AltWeeklies Wire
'The Monastery': Thinking Big With Vignew
As if the presentation of a hard-boiled, aged man who spends his days alone in his slowly decaying shelter weren't enough, this documentary's rough human and physical landscape is completed by Sister Amvrosija.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Maria Komodore |
10-24-2007 |
Reviews
Grief, Love & Plastic Mingle in 'Lars and the Real Girl'new
The film couches its outrageous concept in classic Amer-indie trappings, including a naturalistic setting that incorporates small-town vistas, snowy cinematography, and a Sundance Channel-ready cast.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Cheryl Eddy |
10-17-2007 |
Reviews
Laboring with Childhood in 'My Kid Could Paint That'new
Amir Bar-Lev's excellent documentary starts out as a straight-up chronicle of a way-underage artistic phenomenon, until unforeseen developments suggest some sort of mass-media con job based on dreams of squeaky-clean white suburbia.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
10-10-2007 |
Reviews
'The Last Winter' Certifies Fessenden as a Horror Auteurnew
Larry Fessenden's The Last Winter isn't the first global-warming horror film, and it surely won't be the last, but it's unlikely there will be a better one anytime soon -- or a better horror movie this fall.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
09-26-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Larry Fessenden, The Last Winter
Two Takes on William Friedkin's 'Cruising'new
The 1980 tale of an undercover cop's pursuit of a serial killer in the West Village's leather-clad S-M scene is being screened in select cities in anticipation of the DVD release.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Matt Sussman and Jason Shimai |
09-05-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: William Friedkin, Cruising
Johnnie To's 'Exiled' (John) Woos Leonenew
It doesn't get much better than a movie that balances hair-trigger violence with moments of gentle humor.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Cheryl Eddy |
09-05-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Exiled, Johnnie To
'Revolution Summer' Runs on Anxietynew
Featuring a score by Jonathan Richman and real-life footage of protesters and riot cops, Montalbano's film is lightly plotted and heavily atmospheric.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Lynn Rapoport |
08-29-2007 |
Reviews
Emotion Trumps Class in 'Live-In Maid'new
The Argentinean film relies heavily on a very exact choreography between the two characters: a formerly famous and wealthy woman in decline and her maid.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Maria Komodore |
08-29-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Jorge Gaggero, Live-In Maid
Who's the True 'King of Kong'?new
Gordon doesn't make fun of his subjects, and he never once belittles them for their laserlike devotion to a certain barrel-hurling ape -- although some of the secondary players invite ridicule due to their incredible nerdiness.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Cheryl Eddy |
08-16-2007 |
Reviews
Ziggy Stardust Shines in Re-issued Labyrinthnew
Bowie holds together this uneven but still diverting exercise in fantastical production design and critters.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
07-30-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Jim Henson, Labyrinth
'Sunshine' Ruminates on Solar Powernew
Let there be light.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Cheryl Eddy |
07-18-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Danny Boyle, Sunshine
'Transformers' Without Ironynew
If you want to enjoy this flick without guilt, you'll have to ignore the whole Middle East issue.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Annalee Newitz |
07-11-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Michael Bay, Transformers
'Rescue Dawn': Welcome (Back) to the Junglenew
Werner Herzog revisits Dieter Dengler's great escape.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Cheryl Eddy |
07-11-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Rescue Dawn, Werner Herzog
Not Much More Than Meets the Eyenew
Transformers is shiny, toy-based cheese.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Cheryl Eddy |
07-05-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Michael Bay, Transformers
Tune In, Turn On, 'Psych-Out'new
A filmed-in-the-Haight fable about Summer of Love hippies doing, like, hippie stuff, man.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
07-05-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Psych-Out, Richard Rush
