Photo collage by Kristiana Schmidt

Summer is here, San Francisco, which means it’s once again time to grab your picnic baskets, blankets, sweatshirts, scarfs and friends and head out to the park for some free cinema. This year’s lineup begins on June 15th with Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and ends on September 21st with the latest James Bond film, Skyfall (2012). As usual, all movies swill be held on Saturdays and start at dusk.

Saturday, 6/15, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981), Dolores Park

Saturday, 7/13, VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA (2008), Union Square

Saturday, 8/3, THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), Dolores Park

Saturday, 8/17, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952) Union Square

Saturday, 9/7, MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012), Washington Square Park

Saturday, 9/21, SKYFALL (2012), Dolores Park

Welcome to our newest feature in where we pay respects to the recent passings of some of our favorite fictional characters. Even though these characters may not have died in their fictional world, their real world “puppet masters” have. In this edition I have collected photographs, video clips, and formulated some brief epitaphs as a way of paying my respects to the contribution these characters have added to the cinematic landscape

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At long last it appears that Stanley Kubrick‘s never realized ambitious script – as Kubrick scripts often were – for Napoleon is finally going to get made.  In a recent interview with the French website Canal+ Steven Spielberg is quoted as saying, “I’ve been developing Stanley Kubrick’s screenplay — for a miniseries not for a motion picture — about the life of Napoleon“

As for Spielberg’s actual role in the movie, that is yet to be decided.  Chances are he won’t direct, but if he were, it wouldn’t be his first time working with Kubrick’s material.  Remember, he took over the 12 years of Kubrick’s preproduction work for A.I.: Artificial Intelligence after Kubrick passed in 1999.  Though met with polarizing reactions, personally, I quite like that film, and that’s coming from someone who is not the biggest Spielberg fan to begin with, especially as of late.

I guess the only questions I want answers for are: Who is going to direct the series; Can Patton Oswalt really handle the rigorous demands to portray the eponymous lead (I’m starting that rumor); and most importantly, will the end result be worthy to stand next to Kubrick’s other classic screenplays?

Anyone besides me wondering what happened to Director Stephen Chow?  After the international success of his unique brand of martial arts cinema in the early 2000′s with the over-the-top cartoonish extravaganzas, Shaolin Soccer (2001) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004) he seemed to have just disappeared.  Oh sure, he did do a family/adventure/drama movie in 2008 called CJ7, which I haven’t seen, but have read and heard enough sub-par reviews to know I’m not missing much.  Other than that though, the guy seems to be MIA.

Well, good news.  It looks like Stephen Chow is up to the same old tricks that he was doing in the early 2000s.  And even though Chow’s latest isn’t listed anywhere on his IMDB home page, apparently the movie opened last week in China during their Chinese New Year celebrations.  Even more good new, I attached a trailer, which, from the looks of it, is going to be pretty ridiculous/awesome.  Click the jump to see it. Read More…

They say the best things in life are free and, for once, they’re right!  As a post Valentine’s Day gift, from now, Friday (Feb 15th) through Monday (Feb 18th), Hulu.com will be offering the entire Criterion Collection to stream at the cost of absolutely nothing.  That means even those who don’t subscribe to Hulu can take advantage of this generous gift.

Now, as sweet as this sounds there is one catch.  There will be brief commercial breaks throughout the movies.  As far as I’m concerned, a few interruptions is but a small price I’m willing to pay for the stay-at-home convenience of getting caught up, and familiarized with some of the most interesting and important films out there.  Don’t worry, local video stores, I’ll be visiting you as soon as this offer expires.

China fighting Japan, victims fighting a serial killer, the mob fighting thieves, sisters fighting morals, and a slew of Bollywood dancers fighting to be seen by Bay Area moviegoers.  What do all these quarrels have in common?  They’re all featured in new films opening this week in San Francisco.  Follow the jump to see what these films are, and where you can see them. Read More…

This Thursday Come support your local video store by joining Filmbalaya at Lost Weekend’s Cinecave for an exciting double feature featuring tough guys with strong english accents! We start off at 7pm with Steven Soderbergh‘s cooler than cool take on underworld revenge and follow it up at 9pm with a frighteningly terrific Ben Kingsley fueled crime drama.  See ya there.

The Cinecave is located within the bowels of Lost Weekend Video, which is located at 1034 Valencia Street (at 21st).  Trailers for both films and upcoming events for the Cinecave after the jump Read More…

Love affairs, depleting glaciers, daisies, the master of suspense, a fighting Jack Frost, the life of PI a bunch of CGI animals, and a week-long Castro sing-a-long.  What do all these people have in common?  They’re all featured in new films opening this week in San Francisco.  Follow the jump to what these films actually are and where you can see them Read More…