY: the antidote to Old Boy DALLAS BUYERS CLUB: superb, especially if you were there THE BOOK THIEF: required viewing, be glad you weren’t there THE COUNSELOR: will scare you straight THE LONE RANGER: good film cursed with bad marketing THE…
SING WITH ME: “Start by admitting From cradle to tomb Isn’t that long a stay. Life is a-bout de-cay, old chum, Only a big de-cay, old chum, And I love a beautiful decay!”. (Apologies to Joel Gray in Cabaret) Somehow this tune kept sticking in my head during the credits of Visitors. Most people would…
Just look at that face. Who cares if the film looks like it’s about men in fast cars going around in a circle? This is the perfect date movie. You have both action and meaningful dialog. RUSH tells the true story of the inexplicably long rivalry between two race car drivers in the 1970s. We…
Had enough of “staycations”? Want a travel destination that won’t break the piggy bank? Portland, Oregon is more than recycling, kale chips and polar fleece. This pacific northwest city is alive with quirky culture. There’s a couple of mandatory details to discuss first. One: Watch at least one episode of “Portlandia” to understand this Berkeley-er-than-thou…
YEAR 35: The Mill Valley Film Festival is celebrating it’s 35th anniversary with their usual flare. The 2012 spotlight is on John Hawkes, Billy Bob Thornton, Dreamworks Animation, and a special tribute to Dustin Hoffman and Indian Director Mira Nair. David Tanaka of Pixar directed the opening trailer. This year 160,000 admission tickets help fund…
REBELS, RABBIS, REUBENS and FILM: Catch the alliteration there? It’s this years SFJFF theme. Word trios toying with inclusiveness, diversity, stereotypes. Welcome to year 32 of the largest and longest running Jewish Film Festival in the country. I’ve been told that the reason the 32nd place is blank on the program cover is for you…
TRUE ART TRANSCENDS TIME: Celebrating it’s 17th year, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival returns to the Castro Theatre July 12-15. I’m guessing this is the only Film Festival to have it’s opening reception in a mattress factory. For real. Founded in 1899, the historic McRoskey Mattress Company opens it’s fab loft space on Market…